The Future? (3 Viewers)

[Rajunz]

Can you name those events? My memory recalls Cajun Nats and Sanair being 8 car fields but can't recall others.

Also, Fremont ran National events in the 80s with 8 car fields, Golden Gate Nationals and California Nationals.

 

[Gordon]

Guess what , if he stops the hemorrhaging of jobs over seas and reverses the trend it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out where discretionary income goes .

When the top Labor Leaders go to a Republican President Elect and say they would like to help reform some of the more odorous trade deals like NAFTA I'd say that's a positive trend .
I still remember The other Little Texan Ross Perot talking about our sorry trade deals . Quote : You will hear a giant sucking sound of jobs going overseas .
My view is we have never been well served by Lawyers who don't have a clue running a fifteen Trillion Dollar Business called the US Economy .
Since when did Ambulance Chasers become medical experts either , or Insurance , or Farming and Ranching . That's my opinion Lawyers are good at arguing and writing laws but don't have a clue how a widgets made or sold .

This is kinda what I was alluding too with my original question. I, for one, hope Pres. Elect Trump does bring some of the hemorrhaging under control... early signs seem to indicate he might, but I don't judge based on a few "announcements," I wanna see real, measurable, positive change before I do that. And if that does happen it may not have a direct positive influence on drag racing, but it certainly won't hurt.

 

[Old Guy Rookie]

I have a saying about the future of Drag Racing . Kids can't hardly work on cars these days like we did always interchanging parts and improving but we can all take a kid to the drag races that memory will stay with them the rest of their life .
The Future is the Kids .

The NHRA Jr. Street program officially started at WHP yesterday and it looks like it will be a nice fit with the Jr. Dragster to fill a gap with door cars. I also heard over the loud speaker, (and I didn't know this until then but, some of the support for the program is coming from Scott Palmer Racing. Who'd thunk Scott likes doorslammers....

 

[Nunz]

Scott has THE baddest door car on the planet.

 

[Jimbo]

My hotel room story is similar to what many other have said.

When I called and asked if they had any available rooms they said yes !!! I then asked how much they charged and the answer was $ 89.00 dollars so I told them I needed the room for 8 nights and that's when I got the old story that it's only $89.00 dollars for the first night !!!

I said what are the room rates after the first night and they said $ 230.00 per night and I hung up the phone without saying another word.

Jim Hill
www.nostalgicracingdecals.com

 

[Toejam]

It just takes to long and cost to much to watch fewer and fewer nitro cars make a pass. Most folks don't go to watch any other classes. You fill up the rest of the time by walking around the pits watching for a long gone show from the nitro cars and the ever shrinking manufacturing displays.
So then you decide to stay home and watch on TV if you get fs1. What do you get then?? The most disappointing show on TV. Bad production and worse commentary..

John's right...It's all over! NHRA will be running 8 car fields in 2 years!

 

[Toejam]

They're popular because the "no prep" evens the field. It's no longer about who has the deepest pockets but who has the better set up to negotiate the track. It's much closer to street racing. Plus a lot of side bets and rivalries to spice it up. I've never done it but I'd love to go to one.

How does it even the field if the quick cars say screw this...why risk wadding up a $100,000 car running on a parking lot?

 

[Toejam]

Back in 1996 when I raced in Ennis it was kind of a last minute decision to make the trip. I ended up getting hotel rooms in Fort Worth because nothing was available. Probably because there were 20 rodeos in town or something that weekend. Anyway, I showed up on Wednesday to park and found a fleabag total dump of a hotel near the Motorplex and it was $39 a night. I thought "We'll this is a lot closer than driving all the way north," so I asked the guy if he had any rooms through the weekend. He said he sold out the weekend of the race last year with people reserving their rooms for this year as they were checking out. I said "Yea, at $39 a night I guess so." He said it's not $39 a night beginning Thursday night because he triples his rates with the racers in town and they'll pay whatever for rooms. That was 21 years ago and yes, it was a total dump 50 year total cockroach ridden hotel.

Sounds like the Raceway Motel at Indy!

 

[Toejam]

You missed a scenario. Trump wrecks economy, country in chaos, DSR and JFR migrate to Russia and start courting the oligarchs for sponsorship.

For those of you who live in the world of facts. Under Reagan the S&P 500 improved 118%, Bush #41 51%, Clinton 210%, Bush #43 -40%, and Obama 152%

Bottom line, if you tie the health of the economy and stock market to the S&P, you better start hoping for a Democrat to run the show.

One last thing. The ratings bonanza, enjoyed by the Discovery Channel with their hideous Street Outlaws show, is a result of younger car people flipping the bird to us old guys who long for the good old days. Nothing more, nothing less.

What the Hell are you smoking...or Freebasing?

