Tom Compton for a Day? (1 Viewer)

[Gordon]

If you were Tom Compton for a day & could change any ONE thing about the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA), what would it be?

Personally, I think I would make Pro Mod a Pro Class, but... I would mandate body styles from pre-1975.

 

["Dr. Dirt"]

I'd sell 100% of the interest in the association to a capable entity with a business plan the likes of Bruton Smith, take home a large check for myself, Wally & the board to retire on, insist the staff be retained at least for one year to adapt to the private sector corporate structure then sit back and watch the growth of a newborn company with a rich history to fuel it's potential.

 

[PJ]

I would return the intergrity of our sport by undoing the horrible fake championship scam that is in place for next season.


In addition I would develope a marketing plan that goes outside of the normal race fan to gather more interest.

Try to develope a way to keep cost in control, this could also lead to more sponsor interest as well as more people being able to compete in a competive manner.

Continue working with espn, Compton has done a good job in getting better TV coverage and I would work to continue that.

 

[Horsepower & Heels]

Add Pro Mod as a professional class.... and allow TURBOS!

 

[Joker]

Not to echo a few others, but the first thing I would do is make Pro Mod a professional class at all national events. Secondly, I would fix the pts championship scam for next year back to the way it should be. I would try to find more $$$ to raise the purse for the championship and for each race winner. I would work with the teams to help them find sponsors instead of trying to steal there sponsors to be the "Official BS of NHRA". I also would add a 2nd race to Houston again, just for personal reasons! I miss our 2 races a year!

 

[Toejam]

First thing I would do is allow a P.R.O. type of Committee of drivers and team owners that get to Vote on any and all Rule changes. Second, I would NOT make Pro mod a Pro class for it would make Alky Dragster and FC obsolete. Third, I would factor ticket prices an every Natl. event based on Attendance! I think $60 per day for any race is WAY to high! And last but not least, I would come up with Non-alcohol Stands for Families. To many jerks making it tough for Parents with young kids to enjoy themselves at the track.

 

[Gordon]

First thing I would do is allow a P.R.O. type of Committee of drivers and team owners that get to Vote on any and all Rule changes. Second, I would NOT make Pro mod a Pro class for it would make Alky Dragster and FC obsolete.

And last but not least, I would come up with Non-alcohol Stands for Families. To many jerks making it tough for Parents with young kids to enjoy themselves at the track.

- Great point that I hadn't considered. I, for one, love watching the Alky cars & though I've never tried it get the feeling they're the toughest to drive - both from what I've heard and simple observation. I love Pro Mod, but I wouldn't want to move it up in class at the risk of ruining the Alky family.

- Another great point. My current Navy billet requires me to spend about 8 - 10 weeks a year in Pensacola, FL & they have a asphalt oval track that's a lot of fun on Friday nights that I go to sometimes. Anyway, the stands are set up with that exact idea in mind & it's monitored very closely. I enjoy a few beverages at the races, but I get so annoyed at those who get sloshed and can't control their language in front of the younger crowd.

 

[d'kid]

Heck, you could not beer at the track at all until around 72 or so and then only on the spectator side and you could not go in the pits...

But even then Drag Racing was trying to "Main Stream"... so beer went on sale... kinda like sitting next to a drunk at a Baseball game or a NFL game

 

[Buzzz Miller]

There is a way to have both Joe.
Alcohol classes have been cut at many national events. Have pro mod run only the events that top alcohol is not at. Then rotate those national events around so the same national will not have the same cars every year. With what ProMod is, most of the cars will not be willing to run a full 23 race season anyway. And if they do, it will become a business class and ruin the beauty of what ProMod is. Have a 12 race deal as a pro class, and try to schedule so the IHRA guys are not driven away.
Turbos are manditory in my mind. What the exact rules would be is still undecided in my head, but bring on the turbos!

 

[Nitrohaulic]

I would return the intergrity of our sport by undoing the horrible fake championship scam that is in place for next season.

That's what I like about ya, PJ. We used to respecfully not see eye to eye a little in politics on the old mater. You're basing your belief in reasoning on this one. We're 100% in common on this.

Now, are you being outspoken or are you bashing? LOL.

 

[Dave]

I would toss out the stupid, NASCAR-ish copy-cat, points chase nonsense. Drag racing is all about straight up racing. Not artifically manipulating the end results.

