Wally World Sticks it to the Racers.....Again!!! (2 Viewers)

[Kati]

in there statement they claim that even with the increase they will have tocontinue to subsidize the sportman programs, if you take the entry fee x
# of cars = way more than the payout ! i'm not sure what the current entry fee is $150? for the super categorys and they run for $1500 - $2000?
i've been to topeka a few times when they had around 130 s/c cars, the math doesn't add up...

NHRA National Event Entry was $210 + $40 Ins Charge = $250

Now they say they are raising entry AND the Nat Event Insurance surcharge!

Wow....we JUST renewed all of our Lic...total of 5 and JUST got our chassis tag for our brand new TD. (Mine due next year.....)

 

[Dave]

I just looked at the NHRA website and I think I've figured out what the increased costs are. They just put up new grandstands at Indy. They gotta get the money from someplace because they know the ticket buyers ain't gonna pay for the new stands anytime soon.

Dave

 

[Jenn]

You guys make a lot of valid points and what you guys have said is what makes me so mad. They've got us by the balls, if we still want to compete.

We have to pay this or quit, and I really don't want to quit. You need an NHRA license to run on an NHRA strip. I suppose I'll have to pay it, just like everyody else, but it sure isn't fair.

Dave

Well, that's how it is if you want to see a football game or concert, if you don't want to pay the extra money, you don't go. It's a trade.

I'm surprised it went up that much, but really, fifty bucks for two years of competing with the best NHRA guys out there. Fifty bucks for the safety safari being at your side for two years, not a bad value in my humble opinon.

100 bucks now...5-7 national events...5-7 divisional events that's still only 7 to 10 bucks a race in licensing fees. If you race two classes that runs it down to 3.5 to 5 bucks a race.

The value of the license is intrinsic to whoever holds the license.

If you only race 1 or 2 events a year, then it might not be worth it to you, but if you want to race against the 'hardcore' guys who are

1. Top of the line sportsman racers who can afford all the fees
2. The guys who save up for them and set themselves and their cars on kill cuz they got one shot.
3. Just good guys who are in the same boat as you who had to fork over some of their beer budget to race with.

 

[JF]

So hears an Idea: SRO
Sportsman Racers Organization
With an elected board of directors whose sole purpose is to negociate with NHRA, IHRA & Tracks
Low Dues from members
It won't stop anyone from racing NHRA but maybe SRO member won't support Manufactures that support NHRA, Or Manufacture give preference to SRO members.
Maybe A track somewhere will post a race against an NHRA national or divisional that most SRO Members will go to instead
Maybe IHRA will support SRO
Maybe as fields go down IHRA picks up a couple of tracks here and there.

There is strength in numbers, We need to have a say, we are MEMBERS

 

[none]

The fees have not been raised in over ten years. And now they are going up. In the last ten years how much have the cost of tires increased? How about the cost of converters? I just priced a new helmet and was blown away by how expensive they are compared to the last time I bought one. Would you have been happier if NHRA had increased the fees 10 bucs every two years? They held off as long as they could, but now they need to go up.

As Jenn pointed out, for what you get in return, is it really to much to pay?

 

[Solid Rock]

I call BS on the sportsmen classes not paying for themselves.
So far everyone has mentioned competing at NHRA events, but keep in mind that to bracket race at any NHRA track you need to have a license and to have a license you have to be a member of NHRA.

You also have to have a certified chassis and all the appropiate SFI stuff that your class/car requires. Keep in mind that NHRA gets a certain amount of dollars for every SFI sticker that's out there.

Then you have to pay entry fees for you, your car and your crew. As I see it the sportsmen classes are very profitable for NHRA.

Keep in mind that NHRA tried to sell off the professional side of the organization and the real estate about a year or so ago. They planned on keeping the sportsmen side of the program. Why do you think that was? Because the sportsmen program was losing money? I think not.

IMO, the sportsmen are the cash cow for the NHRA and this increase, again, IMO, is to bolster their coffers after losing so many sponsors in the recent past.

 

[FABMAN]

I just posted a thread on mater about AHRA returning and they will be catering to sporstman racers.

Competition is a Great thing!

 

[Bullet]

Now I know I am going to get flamed for this, but please know that I I in no way mean to offend anyone.

To me there is nothing more passionate than a hardcore bucks down racer, but if an unforeseen increase of $250 is going to put anyone's racing program they are cutting things way too close already.

$20k, $30k, $40 race car -> $250 = not a lot.

 

[Tom]

The fees have not been raised in over ten years. And now they are going up. In the last ten years how much have the cost of tires increased? How about the cost of converters? I just priced a new helmet and was blown away by how expensive they are compared to the last time I bought one. Would you have been happier if NHRA had increased the fees 10 bucs every two years? They held off as long as they could, but now they need to go up.

As Jenn pointed out, for what you get in return, is it really to much to pay?

Like a neutered dog, once again, you just don't get it. You don't see the forest for the trees in your stumping for the NHRA as an employee. Yes, one point of this thread is the increase to the Sportsman racers. HOWEVER, the bigger underlying point is the fact that with the state of the economy being one excuse Glendora is using to raise the fees, the heads of a NON PROFIT ORGANIZATION feel the need to have $500K-$700K salaries is appaling. Why aren't THEY taking a pay cut? I mean really, are they WORTH that amount of money, especially when their salaries are paid by the racers and fans??

Give me a break...

 

[none]

They did take a pay cut. At least get your facts before engaging the keyboard.

Alan

 

[Tom]

They did take a pay cut. At least get your facts before engaging the keyboard.

Alan

First, I call bull****. Prove it.

