Nhra strikes again - must read for stk/ss at ned nat event

[Alan Roehrich]

Originally Posted by Mark Yacavone

Right, Don..and I'll bet that competing at these various events doesn't cost $350 , car and driver, and $100 + for a couple of crew men or family members ; thus another part of the allure.
NHRA has priced themselves out of the realm of the average working guy, in my opinion.

Where NHRA has priced themselves completely out of the market is in the stands. It's absurd. And it's a huge reason you don't see kids in the stands with their parents.

And that's exactly why the long term is so bleak. Because those kids in the stands with eyes as big as saucers, and a smile a team of plastic surgeons can't remove are where new racers come from.

[Buick6]

No prep and grudge racing events are unsanctioned private track rentals. Pretty much anything goes that way.

Not sure what can be gleaned from import racing. That was a shooting star fueled by the Fast and Furious movie franchise and a few Speed TV shows. Promoters tapped into the niche youth market and made a lot of money. The shows combined drag racing, car shows and flashy lights, music and dancing into the night. The "kids" really seemed to like it. But what would I know about it at my age. A good time to me is a bag of Cheetos and a Dr Pepper watching Hee Haw reruns in my underwear.

[Don Kennedy]

Originally Posted by Alan Roehrich

Where NHRA has priced themselves completely out of the market is in the stands. It's absurd. And it's a huge reason you don't see kids in the stands with their parents.

And that's exactly why there long term is so bleak. Because those kids in the stands with eyes as big as saucers, and a smile a team of plastic surgeons can't remove are where new racers come from.

has anyone gone to a pro sports event lately??

[Coleydog]

Street Outlaws is scripted for the bs but the racing is real, believe me. And money, these guys have $100,000 engines $10,000 trans, basically pro-mod cars all state of the art. NHRA "tried" to thwart this racing with sanctions against some of the racers, failed miserably. Basically told to get off the property. So after eating crow they're In the background and NHRA tech guys check out the cars before running. Police, fire department and rescue are there, all run on a closed highway. They're not a bunch of country bumpkins tearing up the place. I'm not saying I like that racing venue but even the idiots get it, what NHRA is after. Any track these guys show up at the place is packed and people are turned away, the last one they came through the woods and the cops could do nothing. Get it while it's hot.
Mike

[Mark Yacavone]

Originally Posted by Don Kennedy

has anyone gone to a pro sports event lately??

No, Don, and I haven't been to any Rock concerts lately either.

And your point is ??

[Don Kennedy]

Originally Posted by Mark Yacavone

No, Don, and I haven't been to any Rock concerts lately either.

And your point is ??

Entertainment dollars are expensive .of course if a person is concerned about expensive costs find out the mark up on other items that you buy all the time it will make you think a little about prices we pay to race. lol

[Mark Yacavone]

Originally Posted by Don Kennedy

Entertainment dollars are expensive .of course if a person is concerned about expensive costs find out the mark up on other items that you buy all the time it will make you think a little about prices we pay to race. lol

I suppose this thread is more about spectators, but if you look around, you'll see a lot of 70+ year old racers that can afford to do this. That's all well and good.These guys have worked long and hard to get to this point in their lives.
But the question is, still, what will be left for their children and grand children,so that they can continue to participate?
Bringing in the latest flash in the pan group, is just putting a band -aid on a long standing problem, rather than confronting it head on....in MY opinion.

[Billy Nees]

Originally Posted by Don Kennedy

Entertainment dollars are expensive .of course if a person is concerned about expensive costs find out the mark up on other items that you buy all the time it will make you think a little about prices we pay to race. lol

Don, the problem that I have with your analogy comparing NHRA to Pro Sports is quite simply, when I go to an NHRA Event, I have to pay to be the entertainment! If they want to pay me like the Professional Athlete that I am, endangering my life in the highly-tuned, Professionally built piece of equipment that I'm driving, then we can talk. Otherwise, they exist to keep me from playing with my toys in the street.

[Alan Roehrich]

Don,
That's an apples to oranges comparison. Major League Baseball, the NBA, the NFL, and the NHL, just to scratch the surface, are purely for profit organizations of extremely wealthy owners of billion dollar franchises, provided with government subsidized venues, and paying union represented athletes millions of dollars.

By comparison, NHRA is a 501 (c) non profit sanctioning body charged with promoting safety and the sport of drag racing.

NHRA is charging exhorbitant gate fees, and absurd licensing fees, not to mention a huge cut of concessions. Mostly from private track owners, and fans. They get massive cuts of every sale on the property. It's a combination of a monopoly and a RICO violation.

The absurd cost to attend an event, which they do a horrific job of promoting to begin with (remember, promoting drag racing is the main reason for their NON PROFIT existence) prevents most working class families from considering a weekend of racing as good affordable entertainment.