NHRA President - Special Presentation - March 16

[Ed Wright]

Originally Posted by KennyAnderson

I noticed you forgot to put (bracket) after you mentioned Stock and Super Stock.......

That's all they are. No heads up or class run offs. No engine specs to follow, just anything you want to screw together.

[SC363B]

I don't think FED 387 likes the super (bracket) or top (bracket) categories. As far as additional sportsman parcipatation I think the goal is limit the fields at National Events which will will require more grade points to enter and force sportsman racers to run one or two more divisionals. With the lower quotas the days of one or two grade points getting you into a National Event will probably be far and few between.
If the super (bracket) and top (bracket) were eliminated from National Events the only super (bracket) and top (bracket) racers that would concentrate on divisional races would be those chasing points and if the quota for stock (special) and super stock (super special) were eliminated most of them would also run less divisional races and NHRA would have less parcipatation not more.
I understand why spectators don't like the super (bracket) classes leaving the starting line and shutting down for two or more seconds and then taking off so I think the super (bracket) cars should run like stock (special) and super stock (super special) and leave the starting line wide open wheel standing (yes we can do wheel stands just like stock (special) and super stock (super special) and run wide open to the thousand foot mark like stock (special) and super stock (super special) and then lift to protect our index. If the super classes (bracket) did this we would be popular with the spectators just like stock (special) and super stock (super special) and we wouldn't need to eliminate any classes from National Events. 😀

[FED 387]

SC383 --- you are correct I do not like bracket racing never have never will. Now I do not believe that any form of bracket racing belongs at an NHRA national event !!! a divisional event possibly. You want to bracket race go to those events that cater EXCLUSIVELY to bracket racing. Top whatever or Super whatever (super stock ) is not racing its out there putzing around and trying to run an arbitrary number that some body dreamed up it is not a performance oriented class because if you go faster than the magic number you lose. I think NHRA has deviated away from performance based racing and settled for those that cannot for whatever reason race in those performance based classes get to go out there and "have fun"--- I do not believe in CIC or HP hits on Monday or any of the other BS that NHRA has come up with. You race FLAT OUT TO THE STRIPE no lifting no protecting your index, no dumping at 1000 feet none of that crap... First car there wins!!! As far as bracket racing take away ALL OF the electronics and let the driver determine what the car is going to do and we will see how good some of these guys really are. Flame away!!!!=====FED 387

[Brett C]

Maybe if the new president would have gotten out of the corporate palace and came viewed the dues and entry fee paying sportsman in their conditions this weekend, maybe just maybe someone would give a .....

[Ed Carpenter]

Originally Posted by Brett C

Maybe if the new president would have gotten out of the corporate palace and came viewed the dues and entry fee paying sportsman in their conditions this weekend, maybe just maybe someone would give a .....

Brett that's not going to happen. It's all about the pros period and it will continue to be that way count on it.

[Mike Pearson]

I was at the meeting at the Gators. It was interesting to listen to the head honcho Peter Cliford. Peter is a very good public speaker and did a very good job with his presentation. He seems very passionate about the NHRA. It is clear that at the national events it is all about the pro show and the TV time. He made that perfectly clear. He did say that the healthier that NHRA becomes the better it will be for all involved. The only issue I had with his presentation was that he thought Pro Mod and the alcohol cars were sportsman categories. I guess in all reality they are but not like the true sportsman like comp, stock and SS. That was the first time that I have ever actually seen the person that runs our assn. I would say he is a big improvement over Compton. He put a lot of emphasis in growing our sport and making sure the media is aware that NHRA is the 2nd largest Motorsports organization in the world. He is stepping in after many years of bad management so let's see how he does over the next few. I know we all want bigger purses and lower entry fees but that is not going to happen. Maybe if things get better some of the contingency sponsors will start to come back. There have been some small improvents since his tenure started.

[600ci]

in his words were the foundation of the pyramid daaa is that the same
as the bottom ?

[Don Kennedy]

Originally Posted by Bernie Cunningham

I've been to 2 Nationals already this year and here are a couple of observations.
Word has it that Clifford listens but nothing will happen overnight.

Car quota's were short for both of those events in most categories from previous years, why ? That's a loss of revenue and it pisses us off cause a bunch missed out.

While going a few rounds at both events it was annoying to be called to the lanes really early and then sit awhile, suited up and then held back for an extended time, I suppose, waiting for the TV time.
Then there was time stalling between pairs and classes which was really obvious. The PA commentary was pathetic trying to stall for time.

I feel that NHRA is over compensating to satisfy the new TV deal for time restraints. I hope the TV deal works for em but they've lost entry money and respect from a lot of sportsman racers and that makes no sense to me. There was a lot of dead air time where Sportsman could have been showcased, I do like the winners parade though, that's cool.

As I always say, follow the money !!.
PS. I hope you all get to experience this some time this year, good luck racing.

Darn Bernie i just may agree with you

[Dick Butler]

Fed 387 great post. Only thing not spoken was that when the Super bracket cars came to be the spectators began to decrease. Too many devises to worry about for them. They just want to SEE someone get there and Win. Kind of like playing a game on a phone, it doesn't allow a crowd to understand or be involved,only the player.
No spectator involvement leads to no spectators.

[Freddie]

Could not make the meeting, but it was nice to hear that it took place. One thing I have been saying for YEARS is the biggest thing NHRA "Sportsman" racing is lacking is EDUCATION of the fans to allow them to better understand what this type of racing is all about. I dont care what "Sportsman" class you race if the fans are unfamiliar with how the race is run then they will NEVER become interested. Most of the casual fans that show up to national events are there only to see the nitro cars anyway, but there are a TON of things NHRA could be doing to build excitement for "Sportsman" racing and even convert some of the fans into racers themselves.