Interesting read on fixing the problem by Whit Bazemore

[mike]

Really Mike?? Other than yours and some of the Mater members opinions, would love to see your statistics to support that statement. Many here keep forgetting they are part of the minority overall. Certainly the most rabid fans, but a minority nonetheless.

Do you think for one minute that most fans under the age of 30 know the history of the car names, or for that matter care? Before I get flamed by members who say my kids love the "old" cars, read my response again, I said MOST (not all). I grew up in that era, loved those names then but honestly it doesn't really matter to me today. To me you love the sport or you don't. I don't know about you, but when I went in the pits, I didn't get the cars autograph ... did you? Nope, it was the driver. Same thing today. The drivers are the one's signing the autographs. So how can we say that it shouldn't be about the driver? The driver and crew make the car win or lose, the name had nothing to do with it. I will admit though that some of my young loyalty was based on elaborate paint schemes. Always loved to see what the new Pisano car, or Custom Body Ent. cars would look like thanks to Circus Paint.

I wasn't aware one was require to have statistic for an opinion...I have mine you don't agree, no reason for you to get your undies in a bunch...

 

[StockersRock]

Brian France is a moron who is ruining NASCAR.

But I understand your point. Someone who is a strong leader with a clear vision for the future, and who is not afraid to step on a few toes or hurt some feelings to get there. Let's just hope that if this person comes along for the NHRA their performance will be better than Brian France's.

He definitely comes off as a moron, but for as many times as he's had NASCAR dangling over the cliff, I'm not quite convinced he is really ruining NASCAR (I'll leave my bitter gripes for how they handle the Whelen Modified Tour for another time).

I think NASCAR's boom in the late 80's/early 90's, was led by continual aggressive marketing from R.J. Reynolds, ever improving television/cable packages, a decent economy to drive higher profile corporate sponsorships, and the arrival of Jeff Gordon, who negated much of the "good ol' boy" stereotype and backed up his looks and marketability with talent and results to rival NASCAR's biggest star, Dale Earnhardt. Bill France led this very well, no doubt, but many stars aligned for this rise.

With the peak of the NASCAR's rise already past, and the still stinging loss of arguably it's face, Earnhardt, the economy then tanked at a time when prices of anything to do with NASCAR were still riding at their highest. Race tickets, hotels surrounding the races (with 3 day minimums), merchandise, etc., had moved into NFL like levels. Attendance was down, viewership was down, and the racing, generally just wasn't that great. For what still is a niche sport, albeit a very large one now, this really could have been more devastating than it has been. I think Brian France has been just crazy enough to know that relying on what they were already doing wasn't going to sustain (looking at you, Tom Compton).

I didn't love the Chase, but over time, I've come to appreciate what it is, and can't deny that it generates an excitement that they were certainly lacking. The Car of Tomorrow was a shock to the eyes as to what we thought a Cup car should look like, but in hindsight, the cars had gotten so off track looks wise that the same arguments we make about modern Pro Stocks and Funny Cars could apply. No doubt they were safer, which is paramount, but overall they are not missed by anyone.

So, NASCAR said they needed a still better car. They needed it to correct the on track issues, as well as off track issues regarding looks and marketability. This year, they decided that a change was needed to the Chase. It is constant change, which NASCAR hardly had from 1975 to 2003, leaving many of us "purists" disgruntled. However, this is how Brian France keeps himself from being a total Tom Compton. By admitting every once in a while, that something they tried didn't work, breathes life into the ever hopeful fan and industry that it's collective grievances may be resolved. It's good PR for them to show humility, but they do back it up. And either way, AT LEAST THEY TRIED SOMETHING!

Couple all of this with tracks willing to try lowering ticket prices and continually upgrading their facilites to what the modern fan reasonably expects, and NASCAR has faired through this economic time relatively well. Not late '90's well, mind you, but there's no threat of it folding anytime soon.

We as drag racing fans, and many in the independent media (and Bazemore is one of them), are continually left wondering how much longer NHRA can keep trying, basically, nothing.

 

[cephus]

spot on Chris, France was handed a gold mine, its called born with a silver spoon
hard to $*&$ up

 

[TooTall999]

The definition of stagnant:
1.
(of a body of water or the atmosphere of a confined space) having no current or flow and often having an unpleasant smell as a consequence
Think of the NHRA as the confined space.

 

[Pete]

This is why I am a huge fan if the NEW IHRA! Did anyone else hear Dave Rieff catching himself sayingthe acronym during Pomona? LOL
Its a group of RACING people, so they have my support....for now.

 

[Toejam]

It looks like he just copied everything that has been discussed on here and Comp Plus over time. I just made a post last week saying that a little less track prep and down force would make for better racing... and everything else he said in that article...i have read on here or Comp Plus at sometime in the past.

Bret Kepner and Jon Asher posted about 90% of the article the past 6 months! Everybody thinks they have a magic wand on how to Double TV ratings and Pack the stands overnight!

 

[James]

Bret Kepner and Jon Asher posted about 90% of the article the past 6 months! Everybody thinks they have a magic wand on how to Double TV ratings and Pack the stands overnight!

So are you saying the sport doesn't need to change? Everything is alright? Head in sand!!!

 

[Mooseman]

What happens if changes are made and the sport still ends up with the same problems? You could make changes and it could be a big success or you could make changes and you still get the same result.

 

[Leebone]

Two words: Throttle whacks

That's something I really miss. I used to rush to the pits between rounds, just to feel the sensation. These days I take my time, have a beer, then go to the pits.

 

[Huge]

,

What happens if changes are made and the sport still ends up with the same problems? You could make changes and it could be a big success or you could make changes and you still get the same result.

Or, even worse results. The biggest problem i can see is that very few can agree on what they want. If they fix it so group A is happy, then group B is unhappy, so no matter what they do there will always be a group that isn't happy. But, that's the nature of the beast.

