Randy
Nitro Member
And that 5K went much further.
Even back then, winning $5K plus contingencies only meant you didnt loose slightly as much as you normally would for not winning.
And that 5K went much further.
........Then a couple of things happened. The contingency program faded away.......
To back up Alan (not like he needs it), but the contingency program for sportsman classes is almost non-existent and if they exist, it is extremely difficult to get paidAlan: Thanks for your perspective on this. I follow the Sportsman classes via National Dragster, but I am not a hard-core fan of them. So I did not know this. Very interesting. I look at the pictures of the various Sportsman cars in the event coverage, and wonder why in the world some of the cars have so few manufacturer decals. Whereas some cars are still plastered with them. I thought for sure those cars with so few decals were leaving big $$ on the table when they win, but I guess not so much based on your observations.
A forward-thinking organization would make contingencies (pun intended) for this contingency situation and adjust payouts so the most costly sportsmen class payouts are aligned with costs.To back up Alan (not like he needs it), but the contingency program for sportsman classes is almost non-existent and if they exist, it is extremely difficult to get paid
I thought about this as well. However it gives the smaller budget teams a chance to cut their teeth at a smaller event. Also for some the closest national event may be 1500 miles away while a regional may be only 500 miles or less.I ask this as a serious question: Why do TAD and TAFC need to race at divisionals at all in 2025? What value is there in earning grade points when TAFC struggles to get a dozen cars at a national race?
Even back then, winning $5K plus contingencies only meant you didn't loose slightly as much as you normally would for not winning.
Fine. Why make teams running for a national championship go somewhere they'd rather not for $2500 to win? Maybe keep the alcohol regionals for a region championship and Jegs, but decouple those from the National title.I thought about this as well. However it gives the smaller budget teams a chance to cut their teeth at a smaller event. Also for some the closest national event may be 1500 miles away while a regional may be only 500 miles or
Always been pretty touch to make money drag racing, unless you were heavily sponsored. There just hasn't ever been that much money in drag racing. Unless you are a parts manufacturer, like Alan Johnson. Man, is he the smart one or what? He makes a TON of $$ selling all those different cylinder heads (among many other things) that don't cross over to other classes, as Alan Reinhart explains. His business is located on the family farm property in Santa Maria, CA. They of course still make money farming. AND, he gets paid a handsome salary ($200,000/yr?) for being a fly-in Crew Chief for Doug Kalitta. So there IS big money in drag racing, for a few out there. Good for Alan!Even back then, winning $5K plus contingencies only meant you didnt loose slightly as much as you normally would for not winning.
I agree with you completely. However if you eliminate the need for the championship chasers to do regional events, they may only have a car or two to show up. I just wish they could get a decent payout and we could get more cars in the class. This has been an issue for a couple of decades and I can’t see anything changing in the near future.Fine. Why make teams running for a national championship go somewhere they'd rather not for $2500 to win? Maybe keep the alcohol regionals for a region championship and Jegs, but decouple those from the National title.