TF count for Indy dropping...

[Reese]

Tell the drivers that never won Indy it is not special.

 

[MHayes]

Tell the drivers that never won Indy it is not special.

Exactly Armand!

 

[SoCal Racer]

Some of the special-ness of Indy went away when they reduced it to 1x points in place of the previous 1.5x. At one time anyone who was anybody or wanted to become someone went to Indy, but with so many races now it's kind of diluted. Still, I was at 20 U.S. Nationals from '73 - '95 and it was HUGE with great racing, and deserved the name "Big Go." I can't say since then, but those were some fun times with a lot of [cough] inappropriate [cough] behavior in the campgrounds (not unlike Brainerd's Zoo).

 

[MHayes]

Some of the special-ness of Indy went away when they reduced it to 1x points in place of the previous 1.5x.

Indy is 1.5x points, along with the Finals in Pomona.

 

[SoCal Racer]

Oops my bad....they restored 1.5x in 2015.

 

[Nunz]

Years ago I believe Indy was double points.

 

[mick]

of course racers want to win indy. but their careers will not be changed if they do; and if they don't they can still have
a wonderful career in the sport of drag racing without a 'he/she never won indy' asterisk......i'd like to go again too someday.
i watched snake double up and set records in 89. it was truly an amazing race......but i'm content with the bir race.
plenty of excitement there; and the same as you mark, i go to be with really good friends.

 

[vegasnitro]

If I was only going to attend one race based on racing, I'd pick Pomona.

I think Vegas 2 is the best race on the calendar. Get better car counts than Indy too. Of course, I might be biased since the track is in my backyard LOL.

With that being said, I am bummed that I will not be at Indy this year.

 

[The Swegian]

I think Vegas 2 is the best race on the calendar. Get better car counts than Indy too. Of course, I might be biased since the track is in my backyard LOL.

With that being said, I am bummed that I will not be at Indy this year.

I waffled between Vegas2 and either Pomona race. I chose Pomona because I don't like what they're doing to the Vegas track, even though I'm well aware Vegas2 is still only 2-wide.

 

[Gordon]

just want to say one thing about indy......ron capps will go down in history as one of the best drivers in nhra's history,
regardless of whether or not ron ever wins indy......indy is folk lore. i am getting really tired of all the 'indy' crap. it used to
be a big deal. it's not anymore.......drive over one state in late june/early july. norwalk. there's another great race that
is well attended by racers and fans. the tracks are both in a great location.....and there are many other great races too.
each for their own reasons.......IMO the daytona 500 and the indy 500 have both lost their iconic value too......every year, all 3
of these races.....blah, blah, blah.....they're not a big deal anymore....winning them does not 'change your career'.

I agree wholeheartedly that Ron Capps will go down in history as one of the best driver's in history, with or without an Indy win, but I respectfully disagree with the rest, and I'll explain why.

Yes, the sport has necessarily changed, for both performance and safety reasons. As crew chiefs have figured out how to go quicker and faster, safety mandates & equipment has been incorporated in order to help protect both the racers as well as the fans. The name of the game from day #1 has always been performance, so you can't blame the crew chiefs for doing what they do. At the same time Wally Parks organized the sport to focus on safety, so you can't blame NHRA, even if you don't necessarily agree with all of the safety rules & regulations they've created along the way. All of that costs money, and as a result, we see fewer and fewer independent teams and car counts are down. It sucks, but it's reality.

But does that dilute the mystique of The Big Go? (The Daytona 500? The Indianapolis 500)? No, and here's why.

It's precisely the stories, and the legends created in those stories really, that we hear about each and every year that make Indy what it is. I can't speak for anyone else, but when I walk on the grounds at Indy and gaze at the strip of concrete & asphalt that makes up the 1/4 mile (or 1,000 feet) and then wander through the pit area, I can clearly see in my mind's eye Prudhomme losing to McEwen after Goose lost his son. I see Snake running teens like a bracket car and sweeping the Big Bud Shootout and the event. I see Big Daddy shaving his beard. I see Muldowney beating Kalitta. I envision all of those things and so much more. It's a humbling & special feeling knowing that I'm walking around on the same exact grounds those greats once walked, and in some cases still do. It's those stories that make it legendary, even if the modern day event doesn't come close to replicating history. It's not about points, car counts or any of that for me, and I dare say it isn't about any of that for the racers either. It's about adding one's name to the legendary list of folks who have won the Big Go - nothing more and nothing less. Without getting too political here I will say this - more and more in this great nation we seem to want to forget, or in some cases eliminate our history altogether. It's our history, complete with all of it's mistakes, both big and small, that make us who we are... racing, heck, sports in general, should be no different. The history made Indy great, and as a result, it will always be great to me.

 

[PJ]

I get that it's not as special as it once was but it's still means a bit more. There's a tennis or golf tournament every weekend but winning Wimbledon or The Masters still means something. Football and baseball are all over but there would be something special to play in Wrigley, Fenway or Lambeau. If I was given one shot to race nitro at my choice of event I'm not picking Kansas, Houston or Atlanta....I'm going to Indy.

 

[JB3]

I get that it's not as special as it once was but it's still means a bit more. There's a tennis or golf tournament every weekend but winning Wimbledon or The Masters still means something. Football and baseball are all over but there would be something special to play in Wrigley, Fenway or Lambeau. If I was given one shot to race nitro at my choice of event I'm not picking Kansas, Houston or Atlanta....I'm going to Indy.

PJ ... That is exactly right !!!!!

There are just certain aspects of professional sports of all kinds which serve as measuring sticks to a persons overall career achievements. In reality, they may not mean anything different in terms of actual reward (a win is a win) but career discussions always start with championships, then moves onto the "majors". There will always be cache in those events, whether the fans feel it or not.

 

[mick]

no one's trying to erase any drag racing history; at indy, at cordova, or anywhere.......the history of certain events will always
live on, and the stories will define these events.......but today 18 fc's and tf'rs for the 'most important race of the season'
does not, IMO, reflect a 'can't miss' race. there are a few players missing. players that live not too far away. there must be
a reason they feel it's not mandatory to be there.
being there today (thursday) to watch class elims. and factory stock would be great.
i hope nhra's tv ratings bump up this weekend.....including the 3 hrs. live on fox monday afternoon. noticed there will be
8 re-airs of the fsn1 and fox broadcasts. that is great.

 

[Reese]

being there today (thursday) to watch class elims. and factory stock would be great.

I wish I could have gone this year to watch class Thursday(stock) and Friday(super stock). After that I could leave. Maybe next year.
Also would have been nice to have all acess live coverage on Wednesday and Thursday instead of audio only.