Is Pomona Really Sacred Ground? (1 Viewer)

[Raconteur]

outta 3 millon plus people? I'm impressed. 1%. And when did Fairgrounds stop making them take down the grandstands lining the parking lot after the race? 15 or 20 years ago at the most.

Funny but Pomona Raceway and the Strip at Las Vegas seem to be the only tracks that can successfully support two National Events yearly. Pomona supposedly has 44,000 seats including the temporary grandstand sitting under the flightpath for Bracket Field.

outta 3 millon plus people? I'm impressed. 1%.

Guess that shows you what a niche entertainment venue drag racing really is, huh? Not very mainstream is it, but that's a huge NHRA stadium!

It's a long, long way to #2 drag racing from #1 NASCAR in this country.

 

[d'kid]

Funny but Pomona Raceway and the Strip at Las Vegas seem to be the only tracks that can successfully support two National Events yearly. Pomona supposedly has 44,000 seats including the temporary grandstand sitting under the flightpath for Bracket Field.



Guess that shows you what a niche entertainment venue drag racing really is, huh? Not very mainstream is it, but that's a huge NHRA stadium!

It's a long, long way to #2 drag racing from #1 NASCAR in this country.

guess I was just spoiled growing up, nitro show every weekend, sure it was only about 10,000 or so... but sometimes it was 'dale on friday, county on saturday, carlsbad or lions on sunday... shake the order up on any given weekend. think that was why I never went to the fairgrounds. and the winter series at the county... everyone that was going to run pomona was there. or lions, or the dale... did go to OMS the first couple of years... I was in the Philippines starting Aug of 73... my last drag race was 73 PDA, until the 79 points meet at the county...

as far as pomona supporting 2 races a year, when you're the only game in town.... or within 400 miles... unlike here within the same distance: reading, budds creek, bristol, rockingham , charlotte, atlanta, e-town, Cecil county, heck st.louis and Memphis are both a days drive, so's norwalk, bowling green...

d'kid

 

[none]

as far as pomona supporting 2 races a year, when you're the only game in town.... or within 400 miles...

400 miles! Try 235 from Pomona to Vegas.

 

[Toejam]

What gets me is Chicago as the #3 market in the Country can't even fill Rt 66 for even one race!

Vegas I've noticed doesn't pull that big of crowds either for having 2 races a year! Now that they get 2 Nascar races a year it's really hurt the Drag attendance.

 

[vegasnitro]

What gets me is Chicago as the #3 market in the Country can't even fill Rt 66 for even one race!

Vegas I've noticed doesn't pull that big of crowds either for having 2 races a year! Now that they get 2 Nascar races a year it's really hurt the Drag attendance.

We don't have 2 Cup races. Just 1 first weekend of March.

Vegas 1 is always lagging behind Vegas 2 in attendance on the NHRA side ... but one thing I have noticed about Vegas is that the Friday and Saturday crowds have grown by leaps and bounds compared to the first few National Events, while Sunday seems about the same.

 

[clwill]

but one thing I have noticed about Vegas is that the Friday and Saturday crowds have grown by leaps and bounds compared to the first few National Events, while Sunday seems about the same.

I was wondering if I was the only one who noticed that. This spring, the Friday crowd seemed like it was 2x last year. Saturday seemed about the same, but Friday was crazy.

 

[D]

I've been to a few tracks and to Pomona plenty of times, but moving those dates wouldn't be a bad idea. The pits at Pomona are super tight, things like golf carts just walk away and the facility, like ORP, is an embarrasing place to hold two of the most important races of the year. Its obvious the Fairplex and surrounding communities could care less that the drags are there, so Just like the Rams and the Raiders, the NHRA needs to abandon the city of angels. The only question is where to go? Not Phoenix, Fireturd is at the top of the list of embarassing drag venues, There are no SoCal options unless someone builds one. Shift the Vegas dates? maybe.
S/F
D

 

[none]

It will be interesting to see how this plays out:


::: Drag Racing Online ::: Columns - Agent 1320 - 7/7/2008

 

[Toejam]

Unless forced out, the NHRA will NEVER Leave the Fairplex!!

 

[Raconteur]

Unless forced out, the NHRA will NEVER Leave the Fairplex!!

You are probably correct, NHRA needs the L.A. Market.

 

[PJ]

Chris and Joe I have not been there you're right, so it doesn't hold the same mystique to me that it does to you guys who have been there. It is one of the oldies along with Etown, Indy, Columbus and Gainesville and I've been to the others so I get the bond.

I look around though. Tiger stadium here in Detroit is coming down later this summer. Yankee stadium is seeing its last season now as well. Sometimes to grow the old needs to be taken down.


If moving away from the fairplex allowed for 1320 racing instead of 1000' what would you think?

It seems that we are the ugly stepchild in Pomona there that nobody wants. I would love to see them go to a place where Drag Racing, and the cash, is wanted and appreciated.

 

[Toejam]

I look around though. Tiger stadium here in Detroit is coming down later this summer. Yankee stadium is seeing its last season now as well. Sometimes to grow the old needs to be taken down.

