RUMOR MILL - IS PRO STAGING A BIG-MONEY RACE AHEAD OF 2024 NHRA SEASON OPENER? (2 Viewers)

[Scoe]

It's funny looking at Facebook just how negative some of the responses are...sheesh. I'm glad the comments section doesn't have responsibility for doing cool things in our sport!

This event is going to sell-out, I've got little doubt, and everyone is going to have a great time, just like the Pro Mod teams did at WSOPM earlier this year. I can't wait.

Facebook is where the miserable live.

 

[J. S.]

I like the idea of this in general. Thinking outside of the box by having PRO staging their own event, etc.

A few thoughts:

1) Where is all that purse money coming from? I believe most of the Big Money bracket races finance the purse thru racer entry fees, but they attract many hundreds of racers. Not so here. Is there a sponsor putting up the purse? I hope the plan isn't "Pay per View", with a pie in the sky idea that this will somehow generate enough $$ for the purse.

2) I would sure prefer a 16 car field. With an 8 car field, eliminations are over in just half the time. And with just half the number of passes down the track, there will likely be way too much down time during the race, with no other classes to fill the down time.

3) Drag racing history is filled with a few examples of racers staging their own races. It hasn't usually worked out so well. But I hope this is successful and leads to more similar events. I guess we'll see.

 

[Chili]

I like the idea of this in general. Thinking outside of the box by having PRO staging their own event, etc.

A few thoughts:

1) Where is all that purse money coming from? I believe most of the Big Money bracket races finance the purse thru racer entry fees, but they attract many hundreds of racers. Not so here. Is there a sponsor putting up the purse? I hope the plan isn't "Pay per View", with a pie in the sky idea that this will somehow generate enough $$ for the purse.

2) I would sure prefer a 16 car field. With an 8 car field, eliminations are over in just half the time. And with just half the number of passes down the track, there will likely be way too much down time during the race, with no other classes to fill the down time.

3) Drag racing history is filled with a few examples of racers staging their own races. It hasn't usually worked out so well. But I hope this is successful and leads to more similar events. I guess we'll see.

I’m sure Tony Stewart, Elite, Capco, Kalitta and Tasca is the start of the sponsorship. The money will be there and they are all business men. They don’t want to advertise and promote a 16 car field when it’s very possible they can’t get 16 cars there in each class. I have my doubts if JFR will race. Teams sponsorship packages are mostly for NHRA so teams running are either getting some additional money from their sponsors, getting new sponsors for the event or running out of their pocket. Any tighter budget team is not going to tear up their stuff a month before the NHRA season starts. It wouldn’t shock me to see teams like TSR and Capco from running more than one entry for this event.

 

[4onthefl4]

Have you been to Orlando?

Yes I have, many, many times over many, many years. In reality, the track probably couldn't accommodate approximately 12-13 cars in both nitro classes and 16+ in Pro Stock with thier "rolling machine shop" haulers (as my Dad use to call them) plus motohomes. Some teams use to use smaller haulers for match races and if so, there would be plenty of room for the pits. But I doubt that's the case since they will use the track for testing after the race, as I predicted, and go straight to the Gatonationals afterwards.
And then there's the seating situation, which is not very good. But hey, I can dream can't I?

 

[Notch1320]

This is a pre-season test similar to what they used to do at PBIR with a race thrown in to try to make some money. All the team will go back home after this as the Gators are a month later.

 

[Dennis]

1) Where is all that purse money coming from? I believe most of the Big Money bracket races finance the purse thru racer entry fees, but they attract many hundreds of racers. Not so here. Is there a sponsor putting up the purse? I hope the plan isn't "Pay per View", with a pie in the sky idea that this will somehow generate enough $$ for the purse.

2) I would sure prefer a 16 car field. With an 8 car field, eliminations are over in just half the time. And with just half the number of passes down the track, there will likely be way too much down time during the race, with no other classes to fill the down time.

With #1, it sounds like a lot of money (and it is!) but it's still less than NHRA pays all cars for qualifying, round wins, etc. I'm assuming this is a winner take all type of deal. Just a guess....Like Bob said, these guys are going to spend the money to pre-season test so winning is nice, but even if you don't win you were going to test anyway. And with just about every team centrally located it's not like the difference in mileage to the track is make or break.

