TAFC numbers (1 Viewer)

[Mike]

Personally, I get every bit as much enjoyment watching the Top Alcohol classes as the nitro classes. TAD seems to fill the field most of the time, but TAFC seems to be lagging a little overall in number of entries.

What suggestions are there for helping regrow the class? Would A-fuel tafc ever be considered by NHRA? Is one reason TAD usually gets more cars is the A-fuel option is available?

What (if any) rule changes would be feasible on the affordability front?

 

[Nunz]

I think it’s silly not to have Injected fuel FCs. NHRA has decades of experience running the 2 combos in TAD, I don’t think it would be hard to achieve parity fairly quickly in TAFC. IMO it would be a great addition to the class. More nitro can only add to the show!

 

[Jimbo]

I think a large part of the blame for what has happened to the TAFC class belongs to the NHRA for the way they have treated this class for many years now.
Let's start with the pay out which did not see an increase in over 10 years. Whenever the program had a time problem which class always got shorted rounds of qualifying?

Just my opinion. Jim Hill

www.nostalgicracingdecals.com

 

[NITRO JUNKIE]

Any body else see that wild Tafc run in qualifying man way to close!

 

[Greggo]

I think you will often see short fields in both alcohol classes at national events throughout the season for a variety of reasons. Of course the purse is not worth mentioning and I don't think it has changed for the better part of 20 years. A big factor is the schedule. For example, on the same weekend as the Brainerd national event, there were regional events in Seattle and Cecil County. At this time of year, races to claim and your budget play into your scheduling decisions as well. People running for a championship or looking to improve their position use the last 3 events to either add to their points total or try to block others from doing the same.

 

[Mike]

Just saw on the Vegas entry list 18 TAD and 19 TAFC. Maybe a few more will be added before next Monday. Wish I could go. Looks like it will be a good top alcohol show.

 

[sammi]

It seems the cost of running one of those things far outpaces any chance of prize money. To be competitive, you need the latest Brad or Alan stuff, one of those Swedish clutches and a very expensive Alcohol guru to call the shots. Sadly, those cost of cars, crew and transporters are 10 miles further than NHRA will ever be able to match with payouts.

 

[Jimbo]

The NHRA has the money to increase everything else except the payout for the TAFC classes.
Just take a peek at what the guys in the NHRA are making and you will realize they have the money but are not interested is sharing it.

If any of the top classes had payouts that were the same today as they were 10 to 20 years ask yourself what would happen to those classes.

Jim Hill
www.nostalgicracingdecals.com

 

[Chili]

Just saw on the Vegas entry list 18 TAD and 19 TAFC. Maybe a few more will be added before next Monday. Wish I could go. Looks like it will be a good top alcohol show.

Nick Januik destroyed his car this weekend at the St. Louis divisional. He is fine but his season is over. I don’t know any details but it looks like he went into the net from the damage I saw.

 

[Jeff]

The NHRA has the money to increase everything else except the payout for the TAFC classes.
Just take a peek at what the guys in the NHRA are making and you will realize they have the money but are not interested is sharing it.

If any of the top classes had payouts that were the same today as they were 10 to 20 years ask yourself what would happen to those classes.

Jim Hill
www.nostalgicracingdecals.com

Jim, could you please give examples of others in similar roles making far less money than the people you are referring to? I'm essentially certain that you can't, but yet you blindly think they are grossly overpaid. Do I agree with every decision they make ... no. Every time I've reached out to an NHRA official, either in person or on the phone, I've been reasonably impressed with the interaction. Did I always get what I wanted, no. Did I get a reasonably complete and understandable response... absolutely.

There are very few barriers to entry in this business ... next to none. Yet your statement makes it seem like there should be many, many better mousetraps out there for us to be using.

Sir, you look like the one who doesn't understand.

Name any motorsport where the prize money justifies the cost of participation.

You do this sport because you love it and can afford to .... that is true of all motorsports at the team owner level. I don't think you can reference one profitable sale of a racing team in professional motorsports .... Gene Haas gave half of SHR to Tony Stewart for God's sake.

I just don't understand your gripe at all .... take your ball and play somewhere else, you can generally do so at the exact same track!

Jeff

 

[Jimbo]

Jeff:

I think we can agree that we disagree with each other. Opinions are like toilet seats and everyone has one or two.

Jim Hill
www.nostalgicracingdecals.com

 

[mastertone]

Personally, I like TAFC way better than TAD, love the way they leave the line screaming, please dont let them run injected nitro in TAFC!

 

[Jeff]

Jeff:

I think we can agree that we disagree with each other. Opinions are like toilet seats and everyone has one or two.

Jim Hill
www.nostalgicracingdecals.com

While I agree with you on the ability to disagree, most opinions are more like Craig's "I like TAFC way more than TAD" or "race cars should not be painted green" .... while your "opinion" needs to be somewhat supported by facts in the way it was presented. I know that Craig likes the scream of a alky motor at 10k and can guess that Craig's opinion might also be based on the amount of driver skill it takes to operate a TAFC, so I'm really not that interested in following up with him, but aside from a feeling that nobody should make more money than say X amount, I don't know what you base your opinion on. So I thought I would give my side of the story in hopes of hearing more about yours.

Oh well.

 

[Bruno]

Perhaps Jim's "gripe" stems from NHRA was always (and I believe still is) a Not For Profit company when it is operated like a For Profit company and the heads making very "handsome" salaries that seem to always go up and the payouts for the racers do not. Are they still Non Profit?

 

[TK]

And a very legitimate gripe too. It has been said that NHRA founder, Wally Parks; never intended for racers to make substantial money from participating in NHRA races. Likewise, I am sure he never intended for the NHRA management to make substantial money from the racer, spectator and vendor participation either. The NHRA was founded in order to create an drag racing organization based upon competition structure and safety, so as to create a community of members with a common interest and purpose. Therefore, NHRA was intended to be non-profit with the benevolent objective of fostering organized and safe racing, not profiteering. I have no way of knowing how NHRA management's salaries compare to those in similar non profit organizations. However, I do believe that these NHRA management duties could be capably executed by passionate, committed professionals at 25%-50% reduction in salary expenses.

 

[Nunz]

NHRA is a roughly $100mil/year company. That’s gross revenue. I would love to see everyone competing get a bump in payouts, but I don’t think there’s a lot of extra money to do that based on current numbers. At the same time, and maybe I’m wrong, but some of the salaries I’ve seen tossed around don’t seem out of line for a company doing 100mil. Slashing salaries won’t go as far as many think toward increasing purses. The real answer is increasing revenue, and finding more sponsors. At the end of the day, like Jeff has stated, you race because you want to.

 

[Bob]

Perhaps Jim's "gripe" stems from NHRA was always (and I believe still is) a Not For Profit company when it is operated like a For Profit company and the heads making very "handsome" salaries that seem to always go up and the payouts for the racers do not. Are they still Non Profit?

The status for being Not For Profit or Nonprofit is determined by how money they take in is spent, not on the amount of money they take in. There are organizations much larger than the NHRA have that status, like Planned Parenthood.

 

[Bruno]

Actually, the head of planned parenthood makes less than the head of NHRA and their revenue is twice that of NHRA.

 

[MHayes]

Actually, the head of planned parenthood makes less than the head of NHRA and their revenue is twice that of NHRA.

Please share the numbers.

 

[TooTall999]

I think injected nitro would be an excellent addition to the class. It would provide a better stepping stone to big show nitro funny car than the blown alcohol funny cars do.