I Knew It Was Coming (1 Viewer)

[Prestaged]

I am, admittedly, old school. But, I don't like it. How will we compare historical winners to the ones starting next year. I really don't think this is a change that will provide an "impact" for drag racing in the eye of the public -- you know, those people we need to attract to the sport. Just my 2¢.

 

[Kelly]

I'm looking forward to some comments this weekend. You KNOW the announcers will ask. I can imagine all kinds of 'team meetings' going on tonight/tomorrow.

 

[Mike]

No longer a true champion

 

["Dr. Dirt"]

Has PRO factored into this decision or was their input requested?
I wonder what their take would be collectively?

 

[I was NITRO BREATH]

Well- I want to think about this some more before I decide how I feel about it. But-One things for sure, it's a done deal for at least a year so we'll see how people feel about it this time next year and if it totally sucks we can all say so to the powers that be. It probably won't change things but at least we'll have the experience of seeing it play out.

 

[Toejam]

How much did the last mistake NHRA made in trying to copy Nascar cost? Any guesses.................

 

[D]

How much did the last mistake NHRA made in trying to copy Nascar cost? Any guesses.................

Trucks? Say it aint so Joe! Doh!
D

 

[Nazgul]

Wow... where did this come from?

I shouldn't ever take a break.
I'm away from the computer for an entire day or two & look at what I've missed.

My initial reaction was just like the majority here... and I'm still somewhat miffed, or maybe puzzled is a better way to put it. But the more I think about it, the more I think it will add excitement & talk durning the end of the year. Now I'm still in shock I think, but after reading this entire thread & thinking about it, I understand & agree with many of the con's that have been mentioned. But I can also see the potential.

I don't like the fact that Force could kick major butt all year, look invincable, and then lose the championship because of a problem during the last couple of events. But I do like that fact that Force, KJ, Doug Kalitta (or any other of my favs) could be down to someone (Greg Anderson) running away in the points, and still have a chance to catch them & beat'em during a "drag race" at the end of the year for a championship. I'm on a tetter totter right now.

I think what a lot of us are really ticked at, is the fact we were blindsided. I mean out of the blue they throw this at us without any warning. If we had known that NHRA was thinking about this some time ago it wouldn't have come as such a blow right now.

Regardless of what Glendora does I'm a drag racing fan, I can't turn that off----- so I'm always going watch & be at the events (even if they're meaningless)... I'm obsessed. Whether I like it or not, I'll learn to deal with it. I think it's here to stay, (unless Bruton jumps in... heck maybe he likes the idea too) but I'm sure it'll be tweaked a little here & there in the coming years while they figure it out how it works best... but it's something we're probably going to have to learn to live with. I just wish they'd given me a heads up.

 

[nunya]

I bet Snake won't like it. Remember way back when you won the World Finals and you were world champ. Snake won 7 of 8 races that year and Shirl Greer won the world finals and was crowned champ. But Snake was a bad man that year and most think of him being the champ that year.

 

[Kelly]

I think what a lot of us are really ticked at, is the fact we were blindsided. I mean out of the blue they throw this at us without any warning. If we had known that NHRA was thinking about this some time ago it wouldn't have come as such a blow right now.

Hmmmmm......and we thought WE always got the dish/dirt here! I think we got a little big for our britches!

 

[na]

Ugh........I'm not in favor of this at all. My concern is as most others mentioned.....low dollar teams saying "SCREW IT" and not showing up if they aren't in the "chase"......not having a full car count would suck!

 

[TAFC 5 81]

Not sure what to say on this one. I remember when the title went to the World Finals winner (I think you had to have a certain amount of Divisional points to attend the WF). But, there were far fewer National events then (many teams ran AHRA, IHRA, and other events). If they wanted to help the single car teams, would it be better off to restart the top 16 (instead of 8)? I will say it sounds like a majority of mater members see a new demand for Larry Morgan's T- shirt "You Can't Fix Stupid".

 

[Mike]

Steve, not a fan of the points deal but those teams still have a shot to win races.

 

[none]

Steve,

Name the low dollar team that is in the chase this year? And then name one that is sitting out because they're not in the chase.