#2, NHRA can't even get full 16 car fields with guaranteed first round loser payouts. If it's a winner take all event I don't see that increasing car counts.

Just my two cents...

 

[4onthefl4]

This is a pre-season test similar to what they used to do at PBIR with a race thrown in to try to make some money. All the team will go back home after this as the Gators are a month later.

Gothcha!

 

[Sparky]

With #1, it sounds like a lot of money (and it is!) but it's still less than NHRA pays all cars for qualifying, round wins, etc. I'm assuming this is a winner take all type of deal. Just a guess....Like Bob said, these guys are going to spend the money to pre-season test so winning is nice, but even if you don't win you were going to test anyway. And with just about every team centrally located it's not like the difference in mileage to the track is make or break.

#2, NHRA can't even get full 16 car fields with guaranteed first round loser payouts. If it's a winner take all event I don't see that increasing car counts.

Just my two cents...

In the two dirt track races that Tony paid 1 million to win they were not winner take all there was a full purse structure for the events. I feel that is why they are only paying $250,000 to win.

 

[NitroMustang65]

Haven't seen it posted yet, apologies if it has:

https://dragillustrated.com/pro-drag-illustrated-to-host-1-3m-superstar-shootout-at-bradenton-motorsports-park/

 

[qualified17th]

Most of the purse money is coming from FloRacing. If you follow dirt track racing, you know that those guys are very much drowning in money. They've got most of the big series and events between dirt late models, sprint cars, pavement short track racing, and now drag racing, to the point where most hardcore fans of any of those sports have a subscription to them. $159 a year from hundreds of thousands of people means they literally have millions and millions of dollars to throw at events like this.

 

[Frank]

This is a pre-season test similar to what they used to do at PBIR with a race thrown in to try to make some money. All the team will go back home after this as the Gators are a month later.

I don't know one single drag racer who after being told, "if you win this race, you win $250,000," responds by saying, "well, I'm just going to test." With $250k on the line, this is muuuuuch more than a pre season test. I agree, the racers will go back home before the Gators, but suggesting this is just a test is selling it way short in my opinion.

 

[aakar]

Will this event be available to buy as a pay per view, or will you have to subscribe to all events for the full season pass?
Also thinking Flo might be a good partner for NHRA.TV, to clean up that production mess? Price is not the problem, quality of production is.
Maybe Courtney could chime in?

 

[Frank]

After reading some of the responses, I decided to get out a napkin and scribble down a potential payout structure. I'm going off the assumption the full $1.3M is for the 3 pro classes and none of it is used for any additional classes like alcohol dragster/funny car, top sportsman/dragster, etc.
Top Fuel and Funny Car:
Winner - $250k
R/U - $85k
Semi's - $30k (x2 drivers)
First Rd - $20k (x4 drivers)
Total Payout = $475k per nitro class, total of $950k

Pro Stock:
Winner - $125k
R/U - $45k
Semi's - $20k (x2 drivers)
Quarters - $15k (x4 drivers)
First Rd - $10k (x8 drivers)
Total Payout = $350k

Again, I took all of 5 minutes putting this together. The point being, if the payouts are structured something like this, I think you'll have plenty of racer's attention. I believe a Runner Up in the nitro classes pays, what, $22k at an NHRA national event? Using what I put together, just qualifying for the 8 car field and losing in the first round you would be paid almost as much as a runner up at a normal event. I would fully expect teams to work on getting additional sponsorship dollars or potentially pay out of their own pocket, to attend. I'm expecting the fields to be full and to see some top notch racing. Just my initial thoughts on this...

 

[Jer]

Will this event be available to buy as a pay per view, or will you have to subscribe to all events for the full season pass?
Maybe Courtney could chime in?

