I Knew It Was Coming (2 Viewers)

[Just Paul]

Oh boy........

Figures though... If you can't beat them, (Nascar) join them.......

 

[stanman]

So by your logic, if Doug Kalitta has the championship locked up at Richmond, then Schumacher wont bother to run at Las Vegas or Pomona?

Alan

Alan,

Correct me if my memory is failing... but don't we hear every year as the season winds down, the driver's who are not in the hunt for the championship counting every point with the hopes of moving up in the season end's rankings.

The way this new format reads there would be no opportunity for someone outside the 'Countdown 8' from garnering a Top Eight finish no matter how well they did at the last few races.

I just don't see how this is good for the sport!! If I was a team owner or driver, I be screaming my lungs out at NHRA... especially if I was one of the under-funded or single car teams. But then again, NHRA has shown time and time again that they care nothing for the little guys in the sport these days!!!

 

["Dr. Dirt"]

So by your logic, if Doug Kalitta has the championship locked up at Richmond, then Schumacher wont bother to run at Las Vegas or Pomona?

Alan

And risk falling from second to fifth? With all due respect (because you're Reinhart and I'm nobody) I'll remind you that with the past system in place they all still came to Pomona's finals for a reason.
That reason may have been eliminated with Compton's latest genius?

 

[mike]

I already sent a note to nhra, i would encourage everyone else too also.
I'm real curious to hear how the drivers/owners feel about this.

Who did you send the note to? I have an email for the vice president, of public relations and communications...

[email protected]

 

[Bobby]

the chase for the championship starts in pomona. the same morons who think we're sheeple who'd fall over a 5 year old to grab a t-shirt bottle rocketed by a preppie powerade puke think we'll get all excited over this.

 

[nick name]

The lack of leadership and vision is stunning!

You know, the more I think about this, the worse it gets.

YES, we need something to bring more fans to the gate and more sponsors to the teams.

YES, NASCAR has been very successful in the last decade.

NHRA IS NOT NASCAR!

For Glendora to think that the best plan they can come up with is a pale imitation of one used by another series is utterly embarrassing. But I'm sure those responsible are not embarrassed in the least. I'd bet they're even chuckling at the firestorm of protest, thinking "NASCAR fans didn't like it at first either".

From speaking with a current Cup competitor, a NASCAR team is at its essence an agreement between NASCAR and the team. When you're allowed to hold a number, you are guaranteed that you will make money. Period. For that agreement, the teams agree not to rock the boat.

Has NHRA EVER done anything to bring more money to the teams? The old rule of thumb used to be that you never let Glendora in on your plans with a sponsor since too many of them disappeared as the title right holder of an event.

If you're going to be NASCAR Without Turns, are you going to guarantee a starting spot to the top XX teams? This was done so fans wouldn't have to miss seeing their driver race if qualifying didn't go well. Let's just throw away any drama we might presently have during a qualifying session.

Is the new NASCARWT going to promise the teams a multi-million dollar payout in REAL money, not mostly bogus contingencies?

Is the NASCARWT going to promote the series and THE RACERS to the point that a popular racer can take in millions of dollars in souvenir sales?

Sorry for all the caps, but this thing is just silly. I know a bunch of us thought the suits couldn't be any more clueless, but I for one am astounded at the lack of thought put into this plan.

If this is the best promotion they can think of, we don't need them. Sell the land in California, sell the tracks, and for God's sake fire all the executives.

We'd just need to hire a part timer at minimum wage to keep track of what the other guys are doing, and then put that into place.

 

[Just Paul]

Man.... you could be 9th in points, run off a long string of wins, (Remember what Cruz did in '92??) and have no chance to go anywhere in points. yeahhhhhh

 

[PJ]

So by your logic, if Doug Kalitta has the championship locked up at Richmond, then Schumacher wont bother to run at Las Vegas or Pomona?

Alan

not at all. But if he's in 3rd he may still have a shot at second or at least at holding off 4th place. Now it means nothing. Especially to those outside the magic 8

 

["Dr. Dirt"]

Is the NHRA getting their money's worth from Mr. Compton?

 

[Joker]

I thougth about this 2 years ago when Nascar did it, and I thought it would never happen here. Oh well. There most be something to it though b/c even the PGA Tour has gone to it as well starting next year. I just dont see it being that helpful for the NHRA. I dont think your going to get any new fans b/c of it or anything like that and the same amount of people who have always watched will continue to watch. I just dont get it. Only time will tell. I know change happens and hopefully this change is for better but I dont know. And before everyone jumps on Reinhart (and Geiger as well more than likely), remember who signs there checks.

 

[Buzzz Miller]

Just means that you have to schedule your waves of performance a little better. No room for chance to schedule the ups and downs of the season- they must be planned.
Or- just look at it this way. The IHRA won't screw theirs up. Maybe Bruton and Evan could . . . . .

 

[Triple Nickel II]

Smoke and Mirrors?

Hmm...

The top prize is being raised but what happens to the racers who finish 9th and 10th for the overall season?

In the past Winston/Powerade paid a point bonus to the top 10 drivers. With this new "Top 8" format it seems that two racers will lose out on bonus money.

