Bamboozled? (1 Viewer)

[yoda]

Lance.. The horse has two more races to go before it even reaches the first finish line... Nobody is beating a deceased nag here- but thanks for the input and the new .gif!!!

 

[D]

The C/D was put in place EXCLUSIVELY to generate move external coverage for the sport, and NHRA has had all year to do that, yet here we are at Vegas2 with the same amount of national coverage (none) and a bunch of people that all love the same thing bickering with each other here..

Great post Martin
I will admit to getting up on the tire, I like to hang out here and meet folks when I can because I'm surrounded by non motorsports/drag racing/car people. I apologize for the Kool Aid crack, but until I can get drag racing results when I pick up the Stars and Stripes I won't be convinced, so we'll have to agree to disagree.

S/F
D

 

[Rexfiles]

Great post Martin
I will admit to getting up on the tire, I like to hang out here and meet folks when I can because I'm surrounded by non motorsports/drag racing/car people. I apologize for the Kool Aid crack, but until I can get drag racing results when I pick up the Stars and Stripes I won't be convinced, so we'll have to agree to disagree.

S/F
D

Serious question here DeVallion,

Was it (drag racing) in Stars and Stripes before the countdown?

REX

 

[D]

Serious question here DeVallion,

Was it (drag racing) in Stars and Stripes before the countdown?

REX

No Rex, NASCAR, IRL, ChampCar & F1, but no drags, in all seriousness, I never liked but was hoping it would generate mainstream buzz. The only time I see drag racing coverage in the Denver Post/Rocky Mountain News is when the Nats are at Bandimere.

D

 

[millertime]

The system is in place, Paul. No doubt about that. The champions will be the champions that are crowned on the stage at the end of the year.

However, my hard-earned tax dollars are going to illegal immigrants kids in our school system...or worse yet, giving free medical care to illegal immigrants being allowed to have their child on my dime, in a hospital I helped pay for...and then getting welfare that I fund because that little one is now an American Citizen, and is entitled to the welfare. Remember, just because something already exists as the rules, doesn't mean it's the right thing to do...

However, rather than just offer up another suggestion as to the momentum/velocity/trajectory with which to throw the NHRA under the bus, why doesn't the NHRA offer some way to use local racers with a nice looking race car and friendly smiles put up a display at the local Walmart (or whatever) for a Saturday before a national event...then offer that race team free admission for the weekend to that national event to race. Folks going in and out of Walmart, Home Depot, or wherever will get the opportunity to see the race cars up close. The reality is that the average person doesn't know much difference between a S/C dragster and top fuel. Both are long, with big engines in the back. It's the chance to talk racing, let the kids see the cars, hand out NHRA printed schedules, and maybe even signed hero cards that will get these kids crying to dad to take 'em to the races. This will have more effect on the masses that are not familiar with the sport than discussing the points-system on ESPN2 when the race fans are already tuned in...and would cost substantially less than air-time on TV. Say...5-10 teams do this per national event...and you're spending under $5000 (what NHRA would have made for car/driver admission fees) for advertising that has the potential to reach countless numbers of people in the community?

Just an idea...

 

[I was NITRO BREATH]

one way to measure the success of any new program is to ask the people who are impacted most by it to give their opinions. And from what I hear from the fans and drivers -- hardly anyone likes what happened this year. From the pro drivers with the exception of Ron Capps [who may get stung by the countdown] no one has a positive opinion. And it seems that very few on this forum are in favor of it.

 

[Rexfiles]

Lance.. The horse has two more races to go before it even reaches the first finish line... Nobody is beating a deceased nag here- but thanks for the input and the new .gif!!!

LOL......who are you kiddin'

That poor horse started gettin' a beatin' the day it was born.

If it ain't dead by now I don't know what would be

REX

 

[ProStockJunkie]

Here's what the 'outside' media said in the Oct 8 LA Times.... note, the 'Countdown' is referred to as a 'two race championship'. Nice

"Four-time series champion Gary Scelzi earned one of four berths in the two-race championship, beating teammate Ron Capps in the Funny Car final Sunday in the Torco Racing Fuels NHRA Nationals at Dinwiddie, Va.

Scelzi, who jumped from sixth to second place, was joined in the winner's circle by Top Fuel's Doug Kalitta and Pro Stock's Dave Connolly, who has won five straight races overall to take the No. 1 seeding.

Capps secured the fourth and final berth in Funny Car with his semifinal win over Tim Wilkerson. Tony Pedregon and Robert Hight will be the other two finalists.

The drama in Top Fuel played out in the first round when Brandon Bernstein ousted Bob Vandergriff to cement his position in Top Fuel's final four. Larry Dixon, Rod Fuller and Tony Schumacher are the other three finalists.

In Pro Stock, Greg Anderson will be seeded second and the Pro Stock final four was filled out by No. 3 Jeg Coughlin, who drove his way in with a first-round win Sunday, and Allen Johnson, who clinched the fourth and final berth.

The top four drivers who remain alive in the Countdown to the Championship will have their points reset in 10-point increments, from 3,030 to 3,000, before heading to Las Vegas (Oct. 26-28) and Pomona (Nov. 1-4) for the two-race championship."


