Drag Racing in Austin, TX??? (2 Viewers)

[Toejam]

See here, for example:

::rag Racing Online::: Agent 1320 - 8/13/2012

::rag Racing Online::: Nitrolympx at Hockenheimring - 8/20/2012

Good grief! Place was a Skating rink....I bet a lot of racers don't show up there again!

 

[Nick Name]

I attended the drag races in Hockingheim a decade ago. It was a great event at an great facility.

There is a 5 star hotel in the pits.

 

[robinjackson]

It's announced that Hockenheim is going to re-lay the entire strip before next August. They only host the one big race each year, with a street/sportsman event the weekend before.

I'm sure once that's done, the racers will return. It's a very big event, plus I think I saw another new rule that, to compete for an FIA championship, racers are obliged to contest at least one race in each country. Currently Britain and Sweden hold two each, Finland and Germany one each.

 

[Toejam]

It's announced that Hockenheim is going to re-lay the entire strip before next August. They only host the one big race each year, with a street/sportsman event the weekend before.

I'm sure once that's done, the racers will return. It's a very big event, plus I think I saw another new rule that, to compete for an FIA championship, racers are obliged to contest at least one race in each country. Currently Britain and Sweden hold two each, Finland and Germany one each.

A new Track surface is great, but you need to rubber it up for the Big cars! Probably be really Green next year too!

 

[Doolie]

If you try to look at things from the perspective of those who control the F 1 circuit, why on Earth would they want to get involved with drag racing or the NHRA? The Patron guy is just one investor and his drag racing interest may well be only as intense as his daughter's involvement.

 

[robinjackson]

Very true.

And amid all this talk of rules, regulations, investor interests, etc., we overlook one fundamental fact: Bernie Ecclestone would never allow dragsters to run on an F1 track.

 

[vegasnitro]

Very true.

And amid all this talk of rules, regulations, investor interests, etc., we overlook one fundamental fact: Bernie Ecclestone would never allow dragsters to run on an F1 track.

Except for when they do it every year at Hockenheimring ... And Bahrain ... And Abu Dhabi. But other than that ... absolutely no dragsters!

 

[robinjackson]

Bahrain, Abu Dhabi: separate dragstrips.

Hockenheim: see above.

 

[vegasnitro]

Bahrain, Abu Dhabi: separate dragstrips.

Hockenheim: see above.

What you posted above is all well and good ... But it has nothing to do with Uncle Bernie. Your assertion that "Ecclestone would never allow drag racing on a F1 circuit" is flat wrong.

It is a bummer they will no longer allow the drag racing at Hockenheimring. I talked to Brady Kalivoda about his experience there and he said it was just about the most fun he ever had at a race track and highly recommend anyone attend should they get the chance.

 

[robinjackson]

Yes, they are allowing further drag racing at Hockenheim. They are re-laying the strip. Joe makes a valid point about the need to "rubber-in" a new surface. However, with this ruling that dragstrips that share any surface with circuit tracks must be clean of all rubber, and Hockenheim staging circuit races before and after the drag race, I'm not sure how they will cope.

Uncle Bernie has the say-so in everything connected with F1. If apocryphal stories are to be believed, he has history on the matter of dragsters running on F1 surfaces stretching back several decades.

 

[vegasnitro]

Uncle Bernie has the say-so in everything connected with F1. If apocryphal stories are to be believed, he has history on the matter of dragsters running on F1 surfaces stretching back several decades.

Uncle Bernie HAD the say-so with everything F1 ... but those powers did not extend to what the track did the other 51 weeks a year when F1 wasn't in town. The fact that Hockenheimring staged drag races for 15 plus years is direct evidence of that. The Banks control F1 now, Bernie is paid a retainer to make sure they make money. The FIA (which Bernie has no influence over, particularly since Max Mosley is out) have a much greater sphere of influence on track related matters. The FIA and F1 are completely seperate entities.

Don't get me wrong, there was a time when the buck stopped with Bernie for F1, but those days are over.

 

[Toejam]

Yes, they are allowing further drag racing at Hockenheim. They are re-laying the strip. Joe makes a valid point about the need to "rubber-in" a new surface. However, with this ruling that dragstrips that share any surface with circuit tracks must be clean of all rubber, and Hockenheim staging circuit races before and after the drag race, I'm not sure how they will cope.

Uncle Bernie has the say-so in everything connected with F1. If apocryphal stories are to be believed, he has history on the matter of dragsters running on F1 surfaces stretching back several decades.

Robin...back in 2003 when Indy had the Monsoon from Hell. We took in the Indy speedway tour, they took us into the Tower, on the bricks, etc... The tour guide was telling us of all of Bernie Flintstone's demands about everything when they were still running the F1 race there! He took a Helicopter ride from Chicago everyday cause the Hotels in Indy weren't good enough! I can't believe Tony George gve him the time of day...Seems like a Major no General Prick!

 

[robinjackson]

Chris: I was about to pen a reply, but here's a current news item that puts it in perspective, past, present and future:

Will Bernie Ecclestone be forced to leave Formula 1 behind? - Motor Racing - Sport - The Independent

Joe: I shouldn't be surprised. I guess these billionaire potentates are wont to come and go as they please.
BE may be as you say (I wouldn't know, never met him) but one cannot deny that he has built the F1 business into a phenomenal global commercial enterprise. For a guy who started out selling used motorbike parts, he's done quite well (though see news item above).