 

[Toejam]

So are you saying the sport doesn't need to change? Everything is alright? Head in sand!!!

Are you entertained when your at the track? Or are you one of those fans that haven't been to a race in years?

 

[Nick Name]

One thing that would help the sport as a whole, though not NHRA, would be a court ruling agains them sanctioning race tracks. They would only be able to sanction events.

A track should be free to have NHRA events, as well as IHRA, etc. I think only drag racing tracks have this problem.

The track where my shop is is not sanctioned by any racing organization. Anyone with the money can book an event into it .

 

[James]

Are you entertained when your at the track? Or are you one of those fans that haven't been to a race in years?

I go to the track often, my worry is pretty soon I'm going to be alone in the stands!!!

 

[willy]

once an Idiot, still an Idiot!

Obviously.

 

[d'kid]

Eugene, I've been saying the same thing about reducing track prep and making the tuners adapt to less traction for awhile now. Same thing with making the cars less "aero" and reducing down force. What's more exciting, watching perfect runs time and time again, or tire smoking, rip snorting, pedal fests?

Simple answer is BOTH types of run are equal from the stand... or should be. Without stepping over the edge sometimes, it becomes no more than bracket racing... and the trick question is... where is the edge... but, the track should be prepped only at the start of the day, and a no drag, no spray, sweep only before rounds... and ban adhesion gauges... lane gets a bald spot... hope you have lane choice.

 

[my friends call me Zappy]

Ban adhesion guages YES. And ban the back up person on track. After the racing surface is prepared, nothing and no one should touch it.

 

[d'kid]

Ban adhesion guages YES. And ban the back up person on track. After the racing surface is prepared, nothing and no one should touch it.

That would clear out most everyone beyond the staging lanes... and put the driver back into it... ban the throttle stops... and lock the big black box after the car enters the staging lanes...only one ASCO( tm) valve N/O or N/C...

 

[Sandman]

This is the best article written about what's wrong with todays racing I have ever read. Drag racing has become so boring and lifeless that I honestly cannot get my 13 year old son to watch, and it's not because he doesn't like cars. I think back to when I watched "Wide World of Sports" with my Dad when they carried drag racing and I am not shocked to learn new people don't care for it. Why should they? How hard can it possibly be to drive a modern fuel car? I remember going to Sears Point in the early '90's and seeing KC Spurlock do a burnout so long that coasting down from it, he tripped the finish-line lights! Not to be out-done, Force did the exact same thing, only better! THAT is a show! Now the cars are evidently too delicate to even drive to the line under their own power. The drivers? Don't get me started. Guys like Dixon, Cory Mac, Skuza, Baze, Mike Dunn and Hot Rod Fuller are shown the door, while people with money-men backing them are plopped into the seat so long as their check clears. Gosh, isn't that the stuff heroes are made of? You know that old picture of Warren and Coburn sitting in their garage after whats apparently been a days work? That's what people want to see, people who work hard to compete, not today's "manufactured-by-PR-guys" drivers. I liked John Force when he was a racer. He's not a racer anymore, regardless of what his trophy case looks like. Want to see a racer? Look up a picture of Prudhomme sometime. That guy would wreck his own mother to win, Force intentionally runs his car out of the groove to lose so his son-in-law can garner enough points to get into the made-for-idiots "chase" at the most prestigious drag race on the planet, the US Nationals. That was the day the world saw exactly what matters when you allow a sport to become a business. We can argue about this all day, every day, but until someone who makes the call at NHRA wakes up, it's only getting worse.

 

[my friends call me Zappy]

That would clear out most everyone beyond the staging lanes... and put the driver back into it... ban the throttle stops...(/quote)

My point exactly. From burnout to turnout no one should touch the racecar.
The driver should back up on his own. Should also put himself in the beams.
If he needs help, there is a starting line crew there.No pushing cars to the line. The rules even state the driver must stage car under its own power. No more starting line adjustments. Fire 'um- burn 'um- back 'um- stage 'um- RUN 'UM.

You want to cut the time for tv , cut the fluff. The pits are for preparing a race car
not the starting line. No going in the box, no raising the f/c body.

And yes no t. Stops. The newbie bought a ticket to a car race, not a coast contest.

 

[FC138fan]

I just made a post last week saying that a little less track prep and down force would make for better racing...

I agree with your thoughts. Apparently those thoughts are nearly universal. Why won't they do it? MY GOD how much cooler would things be with FC bodies that look more like they did in the old days.

And peddle fests, with racing being so homogenized nowadays, with so much being equal, I'd much rather see a race like the one below, of of my favorite single races of all time. And how cool is that sound of peddling nitro cars when your in the stands. Imagine being at this race.. theres a moment there where its silence during the run. And I bet Blaine Johnson himself disabling Amato's ride

So much I love about that video.. the camera angle at the start, far away you get a feel for how hard they are leaving the line. Then the cut to the top end camera, showing the rest of the run un-cut. No commentary. Just perfect.

And tying this in with what Whit said... look at this race, both cars smoke the tires at the same time, but the cagey veteran Amato feels it and gets off the pedal first. Although in this case it didn't work, but many times that kinda skill is going to win races. As Whit said the amount of talent required to run those things when everything goes smooth is minimal. Take away some of the safety nets (putting the cars "closer to the edge" as Whit says) suddenly the drivers become bigger factors then they are today. And he mentioned the ripple effect, since drivers are assured seats based on talent, drivers don't have to be so PC and homogenous, corporate plugs that if they look pretty and give good interviews and are marketable, they can be ugly, they can be abrasive, mouthy.. not afraid to have disagreements cause they are allowed to be as they are where they are based on talent which suddenly became necessary with the changes.