The show vs. performance

[HEMI6point1]

Wasn't there an article on Comp Plus a while back about this subject? On how racing is killing racing or something like that....

 

[Marchboom]

But it has a cost. The R&D required for top teams to eek out whatever they can has grown so much that the little teams are squeezed out.
And you never know, another tuner might come along and show up the big teams with ingenuity. It's happened before, I am sure it will happen again.

IMO, the cost to be really competitive has skyrocketed (not just in the nitro classes but in every class) to the point where very few people can afford to race. Even Jr. Dragsters are costly, if you want to be competitive.

Ingenuity? That might happen...as long as the NHRA approves of the tuner's ingenuity.

 

[Mooseman]

There will eventually a point where performance does not improve. it will get to a point where the physics won't work and the cars just won't get any quicker or faster.

You think runs are quick now, imagine a 2 second run at over 400mph

 

[Nick Name]

Not sure what you are really saying here Jay. You miss the old school "show", I get that.

Aren't most participant sports (your words) also spectator sports? Even Bass fishing is now a spectator sport. The cost of Professional drag racing has grown disproportionately. But even back in the day, did many enthusiasts think they could become a Professional Nitro racer? Could they afford it even then? In my opinion, the answer is no. It was/is a nice dream. They were spectators, that's OK.

Drag racing is no longer a participant sport?? If you are talking strictly TF, FC, PS, or PSM I agree the opportunity is remote at best. However, you can race at a Mello Yellow event or Lucas Oil Series event tomorrow if you can get licensed and have a car that fits the rules. Or you can just take your street car to your local track.

Is participation down? Sure. But you can't pin that directly on throttle whacks, long smoky burnouts, or showmanship. Said it here many times before ... NHRA, NASCAR, or any other motorsports organization cannot survive appealing to a shrinking demographic (I said it) that grew up through the nostalgia era as it is referred to. That group are the diehards, that's understood. However, there is a much larger group of fans out there and you have to appease them much differently. For the most part, they know little about the history of the sport or its legends. Quite frankly, most don't care. Like any fan, they want an opportunity to see the cars and stars they are familiar with.

Not knocking your opinion, just kind of respectfully questioning it. Everything changes with time, it has to.

I am just saying that the sport is hurt by making it a spectator sport. Three guys with good paychecks used to be able to run a nitro car. I did it, I know. The big sponsors giving a few people huge money simply drove others away. NHRA now depends on people paying huge admission fees to watch someone else run a nitro car. I am just saying I don't think there are that many Joe Sherwood's out there.

We are seeing other forms of drag racing with entries over 800 for a single weekend. This is a participant version, so the big numbers.

Younger people today are not watching ESPN and dreaming of having a nitro funnycar. They are watching Street Outlaws, and looking for an old Camero to put a big block in and huge nitrous and go find others like minded people to race.

Drag racing will certainly survive, I just feel the current Big Show is doomed.

 

[glofria]

Based upon the Auto Club Famoso's Facebook photos of the crowd and pits area of this past weekend's one day "Street Tuner Event," the sport of drag racing will be around for a long time. I mean we're talking nearly March Meet/CHRR size crowds.

 

[SoCal Racer]

I agree with both Jay and Gino. The Big Show is likely headed down the road to becoming nothing more than an exhibition because the cost as a competitive sport is unsustainable and unattainable even for above average income earners. With diminishing involvement at the professional levels it’s almost that now. I think getting people involved is the key to keeping the sport alive, and surely miss the days when there was a race car at nearly every gas station in town …

Drag racing will survive as long as the competitive spirit does, and there seems to be growth at the grassroots level where it began. NHRA may be catering more to spectators and trying to fill the stands – which is fine – but my attraction to the sport was as a participant. I got interested because I saw guys doing something exciting and thought, “I can do that! And can build/tune/drive better than some of these guys!” So I did, and am still involved 40 years later. I wouldn't count on the ESPN or “circus is in town” fans to stick around that long if they can't participate.

As far as the show vs. performance question goes, why can’t we have both? We saw constant performance improvements for decades while whacking throttles and doing epic burnouts.

 

[mike]

I know I've said this before, but for me it isn't the actual throttle whacks or dry hops or half track burnouts, it what they represented. When you watched those old nitro cars stage they were like wild horses or bulls or something that were barely tamed and were just plain angry. Now the cars are much faster, but also much "tamer" (figuratively speaking), more like pampered race horses being carefully lead to the starting gate than a raging bull about to bust out through a fence....

eh, that's my .02...

 

[SoCal Racer]

I know I've said this before, but for me it isn't the actual throttle whacks or dry hops or half track burnouts, it what the represented. When you watched those old nitro cars stage they were like wild horses or bulls or something that were barely tamed and were just plain angry. Now the cars are much faster, but also much "tamer" (figuratively speaking), more like pampered race horses being carefully lead to the starting gate than a raging bull about to bust out through a fence....

eh, that's my .02...

Ha! that's the way I see it too. Now they have a crewmember helping push the car to the line so it doesn't eat any clutch. Back then everyone stood back because you didn't know WHAT it was going to do!

