Torrence Would Be At Home on Nitromater (2 Viewers)

[justafan]

http://competitionplus.com/drag-racing/news/torrence-not-a-fan-of-nhras-countdown-format

 

[vegasnitro]

I am not a fan of the "playoff" system in either NHRA or NASCAR. But NASCAR has implemented a pretty good idea if you are going to forge ahead with the "playoffs" format. Reward a driver/team for winning a race. They get an automatic entry into the "playoffs" for winning, plus 10 bonus points in the "playoff".

 

[ironpony]

I like his solution, wonder how that would play out using this years contenders............

 

[PJ]

might have just moved up my list of favorite drivers

 

[ironpony]

In my top 2 Leah and Torrence

 

[Gordon]

My favorite sentence in the entire article: "Torrence’s annoyance is with the socialistic nature of the format."

Of all the arguments I've seen for and against the Clowndown, that single sentiment sums it up more perfectly than any other.

 

[ironpony]

why work harder, lower the standard.......

 

[Bullard Anderson]

In Top Fuel and Funny Car, if we are honest here, we all know 8 cars that are in the Countdown before the season starts. So my opinion is these drivers need to be racing for "separation points" during the regular season. I guess the big question here in the racing mind is how much of an advantage is home field in the NFL, NBA, or MLB playoffs? The only advantage to any playoff team there is home field. But those playoff games aren't 3.67 seconds, they are played out through 3 hours. I would argue anytime a driver wins a race it should buy him, at the very least, one round in the Countdown. 20 points.

 

[PJ]

So I wonder if the next race, he says how "exciting it is for the fans" That seems to be the code phrase in NHRA and Nascar over the years when they've been called into the office and told not to complain about the system.

 

[SoCal Racer]

My favorite sentence in the entire article: "Torrence’s annoyance is with the socialistic nature of the format."

Of all the arguments I've seen for and against the Clowndown, that single sentiment sums it up more perfectly than any other.

Couldn't agree more. The fluid nature of the manipulated and convoluted points structure seems like NHRA wants to pick the winners. I think of it like a welfare program for drag racers......despite all having equal opportunity at the beginning of the season, NHRA wants to force equality of outcome. There are some Championship contenders that have no business (meaning if you couldn't have won it purely on season-long points, you don't deserve it) being in contention at this point in the season, including some teams I really like.

So I wonder if the next race, he says how "exciting it is for the fans" That seems to be the code phrase in NHRA and Nascar over the years when they've been called into the office and told not to complain about the system.

H.R. Corrective Action

And ironically, if you ask any fan that has been around the sport more than 3 weeks and they'll tell you they hate the countdown, and it doesn't make things more exciting. On the other hand, it does give us something to complain about!

 

[none]

There are some Championship contenders that have no business (meaning if you couldn't have won it purely on season-long points, you don't deserve it) being in contention at this point in the season, including some teams I really like.


And who would they be? I looked at the current points and see the usual suspects. certainly nobody in the top 5 that isn't Championship worthy.

Alan

 

[JB3]

So I wonder if the next race, he says how "exciting it is for the fans" That seems to be the code phrase in NHRA and Nascar over the years when they've been called into the office and told not to complain about the system.

I am sure when (if) Mr. Torrence is standing on stage in Hollywood making a speech with a check for $400 large ... he might have a different opinion.

 

[8sec71]

I am sure when (if) Mr. Torrence is standing on stage in Hollywood making a speech with a check for $400 large ... he might have a different opinion.

You think a $500k payday is a lot to a guy that can fully fund a first class Top Fuel operation out of his pocket year after year? I don’t lol. He does it cuz he loves it and can afford it, the money doesn’t mean crap. That of course is just my opinion, I don’t know the man personally.

 

[ironpony]

It is not about the money, it took 6 million to make $400,000. if it was about money he would of kept the 6 mil.
Bragging rights and power.

 

[Nunz]

Very old conversation. Yeah it takes 3+ Mil to run for a title that pays 500K. Does anybody think the ratios are better in NASCAR or Indycar? The financial model of a pro team does not bank on winnings, those are usually spread out as bonuses to the crew.

 

[Jimbo]

I have been a fan of the Lagana Bros. since the day's of the "Twilight Zone" dragster that their father drag raced for years and before that he had many other cars including some altered wheel base funny cars from back in the mid 60's when they were regular runners at Dover Drag Strip, Island Dragway, and Atco.

I don't know many families who have been drag racing longer then their family as been involved in drag racing.
Nice people.

Jim Hill
www.nostalgicracingdecals.com

 

[Sean D, shondoo]

Very old conversation. Yeah it takes 3+ Mil to run for a title that pays 500K. Does anybody think the ratios are better in NASCAR or Indycar? The financial model of a pro team does not bank on winnings, those are usually spread out as bonuses to the crew.

DITTO!!!!!

I have never understood these kinds of statements. After motorsports went mainstream, the professional level business model has NEVER been about winning enough to cover expenses, let alone make an actual living at it. At the professional level, you're either:

1. Making a living at it through effectively utilizing your team as a marketing tool to cover all of those expenses, and as you say, spread any winnings out as bonuses to the team members.

2. You're filthy rich and just utilizing your team as a hobby.

Pretty straightforward...... Lol

Sean D

 

[stitcherbob]

.... it took 6 million to make $400,000.

if you change that first figure to thousands and the second one to hundreds, that sounds like my life right there......

 

[JB3]

You think a $500k payday is a lot to a guy that can fully fund a first class Top Fuel operation out of his pocket year after year? I don’t lol. He does it cuz he loves it and can afford it, the money doesn’t mean crap. That of course is just my opinion, I don’t know the man personally.

Nope, I agree its not about the money. What I am saying is that as he is making an acceptance speech (while accepting the check) as the new Top Fuel champion, he is most likely going to have a very different opinion of the Countdown format than if he was outside looking in or finished second.

Just saying

 

[ironpony]

I wonder if he will work in a Papa Johns poke............