Entry level class?

[Billy Nees]

Originally Posted by 1320racer

That I can get behind and stock will die long before S/ST based on the current median age and lack of young racers coming into the class.

There ya go! THE END

[1320racer]

I knew we could find common ground

I won't call stock entry level if you/they don't call S/ST entry level.

[Billy Nees]

Hoo Boy Ed, I (me personally) never called S/ST an entry level class. First page, first post. I can only be responsible for my own actions.

[HR9121]

Originally Posted by 1320racer

That I can get behind and stock will die long before S/ST based on the current median age and lack of young racers coming into the class.

I guess that's possible also but being the Gators quota filled up before it actually opened this year I don't see it anytime in the foreseeable future. But honestly Ed looking around the staging lanes at a NHRA event I don't see a lot of young bucks in any of the categories other than the kids of current racers. I myself am a first generation racer in my family but I was practically raised around it since quite a few of my friends parents raced.

[1320racer]

age of NHRA racers is a huge problem for them and the survival of class racing. As previously I previously stated...

Originally Posted by 1320racer

in 10 years from now, stock, super stock, comp will be decimated due to the large loss of racers. Just walk their lanes at any divisional starting next month and start counting the racers that will be retired from racing or dead by then. The numbers should scare you.

but that's another topic for another day.

[onefarmer]

Well I will throw my two cents in here with another point of view, After reading all the comments here, some funny, some not not so much. I dont think there is a entry level class at all. I think it is more of what level to do you want to enter a class. I know first hand by my own experience and witness others that all/any class from Top fuel to Jrs.will be very competitive if you want to get to the winners circle. The commitment and effort put into it is more of factor than anything. I bought a stocker so I could get more seat time and warm up before running my FSS at events.
I was running it in FS/C at the time all stock, figured that was gonna be fine and leave it that way until Craig Madox handed me my butt in Denver with a heads up run. After that I put in a lot of time and effort to make mine better. The level of competition in any class at a divisional or national event is very impressive. Perfect or very near perfect packages while it may not be the norm, they are very common. I personally like heads up racing more than bracket but that is my own opinion as is everyone else. I was able to make it to two semi finals with my stocker at National events last year and I will admit that was harder than winning races in FSS. I tell people that if racing FSS is "checkers" then racing STK is "chess" I lost both those semis from letting the other people in my head. Most stock racers are so tuff, I say they are mean enough to eat their own young LOL as are the racers in all the other classes

[goinbroke2]

Excellent post OneFarmer!! I too noticed when I got a junior for my kid 13 years ago that there were kids having fun and driving "junk" (like mine) and there were others who were very serious and had more in the junior than my whole operation, lol!!

You're right, "entry level" is a really loose term, my older kid was into basketball, had size 16EE shoes which we couldn't get locally and had to get his sneakers from "twobigfeet.com" I **** you not. $375 for a pair of sneakers!! Some kids had nice sneakers and went to away games and others had "entry level" sneakers and couldn't afford the away games.

"I don't think there is a entry level class at all. I think it is more of what level to do you want to enter a class. "

Great point. Only reason I'm stepping up to a stocker after all these years is...if not now, when? I've always loved them, I want to try. If I'm handed my butt every race and can't hit the index, etc, then I'll bow out and recognize that I don't have the talent or ability to compete at that level. No shame, just reality. (of course I'm not smart enough to quit when behind so I'll be the guy with the ratty looking car mixed in with the S/SS jewelry, lol!!)

[1320racer]

Originally Posted by onefarmer

I dont think there is a entry level class at all. I think it is more of what level to do you want to enter a class. The commitment and effort put into it is more of factor than anything.

I can agree with this too BUT the path to success in what we do and by success I mean winning championships, costs a lot of MONEY! without it, you're just "having fun", getting in the way of those who are chasing championships while you get off bragging that you got lucky and took out some hitter, some former champion, some racer chasing a championship, all of who have spent far more money and time then you on their program.

[kansas stocker]

I plead guilty to having fun and don't mind at all to get in the way.

[1320racer]

Fun is good but it's not why we go racing and not why I've committed my time and resources for decades. We are competitors and compete to win races as a means to championships. Our fun starts after the winner's circle photos.