I'm sure they won't ask me though. When my renewal came last month, I told them "No Thanks" due to this farce. No response. Surprise!

 

[none]

Get rid of the 85% rule...run however much nitro you want. I miss the cackle of 97-98%.

 

[Toejam]

There is a way to have both Joe.
Alcohol classes have been cut at many national events. Have pro mod run only the events that top alcohol is not at. Then rotate those national events around so the same national will not have the same cars every year. With what ProMod is, most of the cars will not be willing to run a full 23 race season anyway. And if they do, it will become a business class and ruin the beauty of what ProMod is. Have a 12 race deal as a pro class, and try to schedule so the IHRA guys are not driven away.
Turbos are manditory in my mind. What the exact rules would be is still undecided in my head, but bring on the turbos!

Buzz, if they ever made Pro mod a Full time Pro catagory. The Purse would dwarf what the Alky guys get, why would Manzo, Newberry, Chesterman spend the Mega $$$ on a Blown Sportsman class when they could build a Pro Mod and make more purse? The Alky FC class would go Fred Flintstone in 2 years if that ever happened. As for Turbo's, if they ever outrun the Blown cars you just know they would rule change them to death practically killing the Combo.

 

[Shan]

If you were Tom Compton for a day & could change any ONE thing about the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA), what would it be?

Resign and nominate Force to be the new president.

 

[Nazgul]

Get rid of the 85% rule...run however much nitro you want. I miss the cackle of 97-98%.

Spot on! That's the very first thing I would I do too!!

 

[Mooseman]

Sorry for going off topic but is it true that tom compton isnt a drag racer . why is someone who isnt a drag racer the head of the nhra . If thats true then how is he suppost to know whats best for the sport , its probably why there are problems .

Ok back on topic , if I was Tom Compton for a day I would fire myself.

 

[yoda]

Fix the TV..

DAY 1; HOUR 1- FIND A TOP 4 NETWORK THAT WOULD SEE THIS SPORT AS ONE WITH A FUTURE AND WOULD BE WILLING TO INVEST REAL, LIVE BROADCAST TIME IN A SATURDAY NIGHT PRO ELIMINATION SERIES OF CARS THAT WERE RULE RESTRICTED EXCLUSIVELY TO SAFETY MATTERS ONLY. Performance rules restictions for the Nitro classes would go out the window- lid, lable and can would be the norm.

 

[none]

As others have said I'd get rid of the NASCAR points system, use climate as a determining factor when scheduling races. This would include moving Englishtown back to May where it should be, we haven't had a good race since 03, and move Reading to October. I would also look to increase the purses, it's a joke what some of the purses are for winning a national event. The end of the year championship purses are okay, but the purses for winning an event are embarrassing. Lastly I would figure out a way to keep Marty Reid in the booth as much as possible, it's not a good sign for potential sponsors to tune in and hear the lead announcer bored out of his mind.

 

[__]

Hmm...

Hour 1: Hit up any sponsor I could think of - get Mike Dunn a quality ride for '07.

Hour 2: Call ESPN. Fire Paul Page. Alan Reinhart and Bob Frey to the booth for all national events. Hire Bob Unkefer, Dr Jerry Punch, and John Kernan to do all the top end and pit interviews.

Hour 3: Nostalgia Funny Car becomes newest exhibition class; runs at all national events.

Hour 4: Send bribe money to Larry Morgan so that he doesn't print any "Can't fix stupid" t-shirts with my picture on them.

Hour 5: Figure out how much money the current NHRA board and I make. Slash salaries and increase purse money for racers.

Hour 6: Bruce Larson's USA-1 '68 Camaro now approved to make full track passes at all NHRA tracks

Hour 7: Call IHRA. Begin talks to form one drag racing series with 27-30 national events by 2009.

Hour 8: Screw it. I'm done for the day. Give myself starting line access to all national events for next eleventy billion years and head for the nearest race.

 

[Don]

I think I would get a cap and some sunglasses, rent a car and go to some little track in the boonies, pay the entry fee, and do a little bracket racing and maybe.....just maybe I could then understand what makes people like drag racing, and maybe,,,just maybe...make some decsions affecting NHRA with having a little taste of what it is actually like to race (albeit a street car) but to race down the track......oh, and get rid of this brain fart induced point system for 2007