Who knows? Perhaps the SoCal readers are sophisticated enough to read into the story, but I'm pretty sure the 'new fans' the Countdown has created, are still scratching their heads at the points reset, two race Championship, etc.

 

[Jim]

How much $$ would #9 and #10 pay????

Several folks have made mention that #9 and #10 were "cut-out" of the final purse because of the countdown. Wasn't it a pretty insignificant number $$?? I mean like round money?

 

[Paul]

I'd like to know how long Paul Miller has been following the sport of Drag Racing?

To answer your question, I have been following the sport since the first national event I attended, Englishtown 1989. I was 11 at the time and I was hooked after having the chance to meet with Kenny Bernstein and then he went on to win the race (his last in a FC). Why do you want to know??

 

[none]

Hey Paul........good story. And now we see the blueproint to a lifelong fan. Cool

 

[mike]

To answer your question, I have been following the sport since the first national event I attended, Englishtown 1989. I was 11 at the time and I was hooked after having the chance to meet with Kenny Bernstein and then he went on to win the race (his last in a FC). Why do you want to know??

Just to see why you were so pro countdown. Paul I'm messing with you.

I'll throw in my two cents. We are beating a dead horse with this countdown talk, racing is racing, and that's where I agree with you.

But Since you've been watching for ages also, then surely you can see this new points deal is BS!

That is all. I think you are tired of this talk so am I.

 

[Paul]

Re: How much $$ would #9 and #10 pay????

Several folks have made mention that #9 and #10 were "cut-out" of the final purse because of the countdown. Wasn't it a pretty insignificant number $$?? I mean like round money?

I know the Champs have a pay increase this year, TF and FC get $500k this year. Actually, everyone in the top 8 has a pay increase this year and the total point fund has increased by roughly $210k. To answer your question TF/FC 9 and 10 received $16k and $15k, PS 9 and 10 received $8k and $7.5k, and PSB 9 and 10 received $3.2k and $3k. So yes, the dollars are really insignificant.

 

[Paul]

But Since you've been watching for ages also, then surely you can see this new points deal is BS!

As you know, I disagree with you. I am a firm believer that change can be a good thing, so this is why I am willing to see how the Countdown pans out. I may change my mind after I have some facts to support a change, but until that happens I will watch and take notes.

 

[yoda]

Re: How much $$ would #9 and #10 pay????

I know the Champs have a pay increase this year, TF and FC get $500k this year. Actually, everyone in the top 8 has a pay increase this year and the total point fund has increased by roughly $210k. To answer your question TF/FC 9 and 10 received $16k and $15k, PS 9 and 10 received $8k and $7.5k, and PSB 9 and 10 received $3.2k and $3k. So yes, the dollars are really insignificant.

And yet, compared to other racing series champions around the world, it is a sad pittance... NASCAR Champs take home 10 times that much, and have national coverage of their awards ceremony... I assumed that was the direction the Association was going with the whole change of theme (at least with the press coverage of the Series leaders), but as I said before, here we sit, struggling to get recognition still...

 

[Sully]

The Countdown gets a lot of NHRA media attention, so much so that the individual races are now almost afterthoughts. The special races, like the Top Fuel race this weekend, are virtually ignored because they play no part in the countdown and the national events themselves are just backdrops for the Countdown.

I would think that the tracks and the race sponsors would be objecting to the shift in focus - even the pre-event publicity has become mostly about the Countdown. The race itself is secondary and event winners are not featured in the post-race story unless they are also in the Countdown.

I may be in the minority, but I always thought each race was something special and the season-long championship was an honor that went to the driver who did best in all the events, not just four or two.

 

[Rexfiles]

Re: How much $$ would #9 and #10 pay????

And yet, compared to other racing series champions around the world, it is a sad pittance... NASCAR Champs take home 10 times that much, and have national coverage of their awards ceremony... I assumed that was the direction the Association was going with the whole change of theme (at least with the press coverage of the Series leaders), but as I said before, here we sit, struggling to get recognition still...

Wellll........wisdom would dictate that "Rome was not built in a day"

Or a year for that matter.

We have no conclusive proof as the Countdown has not played out and been assesed.

Also the pro aqquisition by HD Partners has not been in effect at all either.

Good things may still come........who knows.

I'll wait and see........patience being a virtue and all that..........

REX

 

[Rexfiles]

The Countdown gets a lot of NHRA media attention, so much so that the individual races are now almost afterthoughts. The special races, like the Top Fuel race this weekend, are virtually ignored because they play no part in the countdown and the national events themselves are just backdrops for the Countdown.

I would think that the tracks and the race sponsors would be objecting to the shift in focus - even the pre-event publicity has become mostly about the Countdown. The race itself is secondary and event winners are not featured in the post-race story unless they are also in the Countdown.

I may be in the minority, but I always thought each race was something special and the season-long championship was an honor that went to the driver who did best in all the events, not just four or two.

I may be wrong......however I could have sworn it was you that stated that people go to the races to see the racing.......not the championship......or something to that effect.

Please correct me if I am wrong.........I know I am paraphrasing.

REX

 

[Rexfiles]

Yep..........



http://www.nitromater.com/nhra/10894-health-nhra-3.html#post100726




REX

 

[blackbeard]