National Trail Raceway (2 Viewers)

[Steve Wayne]

Looks like they have been putting a lot of money in to the track. Personally was always my favorite track, may be biased since it was basically my local track (couple hours away). Would love to see them get a national event back. With the Atlanta spot open now, maybe there is a slim chance it could happen. Would love to hear Alans take on whether he thinks this is even a consideration. The No Prep Kings event this past weekend was packed!

 

[4onthefl4]

I watched a lot of that No Prep Kings event on You Tube this weekend. It appeared the crowds were larger than many NHRA nation events.
I think people are longing for "back in the day" stuff like that when cars had names, grudge matches and the drivers were mostly good ole boys out having fun.

 

[BOO BOO]

Short shut down that's why the National Event was moved , plus if it rained the whole place became a giant mud hole.

 

[TopFuel@Lions]

Wrong


TopFuel@Lions

 

[mikebcurve]

Short shut down that's why the National Event was moved , plus if it rained the whole place became a giant mud hole.

I think it was a no brainer to move the event to Norwalk at the time. The NHRA was not going to invest in the track while they owned it. I don’t know if the drainage has been addressed but the rest of the track looks ready to host a national event again. As long as they use the property across the street from the shutdown, as they use to, it shouldn’t be an issue with 1000 ft racing.

 

[ironpony]

I can walk to National Trails. They are doing a lot of work to make it better. However just north they are building lots of expensive houses so I can see some push back in the future.
Wife and I love racing and with their full schedule some days the noise gets old.
Some tracks have 2 events a year I can see Ohio having 2 events at 2 great tracks.
I bid on a house with 3 acres at the end of the track a few years back, missed winning it by a few dollars.

 

[Mike]

Jimi, before you crown NPK as the almighty draw lets wait till next year and see what kind of crowd they get. Admission to the races is very pricey.

 

[4onthefl4]

Jimi, before you crown NPK as the almighty draw lets wait till next year and see what kind of crowd they get. Admission to the races is very pricey.

Huh! I don't quite understand what you're saying. Do you mean people attended only because they can finally get out after the pandemic?
What was the admission price?

 

[Steve Wayne]

Jimi, before you crown NPK as the almighty draw lets wait till next year and see what kind of crowd they get. Admission to the races is very pricey.

It may not be the almighty draw but it is huge, people who know nothing about NHRA or much about drag racing in general know about the Street Outlaws stuff because of TV. People from work took their kids because their kids wanted to go because they watch the shows. Its more relatable to the non conventional fan, the cars look more like production cars, you can usually look at a car and tell what it is, and for a lot of people thats the draw. Plus you have many different personalities, you have grudge racing, rivalries, gives fans something or someone to root for or against. I love Pro Mod, i was raised around Pro Mods, but let me tell you, its disheartening to watch the early vs late model camaro show. Take the show out of the NPK stuff, and just focus on the cars, and its actually a badass deal, real guys building some badass cars, reminds me a lot of the early Pro Mod days.

 

[Tom Slick]

I can tell you first hand that the 2019 NPK event (2020 cancelled Covid) that was held a Firebird Raceway in Idaho was not only packed to the gills, the action and excitement was off the chart. NPK does a really good job of building excitement with the drivers and the crowd.

The event at National Trails this past weekend was reflective of that and I can see most NPK events being near sell outs the remainder of the season. If the NHRA were smart, they'd take a field trip to one of these events and take some notes. The fans love it and I can't wait for the NPK event to visit Firebird again this September.

 

[Mike]

Comparing NPK to a NHRA National event is apples to oranges. NPK as the director of the show will tell you isnt a race but a tv show and one I watch every and really enjoy it. I hope the success conttinues for a long time.

Now, ticket prices. Each track is different but here is a link and you can check it out. Honestly, high priced or not I'd say go at least once.

Street Outlaws Tickets

TheFOAT is the premier motorsports ticketing service for drag racing, car shows, offroad and more.

tickets.thefoat.com

 

[4onthefl4]

Comparing NPK to a NHRA National event is apples to oranges. NPK as the director of the show will tell you isnt a race but a tv show and one I watch every and really enjoy it. I hope the success conttinues for a long time.

Now, ticket prices. Each track is different but here is a link and you can check it out. Honestly, high priced or not I'd say go at least once.

Street Outlaws Tickets

TheFOAT is the premier motorsports ticketing service for drag racing, car shows, offroad and more.

tickets.thefoat.com

In my opinion, those ticket prices aren't really out of line. I'm sure there may be a few high rollers that would pay for the $150.00 VIP treatment, but general admission at the gates is $35.00, that's what most people would pay.
As for the event being a TV show more than a race, some of that is true. Everybody should know reality shows aren't always real. From what I've been told from somebody in the business, each driver gets appearance money, win or loose, but winners get the prize money on top of that which gives them the incentive to win (those cars aren't cheap) and the fans get a good show.
As for the arguments, fights and back stabbing, can we say WWE?

 

[Tom Slick]

I believe that the racing is not scripted, but for sure the dialogue that is filmed with the drivers/personalities in the pits certainly is.

 

[Mike]

You guys 100% spot on. The racing is for real and certain guys get appearance money. Good friend is part of the TV crew and they want personalities for sure.


I've seen some of the prep for the TV show from National Trail and the crowd is just ok for the finals.

Jimi, I dont think the tickets are out of line myself but all the people that bitch about NHRA Im sure would feel that they are

 

[TSK]

I saw several of the OKC Street Outlaw guys at Tulsa a few years back. Those cars are serious machines.
I'm sure a lot of the dialog is scripted. But, as Sean from Murder Nova said when interviewed by Hot Rod Magazine, "once they let off the transbrake button it's the real deal."

 

[Steve Wayne]

The cars are def the real deal, most of the new cars being built are basically a dual rail pro mod chassis with a steel roof and quarters draped over it. Most of your combinations are right out of a pro mod car. I dont care for the shows, but as a drag racer and car nut they have some badass cars. I always loved National Trails, something about that track felt like home, didint matter where else I went, Bristol, Norwalk, any other facility just didnt have the feel. And the track was great, other than the year they wadded up a couple pro stock cars, the track always seemed great and several national records were set there back in the day

 

[Pete]

I enjoyed the NPK @ Maryland International...definitely scripted material, but the racing is 100% real? not so sure....I saw a few races where brake lights were seen before the finishline. Doesn't matter. You have to go into it knowing its a TV show, so there will be significant downtime and a lot of 'acting'
It was still a BLAST and would go again!

 

[mick]

whatever. didn't the one guys show at indy a couple years ago and was no more than a bunch of hot air? no thanks.
let me know when erica and team show up on one of those shows

 

[Nunz]

whatever. didn't the one guys show at indy a couple years ago and was no more than a bunch of hot air? no thanks.
let me know when erica and team show up on one of those shows

Big Chief tried his hand at Pro Mod a few years ago at the U.S.Nationals, I was there. He really wasn't full of hot air, I remember him being pretty respectful of the PM cars, and seemed like he was there to give it a shot and take in the experience. He knew qualifying would have been a long shot. But, he showed up and gave it a try.

 

[M Jones]

Big Chief tried his hand at Pro Mod a few years ago at the U.S.Nationals, I was there. He really wasn't full of hot air, I remember him being pretty respectful of the PM cars, and seemed like he was there to give it a shot and take in the experience. He knew qualifying would have been a long shot. But, he showed up and gave it a try.

Thank you Nunzio, He showed and gave it shot