Nitromater
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Amazing the difference a month makes...
- Thread starter Toejam
- Start date
vegasnitro
Nitro Member
I have always said you will see full fields until after Vegas 1.
Pomona is NOT a good indicator for the health of the sport for a couple of reasons: it is the first race of the year and everyone is excited to get back to racing and there are several part timers within a short tow to Pomona.
Phoenix is a short tow from Pomona. Gainesville the few Eat Coast part timers get their first crack at the tour. Vegas is a short tow for the West Coast folks.
Any way you slice it, there are still only 11 teams that have stated they are going to run all 24.
Pomona is NOT a good indicator for the health of the sport for a couple of reasons: it is the first race of the year and everyone is excited to get back to racing and there are several part timers within a short tow to Pomona.
Phoenix is a short tow from Pomona. Gainesville the few Eat Coast part timers get their first crack at the tour. Vegas is a short tow for the West Coast folks.
Any way you slice it, there are still only 11 teams that have stated they are going to run all 24.
Ditto ... I really do hope I am wrong. But, until Mike Strasburg, Urs Erbacher, Andy Carter (1 time US appearance), Steve Chrisman, Rob Passey, Steve Faria, Arley Langlo and Del Cox Jr show up as "regulars" (say 3 or more events in total), I would not grow accustomed to fields of 18 or more cars.
What will happen as the tour moves east?
You saying the West coast is the only part of the country with Independent Fuel racers? What about Bobby Lagana, Luigi Novelli, Bruce Litton, I'm sure there are others. I'm willing to make a bet that we will see at least 18 TF Dragsters at Indy! Any Takers???
vegasnitro
Nitro Member
DUH ... Indy is the one event you won't have to worry about a full field. Why don't you stick your neck out and bet on Topeka or the West Coast Swing?
Look, there's probably no chance we won't experience full fields at several, if not many fields this year. So what? There are real problems this country is dealing with right now, and they won't be fixed in a few months. As far as racing goes, the impact of this financial crisis is obvious, and will be felt for a long time to come. The nitro classes have gone through down cycles before, and bounced back. Pomona, Gainesville, Englishtown, and Indy, the most established events, will always draw more cars. As it's been said already, the current climate will encourage more part-timers to participate, and it's happening.
What have you got agains't Topeka??
Indy is not fair, come on ... However, if there are only 18 at Indy that is a reduction of 2 cars from last year and would further indicate a squeeze on the sport.
vegasnitro
Nitro Member
I have nothing against Topeka ... if you are part timer with a limited tow/parts budget ... let's just say you are not circling Topeka on your calendar. My point is only that the part timers are going to attend the more glamorous or established events on tour like Pomona, Vegas, Gainesville, Indy and Etown or they are going to attend races that make georaphic sense for their team. Topeka does not fit either criteria for very many folks.
Besides Joe, predicting full fields at Indy is like predicting bears poop in the woods. Not very hard to figure that one out.
* Before I get flamed, when I use the term "part timer" in regards to a racing team, there is no negative connotation intended. Most of the part timers in the fuel categories would make excellent full timers. *
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Sean D, shondoo
Nitro Member
Joe, I was/still am one of those folks that have been reading Fuel their "last rights".
Like most have already said, Pomona is hardly a good gauge of what the season will bring. Like Chris said, after Vegas will be a good test, but I'm tellin' ya', it ain't gonna' happen.
I don't know you, obviously. Never met you, for that matter. But if Fuel sustains some sort of competitive level of entries after Vegas, I'll buy you a beer at the U.S. Nationals.
Sean D
Like most have already said, Pomona is hardly a good gauge of what the season will bring. Like Chris said, after Vegas will be a good test, but I'm tellin' ya', it ain't gonna' happen.
I don't know you, obviously. Never met you, for that matter. But if Fuel sustains some sort of competitive level of entries after Vegas, I'll buy you a beer at the U.S. Nationals.
Sean D
my friends call me Zappy
Nitro Member
Joe, I'm with you my friend. I kept trying to tell the nay-sayers that drag racing would be OK. You just proved it. Thank you.
vegasnitro
Nitro Member
What did Joe prove Zappy?
No person of reasonable intelligence ever doubted there would be a full field at Pomona 1. Let's see what happens when the meat of the schedule kicks in later in the spring into early Summer before we start patting Mr. Sherwood on the back.
I'll tell you what.....IF some races only manage 10-11 Dragsters this year like EVERYONE was predicting 4-5 weeks ago, you guys can say what you want. Short fields of 14-15 cars is one thing, 10-11 is another.
my friends call me Zappy
Nitro Member
Not long ago some were predicting as few as 7 or 8 TF cars in Pomona. Now we have 18. Just as we all knew, this opens the door for those close to enter races that they normaly don't.
None of us has a crystal ball, so we have to wait and see how the rest of the season goes. I'm not saying that we'll have 16 at every race, but didn't that happen twice last year??? ..........and the sky didn't fall.
As long as they have a class, the TFers will be there.
Sean D, shondoo
Nitro Member
While part of me agrees with your logic, another part of me says "a short field is a short field........"
Nonetheless, I could care less about proving anyone wrong. I want drag racing to thrive in these times of peril. I just don't thing we're going to see it.
While I admitted earlier about being a "naysayer", I never said Pomona would be short, because I knew/and still know better.
You're right about your last statement also..................but only the ones that can afford it.
Sean D
Walter
Nitro Member
I am very happy at the turnout, but the first race of the year is really not a valid indicator for what the year will be like. This is the season opener, in a hot market, and folks have some money to start the year.
The real test will be later in the season when the economy and the drain of a few races impacts the teams.
The real test will be later in the season when the economy and the drain of a few races impacts the teams.