I hope its avail for pay per view,as long as its not in anyway related to nhratv lol

 

[mick]

 

[Chili]

After reading some of the responses, I decided to get out a napkin and scribble down a potential payout structure. I'm going off the assumption the full $1.3M is for the 3 pro classes and none of it is used for any additional classes like alcohol dragster/funny car, top sportsman/dragster, etc.
Top Fuel and Funny Car:
Winner - $250k
R/U - $85k
Semi's - $30k (x2 drivers)
First Rd - $20k (x4 drivers)
Total Payout = $475k per nitro class, total of $950k

Pro Stock:
Winner - $125k
R/U - $45k
Semi's - $20k (x2 drivers)
Quarters - $15k (x4 drivers)
First Rd - $10k (x8 drivers)
Total Payout = $350k

Again, I took all of 5 minutes putting this together. The point being, if the payouts are structured something like this, I think you'll have plenty of racer's attention. I believe a Runner Up in the nitro classes pays, what, $22k at an NHRA national event? Using what I put together, just qualifying for the 8 car field and losing in the first round you would be paid almost as much as a runner up at a normal event. I would fully expect teams to work on getting additional sponsorship dollars or potentially pay out of their own pocket, to attend. I'm expecting the fields to be full and to see some top notch racing. Just my initial thoughts on this...

While the numbers are impressive compared to NHRA payouts, it’s still a money losing proposition for more than the finalists in the Nitro categories. With 12-14 cars attempting to qualify 4-6 will go home empty handed. First round losers still lose quite a bit with four qualifying runs and one elimination round. Of course all of these guys love to race and if it makes sense for them to do it, I’m sure they will.

Let’s look at funny car. We have 11 touring funny cars plus Alexander. Those 12 will get invited. None of them will be left out. Will JFR run? They run the Norwalk Night of fire so they do run more than national events. However they didn’t run 2020 because of not willing to spend their own money to make it work. They also weren’t involved in the announcement at all which makes me lean that they might not run. I would consider Tasca, Hagan, Capps, Green, Dejoria, Todd and Cruz as locks to run. I think Wilkerson would run but it will depend more on JCM than his decision. I don’t expect Jim Dunn racing to compete. If Forces team doesn’t run that only leaves 7 of the FT cars in the field. Head racing is the wild card. I think he runs if it works with his schedule. I would assume it would draw some of the independents like Paul Lee, Terry Haddock and Dave Richard’s. Now it’s possible some team could throw a second driver in a car to see their chances increase. Maybe TJ Jr or Beckman in a second TSR car. Maybe Del jumping into a second car as well. I think that is what could make this very interesting.

 

[Chili]

I hope its avail for pay per view,as long as its not in anyway related to nhratv lol

Have you not see some of floracing broadcasts? You will be missing NHRA.tv. I subscribed the last couple of years and there is no comparison. I watched a lot of the FC Chaos and the Drag Illustrated races and it still fairly painful to watch. They have just as many issues as NHRA.tv with sound and buffering plus you don’t get as high of quality picture and cameras.

 

[aakar]

Have you not see some of floracing broadcasts? You will be missing NHRA.tv. I subscribed the last couple of years and there is no comparison. I watched a lot of the FC Chaos and the Drag Illustrated races and it still fairly painful to watch. They have just as many issues as NHRA.tv with sound and buffering plus you don’t get as high of quality picture and cameras.

@ the announcement they were talking about new ways to broadcast Drag Racing. Maybe they will get it right, especially if there is a large paid audience to watch?
Do the BEST thing! HIRE DEAN PAPADEOUS TO RUN IT!!!

 

[Jer]

Have you not see some of floracing broadcasts? You will be missing NHRA.tv. I subscribed the last couple of years and there is no comparison. I watched a lot of the FC Chaos and the Drag Illustrated races and it still fairly painful to watch. They have just as many issues as NHRA.tv with sound and buffering plus you don’t get as high of quality picture and cameras.

great lol. The old nhratv was watchable,but the new nhratv is an absolute joke with sound of the cars. You can hear the announcer loud and clear and then some lol

 

[BaldyLochs]

As long as the weather is good, I do think this is a good idea- to make it a worthwhile test environment and to entice the entries, they need to emulate national event track conditions as best they can. So that’s what I’ll be interested to hear more about.
And what is their safety plan (ie. comparable to the Safety Safari).
Because if they plan all this and then the cars can’t get even down the track or something like that…. It turns into a good old fashioned grudge match race show for the fans then.

But I would expect the priority for them will to try and treat it as a “pre-season, practice National event”.