Super Mod
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It's Alive! (1 Viewer)
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Mooseman
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But what are the reasons for a decline in car counts. I was in a conversation the other day about drag racing and car counts and people in the conversation where speculating and stating all these things and what could be done but they werent finding out the real problem. I remember saying that if you want to fix car counts why dont you go to the racers that arent racing and ask them why find the reason for low car counts and go from there.
The only people who know why they arent racing are the people who arent racing so the best place to start when it comes to fixing car counts is to go to those who arent racing and find out why.
The only people who know why they arent racing are the people who arent racing so the best place to start when it comes to fixing car counts is to go to those who arent racing and find out why.
Solid Rock
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William, My guess is the cost to go racing, plus the shabby treatment sportsmen racers are expected to put up with once they spend their hard earned bucks to get there.
Mooseman
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You could be absolutely right I wouldn't know what I am meaning is too many people just guess what a problem could be rather then going out asking the questions and getting the info so that you have real facts that yes that is the problem.
The Little Lizard
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We have a dragster we would love to race in comp. Eliminator and it's our hope to do so, however are involved with pending litigation as the plaintiff against another party who is a well recoginized name in the sport. I'll leave it at that!
Bob
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There are some Comp racers that spend more money to field a competitive car than Alky racers. Heck, there are some that spend more than some low budget fuel teams.
Comp Eliminator is my favorite class of drag racing due to the reasons stated in that very well written article - the diversity of the cars involved and the innovation found in those cars, and there is no break-out rule in affect. In most sportsman classes, performance can be bought off the shelf, at a price, available to everyone. In Comp, I would say there are more one-off custom built or manufactured engine, chassis and body parts than in any other class of drag racing, Pro or Sportsman.
Comp racers are a rare breed. They spend boatloads of money to race competitively with almost no hope of recovering more than a fraction of their investments. That can be said of most classes in this sport, but sponsorship monies that make up for at least part of the discrepancies between racing costs and potential winnings just aren't available, and pretty much never have been. These guys and girls race because they love racing and they love competition. It certainly isn't because they love money! There are Sportsman racers in other classes that can be successful enough to race for a living, albeit not many of them, but their costs for competitive performance are significantly lower than those for Comp.
As to the lower car counts, it is money, period. In this economy, everybody is getting pinched in one way or another.
Comp Eliminator is my favorite class of drag racing due to the reasons stated in that very well written article - the diversity of the cars involved and the innovation found in those cars, and there is no break-out rule in affect. In most sportsman classes, performance can be bought off the shelf, at a price, available to everyone. In Comp, I would say there are more one-off custom built or manufactured engine, chassis and body parts than in any other class of drag racing, Pro or Sportsman.
Comp racers are a rare breed. They spend boatloads of money to race competitively with almost no hope of recovering more than a fraction of their investments. That can be said of most classes in this sport, but sponsorship monies that make up for at least part of the discrepancies between racing costs and potential winnings just aren't available, and pretty much never have been. These guys and girls race because they love racing and they love competition. It certainly isn't because they love money! There are Sportsman racers in other classes that can be successful enough to race for a living, albeit not many of them, but their costs for competitive performance are significantly lower than those for Comp.
As to the lower car counts, it is money, period. In this economy, everybody is getting pinched in one way or another.
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Randy
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Comp is a very expensive class to run. Many if not most competitive racers buy or lease engines from one of a few major HP powerhouse producers. And many of you can't imagine how much $$$ we are talking about.
Most comp racers are successfull business owners. In light of the current economy and the big unknowns that will cost most businesses a fortune (the pending health care bill, cap and trade, etc.) most business owners are laying low, not hiring and not spending any discretionary (if they have any) money. They are more concerned about survival than taking a hit on their class index right now.
Most comp racers are successfull business owners. In light of the current economy and the big unknowns that will cost most businesses a fortune (the pending health care bill, cap and trade, etc.) most business owners are laying low, not hiring and not spending any discretionary (if they have any) money. They are more concerned about survival than taking a hit on their class index right now.
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I have a simple formula...if I am going to pay $250 to enter a national event to race for a $1200 winners purse, knowing there has been $15250 taken in just from my class alone, I get a little miffed. Thank God I don't race for the money!!!!!!!!!!!!
Treeshaker
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I have a simpler solution - Find a "hook" for the class that draws spectators to pay for all the amenities that the participants expect at a national event. The amenities are not provided by others for anything more than a potential profit. They don't care where this profit comes from, but it must come for them to stay in business.
The "hook" can be the drivers or the cars, and it takes a lot of hard work to create it, utilize it and to get the word out to the general public to draw them to your show. If you are just there to "race", expect to pay. If you come to the realization that you are there to provide entertainment, then others will pay for you to be there.
Re: It's Alive? Maybe not for long
Drag Racing is one of the only sports where "The clowns pay to get into the circus" As said in an earlier post most of the Sportsman are sucessful business people who love drag racing. We always joke, when we drive into a National event, about the spectacular rigs the "lttle guys" have. Indy is a great example of where the clowns really pay the price to be in the circus. There are always several of those great rigs stuck in the mud, at the end of the event they have the thrill of paying a local tow company a $1,000.00 to drag thier equipment out of the swamp.
The "Pros" as they are called do not fair much better. They have the excitement of spending thousands of dollars putting on a free show during qualifing, for as many as 4 days prior to eliminations.
The nitro fields really have the brunt. With nitro at $25.00 a gallon from the NHRA exclusive vendor,the warmups even cost more in a weekend that the average fan makes in a week.
As long as the "clowns" are willing to put on a tremendous theater for free the promoters will glady let them self destruct.
Maybe when a couple of the big players get together and seek a restructure of the program there may be changes. It is tough out there costs of participation are exceeding incomes generated from sponsorships and winnings. Even the major teams may have to cut back thier touring.
Maybe an East / West conference may be a thought. The majors could still have teams at all events, with maybe only two Funny Cars. A Chicago style of eliminations or some sort a variation on that might give the paying atendees a more action packed show for thier hard earned dollars.
"Times, they are a changin", and the racing business better take note, and do it quickly before the results of each race may be decided by a flip of a coin.
Drag Racing is one of the only sports where "The clowns pay to get into the circus" As said in an earlier post most of the Sportsman are sucessful business people who love drag racing. We always joke, when we drive into a National event, about the spectacular rigs the "lttle guys" have. Indy is a great example of where the clowns really pay the price to be in the circus. There are always several of those great rigs stuck in the mud, at the end of the event they have the thrill of paying a local tow company a $1,000.00 to drag thier equipment out of the swamp.
The "Pros" as they are called do not fair much better. They have the excitement of spending thousands of dollars putting on a free show during qualifing, for as many as 4 days prior to eliminations.
The nitro fields really have the brunt. With nitro at $25.00 a gallon from the NHRA exclusive vendor,the warmups even cost more in a weekend that the average fan makes in a week.
As long as the "clowns" are willing to put on a tremendous theater for free the promoters will glady let them self destruct.
Maybe when a couple of the big players get together and seek a restructure of the program there may be changes. It is tough out there costs of participation are exceeding incomes generated from sponsorships and winnings. Even the major teams may have to cut back thier touring.
Maybe an East / West conference may be a thought. The majors could still have teams at all events, with maybe only two Funny Cars. A Chicago style of eliminations or some sort a variation on that might give the paying atendees a more action packed show for thier hard earned dollars.
"Times, they are a changin", and the racing business better take note, and do it quickly before the results of each race may be decided by a flip of a coin.