But we digress.

This thread began with a question about the potential use in the foreseeable future of CotA's start-finish straight for NHRA drag racing. We seem broadly agreed that it's unlikely.

Concrete launchpad?

 

[Toejam]

Chris: I was about to pen a reply, but here's a current news item that puts it in perspective, past, present and future:

Will Bernie Ecclestone be forced to leave Formula 1 behind? - Motor Racing - Sport - The Independent

Joe: I shouldn't be surprised. I guess these billionaire potentates are wont to come and go as they please.
BE may be as you say (I wouldn't know, never met him) but one cannot deny that he has built the F1 business into a phenomenal global commercial enterprise. For a guy who started out selling used motorbike parts, he's done quite well (though see news item above).

But we digress.

This thread began with a question about the potential use in the foreseeable future of CotA's start-finish straight for NHRA drag racing. We seem broadly agreed that it's unlikely.

Concrete launchpad?

NHRA ran at the old Sears point for years! Don't recall it causing a major traction issue, unless it was over 100 degrees which it was a few times!

 

[vegasnitro]

BE may be as you say (I wouldn't know, never met him) but one cannot deny that he has built the F1 business into a phenomenal global commercial enterprise. For a guy who started out selling used motorbike parts, he's done quite well (though see news item above).

But we digress.

This thread began with a question about the potential use in the foreseeable future of CotA's start-finish straight for NHRA drag racing. We seem broadly agreed that it's unlikely.

Concrete launchpad?

There is no question that Bernie pulled off one of the greatest coups in motorsports history when he convinced all of the teams in F1 to entrust him with all of the rights to the commercial side of F1 via the legendary "Concorde Agreement". It was revolutionary, but it also must be remembered that Bernie was a competitor, as at the time he owned the Brabham Team (it would be akin to all of the Pro Teams in NHRA signing over their commercial interests to John Force and trusting him to make them all money). It made Bernie a billionaire, but it also made many other men fabulously wealthy (Ron Dennis, Frank Williams and Eddie Jordan come immediately to mind) while ensuring the teams made lots of money and has brought stability to the sport for 30 plus years. Ferrari would not be the company it is today without Bernie (though they would be loathe to admit it).

I am not familiar enough with the front straight at COTA (though i do like uphill shutdown areas) but hybrid tracks are not usually spectator friendly, so on those grounds I would not be in favor of it, nor am I in favor of the expansion of the National Event schedule.

 

[Jeff]

Alexis' comments on WFO Radio last night were interesting ... "It would be great to have a drag strip built at the Austin race track. I think that pretty soon they are going to start working on that. To have the two premier leagues racing at same track would be awesome." F1 discussion at 46 minutes into the NHRA Nitro show (quote starts at 48 mins).

Clearly still a glimmer of a thought, but if the idea had been previously discarded by the ownership team you'd be a little surprised to have her make that kind of comment.

She also broadly addressed her situation with Jesse James.

Thanks to Joe for another great show....

 

[Dragracer]

There is no way to compare F1 to drag racing. I have been drag racing since 1958 and have enjoyed it tremendously and have a great time racing.

But here are some interesting facts.
The F1 Red Bull sponsored team receives 900,000 euro's ($1.2 billion) a year from Red Bull. That is $2.5m per day. They take 40 tractor trailers to each race - that is for one car.
Red Bull sponsors the HTK motorcycle team in stadium motorcross in the US and spends approximately $25 million.

Until, and I don't think it will ever happen, drag racing can fill the stands like stadium motorcross does each weekend (20+ races per year) they are never going to be able to attract the sponsors that would make for some real money to come in and sponsor teams.

Don't take this as a negative for drag racing. It isn't meant to be but drag racing is a minor sport in the US compared to all the other venues that people have the luxury to attend - football, baseball, basketball, etc. and it will probably will continue to be that way.

That's why it's so hard to get a sponsor.

 

[StockersRock]

Red Bull sponsors the HTK motorcycle team in stadium motorcross in the US and spends approximately $25 million.

It's a KTM team, and this figure seems wildly high. The biggest Sprint Cup sponsorships, at their peak, were just into that range. With the economy now, they are back down in the $12-15 million range. Supercross and Pro Motocross sponsorships are not near NASCAR range.

 

[Bullet]

A multi purpose Drag Strip/Road Circuit is not viable with a shared straight. the traction compound and rubber build up is not viable for road racing in the wet. The removal of it is not viable for high level professional drag racing.

BTW. Did anyone else hear Eddie Hill's name mentioned during the USGP when they came back from a break and were talking about Texas raacing greats?

 

[DrRocket]

A multi purpose Drag Strip/Road Circuit is not viable with a shared straight. the traction compound and rubber build up is not viable for road racing in the wet. The removal of it is not viable for high level professional drag racing.

BTW. Did anyone else hear Eddie Hill's name mentioned during the USGP when they came back from a break and were talking about Texas raacing greats?

Yes, Bob Varsha mentioned him. Bob knows car racing of all types very well.