SPEED SPORT: Susan Wade hits the spot (14 Viewers)

[robinjackson]

Read Susan Wade's SPEED SPORT commentary following Gainesville:

WADE: A Melting Pot, Not A Fruitcake - SPEED SPORT

Evidently the motorsports world doesn’t operate on a separate-but-equal theory. NASCAR fancies itself on the top step of the podium. IndyCar would like to think the same, but it’s a little butt-hurt when it’s reminded NASCAR rules the ratings

speedsport.com

 

[Billy]

Read Susan Wade's SPEED SPORT commentary following Gainesville:

WADE: A Melting Pot, Not A Fruitcake - SPEED SPORT

Evidently the motorsports world doesn’t operate on a separate-but-equal theory. NASCAR fancies itself on the top step of the podium. IndyCar would like to think the same, but it’s a little butt-hurt when it’s reminded NASCAR rules the ratings

speedsport.com

I am unconcerned with what roundy-round racing thinks of real horsepower. That sounds like a very boring show - are there even numbers to track during an actual race? Just qualifying?

 

[mick]

so what did she really say? nhra is still in 3rd place, but some nhra events are better than others.
first race of season in gainesville was great, as are a handful of nhra events every year.
second race of season will have short TF field.
13 full time TF'rs this year, and phoenix can only attract (2) independents, while (9) more race across the country at galot,
including a former nhra regular (salinas).
the 15th race of the season is at different venue as an nhra staple track and event was sold out from underneath them. is nothing sacred?
or at least have contracts drawn up for hosting your national events, so these 'surprises' don't happen?
the 16th race of the season is an old facility with a new facelift, instead of the the tajmahal of dragstrips, zmax.
anybody hear what the real reason was that deleted the 2nd zmax in the fall? low spectator count?

 

[CS]

Read Susan Wade's SPEED SPORT commentary following Gainesville:

Regrettably Susan is spot on NHRA has always been the redheaded step child to NASCAR, Indy Care and F1. After Wally Parks turned the NHRA over to a bunch of non racers/bean counters we lost the momentum of expansion. It seemed those in the ivory tower took the stand that NHRA was better than anyone else and that there was no need to expand or grow the spectator base. In addition they started adding more and more rules to the professional categories there by alienating some of the factory involvement. Payouts have never kept pace with the cost of racing today most teams are owned by millionaires who come to play on our sand box. There is no room for innovation in top fuel or funny car they are all cookie cutter cars using Chrysler Hemi clones as power. Everything else is outlawed, imagine where the sport would be today if these rules existed in the 70's, 80's and 90's the sport would be more boring than it is! Pro Stock or should I say Chevy stock is a joke in itself. How long will the Camaro be allowed? NHRA needs to reinvent the class or dump pro stock for the crowd favored pro mod. NHRA needs to get a marketing team that knows what they are doing, promote the sport, talk to the youth and get today's kids out of their parents basements where they are playing video games. When you watch TV this weekend look at the age of the fans in the stands and the pits. Where is the youth? If Indy Car, NASCAR and F1 can do it why not NHRA our sport is far more interesting/exciting.

 

[yoda]

Its the beginning of drag races that are the make or break; before, the beginning of the nitro races and even the PS were wild and wooly... pretty much like a bull coming out of the chute, after beating the cowboy up in the pen for a little bit.

Now? The beginning of every pro category race is about as exciting as watching scientists prep a culture sample.

The other guys kind of have their "go buy the hot dog" moment midway through the event.

 

[John Farce Racing]

so what did she really say? nhra is still in 3rd place, but some nhra events are better than others.
first race of season in gainesville was great, as are a handful of nhra events every year.
second race of season will have short TF field.
13 full time TF'rs this year, and phoenix can only attract (2) independents, while (9) more race across the country at galot,
including a former nhra regular (salinas).
the 15th race of the season is at different venue as an nhra staple track and event was sold out from underneath them. is nothing sacred?
or at least have contracts drawn up for hosting your national events, so these 'surprises' don't happen?
the 16th race of the season is an old facility with a new facelift, instead of the the tajmahal of dragstrips, zmax.
anybody hear what the real reason was that deleted the 2nd zmax in the fall? low spectator count?

I'd rather watch a race at Rockingham than Z-Max any day of the week.

 

[John Farce Racing]

Regrettably Susan is spot on NHRA has always been the redheaded step child to NASCAR, Indy Care and F1. After Wally Parks turned the NHRA over to a bunch of non racers/bean counters we lost the momentum of expansion. It seemed those in the ivory tower took the stand that NHRA was better than anyone else and that there was no need to expand or grow the spectator base. In addition they started adding more and more rules to the professional categories there by alienating some of the factory involvement. Payouts have never kept pace with the cost of racing today most teams are owned by millionaires who come to play on our sand box. There is no room for innovation in top fuel or funny car they are all cookie cutter cars using Chrysler Hemi clones as power. Everything else is outlawed, imagine where the sport would be today if these rules existed in the 70's, 80's and 90's the sport would be more boring than it is! Pro Stock or should I say Chevy stock is a joke in itself. How long will the Camaro be allowed? NHRA needs to reinvent the class or dump pro stock for the crowd favored pro mod. NHRA needs to get a marketing team that knows what they are doing, promote the sport, talk to the youth and get today's kids out of their parents basements where they are playing video games. When you watch TV this weekend look at the age of the fans in the stands and the pits. Where is the youth? If Indy Car, NASCAR and F1 can do it why not NHRA our sport is far more interesting/exciting.

they had a class that could have replaced pro stock, but they F'ed up factory X royally.

 

[65 Goatboy]

I think Susan is spot on. Nhra has been asleep at the wheel for too long and needs to do a better job of marketing what no one else in motorsports can do. Nothing compares to being at the starting line when two nitro cars launch. I've witnessed the green flag drop at the Indy 500 and a Nascar race, it's exciting but it's not 24,000 hp on nitromethane. MARKET IT!

 

[mick]

I'd rather watch a race at Rockingham than Z-Max any day of the week.

what are your reasons? this is interesting because i've always thought you can have a great drag race at any venue, as long as you
have a great track. so many events at 'lesser' venues succeed, while others, like the fall zmax race do not. drag racing is simple; its
a track, a tower, some bleachers, and some pits. it's the same everywhere, but each track has a personality that draws people.
some more than others. for example, sonoma, and bristol for location/landscape.

 

[ch streetcars]

I haven't been to Z-max, but the worst thing about most of the newer super tracks, is the distance from the stands to the cars. Topeka is really distant. Takes away a lot from the experience. I would recommend any new track being built or reconfigured, within reason, keep the spectators closer to the action.

 

[cknight]

they had a class that could have replaced pro stock, but they F'ed up factory X royally.

Mark Pawuk and Dodge are royalty?

 

[GumbyWVU]

Sadly that article could have been dated 1996, 2006, or 2016 as well and would have been just the same lingo. Marketing was always the Achilles Heel in my view. Didn't see much in the way of realistic solutions being offered.

Around here, even the dirt track stuff is more popular, and those who follow it are just as dismissive of any form of drag racing for some reason, where one would think these dirt track guys would support, at least in spirit, another form of racing rather than take the overbearing, condescending NASCrap view I've witnessed.

I don't get it.

 

[mick]

Sadly that article could have been dated 1996, 2006, or 2016 as well and would have been just the same lingo......

yes. in fact i think she dusts off the same article once a decade.