" Well put. Outside of a handful (perhaps at most 10?) pro teams, I challenge anyone who drag races, in any category, at any level, to show a "business model" that consistently turns a profit.
At least that's the view from my armchair... "
You need a better view of the racing industry than what you are getting from that armchair. There are hundreds of individuals that have/are made/making a good living from the income of their race team. There are many sportsman racers in the south who have never been to a national event that do nothing but race, and from what I see they must be doing very well. Many businesses are started with the race team's income. Others enhance their business with the race team.
I am not going to name names because it really isn't any one's business what someone makes, but I must have talked to 30 individuals at the track in Atlanta this past week end who own teams and make the majority of their incomes from their race team. There are also many team managers, crew chiefs, crew men, pr people, and hospitality workers who make their sole income from drag racing.
Owners come and go, the same as any business program. Sometimes an owner doesn't want the exposure financially anymore, sometimes the petty day to day problems get to them, sometimes it is the rules and costs, sometimes other interests take priority.
I have been a car owner since 1968 when I was discharged from the Army. Every car I have owned, from my first bracket one dragster to my multi car Top Fuel team, has had to pay for itself for me to be at the track. I have changed classes mainly because the circumstances with a particular class changes. I can honestly say that just about every race car I have owned has made a profit for me, sometimes just from it's sales price.
I agree with Randy on who the participants in the alcohol classes are, and they are the reason the class has changed from where it originated to what it is today.
