Updated NHRA Points Structure

[SoCal Racer]

I have an idea that could revolutionize the points system. I know it seems radical, but hear me out: Whatever cars for a given class show up for the race make runs before the race, we'll call these "qualifying runs". These will be used to decide which car and driver is fastest. If a team doesn't go fast enough to qualify, they can't race on race day. As a reward, the fastest cars that show up on a given day will be allowed to run the slowest cars (i.e. #1 races #16 on race day). Points will be awarded after race day with the car and driver that did the best receiving the most points. At the end of the season, the cars that attended the most races, and averaged the best finishing position throughout the season would be deemed the champion. This rewards effort and consistency and minimizes the damage if a fast car has a bad race or two at any time during the season. That way a season-long effort by a clearly superior driver/tuner/team (for instance, Tim Wilkerson) wouldn't be wasted by a ridiculous, random points system that nobody likes, understands or cares about. Just a thought...

Just because it is fair and worked flawlessly from 1973 to 2006 doesn't mean it's a good idea......at least not to NHRA

 

[MM]

IMO the idea of 1.5x points is not a bad idea; it places a greater emphasis on a particular race, which leads back to discussion that has been here before about having 'major' national events.....BUT....what good do extra points do before indy?....not much.....so, why not have increased purses at a couple 'majors' in early part of year (like the gators and englishtown).......lets say the gators offered
$5k to positions 17-19 and $10k for 1st rnd. loser. the winner of the race could still pocket only $50k, but it would be the lower qualified positions that would be much more lucrative than the other nat. events (talk about helping the smaller teams)......couldn't a couple races like this easily attract 20+ competitors in TF/FC/PS?.....and wouldn't this also attract overflow crowds cuz the last Q on sat. would be almost as good as sunday race. the crowd would be great on friday and saturday and a really great tv show could be produced for Q4 on saturday.

$10k for first round? So you want the pay to go down?

 

[mick]

ok, so i didn't know the amount.....whatever it is, raise it by $5k

 

[MM]

And to me, therein lies the problem. Everybody here has all the answers, but nobody knows what the current situation actually is. So how can anything be taken seriously?

 

[Marchboom]

What more can the NHRA do to complicate the point system? Geez, give it a break already.

What's next? Maybe the drivers all sit around the Christmas tree and vote drivers out of the race, ala Survivor?

 

[Race Fan]

And to me, therein lies the problem. Everybody here has all the answers, but nobody knows what the current situation actually is. So how can anything be taken seriously?

Being a little harsh aren't you ? Seems like the know it all's have managed to do a really good job of
trashing things to the point of total destruction of NHRA...

 

[none]

Being a little harsh aren't you ? Seems like the know it all's have managed to do a really good job of
trashing things to the point of total destruction of NHRA...

Mike,
Nothing personal, but I'm with Minick. If you're going to complain about the payout, you should know what it is.
Is that too much to ask?

If I was to say that it's ridiculous for you to be forced to work 65 hours a week, when the reality is you only work 35, where's my credibility?

Just my opinion,
Alan

 

[mick]

Alan,

show me were i was complaining about payout. i was suggesting that perhaps a couple events raise the payouts....i'm not trashing anything. i am making a suggestion......the idea of my post was raising the purse at an event or events mite have a direct result on participation of racers and attendance by fans.

 

[Sean D, shondoo]

Uhhh..........wrong Mike?? Lol!

Edit: Nevermind. I see it now. I stayed up too late last night..... Lol!

Sean D

 

[none]

Mike,
My feeling is that if you want to change something you should know where you are starting from. I wasn't trashing either, sorry if it sounded like that.

Alan

 

[Race Fan]

Mike,
Nothing personal, but I'm with Minick. If you're going to complain about the payout, you should know what it is.
Is that too much to ask?

If I was to say that it's ridiculous for you to be forced to work 65 hours a week, when the reality is you only work 35, where's my credibility?

Just my opinion,
Alan

Alan
Really ?!?

 

[DrRocket]

NHRA isn't the only racing organization that's changing things.

NASCAR just announce a major overhaul of their points structure, prompted in part by their new series sponsor, Monster Energy, that really has the tongues wagging amongst NASCAR fans.

Details here.

 

[PJ]

The changes aren't going to work as football is in full swing then.

If they want to keep the eyes attracted during the..<cough cough> playoffs then a complete revamping of the schedule would be needed. Start the season earlier, less off weeks and end at Indy. Yes football is on then but it is just starting and you can pull people away still.
First race should be this weekend (the off week between playoffs and super bowl) then get rolling.

Of course I long for either a return to a real season long champ or a real playoff system. With what we have now just draw a name out of a hat to pick the champ. I've given up watching most of the races at the end of the year.

 

[Sandman]

Here's something else to consider: do the fans actually care who is the champion? I know I don't. I mean I'm happy when "my guys" do well, and bummed when they don't, but for the most part, I love drag racing and will watch no matter who's in the points lead or how far out in front or behind they are for the season. I don't care if Tim Wilkerson is lagging in the points, if he wins I'm STILL thrilled with it. Same with Alex Laughlin, or how about when Aaron Strong won last year? Anyone here going to tell me they even cared where he was in the points? I'm thrilled when someone like Jeff Diehl goes rounds as well and that's why I watch every race I can. Not for points, or that horrible jacket or anything else. When I attended the Northwest Nationals last year with my son, did he even worry about who was fighting for points? Nope. My point is, why does NHRA think that fans live and die because of whatever goofy way they choose to manipulate the points system on any given year?

 

[Jeff]

The championship is necessary to have a common thread tying together the whole season. All sports are trying their best to maximize their attraction, but the appearance is that sports in generally are fighting with their overall ability to attract. It's a pretty fluid environment ... I recall early last year never having heard of Pokemon Go.... to thinking that fully 1/3 of the urban population was in a public trance over it ....to never hearing about it again. Some big money was made off of that craze, but that company realizes that they have to have a lot of hooks in the water to land the sporadic big one.

 

[DG]

It will be fun listening to all of the media [me included] trying to explain the new rules during the season! The TV guys will have the most "fun"!