Big Cash Racing (1 Viewer)

[sammi]

....or NHRA Vs. the World

One has to wonder what pressure the high dollar bracket races and the the DuckX stuff is putting on the NHRA and its Wally Parks philosophy (read Robert Post's High Performance for further explanation of this) of underpaying those who race under its banner. I watched the latest iteration of the phony street racing thing on MotorTrend channel Sunday. It was good to see the show has morphed away from the silly airport race track to a race track with real safety and procedures. It was a good combination of real racing with fuel altered craziness and recognizable cars. I would like to the the score boards activated.

 

[nedannouncer]

Duck runs 3 races a year with the big money classes paying out a total of $250,000. Remember, it is winner take all.

NHRA pays that at one race over the span of two classes, never mind anything else.

Not taking anything from Duck, I love the guy and I work for him. It is just completely and utterly different.

 

[Nunz]

Duck runs 3 races a year with the big money classes paying out a total of $250,000. Remember, it is winner take all.

NHRA pays that at one race over the span of two classes, never mind anything else.

Not taking anything from Duck, I love the guy and I work for him. It is just completely and utterly different.

Brian what is the business model for these huge payout deals, I’m assuming racers pay a large entry fee and that creates the pot?

 

[Luke Nieuwhof]

I think Brian nailed it. The sportsman purse alone at the Gatornationals was $137,950 (source: http://www.nhra.net/2019/images//19_GF1_purse v1.pdf).
I don't there is any particular pressure - they are completely different groups of drag racing. There are actually a bunch of scenes thriving right now - radial racing is in a golden age, Street Outlaws speaks for itself with crowd numbers and national profile and NHRA Mello Yello racing has been growing crowds more than anyone gives it credit for.

 

[Cliff]

The way 1/8 mile racing has taken off, sometimes I wonder if that will be the future of drag racing? Pro Mod type cars seem to have a hugh impact on this type of racing. Of course, I am a dragster fan & a nitro junkie, so wouldn't want to see door cars take over. But, what about nitro & door cars an an event? Just my 2 cents.

 

[stitcherbob]

1/8 mile racing is like the beginning of electric drag racing to me....not enough noise and smoke

 

[SoCal Racer]

If the big show went to all 1/8 mile racing I'd be done with it. It's like dragracus interruptus.

Most of those big money races do 1/8 mile because of huge car counts that they just need to wade through. I get that. And it's not like there are many spectators anyway.

 

[Nunz]

If the big show went to all 1/8 mile racing I'd be done with it. It's like dragracus interruptus.

Most of those big money races do 1/8 mile because of huge car counts that they just need to wade through. I get that. And it's not like there are many spectators anyway.

I don’t think the 1/8 mile is due to the amount of cars, I’m guessing the real fast cars are dangerous enough in the 1/8 and don’t need to be going farther and faster.

 

[Muddy]

Funny story about 1/8 mile. Back in the day we had several touring T/F cars that would stay at our shop when in the Okla area. This particular time several of us were planning on running a fuel meet on Saturday in St. Louis. I think there was several cars at the shop at that time. Davey Babler with the California Woody, Billy" the kid" Scott, Leroy Goldstein, perhaps Jim Nicol, us and maybe another car or two along with Jimmy Nix who lived in OKC.. Anyway at the last minute we all decided to make a fuel meet at I think Alton Il. on Friday evening. We arrived very late with almost no time left to qualify. We all unloaded and went to qualify with almost no discussion or preparation. Don't remember the order of things but do remember when Leroy made his pass it seemed like the motor was up for a long time. When he came back from his pass he was mad as hell. His first words were "WHY IN THE HELL DIDN'T YOU TELL ME THIS WAS AN 1/8 MILE TRACK". Seems like he darn near ran it to the sand but realized just in the nick of time to still get stopped. Didn't think he was ever going to forgive us and we all fell victim to several of his practical jokes as pay back. Racing was a lot more fun back then.

 

[Nunz]

Funny story about 1/8 mile. Back in the day we had several touring T/F cars that would stay at our shop when in the Okla area. This particular time several of us were planning on running a fuel meet on Saturday in St. Louis. I think there was several cars at the shop at that time. Davey Babler with the California Woody, Billy" the kid" Scott, Leroy Goldstein, perhaps Jim Nicol, us and maybe another car or two along with Jimmy Nix who lived in OKC.. Anyway at the last minute we all decided to make a fuel meet at I think Alton Il. on Friday evening. We arrived very late with almost no time left to qualify. We all unloaded and went to qualify with almost no discussion or preparation. Don't remember the order of things but do remember when Leroy made his pass it seemed like the motor was up for a long time. When he came back from his pass he was mad as hell. His first words were "WHY IN THE HELL DIDN'T YOU TELL ME THIS WAS AN 1/8 MILE TRACK". Seems like he darn near ran it to the sand but realized just in the nick of time to still get stopped. Didn't think he was ever going to forgive us and we all fell victim to several of his practical jokes as pay back. Racing was a lot more fun back then.

Great story!

 

[Cliff]

I will say one thing about 1/8 mile racing. You can sit at around the 330 mark & see the whole race real easy. I have had times that have been watching 2 cars run the 1/4 mile & just cannot tell who is leading or who wins (until the winner light comes on). Even sitting at the 660 it's still hard sometimes.

 

[R.I.P. O.C.I.R.]

mark my words, fuel cars will be 1/8th mile soon. nobody thought much of those 1000 ft lights on the track until it was a reality. 1/8th mile is the future for fuel, thats a fact, get used to it NOW. they will be forced to go 1/8th mile as NHRA will not give up parker ave. i seen wilk with a 3rd chute one time. and it was bigger than the normal ones

 

[R.I.P. O.C.I.R.]

i still say a 16 wide track would be the answer. just one round needed. that way everyone can spend the day on the phone.

 

[Reese]

My understanding is with 1/8 mile, it's quicker and insurance for the race is cheaper.

 

[sammi]

Blink! Oh damn, I missed another race. Must keep eyes open.

 

[Nunz]

Anything could happen, so never say never, but I would bet against 1/8 mile fuel racing ever becoming the standard. Again, just my opinion.

 

[FABMAN]

I don't see 1/8 mile racing in fuel categories, not challenging enough.
Great for high car count like big cash, bracket racing

 

[NITRO JUNKIE]

I doubt 1/8 mile fuel racing will happen, The only 1/8 mile racing I watch/go to is the Yellow Bullet Nationals once a year, and its a great race..

 

[Jer]

mark my words, fuel cars will be 1/8th mile soon. nobody thought much of those 1000 ft lights on the track until it was a reality. 1/8th mile is the future for fuel, thats a fact, get used to it NOW. they will be forced to go 1/8th mile as NHRA will not give up parker ave. i seen wilk with a 3rd chute one time. and it was bigger than the normal ones

Not even worth watching for 1/8 mile. If yoy dont want to go fast,go race nascar. If i were driving id be up for 1/4 mile and 100% nitro!

 

[Nick Name]

I was at Famosa last year watching a show that had some fuel cars, pro mods, etc. I started watch in the folks sitting around me in the stands. By the time the cars were at the 1/8th, 95% of the people were already looking at the starting line to see what's next.

1/8 is the future. The possibility of more tracks is really increased when the available real estate is less.