 

[Toejam]

Gordon, I'm sure if the economy improves companies are going to be willing to invest more dollars in advertising. However, I doubt it will be NHRA drag racing or fuel cars until and unless NHRA completely revamps the show and reduces the cost, in my opinion it will continue its slow spiral downward. I'm no fortune teller but I think they must go to a 2 day format with 2 qualifying rounds on Friday for all classes and 1 for nitro and alcohol qualifying only Saturday morning. Eliminations on Saturday morning/afternoon/evening with less classes. Say, the 2 pro nitro classes, the 2 alcohol classes, 2 door classes and 2 dragster/altered classes. They must also reduce the number of national events and really raise the importance level of division races They could start by eliminating the races at short or substandard tracks. Perhaps to 18 or so That's just my opinion and as I said I'm not a fortune teller but I've raced everything from a 1953 ford flathead (my et was in minutes) automatic to a AA fuel dragster, I did attend my first national event at age 13 in 1957 and I stayed at Holiday Inn but not last night..

Here we go again....

 

[RM FAN]

How does it even the field if the quick cars say screw this...why risk wadding up a $100,000 car running on a parking lot?

What...? Because they want to win! All the cars are quick, its about who can best adjust there car to the track and get it from A to B.

 

[Toejam]

What...? Because they want to win! All the cars are quick, its about who can best adjust there car to the track and get it from A to B.

Tell that to a Racer who wadded his car up.

 

[Toejam]

Interesting conversation. Based on what I'm reading the consensus is that drag racing in general will survive, and maybe even thrive, but the Professional show will continue to be about the same - give or take. I tend to agree.

I will comment on the "no prep" races. They may be popular elsewhere but the one they held at MDIR a few years ago was an absolute dud - and I do mean DUD!! And no prep is not completely accurate either. No, the track operators don't make the track as tacky as racers are accustomed too but they still have a responsibility to provide a safe venue to race - meaning, liquid on the track is a no no. And when there's liquid on the track, what do you do? Clean it up, thus providing a small measure of "prep". And if you think you have nothing but quality built, leak free race cars showing up at a no prep event you're kidding yourself. I wouldn't pay to watch nor race in one myself.

Good post!

 

[Toejam]

How Sprint ran their company, and what decisions they made to put themselves that far in debt is a secondary issue to NASCAR's perceived and actual value. NASCAR's original asking price for title rights sponsorship was $100 million annually, no one came close to biting that line. In the big picture it correlates to how Fortune 500 companies view motorsports as a means of marketing and promotion.



We already know EFI is down compared to carbs HP wise; that's no secret. But considering they've only been using EFI for one calendar year and had carbs for what 45? It's really unfair to compare them. I have faith that with enough time and experience we'll see numbers equal carbs, and eventually surpass those numbers.

The import scene was never designed to attract American muscle fans. It was a place for those who grew up on VTEC Honda's, 2JZ Supra's, Nissan GT-R's, DSM's, Boxer Subaru's, and Mazda RX-3/RX-7's. They were the next generation of car people. But what happened was infighting between traditional American Muscle and Imports broke out. The mentality of the import people were "doing it wrong" started to prevail. Rebuttals of "fart cans", "weedwackers", and "ricers" created ridiculous animosity.

I think the whole Import Drag racing scene died off cause Drifting took the crowds and sponsors away.

 

[vegasnitro]

I think the whole Import Drag racing scene died off cause Drifting took the crowds and sponsors away.

This is the most astute observation you have ever made Joe!!!

 

[RM FAN]

Tell that to a Racer who wadded his car up.

why, the RACER already knows he/she missed the tune up or stayed in it too long. They dont need anyone to tell them.

 

[Jeff]

It's not just motorsports thats having to adapt and change, Feld Entertainment (owns SuperCross, ArenaCross, MonsterJam, and used to own the IHRA) announced that they are closing Ringling Brothers Barnum and Bailey Circus. The current show is only 2 hours and 7 minutes long ... it used to be 3 hours.

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/feld-entertainment-announces-final-performances-041900917.html

 

[Reese]

why, the RACER already knows he/she missed the tune up or stayed in it too long. They dont need anyone to tell them.

I think that what makes no prep so popular, just like in NASCAR, most fans go to see a crash.

 

[ironpony]

Not so much crashing, just getting out of control a little, instead of straight down the track.
Having to "drive" the car.
Pedalfests are always exciting.

 

[Huge]

Not so much crashing, just getting out of control a little, instead of straight down the track.
Having to "drive" the car.
Pedalfests are always exciting.

I think that what makes no prep so popular, just like in NASCAR, most fans go to see a crash.

They should just come and stand on the side of any major freeway in Southern California and they can see all of the high speed crashes they can handle.