Smiley
Nitro Member
That was the first thing I noticed - I call shenanigans!
You can't ask them to sign a petition stating that they do not want - and then present it as they WILL not.
The 4 wide petition???? (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Tim5636sc
- Start date
That was the first thing I noticed - I call shenanigans!
You can't ask them to sign a petition stating that they do not want - and then present it as they WILL not.
my friends call me Zappy
Nitro Member
Right on Brian, my point EXACLY. Two different statements. Seems like PRO is trying to put words in the racers / owners mouths...
Now the drivers have Bruton pissed off. The one guy who is pumping big $$ into the NHRA is now asking what the IHRA is up to. If what happened with the local government to get Z-max built is any indication, I am willing to put money on the NHRA will be back next March in Concord racing 4-wide and points will be on the line. I have included an excellent article by Terry Blount and I couldn't agree more with him.
The NHRA racers' decision not to race four-wide again in a championship points race is a big mistake - ESPN
The NHRA racers' decision not to race four-wide again in a championship points race is a big mistake - ESPN
Terry Blount covers Drag racing a whopping 2-3 days a year, when the NHRA is in Dallas!! The other 50-51 weeks a year his middle name is NASCAR! Don't you just love these once a year Drag race commentators telling our sport what it needs?
Doug
Nitro Member
"Therefore, The PRO Board of Directors would like you to know that we will not participate in a 4-wide national event involving points again."
DragFan2
Nitro Member
After viewing the letter and the signatures, I thought that there were only 2 votes FOR holding it again for points, but then scrolled down further where someone had typed up the results to be cleaner or clearer, and saw the added votes that were submitted by e-mail and there was one more YES vote, from Jeg Coughlin, so the votes were tabulated correctly, at least as of the time and date that they were submitted. As others have stated though, it would have been much better to take this poll at the end of the race or maybe at the next race after everyone could be more objective and not voting while under stress and emotions are highest. I don't really believe the fans that attended would say they did not enjoy the spectacle. It was pretty cool, and probably best to be seen and experienced LIVE rather than on TV which is one reason I went.
Rexfiles
Nitro Member
BIG Mistake is quite the understatement.
Bruton Smith elevates the sport with with undeniably the finest venues the sport has ever seen, investing untold millions of his OWN money (not just a whiny opinion
) and attempts to help the sport grow.In turn, instead of private negotiations, he is blindsided and humiliated.
The NHRA has a payout for it's pros on par with the economy of 1975.
I could just imagine Mr. Smith, pulling the rug out, and offering 2-3 times what the pros get now for a win (and treating sportsmen like they actually exist), and either Switching Vegas, Sonoma, Bristol, chicago, and Charlotte, to IHRA, or presenting a package to NASCAR for consideration, who actually understand how to market a sport.
Annnnnnnd, BTW, if it was SO unsafe...........why consider doing it again as a non points deal
Something else, it would bring 1320' back to the fuel ranks, as Brutons Tracks are all state of the art, and would bring much of the safety factor back, without restricting the cars back to 1990 performance levels.
This is pretty simple.........amazing thing is, some of the "pretty simple" around here just can't comprehend it.
REX
mick
Nitro Member
ssssssssssssss........a leaking goodyear slick?
nope, air going out of nhra's sails..........quickly.
can you say 'damage control'
seriously, did anyone REALLY think that a negative petition a day after this momentous event would go unnoticed or even more absurd cause the
powers at be to suddenly exclaim, 'oh, we're sorry, we'll never do this again'!?
