Excitement Gone! (3 Viewers)

[my friends call me Zappy]

eh.
I know the advancements have allowed the cars to go quicker, but it also takes more of the driver out of the equation.

 

[Nunz]

Is there any form of Motorsport that hasn't experienced the same evolution as drag racing? I'm wondering if people who were involved in NASCAR or Indy or whatever back in the 60s-80s feel the same way. I've posted many times that NOTHING, be it drag racing or anything in life, is the same as a few decades ago. But, I still get amped up when they "fire the first pair"!

 

[Draw 3D]

For all that those that are stating that drag racing is dying or dead, please go find another sport you can bitch about, you are part of the problem, not part of the solution.

I built my car so I could race another car, not for some "fans". I take my car to car shows and let kids sit in my car and they love it, that's just one way of get them hooked!

To all the bitchers and whiners, do something positive or just go away, please don't try to ruin it for the rest of us.

 

[Bullard Anderson]

Watch only the TV window you are given each week in your favorite sport. Ignore everything else but maybe the morning sports page. The reason things used to have more importance in the 80's and 90's is because that is all you had. By Sunday you were starved for anything (in this case) NHRA. Outside of viewing in person of course.

 

[Toejam]

I'm not sure what it would take for my interest in the NHRA to reform.
I do know that as "us" old schoolers who witnessed the golden years could agree that the "magic" is gone.
It's nobodies fault. It's simply the further development of a once grass roots sport from the early 70's into the TV years, into the corporate spending years.
The beer wars and oil wars. All of the great independent efforts that kept coming like Dick Lahaie, Dan Pastorini, Kenny, Billy, Joe, Shirley.
All from separate corners of the earth coming together to duke it out 16 weekends in the summer to the final round where the points winner actually won the championship..

Now, what you have left is the survivors of the fittest, who now hand feed their children a ride. Children who never endured the effort of those before them. Efforts that took every cent and every hour of the year from guys like Darrell, Del, Coil, Gary, Connie, John Martin etc.

Now, you have Tony Schu begging on camera that his crew only makes 30K while he retires to his motorhome. The Force Girls and their royal lifestyle..none of which is their fault, and I hold no bad feelings for their opportunities, but just doesn't further the "magic" that only the golden year guys understand..

My heart started to pound a week before the Springs, and I couldn't get to the track fast enough on that Friday after work.
I was in heart attack mode the entire length of I-70 between Columbus and Indy when Big was in contention.

Spencer Massey? J.R. Todd? Tony Shu? Brittany Force?
I'm staying home....

My God you are such a Broken record, how many times you gonna preach the NHRA isn't up to your standards? You looking for Pity? You need to give NASCAR or local Roundy round racing a try, since this sport is Dead!

 

[my friends call me Zappy]

For all that those that are stating that drag racing is dying or dead, please go find another sport you can bitch about, you are part of the problem, not part of the solution.

I built my car so I could race another car, not for some "fans". I take my car to car shows and let kids sit in my car and they love it, that's just one way of get them hooked!

To all the bitchers and whiners, do something positive or just go away, please don't try to ruin it for the rest of us.

Nice lookin ride PF, what does she run??

 

[George.]

My God you are such a Broken record, how many times you gonna preach the NHRA isn't up to your standards? You looking for Pity? You need to give NASCAR or local Roundy round racing a try, since this sport is Dead!

Joe, take a Prozac. It sounds like you are in enough trouble as it is.

 

[George.]

eh.

They're quicker, yes, but who is responsible for that?

They used to shift. They used to deal with sub-standard tracks (an 8x8 trouble patch on a glue covered track doesn't count), and a groove that didn't necessarily go right down the middle of the lane. They used to have the ability to grenade the thing during a burnout if they goofed. In a 100th of a heartbeat they used to feel it nose-over and decide whether they could afford the consequences if they continued, or deal with the loss if they didn't. They actually wrapped their firesuits around their waist and crawled under the car. A few still do. A few still deal with operating the team, making the tuning decisions, and then jump in the thing. They can hang.

I know the advancements have allowed the cars to go quicker, but it also takes more of the driver out of the equation.

I'm not saying the majority don't have the skills, they're just not tested.

So better? A few perhaps, but we'll never know.
.

Remember the old tracks and conditions?
National Trail?
Baton Rouge?

 

[nwspeedshots]

I was just glad he didn't say, "George is right, it's all over!".

