Why National events?

[Greg Hill]

Why do you racers who do, continue to go to National events? You get treated like dirt, you get racing surfaces that are not safe to race on, you get schedules that are terrible, and I could go on and on. Stay away from the national events. Let NHRA do their deal without us. That's the only way anything will ever change. Support your division races, opens and combo races. You can probably race as much as you want to. As long as you guys continue to go you will continue to get treated like second class citizens.

[1320racer]

it's the battered class racer syndrome...

The racer has an inability to place the responsibility for poor track conditions, schedule, pit parking, payout, elsewhere.

The racer fears that if he complains/protests he will be fined, suspended and forced to appologize to the official(s)

The racer thinks that the reason he did not hook was his fault/his car's fault.

The racer has an irrational belief that the NHRA, Division Director, track officals are omnipresent and omniscient.

and finally the racer feels that if he boycotts national events, the other battered racers will look down upon him, talk negatively about him and expel him from their click.

[442OLDS]

Originally Posted by Greg Hill

Why do you racers who do, continue to go to National events? You get treated like dirt, you get racing surfaces that are not safe to race on, you get schedules that are terrible, and I could go on and on. Stay away from the national events. Let NHRA do their deal without us. That's the only way anything will ever change. Support your division races, opens and combo races. You can probably race as much as you want to. As long as you guys continue to go you will continue to get treated like second class citizens.

I have always wondered why some racers never attend National events,but I will not ruin this thread.

Instead of dwelling on the negative,I will list three positives:

1) The National event Wally is pretty cool compared to the "smaller ones"

2) The contingency if you win (while not as good as it used to be)is still at least three times as large as a Divisional,and an Open has NO contingency.

3) Its pretty cool to be on ESPN 2 if you win (even if only for a few seconds)

[Stock4106]

Originally Posted by Greg Hill

Why do you racers who do, continue to go to National events?

Because I want to win one.

[philbilly]

I like national events. I don't go expecting to be treated special. I love bad tracks that's why I have a slow stocker. I am in my first year and enjoy every minute I get to spend at the track. If you don't want to be there move on don't try and take the fun out for the ones that like it.

[Ed Wright]

Greg, it we were just real smart we wouldn't be doing this anyway.

[Tim Lisson]

To see my racer friends across the country that would not typically be at your local Opens and Divisionals. It sure would be nice if NHRA made us feel a bit more welcome though...

[Rich67stang]

I do not.


Richard Preiser
SS/DM161

[Mike Carr]

WHen I raced in Stock, from 2000-2006, I only ever ran three national events ever. 2002, '03 and '04 Indy. Because it was the only one I ever WANTED to run. Years as a travelling spectator at Maple Grove and Columbus, seeing the deplorable (and I'm being kind, for language) pit conditions, track conditions, run schedules where you are lucky to make one time trial in two days, etc was a total turn-off to ever wanting to race there. I'm three hours from Columbus and never raced there, knowing what a [dive]hole of a facility it was (2003, I had thought of going since they had Class, but opted for a bracket race at my local track--$150 entry for three seperate $1,000 to win Footbrake races, and sleep in my own bed). I had/have no desire to spend a thousand dollars or more (hell, it's a grand to run a LODRS now) to go sit in a muddy field for three to four days, hoping I *might* get to race that day, or even that weekend. And no amount of money, trophy, prestige, fame, five seconds of TV coverage, etc could ever, then or now, change my mind on that.

I do miss my friends a bit, since I retired from racing in 2007 (but wih Facebook and Twitter, I can still keep in contact). But that's about it. The rest of it--you all can have it.

[1320racer]

Originally Posted by Mike Carr

seeing the deplorable (and I'm being kind, for language) pit conditions, track conditions, run schedules where you are lucky to make one time trial in two days, etc was a total turn-off to ever wanting to race there. I had/have no desire to spend a thousand dollars or more (hell, it's a grand to run a LODRS now) to go sit in a muddy field for three to four days, hoping I *might* get to race that day, or even that weekend. And no amount of money, trophy, prestige, fame, five seconds of TV coverage, etc could ever, then or now, change my mind on that.

What he ^^^ said!