The State Of Sportsman Racing - Interesting Read - Page 2

Dwight Southerland · 07-27-2016, 05:42 PM

Adriel, I will give you my opinion.

1. Is there really any way to drive the cost of class racing(Stock, Super Stock, Comp) down?
** The increase of technology is the number one reason that building a class car is so expensive. Limiting the use of technology is one way to reduce costs. There are lots of ways to address this.
** Changing attitudes about what defines a race car will help. There are Stock & Super Stock combinations that can be competitive that can be built without having to incorporate $1200 pistons, $800 rods, $4000 transmissions, etc. You might not be a top sixteen qualifier, but you can win if you can drive.
** Reduce divisional races to two days and most national races to three days.

2. Is there a way to make it more accessible locally?
For me, we had once a year Stock/Super Stock combo races at our local tracks(Prescott and Centerville) that always peaked my interest when I was young. The rest was nurtured at NHRA events.
** Promotion and get the too-good-to-race-at-local-races guys to load their car up and show up.

3. How do entry level cost compare to what we had ten years ago?
** Ten years has not changed much. Inflation has taken its toll.
** The FS classes offer some creative combinations for SS that will be less than building traditional cars. Seems everybody wants a fast car (like low 9 sec/high 8 sec) and the traditional SS cars that will do that are horribly expensive to build.
** The class guide is filled with competitive Stock cars that could be built for less than $10-15K, but they will not be 10 sec cars. (Or 11 sec mostly)

4. Will we ever be able to shorten our divisional races into one or two day events to make it easier for people to enter these events?
** When I started racing, all divisional races were Sat-Sun events. It could be done again.

5. When was the last big money class race(Stock, Super Stock, Comp) that we've seen and where are the sponsors to make something like that happen now?
** Class Nationals.

6. I'm assuming if the location was right, you could get lots of Stockers and Super Stockers in the same place for a big money purse like some of these bracket races.
** Not until they really want to race and not be treated like prima donas.

7. What can we as a group(racers, fans, and fut racers) that care about the future of class racing do to make things better?
** Quit the squabbling and realize that somebody needs to do something and be willing to participate.

07-27-2016, 05:42 PM	#24
Dwight Southerland VIP Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Arkansas - In the middle of everything. Posts: 2,002 Likes: 64 Liked 783 Times in 195 Posts	Re: The State Of Sportsman Racing - Interesting Read Adriel, I will give you my opinion. 1. Is there really any way to drive the cost of class racing(Stock, Super Stock, Comp) down? The increase of technology is the number one reason that building a class car is so expensive. Limiting the use of technology is one way to reduce costs. There are lots of ways to address this. Changing attitudes about what defines a race car will help. There are Stock & Super Stock combinations that can be competitive that can be built without having to incorporate $1200 pistons, $800 rods, $4000 transmissions, etc. You might not be a top sixteen qualifier, but you can win if you can drive. Reduce divisional races to two days and most national races to three days. 2. Is there a way to make it more accessible locally? For me, we had once a year Stock/Super Stock combo races at our local tracks(Prescott and Centerville) that always peaked my interest when I was young. The rest was nurtured at NHRA events. Promotion and get the too-good-to-race-at-local-races guys to load their car up and show up. 3. How do entry level cost compare to what we had ten years ago? Ten years has not changed much. Inflation has taken its toll. The FS classes offer some creative combinations for SS that will be less than building traditional cars. Seems everybody wants a fast car (like low 9 sec/high 8 sec) and the traditional SS cars that will do that are horribly expensive to build. The class guide is filled with competitive Stock cars that could be built for less than $10-15K, but they will not be 10 sec cars. (Or 11 sec mostly) 4. Will we ever be able to shorten our divisional races into one or two day events to make it easier for people to enter these events? When I started racing, all divisional races were Sat-Sun events. It could be done again. 5. When was the last big money class race(Stock, Super Stock, Comp) that we've seen and where are the sponsors to make something like that happen now? Class Nationals. 6. I'm assuming if the location was right, you could get lots of Stockers and Super Stockers in the same place for a big money purse like some of these bracket races. Not until they really want to race and not be treated like prima donas. 7. What can we as a group(racers, fans, and fut racers) that care about the future of class racing do to make things better? ** Quit the squabbling and realize that somebody needs to do something and be willing to participate. __________________