I agree ... what insight or solutions did he really offer? His basic premise was to gut the entire NHRA. Less cars, less teams, less tracks, less events, etc. Think he had too many Capt. Morgans.Let me get this strait, in an attempt to grow the sport, he suggests cutting the fields 50%......??
Even my 13 year old grandchild said "WHAT is he smoking"??
When i'm on the road traveling from race to race i stop off at a few of the tracks like San Antonio or Houston and watch the test and tunes or street car nights. They seem to draw a lot of cars but i never noticed very many spectators. There are always a lot of cool cars in a laid back atmosphere.Greg Moon posted the following comment, You want to fix racing? Go buy a cheap bracket car, go racing, and support your local track and speed shops.
It's interesting to note that local drag strips seem to be doing just fine with their test and tune nights and their other shows they put on.
The bigger problem is the National Events where there are different problems going on. Maybe the N.H.R.A. should look closer at what is working for the local drag strips and why they seem to be doing better.
Maybe the fans feel they get more for their money going to a local drag strip close to home rather then driving to a National Event.
Jimbo
I agree with Eugene in that most of the attendance at local tracks is racers not spectators. After all that's where drag racing roots is and what drag racing is all about.When i'm on the road traveling from race to race i stop off at a few of the tracks like San Antonio or Houston and watch the test and tunes or street car nights. They seem to draw a lot of cars but i never noticed very many spectators. There are always a lot of cool cars in a laid back atmosphere.
Drop all the super classes and make it a straight up bracket race. No throttle stops, no games. See if a 7 seconds dragster can run down that 14 second stocker. Those in the stands during sportsman racing tend to get really excited about those type of races. Most fans see pass after pass of the same dark colored dragster in SC. With so little variety it gets boring.
I agree with less national events. The NHRA could then book groups of cars to go match race at smaller tracks.
Some little track in Nebraska, Maine or Kentucky may not have room for the big show BUT they can fit 2 tf and 2fc in for a night. You will get the local crowd. Make it a reasonable price ($20-25) and the stands will be filled. Watch Shoe VS Doug k and J Force vs Hagan. This would also expose nitro to newbies who in turn would be more likely to flip on the TV to watch one of the 15-ish national events.
We have a top-down system now. NHRA goes to a handful of towns and hopes that people shell out big bucks to the show or just happen to get hooked from TV. I have friends that would be willing to come to a race but not for the prices NHRA wants now.
Instead we need a bottom up approach. Bring nitro to the masses, get them hooked. That in turn becomes more TV viewers and perhaps they will then travel to national events.
Judging by the stands at many of the twice a year locations, that needs to stop. The big show should only roll up once per year.
From a safety aspect, you cannot have a 7 second car chasing down a 14 second car. Anything happens to that 7 second car he is going to be all over the 14 second car in a bad way. If the 14 second car gets sideways that 7 second car is going right thru his door. Ask the guys who built their Super Comp or Super Gas cars to the intent and spirit of the rules how they feel about those cars going by them 40-50 MPH faster in the lights now.