PJ, I thought they took down Tiger Stadium like 7-8 years ago? However one thing everyone's overlooking is NHRA has made HUGE investments in the Fairplex! Those Trackside suites, plus the Stands and Press box were only built like in '93? That cost was huge!

 

[PJ]

PJ, I thought they took down Tiger Stadium like 7-8 years ago? However one thing everyone's overlooking is NHRA has made HUGE investments in the Fairplex! Those Trackside suites, plus the Stands and Press box were only built like in '93? That cost was huge!

Nope they quit using it and moved into the new stadium in 2000. Since then they've been battleing trying to find some way of saving all or even some of it. So far nothing. They just punched a big hole in the side last week to further remove stuff before the mass implossion. There is a group, led by Hall of Fame announcer Ernie Harwell, trying to gather funds to save it. I think the deadline is Aug 1. It doesn't look good. I'll be sad to see her go but its really doing no good now.


I didn't know nhra out any money into it, not that they wouldn't but just because they lease it. Even if it was done in 93' Thats 15 years ago by now they should have recouped whatever money they put into it.

I'm not saying that they must or should leave town tonight, but I think it may be a smart move to see what else is available out there.

 

[none]

However one thing everyone's overlooking is NHRA has made HUGE investments in the Fairplex! Those Trackside suites, plus the Stands and Press box were only built like in '93? That cost was huge!

Good point! Oh, but lets pull out of Pomona and move everything to Chicago or even worse, Detroit.

 

[vegasnitro]

Good point! Oh, but lets pull out of Pomona and move everything to Chicago or even worse, Detroit.

Detroit ... hmmm ... I heard Southern Canada is nice in February ... at least it would truly be the "Winternationals".

We could always come to Boise Chris ... could paint the track blue just like you do your football fields ...

I say Bruton should build a track in Cabo San Lucas. Then we could all go to Mexico in February ... now that would kick arse! At least the dollar is still strong against the peso.

In all seriousness, the Tigers left Tiger Stadium and the Yankees are leaving Yankee Stadium to INCREASE revenues. Would the NHRA increase revenues by leaving the Fairplex? Not bloody likely. It's not the greatest facility, but the crowds there are HUGE compared to other events, I think Gainesville is the only track that outdraws Pomona. Not to mention it is the second largest media market, still the only major motorsports events in LA county and close to me in Vegas.

 

[PJ]

If they have to pay so much to lease it, is it really that big of a money maker? What about building another track in the area, much like the latest burton rumor.


Build the first dome or indoor track and come to Detroit. THink big!!!

 

[NHRADeuce]

Yes even Yankee stadium can be left behind, but the common thing to all of those historic places being ditched is that they are getting a bigger and better venue in the same market. At this time there is no where for NHRA to go in the LA area. If Bruton builds a track in the area, then I am all for moving both events to a better venue in the same market. Until that happens though, Pomona is indeed sacred.

 

[Marchboom]

Have attended every race at Pomona from 1969 to 2006. Nice track but is severely blocked in by roads and buildings. The problem is that no one thought that LA would have grown as fast as it did. This has to be taken into consideration when building new tracks.

Hated the parking situation. $10 for general parking at you still have to walk 1/2 mile to the entrance gate.

If this track closes, So Cal will never see another drag strip. People talk about having the two Pomona races in Vegas. Great idea. But that trip from the Pomona area will cost you over $150 in gas and who knows how much for a hotel room. Not such a good idea now. The only sport So Cal will have loyal following for is soccer. The illegals love it. And with Calif politicians being in love with illegal aliens, they will probably tear down Pomona and build a soccer stadium.

And people ask me why I left Calif.

 

[Toejam]

Have attended every race at Pomona from 1969 to 2006. Nice track but is severely blocked in by roads and buildings. The problem is that no one thought that LA would have grown as fast as it did. This has to be taken into consideration when building new tracks.

Hated the parking situation. $10 for general parking at you still have to walk 1/2 mile to the entrance gate.

If this track closes, So Cal will never see another drag strip. People talk about having the two Pomona races in Vegas. Great idea. But that trip from the Pomona area will cost you over $150 in gas and who knows how much for a hotel room. Not such a good idea now. The only sport So Cal will have loyal following for is soccer. The illegals love it. And with Calif politicians being in love with illegal aliens, they will probably tear down Pomona and build a soccer stadium.

And people ask me why I left Calif.

Good post John, I agree that if the NHRA loses Pomona it would be the end of an Era! As far as Illegals go, on Fridays of Natl. Events the NHRA has tons of school kids that go to the track via Field trips! And you hear an awful lot of Spanish spoken! I sure hope NHRA doesn't start announcing in Spanish!

 

[Raconteur]

Good post John, I agree that if the NHRA loses Pomona it would be the end of an Era! How the hell did Pomona become so Damn controversial anyhow??

Pomona Raceway is the oldest track on the schedule and one of the last links to the beginning of drag racing, not that history means much to those who currently are in charge at NHRA.

Many people think that the 50th Anniversary race held at Pomona was the end of the old and the start of the new era of NHRA... Kinda worked that way.

Pomona was the second place I ever saw a drag race, the '64 Winternationals. It may mean more to some of us than others, but hopefully its usage as a drag strip is far from over.