Is Epping Race dying ?

[Tom Goldman]

The race for NHRA and the track continues to look like an attendance success.
Plus the Stock, Super Stock and Super Street classes will always fill up since for so many of the Canadians and Northern New Englanders ,this is the closest race within less than 12 -20 hours. ....Plus what Stock /SS racer is going to miss an opportunity to run Class !
The track pit area and spectator parking areas are unfortunately woefully undersized.
The amount of space that was set aside for the Gold and Red Key parking and the golf cart trailer was ridiculous, plus there was a huge area that the Stock/SS cars usually park that was torn up and not available. If all the motorhomes and cars that were parked on the paved area were moved ,there would have been dozens of additional pit spaces available.
The grass pit area was soggy and torn up with deep ruts everywhere...... The first spot I was parked in was so sloped I could not open the trailer door and I could not level the Motorhome .... It started to slide off the wood that was needed to keep the pads from sinking into the ground !!
The idea that back to back Div/Nationals is good for the racers is total B.S.unless you are retired . .....Especially on a major holiday week !
I ,like many others had to go back to work after Lebanon . ......between the two races I spent 22 hours on the road . ...Yeah ,I know thats not a lot for some racers ,but driving in N.Y., Conn. and Mass. is the WORST . . The BUMP sign , the state motto for Mass. and Conn. is at nearly every bridge. ....I hold my breath at every one !!
I would expect to see a continued decline in racers from farther South than N.Y. except for those of us that chase the points.
And that's without considering the Mosquito and tick issues !!

[tstickff]

On top of the major Tick and Mosquito issue, and very soft grass that everyone was getting rigs stuck in, and the grass that was not mowed for crap, i found it funny that my $330 entry fee that got me an all access restricted pass, was very restricted, it seemed i had more rent a cops telling me i couldn't do things like i was a 12 year old. Then during my first time shot Friday, by the time i staged the car it was 140 degrees because i had 5 staging cops telling me to stop, then pull forward 5 feet then stop, then pull forward to the next rent a cop, then get bitched at the next time because i refused to start the car and roll forward 3 feet. seems they hired people who loved the authority for a weekend and forgot the fact that i payed a ton of money to be there.....oh well, im sure ill see them again when the county fair rolls into town

[Mike Pearson]

Originally Posted by Tom Goldman

The race for NHRA and the track continues to look like an attendance success.
Plus the Stock, Super Stock and Super Street classes will always fill up since for so many of the Canadians and Northern New Englanders ,this is the closest race within less than 12 -20 hours. ....Plus what Stock /SS racer is going to miss an opportunity to run Class !
The track pit area and spectator parking areas are unfortunately woefully undersized.
The amount of space that was set aside for the Gold and Red Key parking and the golf cart trailer was ridiculous, plus there was a huge area that the Stock/SS cars usually park that was torn up and not available. If all the motorhomes and cars that were parked on the paved area were moved ,there would have been dozens of additional pit spaces available.
The grass pit area was soggy and torn up with deep ruts everywhere...... The first spot I was parked in was so sloped I could not open the trailer door and I could not level the Motorhome .... It started to slide off the wood that was needed to keep the pads from sinking into the ground !!
The idea that back to back Div/Nationals is good for the racers is total B.S.unless you are retired . .....Especially on a major holiday week !
I ,like many others had to go back to work after Lebanon . ......between the two races I spent 22 hours on the road . ...Yeah ,I know thats not a lot for some racers ,but driving in N.Y., Conn. and Mass. is the WORST . . The BUMP sign , the state motto for Mass. and Conn. is at nearly every bridge. ....I hold my breath at every one !!
I would expect to see a continued decline in racers from farther South than N.Y. except for those of us that chase the points.
And that's without considering the Mosquito and tick issues !!

Great Post Tom. This seems to be the way it will be at most national events. Seems the NHRA makes more money off of the motorhome parking than the Sportsman racers. We keep getting pushed farther away from the staging and racing areas every year.