Dallas and Houston races

[Andy]

I have always wondered why the NHRA doesn't schedule these 2 races back to back. Anybody have a logical reason why the NHRA doesn't do this?

 

[vegasnitro]

I would guess fan support and car counts. To me, having one in the Spring and one in the Fall makes sense.

 

[PJ]

Having races a bit too close means you are overlapping fans and cars. I would think many people in the area take in both races (either as racer or fan). By having it back to back you run into hitting the family budget hard and likely lowering the attendance in both areas. They have to balance efficient travel(not crisscrossing themselves) with trying not to overlap regional areas.

 

[Dave]

They did for 4 years and added 2nd races at both tracks. It obviously didn't work as planned.
1997
March 23rd - Houston
May 4th - Dallas
October 19th - Dallas
October 26th - Houston (Rained out til Monday)

1998
March 22 - Houston
May 3rd - Dallas
October 25th - Dallas
November 1st - Houston

1999 - Both race weekends back to back.
April 11th - Houston
April 25th - Dallas
October 24th - Dallas
October 31st - Houston

2000
April 16th - Houston
May 28th - Dallas
October 22nd - Dallas (Rained out)
October 29th - Houston
November 4th - Dallas (Rescheduled Event)

After all that, they dropped the Spring Dallas race and the Fall Houston race in 2001 in favor of a 2nd Las Vegas date and 2nd Joliet date.

 

[PJ]

I had forgotten that they both had 2 races at one point. Perhaps that is why they don't any more

 

[Toejam]

I have always wondered why the NHRA doesn't schedule these 2 races back to back. Anybody have a logical reason why the NHRA doesn't do this?

NHRA tried that about 10-12 years ago, what an Abortion that was!

 

[luxexpress]

Having races a bit too close means you are overlapping fans and cars. I would think many people in the area take in both races (either as racer or fan). By having it back to back you run into hitting the family budget hard and likely lowering the attendance in both areas. They have to balance efficient travel(not crisscrossing themselves) with trying not to overlap regional areas.

Gotta agree. For me, if Maple Grove and E Town were back to back, I probably wouldn't be able to go to both.

 

[Rajunz]

I went to both spring races back in '99, and remember no one showed up for the Dallas race, stands were barely half full.

 

[Toejam]

I went to both spring races back in '99, and remember no one showed up for the Dallas race, stands were barely half full.

Ditto for the fall Chicago race, I saw a pic of the stands that looked like a Div. race!

 

[Nunz]

I think in an effort to lighten up the schedule, the low hanging fruit would be the tracks with 2 events. Neither Charlotte or Vegas pull great crowds twice a year, why not get rid of one at each? Pomona should be the only track that doubles up, IMO

 

[Ted]

a spring race and a fall race, this texan thinks it's perfect

 

[Wes]

I worked at the Meyerplex during the era of double national events. Utter financial disaster for both tracks.

 

[Leebone]

I think it's fine the way it is. Scheduling them together would be like putting St. Louis and Topeka back to back.

 

[Dave]

Houston needs to be in early March and Dallas late October like they used to be.. bring on the world record ETs and MPHs.

 

[Paul]

Houston needs to be in early March and Dallas late October like they used to be.. bring on the world record ETs and MPHs.

Next year Dallas is in mid October. I am fine with the late April date in Houston, it's a little warmer, but the chances of rain are lower than what they are at the end of March. I fly back to the east coast for E-Town and Reading to see the record setting runs.

 

[twostep]

Next year Dallas is in mid October.

WONDERFUL. I skipped this year; my wife is seriously ill, so I would have stayed home anyway - but had she not been, I don't believe I would have attended. I've been to a couple of those 140+ track temp races in Dallas when it's 104 outside with no wind, and it's about as fun as diarrhea in a space suit. Texas invariably sees above-normal summertime temperatures during mid-September, which makes racing miserable for everybody. It can still get warm in mid-October, but on average it's 10-15 degrees cooler, plus there's less sun on the track. Now if we can just get Meyer to start Friday night qualifying at 7 or so, instead of 5:30. Race fans lost dry hops, then throttle whacks....surely the noise nazis won't make us give up header flames.

 

[dragstats]

Topeka had two races for a long time too.