 

[I was NITRO BREATH]

For all the NHRA haters and other malcontents on the forum. Sorry but Englishtown on Sunday was a terrific day. the place was nicely packed. Lots of families with lots of kids. great racing. big speeds. fast and tricky track made for exciting racing. not one oil down and the race was over by 4 PM. the weather was beautiful. Alan on the PA was great. all this for $53.00. Money well spent. NHRA did a great job with the track. and did a great job moving things along. Im all for anybody that wants to enjoy nostalgia racing or local track racing. there is some fun racing going on. But stop bitching about NHRA national events. Especially if you don't go to them.

 

[Toejam]

Joe, take a Prozac. It sounds like you are in enough trouble as it is.

So you post about 100 posts about how todays Drag racing sucks, and I need a Prozac? You truly are on Drugs!

 

[Toejam]

For all the NHRA haters and other malcontents on the forum. Sorry but Englishtown on Sunday was a terrific day. the place was nicely packed. Lots of families with lots of kids. great racing. big speeds. fast and tricky track made for exciting racing. not one oil down and the race was over by 4 PM. the weather was beautiful. Alan on the PA was great. all this for $53.00. Money well spent. NHRA did a great job with the track. and did a great job moving things along. Im all for anybody that wants to enjoy nostalgia racing or local track racing. there is some fun racing going on. But stop bitching about NHRA national events. Especially if you don't go to them.

Post of the Week Nominee^^^

 

[Toejam]

I was just glad he didn't say, "George is right, it's all over!".

I did, you must have missed it.

 

[George.]

So you post about 100 posts about how todays Drag racing sucks, and I need a Prozac? You truly are on Drugs!

And you waste our time by writing thousands and thousands of douchery posts that simply argue, disagree, and arrogantly hate on everyone that doesn't live within your shell.
Why are you so bitter? Consider other opinions are just as valid as yours.
Listen to your moderator. Try being nice for once.

 

[PJ]

NHRA and/or drag racing is not dead but yes it needs some work. The dooms days types are a little over board and the rainbow and skittles crowd are missing some things.

Like many things the truth is somewhere in the middle. It's good to have people still caring enough to complain.....to a point. Once they stop complaining, it means they don't care and are gone. People willing to fight to make the sport better is important. On the other side, if you always go looking for the negative, it is easy to find. There is a fine line between honest criticism and just nit picking.

You have to be honest enough to see the problems and solve them before they get worse. Those that don't end up sitting around a mess wondering how it happen when often the signs were there, they just chose not to see them.

 

[Nunz]

Great post PJ! Everyone here is at least a little right. The big show needs attention, costs are out of control (in every aspect of life) and the "golden years" are behind us. But there's a ton of cool things going on that someday we'll remember fondly as the "good old days". 2 quick examples: muscle cars and Pro Mods. The cars being built by the factories are wild! And being raced! And you know how guys say "when I was a kid it seemed everyone had a fuel car" ? Well now it's Pro Mod. There are a TON of them out there, and they are possibly the wildest cars on the planet. Ok back to my oatmeal...

 

[Toejam]

And you waste our time by writing thousands and thousands of douchery posts that simply argue, disagree, and arrogantly hate on everyone that doesn't live within your shell.
Why are you so bitter? Consider other opinions are just as valid as yours.
Listen to your moderator. Try being nice for once.

I dont argue with everyone, just those on the Sidelines telling the rest of us we are wasting our time and money following this sport!

 

[mick]

the business model today is money(wealth) racing for a hobby....the financial reward of racing in the pro nhra categories
is almost negligible.
yesterday's business model was some money w/determination for a single car team....the financial reward of racing could
carry a team onwards throughout the season as the costs to race were a little more in line with even first round loser purse.
guess we'll see if sponsors remain interested in the 3 categories (yes 3, and barely 3, mostly 2) and to what financial level
they are willing to support the teams....i sincerely hope the nhra pro categories remain viable, but time will tell.

one the greatest racers, 16x champion, and working fool for the sport he loves is nhra's own john force....his tireless efforts
on and off the track over all these years have now been rewarded with two major long time sponsors calling it quits.
i can only hope the tide turns; i would guess john is tired of carrying the sport; time for others to help if the 3-4 day
events, 16 car field shows we are accustomed to are to continue.

 

[Toejam]

Well now it's Pro Mod. There are a TON of them out there, and they are possibly the wildest cars on the planet. Ok back to my oatmeal...

Are you counting all the different sanctions with different rules?

 

[Nunz]

Well that was my point Joe, the NHRA alone is having great turnouts, then if you factor in circuits like the PMRA and the different 1/8 mile series', there are really a lot of places to see Pro Mods race.