The National Event Wild Card Idea (1 Viewer)

[rocketman]

This is something that would be beneficial to NHRA in keeping its member tracks while putting an end to the stale Mello Yello series that everyone complains about. Lets say Pacific Raceway is gone. Why not have that date be a rotating race each year in some new market? Make it a full points race, and an 8 car field in every pro class just like they did at some selected events back in the day? This way some secondary markets like Boise, Bakersfield, Salt Lake, Mission, Woodburn and Sacramento could host a wild card race on a rotating basis.

The benefits would be NHRA would have a new market for at least 6 years, until all six cities hosted a race. Plus, NHRA would retain these tracks so they wouldn't go to IHRA and these tracks would make some improvements in order to get one of these races.

Best of all, the fans would see a new national event both in person and on TV. And racers in these markets would have a national at their home track once every six years which might help them get a sponsor while racing in front of their friends and neighbors.

It's time to think out of the box and do something excited and different while encouraging the sport to grow and this would do it.

 

[Rajunz]

One thing though, you can't have a points race and only allow 8 cars. Who would sit out the race and watch others walk away with more points?

 

[rocketman]

back in the 80's some national events had 8 cars but most had 16. The Cajun Nationals was an 8 car field and there were one or two others. Perhaps the other was the Canada race. If there was some modern day push back by JFR or DSR you could do what they do now and have selected classes. But I think a wild card event would be good for the sport.

 

[PJ]

Pop Hot Rod at 131 in Michigan used to be a 1/2 points race and I think that is how Maple Grove started too. Didn't divisional races also have pros earning points at one point?

I like the idea of sending smaller teams of Pro's out to smaller tracks. Go back to 18-20 national events, then add in some regional events. Send 4 tf & 4 fc to several spots that don't see a drag race. It doesn't have to be for points, teams get a test, get their sponsor in front of more people, sell their merchandise. Give them a cut of the gate.

Norwalk basically does this with their Night of Fire and packs the house.

To grow the sport you must take it to the people. Joe Blow non-fan isn't going to hop in his car and drive 5 hours to try a race for the first time at $60 but for $20 and the track down the road, well you have a much better shot of getting them there. Once there, they will be hooked.

 

[PJ]

Pop Hot Rod at 131 in Michigan used to be a 1/2 points race and I think that is how Maple Grove started too. Didn't divisional races also have pros earning points at one point?

I like the idea of sending smaller teams of Pro's out to smaller tracks. Go back to 18-20 national events, then add in some regional events. Send 4 tf & 4 fc to several spots that don't see a drag race. It doesn't have to be for points, teams get a test, get their sponsor in front of more people, sell their merchandise. Give them a cut of the gate.

Norwalk basically does this with their Night of Fire and packs the house.

To grow the sport you must take it to the people. Joe Blow non-fan isn't going to hop in his car and drive 5 hours to try a race for the first time at $60 but for $20 and the track down the road, well you have a much better shot of getting them there. Once there, they will be hooked.

 

[my friends call me Zappy]

One thing though, you can't have a points race and only allow 8 cars. Who would sit out the race and watch others walk away with more points?

Sure you can have 8 car fields. As far as who would sit out.....same as now, everyone 9th on down.

 

[Butch]

Go back to the days of Pro cars running at Divisional point's meets, and cut back on National events every other week. And MAYBE some teams can go back to running in some Booked in shows.

 

[vegasnitro]

Go back to the days of Pro cars running at Divisional point's meets, and cut back on National events every other week. And MAYBE some teams can go back to running in some Booked in shows.

What advantage would it be for the teams or NHRA to turn back the clock 30 years? It seems to me that everyone in the above scenario would make less money and their sponsorship value greatly diminished. I do agree there probably needs to be about 4 less National Events, but not at the expense of the teams being forced to claim Divisional points or hustling tracks to book in shows.

 

[my friends call me Zappy]

With less Natls, it gives the teams a chance to book into tracks in markets away from Natls = free advertisizing for the "BIG" show.

 

[Butch]

What advantage would it be for the teams or NHRA to turn back the clock 30 years?
Many teams made a decent payday by doing match races. How do you think Force, And others where able to bankroll the start of ther're programs.