I thought NHRA's recently announced ownership limits were to "preserve competition" and to "reduce barriers for entry into the sport" for the professional classes. I guess one hand giveth and the other hand taketh away.

The Nascar boys get a pretty good bonus for 11th place ($1 Million for the best of the rest). I wonder what NHRA / Powerade will do for number 9 in the dragracing professional classes? A hardy handshake and a "better luck next year" line?

 

[Myron Hill]

For the teams that don't make the cut, they will race at the remaining races, but will they be racing or testing? The season just got shorter. THANKS!

I see IHRA fields getting bigger and more competitive. I almost became an NHRA member again after 10 years, not going to happen. Good luck.

 

[PJ]

Do we see a annoucement soon that ihra will go to 16 cars....or at least for the last part of the season

 

[knightrider]

Hmm...

The top prize is being raised but what happens to the racers who finish 9th and 10th for the overall season?

In the past Winston/Powerade paid a point bonus to the top 10 drivers. With this new "Top 8" format it seems that two racers will lose out on bonus money.

I thought NHRA's recently announced ownership limits were to "preserve competition" and to "reduce barriers for entry into the sport" for the professional classes. I guess one hand giveth and the other hand taketh away.

The Nascar boys get a pretty good bonus for 11th place ($1 Million for the best of the rest). I wonder what NHRA / Powerade will do for number 9 in the dragracing professional classes? A hardy handshake and a "better luck next year" line?

Honorable mention in the House rag.

 

[Mike]

All the negativity!!

Can someone with some time please go back through the last three years points chases and plug in the new system to see how it would have worked out. By the way, when has the #9 in points ever gone out and put together a string of wins to move up into the top four. All bet never. While I'm not sure about the new system, everyone else has seemed to condemn it without even taking a close look at how it will change things. One minute everone is complaining about exposure, or lack there of, and not gaining new spectators. Now there complaining because they're trying to make it more interesting and gain that desperately needed exposure. Sometimes yes, it is anticlimactic when Tony Shoe has the championship wrapped up with 4 races to go and yes, last years Funny Car race was awesome. I'm guessing they're trying to make it interesting every year. Let's see how it works out. Huh?

 

[PJ]

Can someone with some time please go back through the last three years points chases and plug in the new system to see how it would have worked out. By the way, when has the #9 in points ever gone out and put together a string of wins to move up into the top four. All bet never. While I'm not sure about the new system, everyone else has seemed to condemn it without even taking a close look at how it will change things. One minute everone is complaining about exposure, or lack there of, and not gaining new spectators. Now there complaining because they're trying to make it more interesting and gain that desperately needed exposure. Sometimes yes, it is anticlimactic when Tony Shoe has the championship wrapped up with 4 races to go and yes, last years Funny Car race was awesome. I'm guessing they're trying to make it interesting every year. Let's see how it works out. Huh?

I don't have to jump off a cliff to know its not a good idea. I don't like forced drama. A championship chase that we stop and shake up the points every so often is not a points chase its what is called a made for tv movie

 

[Dougster]

Wow - IHRA is looking better and better

Wow is what I said when I read this. Like many others, I had to triple-check my calendar to make sure it wasn't April 1st... I'm stunned about this change, especially when I don't think a change was needed. Last time I checked, NHRA was/is making a bunch of money under their current points system and the last few races had been well-attended by racers and fans, and got good TV ratings. So why did they feel the need to bring some artificial "drama" into the points chase? Why did they decide to distort a season-long points chase and make it more complicated for no apparent reason?

This reminds me of Formula 1's non-stop tinkering with the qualifying procedure and how it hasn't helped improve the show. There wasn't anything wrong with F1's old qualifying procedure but now it's become a complicated, made-for-TV mess that doesn't really change anything.

I don't think there'll be a big change in the number of teams in the final races, mostly because as I said in my "42 Pro Mods @ Norwalk" posting, economics don't always apply in racing. Even if your team is 9th/10th and won't be in the chase, there's still prize money to be had, still performance bonuses, and sponsor opportunities to fulfill. The bad thing is that sponsor contracts will probably be tied to performance in the chase rather than performance over a whole year.

I bet IHRA is smiling ear-to-ear now. They can be the last stand of "pure" drag racing with no artificial excitement added. If you're the fastest and most consistent in IHRA in 2007, you'll win the championship. If you're the most consistent in the first 2/3 of the NHRA season and fastest in the last 1/3 you might win the championship. Who do you think would be the "true" champion given these 2 options?

 

[Jason Galvin]

The stupid thing is it doesnt reward overall season efforts....if you play it conservative, never win a race, finish 8th in the points after indy, even if your 300 behind 1st, you get bumped up, then finish 4th in points after virginia, another 300 behind, but then you win the last 2 races, you win the title......basically, someone like tony schu or doug kalitta could win the first 21 races, and loose the championship...how much sense does that make? the nascar thing works, becuase you have long races...this isnt nascar.....you dont get a mulligan.....its pure stupidness

 

[ProStockJunkie]

Here's where you let your voice be heard.

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