 

[stitcherbob]

"When you watched those old nitro cars stage they were like wild horses or bulls or something that were barely tamed and were just plain angry. "


exactly the reason they didn't want Shirley to race....it wasn't for the meek or for young girls.....

which is why Shirley is so highly regarded today.....she did it in that era. Today you can put a high school age girl in a TF or FC and they can run with the rest, but to do it back in the day was something else

"Back then everyone stood back because you didn't know WHAT it was going to do!"

yup

 

[my friends call me Zappy]

There will eventually a point where performance does not improve. it will get to a point where the physics won't work and the cars just won't get any quicker or faster. [/QUOTE

They said the same about 150mph, and 200mph, and...........]

 

[Butch]

I remember when they mandated starters in TF.
Big was pissed saying it wasn't safe putting a man that near a fuel motor on start-up.

 

[Leebone]

I'm one of the spectators that misses the throttle whacks. These days, instead of rushing to the pits in between rounds, I'm spending more time at the beer tent or watching sportsman racing. Of I course I do go to the pits to smell the nitro and gawk at the Force girls, but it isn't the same without the throttle whacks.

I think I may have a solution to satisfy everyone. I notice some of the teams have show cars on display in the Nitro Alley midway. Why not have a show car that starts up and does throttle whacks? Might bring more people to the track. Surely it wouldn't cost as much to sponsor. It wouldn't be like running the car full tilt boogie down the track. Just a thought.

 

[robinjackson]

We can debate all day about the why's and the wherefores and the future of drag racing on this planet...

...but I just miss the throttle whacks.

 

[JB3]

I agree with both Jay and Gino. The Big Show is likely headed down the road to becoming nothing more than an exhibition because the cost as a competitive sport is unsustainable and unattainable even for above average income earners. With diminishing involvement at the professional levels it’s almost that now. I think getting people involved is the key to keeping the sport alive, and surely miss the days when there was a race car at nearly every gas station in town …

Drag racing will survive as long as the competitive spirit does, and there seems to be growth at the grassroots level where it began. NHRA may be catering more to spectators and trying to fill the stands – which is fine – but my attraction to the sport was as a participant. I got interested because I saw guys doing something exciting and thought, “I can do that! And can build/tune/drive better than some of these guys!” So I did, and am still involved 40 years later. I wouldn't count on the ESPN or “circus is in town” fans to stick around that long if they can't participate.

As far as the show vs. performance question goes, why can’t we have both? We saw constant performance improvements for decades while whacking throttles and doing epic burnouts.

I don't get it David. You still have the opportunity to participate any way you wish in this sport. Yes, the farther up the ladder you go the disproportionate the cost. However, many young fans of all types of spectator sports dream to be a professional someday ... is it realistic? NOPE. The reasons for not reaching those levels is different for every sport. The reality of competing at a professional level in most sports whether its auto racing or stick / ball sports is remote at best. It is just how it is.

To me, its dreaming that keeps us interested.

 

[T.Smith]

You want show ?
When was the last time you saw a flopper. Do a half track burnout, then it wouldn't go into reverse. No problem just turn it around and drive back to the starting line crossing over and looping around the opponents car, Truck and tree. Pulling up to the line and stage.
It's things like this that if done today. The crowd would go nuts about .

Remember when Beadle did his performance at the Gators? When he got out he raised his arms. As HOW ABOUT THAT . Now how won that race, I don't remember but I do remember Raymond's performance.

You mean like this?

 

[T.Smith]

I've seen a lot of posts lately that lament the absence of "the show." I myself don't mind as I like to see performance. If I want to see throttle whacks or dry hops or long smoky burnouts, I go to nostalgia event.

I feel that it is inevitable that more and more of the show is going to go away. It happens all the time. Technology advances and the drive to outperform your fellow competitor leads to changes that people don't like. I never understood the longing for the old days, they're never going to come back. The best I have is fond memories.

That's funny because last year I went to the IHRA Nitro Jam and the World Series of Drag Racing at Cordova and don't remember seeing any dry hops or burnouts that were memorable.

 

[Toejam]

I am just saying that the sport is hurt by making it a spectator sport. Three guys with good paychecks used to be able to run a nitro car. I did it, I know. The big sponsors giving a few people huge money simply drove others away. NHRA now depends on people paying huge admission fees to watch someone else run a nitro car. I am just saying I don't think there are that many Joe Sherwood's out there.

We are seeing other forms of drag racing with entries over 800 for a single weekend. This is a participant version, so the big numbers.

Younger people today are not watching ESPN and dreaming of having a nitro funnycar. They are watching Street Outlaws, and looking for an old Camero to put a big block in and huge nitrous and go find others like minded people to race.

Drag racing will certainly survive, I just feel the current Big Show is doomed.

When Nitro cars ran 6's yes! When Nostalgia cars were in the 6's it was Semi-Affordable! I'll bet running a 5.60-.70 N/FC isn't as cheap as they say it is!

 

[Toejam]

I've seen some YouTube videos of some of these 70-80's Races everyone thinks was the Golden Era of the sport! Lot of empty stands in some of them!

 

[Nunz]

I think everyone needs to just go get their fix this year. Pick your poison: Big Show, IHRA, Nostalgia, PDRA, Quick 16 at a local track, whatever, there's a lot to enjoy out there. Just know that 1965 or 1975, or 1995 isn't coming back. Some day we'll be saying things like "remember those wild pro mod cars? There used to be 30 of them at national events!"

 

[Nick Name]

I've seen some YouTube videos of some of these 70-80's Races everyone thinks was the Golden Era of the sport! Lot of empty stands in some of them!

So you are saying you never had to abandon your car on the 405 at the Alameda ramp and walk down to the track because the line of cars trying to get in was way too long?