 

[none]

Rich, I like the idea but some of the tracks would require significant upgrades to meet safety requirements for 320+ MPH cars. That said, it'd sure be cool to hear "Sunday, Sunday, Sunday!" ads for Woodburn, just over an hour away!

(My first thought re: Woodburn was that the shutdown isn't long enough but unless I measured wrong on Google Earth it's 300 feet further to the farmer's field at the end of the strip at Woodburn than it is to the "beach" at Pomona.)

 

[vegasnitro]

What advantage would it be for the teams or NHRA to turn back the clock 30 years?
Many teams made a decent payday by doing match races. How do you think Force, And others where able to bankroll the start of ther're programs.

That was also a time when it cost less to run a fuel car than it does to gas up the hauler today. If there was the possibility to make money for the tracks or the teams, there would be booked in shows now. There are enough fuel cars around that don't run the whole circuit that could pad the bank account if booked in shows were in any way feasible.

 

[PJ]

They are Chris.
Norwalk does it with their Night of Fire. Cordova does it with the World Series, 131 does it with their Funny Car Nationals. I'm sure there are others as well.

 

[Rajunz]

Sure you can have 8 car fields. As far as who would sit out.....same as now, everyone 9th on down.

So basically, JFR & DSR would show up and get the points, maybe Kalitta, Capco, everyone else, dont bother making the trip.

 

[None]

The benefits would be NHRA would have a new market for at least 6 years, until all six cities hosted a race. Plus, NHRA would retain these tracks so they wouldn't go to IHRA and these tracks would make some improvements in order to get one of these races.

Heaven forbid, would not want IHRA to get anything.

 

[my friends call me Zappy]

So basically, JFR & DSR would show up and get the points, maybe Kalitta, Capco, everyone else, dont bother making the trip.

You asked in #2 about 8 car fields, I was just answering. Don't misunderstand me, I'm against ANY caps on car counts. How can we call an
event a "NATNL" and yet restrict it to only 16??

 

[vegasnitro]

One big issue with the rotating wild card national event idea, is that the tracks that are ready for National Events, already have them. I can't think of any track under NHRA sanction off the top of my head that could host a National Event that doesn't already have one. Maybe Richmond.

It would be tough to ask a track to spend the money necessary to host a National Event (they would all need significant facilities/infrastructure improvements), when it only happens every few years for them to get the opportunity to recoup/make money. If they are going to spend that kind of money, I would think they want assurances that they will be on the schedule annually.

 

[Bullard Anderson]

If you're selling the sport on tv it's insane not to go back to a smaller crowd, yet sold out and passionate once per year. "The Rock"

 

[Baron]

One thing though, you can't have a points race and only allow 8 cars. Who would sit out the race and watch others walk away with more points?

I have been of a similar mind to Rich on this one. It would make sense to me were the NHRA to host a Top Fuel Nationals East and another West. Another pair would be the Funny Car Nationals West and East. Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycles would be added to one or the other. One of the races would also feature Pro Mod and the other Top Fuel Motorcycles. Rather than just add these races, I'd drop the second event at tracks that currently have them. Entrants could choose either East or West, but not both.
Fill the Top Fuel fields if possible, but allow TAD to run to qualify to fill out the card. The Funny cars at the Top Fuel race would be TAFC; the dragsters at the Funny Car races would be TADs.
I would hope that this would do two things in addition to those mentioned positively above: 1) Highlight the Pro classes at less expense to the host tracks as they would not be paying four professional classes and 2) open opportunities for the lesser funded teams to qualify for a shot at the limelight.
Rich has started an interesting discussion here. I believe it's worth exploring the possibilities in order to improve our sport's prospects for growth.
Ed

 

[rocketman]

As far as IHRA goes nothing wrong with them but this post is from NHRA's prospective and benefit. If NHRA wants to keep some of these tracks in the Northwest from changing to IHRA and they want to encourage track improvements and they have a date to fill if Pacific closes why not do something revolutionary to do all three? Yes Woodburn is longer than Pomona and is all concrete. It's a great track trust me on that. They would need to do something about parking but they might be able to lease a near by field and use shuttles. Contrary to the naysayers I think the time has come to think outside the box for once.