Second, $500K is not much of a "Pay-Cut". Once again, the racers and fans take it in the butt while the brass get rich on their sweat. Still a real crock.

 

[FABMAN]

They did take a pay cut. At least get your facts before engaging the keyboard.

Alan

Alan, get us the facts, I haven't seen this information posted anywhere. Help us out!

 

[You!]

Jenn, you're exactly the type of racer I was referring to with my "needle" reference. They could raise the license fee to $300 a year and many would still pay it. (Pssst...Glendora suits KNOW THAT!!)

That doesn't make you wrong however, because I was once like you, I just grew tired of all the crud that went along with these events.

My point is that those of us that have left the NHRA National & Divisional races still have to pay these increased fees, WITHOUT the benefits of the Safety Safari, etc. Maybe it's time for a two tierd license program. One that allows you to run anywhere, including the National & Divisionals, and one that is only good at NHRA sanctioned tracks.

Now that would make sense because the way it is now, I'm paying for your "perks".

And yes Alan, it is always easier to take smaller incremental price increases over a period of time, as opposed to doubling them OVER NIGHT! Any first week business student should know that.

 

[MM]

You learned nothing from me did you padawan? I sure hope to God that its a 4b license your going for! You know, one of those shorter looking things. A wise young man once told me, 'NOSTALGIA IS WHERE ITS AT'...go the path of the del worsham!

Rapid, will you please knock some sense into this boy!

it's easier to upgrade to a shorter faster car than start from scratch

 

[Toejam]

Now I know I am going to get flamed for this, but please know that I I in no way mean to offend anyone.

To me there is nothing more passionate than a hardcore bucks down racer, but if an unforeseen increase of $250 is going to put anyone's racing program they are cutting things way too close already.

$20k, $30k, $40 race car -> $250 = not a lot.

Good point Jr. that's like me *****ing about an additional $50 in airfare when attending a race. When in reality it's a pittance to what racers spend going to the track!

 

[JF]

The fees have not been raised in over ten years. And now they are going up. In the last ten years how much have the cost of tires increased? How about the cost of converters? I just priced a new helmet and was blown away by how expensive they are compared to the last time I bought one. Would you have been happier if NHRA had increased the fees 10 bucs every two years? They held off as long as they could, but now they need to go up.

As Jenn pointed out, for what you get in return, is it really to much to pay?

Alan, I my case its not the fees. I can pay the fees. Its the principal of it. With NHRA its Take, Take , Take
They always have their hand out and treat the sportsman racers as ******* stepchilds. In this economy they should be looking for ways to help increase participation not finding ways to decrease it whatever the reason.

 

[Solid Rock]

Alan, I agree that incremental increases would have been easier to take.
In a time when other businesses are cutting their prices, it seems outrageous for them to double these fees.
This may be the first increase for these fees in ten years but how much have the entry fees gone up over the same period of time?
Have the payouts increased the same amount?
While the suits may have taken a pay cut, what's to prevent them from giving themselves a hefty bonus at the end of the year?
Given the way other companies are run in this day and age, I think that that is a distinct possibility.

 

[Reese]

I thought dropping a sportsmans class from National events was suppose to save money. As I said before they should let all classes run National Events, they could get at least 50 cars. Also NHRA don't tech(engine teardowns) like they use too, they should be saving money there.

 

[jackass]

The fees have not been raised in over ten years. And now they are going up. In the last ten years how much have the cost of tires increased? How about the cost of converters? I just priced a new helmet and was blown away by how expensive they are compared to the last time I bought one. Would you have been happier if NHRA had increased the fees 10 bucs every two years? They held off as long as they could, but now they need to go up.

As Jenn pointed out, for what you get in return, is it really to much to pay?

I think the real issue is with the timing of the increase... IF it had been done last year before the economy dropped so bad it might not have had such a dismal reception.... but when times are tight and people are on the verge of loosing a job or loosing their house or busines...... the one thing that helps them get distracted from those issues ..the cost just went up....... (i know racing is exspensive no matter what level) this increase is minimal consiering the cost to compete.... and increase in these times is going to hard for them to swallow....

Not going to say it probably is not warrented or nessicary.....just the timing and the reasoning is the issue....


Billy

 

[Earl]

When I heard that Rocky Mountain Raceways was going IHRA, I will admit I was very apprehensive. My NHRA membership is up this year, and my license next year. I will renew my membership just so I can go race Boise and Vegas. But if this IHRA thing works out like I think it will, good bye NHRA next year. The IHRA guys came to Salt Lake City to attend our pre season meeting. They could not have been more accommodating. Just buy a membership, no charge for a number or a license. I signed up, and had my IHRA license and membership within the week. I am a no box racer, so it was kind of cool to know I could go to an IHRA national event and compete. They have a no box class. I can’t ever do that at an NHRA event with expectations of being completive. I could make the SC index, but I could never put together the packages to run with that group without a box. The tough part is, RMR is the only one in the western US. But, I do hear rumors that a bunch of other tracks in the west are watching the RMR transition to the IHRA. If it works for RMR, perhaps more tracks will make the jump. If it does not work out, and we go back to the NHRA, and they keep raising fee’s, I’ll just reduce the HP on the big block, or put a small block in and set the car up for low 10’s and be done with the license - chassis cert thing and be happy racing without paying the NHRA extra money. I will also most likely save money on parts by going slower. I am not anti NHRA, but they are not doing much to endear themselves to me lately. I think they have forgotten which girl they brought to the dance. If all the Sportsman racers stop supporting the NHRA, wither in mass, or slowly one at a time, they are going to die a natural slow death. I just hope they don’t get so far over center with all this that they can’t come back to reality.