Alan

 

[Seb]

I personally don’t like it as a fan. Best overall though out the year should be the winner, not the best at the end. Does this take away from all of Glidden’s titles? Amato’s? BIG drawback will be if they do this for a couple of years then go back to the way it is now, would that take away from whoever wins between now and then?

But then again if I was racing/driving at that level and was not in the top 3 at the end would maybe help me out. There is good and bad in this. Hope that they got lots of input from PRO on all of this.

Next year just got more interesting to say the least.

 

[none]

Let's look at a hypothetical situation say Morgan Lucas (not picking on Morgan just using him because presently he'd be in the eighth and final playoff spot) currently in 8th place, (440 points behind first place Doug Kalitta and 282 behind 4th place Melanie Troxel) can string together four decent races, something like a couple of semi-final finishes, and two second round losses. All the while Schumacher and Kalitta keep coming up with semi-final and final round appearances. Let's say Morgan amasses a few more points than the cars in front of him and because of NHRA giving him some 360 free points after Reading (bunching the field up) winds up in 4th place after Richmond. Now let's say Morgan heads to Vegas and gets a couple of lucky breaks here and there, runs good when he has to and wins that race, beating Tony or Doug in the final and goes to Pomona and then goes a couple rounds and somehow gets further than Tony or Doug and wins the "Powerade Championship" Is this fair to the drivers that had consistent finishes all year and is it fair to a driver who at the last two races caught lightning in a bottle and had an okay season up to the last two races but certainly not a championship season, but now because he won the right two races is being hailed as a champion? As I've said before what made the 2005 Funny Car Championship special was that it occured naturally and without points manipulation. Sure there might be Powerade Championships decided in the last round at Pomona but they will be diluted Powerade Championships.

 

[ramblerjay]

what is the purpose of a points championship if you are not calculating the year long committment and performance of the teams?

this seems to me like a copout on nhra's part, and frankly, blatant plaigerism from the "chase for the nextel cup."

10 car fuel fields anyone?

 

[MM]

okay i think everybody should just kinda chill out on this thing....this is the same kind of reaction that the NASCAR thing got and now people really like their system...let's give this new points race a chance before we condemn it as the end of drag racing. Let's face it, even if NHRA is copying NASCAR, last time I checked, they were the most popular motorsport in the country. This might be good for our sport it may completely suck, but there is only one way to find out!

 

[topdigger]

As a fan I will probably like it especially with the suspense that there will be at the end.I love it in NASCAR.But they have more time to make it right.As a competetitor I think it sux.I personally wouldn't want to be the champ if I just made it the end when I had no chance with the orriginal system.BUT if I'm a PRO and in the bottom of the of the top ten then I still have a chance to be a Champ,now my sponsor loves me(more tv time = ore potential $$$).You will now have 8 sponsors in 4 classes getting good INK instead of 2 or 3.I think it will work.We have to remember that ALL PROFESSIONAL SPORTS are first and foremost SHOW BUSINESS.NHRA needs to imporove it's show.I think this will work.Not fond of it like I said as a competetitor, but as a fan it's gonna be good for the SHOW!Just think that anyone one of those 9-xx cars can be a spoiler at anytime.And anyone who thinks a team wont show up because they can't win the championship is seriously insulting those teams as racers and professionals.Remember, it's Show business then racing.

 

[lmhb oyf]

Alan,

I don't think it's so much the fact that an independent isn't in the chase so much as it's just yet another move to alienate them and potentially drive them away from the sport.

What I personally don't understand is rather than come up with ways to make it a much more level playing field for all teams, the NHRA continues to drive a wedge even further between those who have multicar teams and big dollars and those who are single car teams just trying to stay competitive.

The four car limit rule is a joke! That has the realistic potential to be 4/5ths of the Funny Car field next year. How discouraging is that to the Worshams, Prudhomme, Pedregon's not to mention Wilk, Gilby, Head, Densham, etc...

Another example is Force's monopoly of the Ford bodies or Schumacher's with the new Dodge bodies? How is that fair and why can't there be a privateer program as there is in many other forms of motorsports? If it's available and legal it should be for everyone.

This points chase is just another example of that.

As someone asked earlier, what is your viewpoint? I've read many negative posts about it and very very few for it. You seem to support it and I'm curious as to why you think that. Perhaps I'm not seeing something that you are.

I look forward to your reply.