- who's "we"........"we" should have had half a flipping brain to know that
an anti-race petition to the largest private investor in your business was
possibly not so prudent.
unbelievable - everyone!, into the lifeboats immediately
nope, air going out of nhra's sails..........quickly.
can you say 'damage control'
seriously, did anyone REALLY think that a negative petition a day after this momentous event would go unnoticed or even more absurd cause the
powers at be to suddenly exclaim, 'oh, we're sorry, we'll never do this again'!?
really
- who's "we"........"we" should have had half a flipping brain to know thatan anti-race petition to the largest private investor in your business was
possibly not so prudent.
unbelievable - everyone!, into the lifeboats immediately
Rexfiles
Nitro Member
ssssssssssssss........a leaking goodyear slick?
nope, air going out of nhra's sails..........quickly.
can you say 'damage control'
seriously, did anyone REALLY think that a negative petition a day after this momentous event would go unnoticed or even more absurd cause the
powers at be to suddenly exclaim, 'oh, we're sorry, we'll never do this again'!?
really
an anti-race petition to the largest private investor in your business was
possibly not so prudent.
unbelievable - everyone!, into the lifeboats immediately
As soon as I heard about the "petition", my first thought was "Uh Oh".
NOW they went ahead and done gone and did it..............
REX
If you believe that then you need to sue your Doctor! Cause the Meds he's giving you is causing Part-Timers!
Rexfiles
Nitro Member
If you believe that then you need to sue your Doctor! Cause the Meds he's giving you is causing Part-Timers!
Note, I did say, "the pretty simple"
REX
Has Bruton made any public comments regarding this letter?
mick
Nitro Member
wj just wants what's best for his ability to continue
drag racing at this country's best venues
(no problem with wj's eyesight; sees forest thru trees very clearly)
victor and jeg - see the big jegs signs all around zmax?
the petition, especially if leaked to press, seems extremely careless.
wondering if everyone that voted 'no' knew how this would all play out?
or were they told this petition would be given to the Smith's in confidence?
astonishing turn of events to say the least.
V. Hartman - you have been and continue to be positive about this event,
yet your daughter and allen hartley both voted no
???
A. Reinhart - any comment?
Last edited:
willy
Nitro Member
According to the article:
============
"I won't be a part of this kind of negativism," Smith said Wednesday from his Charlotte office. "I have invested huge dollars to move this sport forward and help build the NHRA. But based on this [vote], I will just back away.
"I guess they don't want to promote the sport and grow. I will not be a party to this. We will pull in our horns from the NHRA."
And what if the NHRA tells Smith, based on the PRO vote, it won't race four-wide next year at zMax?
"I don't know what I will do, quite honestly," Smith said. "What is the IHRA doing that weekend?"
============
That kinda looks like a public statement.
I wonder what Bruton's Stock holders would think if he announced he was switching his tracks to IHRA sanction????? Bruton Smith was never a fan of Drag racing till it became a business proposition, the idea that 4 wide racing is the only way to promote this sport is Nuts!
Note, I did say, "the pretty simple"
REX
T-Rex I will dedicate all my Beer drinking this weekend to you!
mick
Nitro Member
do you really think his stockholders realize he hosts 6 nhra nat. events?
much less know the difference between nhra & ihra?
and if they did/do know - who's to say a switch to ihra would be a losing
proposition? ever talked to sportsman racers about how they feel they
about the ihra?.......the one's i've talked to that run both series
really enjoy their time at ihra events.
please explain how you know mr. smith was not a fan of drag racing prior
to his involvment with the business end of it?
mr. smith promotes 6 races annually, the last time i looked 5 are still
contested on 2 lanes.......i would not call that '4-wide racing is the only
way to promote this sport'
Last edited:
cantdrive55
Nitro Member
My 2 cents, I thought the event had a promising future. I mean racers and owners had to know it wasn't going to be absolutely perfect out of the box. But, to me, the most surprising aspect of this situation are the comments of the racers/owners whom said they enjoyed the event, and then voted against it. I think this was an epicly stupid decision on PRO's part. Why not wait and poll everyone after the event was completed? Can you imagine if Bruton pulls Charlotte, Vegas, Bristol, and Sonoma off the calander for 2011? Don't be surprised if he starts throwing that idea around. In his last battle with the city of Concord, he talked about moving Charlotte Motor Speedway to a different location and even had a few potential sites he was seriously looking at. The city buckled and he got his way to build zMAX Dragway. PRO did what NHRA couldn't; they pissed off Bruton Smith, not a wise move.
