What more can one say? Timely article

[Chili]

I just don't get all the hate in this thread for NHRA. Yes they are not perfect and could do a lot of things better but if they were to pack up stop racing everyone on this board would be complaining. Without NHRA this message board wouldn't even exist. I have been a fan my entire life and was practically born at the track. My dad used to race stock but had to quit when I was young. I've had some bad expieriences at the track but the fun times definitely out number the bad. I just don't understand why some of you spend time on this message board and not say anything positive about the sport. I love the smell of nitro. I love the heart shaking vibration when two nitro cars launch on the starting line. I love walking the pits and seeing the machines up close and getting to meet the drivers. I love the electricity in the air on Sunday morning during the national anthem. I love seeing the low dollar independents putting the million dollar teams on the trailer in the first round. These are the reasons I go to the races. No other sport matches the excitement for the money. People want to blame NHRA for all the ills of the sport. IHRA has become a two day match race with four nostalgia cars and 4 A- Fuel dragsters. If there was an event in my hometown I might go but they charge $20 bucks to see 8 funny car runs. For twice as much I can go to an NHRA event and see 64 or more nitro passes. Which one is the better deal?

I'm heading over to the NBA message board to talk bad about their league and sport. I have nothing but time on my hands.

 

[tb]

For those of us in the retail side of business, you will have to help me explain this to the rest of the Maters how service and responsibility for those services works....

If something on the service end fails in my business, it's MY fault, no matter if I'm 1,000 miles away. That's how I take it, and that is why I correct it. The buck stops with me, and not my counter people.

It is the NHRA's 100% responsibility from venue to venue to make sure that the service and experience portion remains top shelf and consistent. If they have no such education system, then again, the blame falls on the sanctioning body itself because the buck in the "perceived" world stops with them.

To blame it on the venue is an easy and convenient target, but the responsibility always falls on the NHRA. When the "boss" doesn't own the problem, it never gets fixed. If correct protocol isn't in place and duly shared from venue to venue, then again, it's the NHRA who is at fault.

So go ahead, blame the venue, but ultimately, the NHRA failed the venue by not clearly educating them on how their own service protocol should be implemented.

When McDonalds opens another restaurant, isn't it exactly the same as the rest?
It's not rocket science.

It was the owners of the track, If you ever had to deal with the *** hole who are Dover Downs you would no what I mean.

At an Indy car race at Gateway was told that if we could bring in some vintage Indy cars they would give us some free space outside turn four. (not free tickets only space)arranged for about a dozen cars from around the midwest to show up. Thursday night before the guys got their they told us the space was $1200. lucky for us one of the guys was friends with the sponsor and he made it good (kept their promise no money changed hands).
The PR guy we dealt with was fired on Tuesday after the race, we were not the only ones he has shady dealings with

Why is the NHRA not at Memphis Int. is it due to poor performance. Just like McDonalds you do not perform you get the franchise yanked.

 

[Nick Name]

IHRA has become a two day match race with four nostalgia cars and 4 A- Fuel dragsters. If there was an event in my hometown I might go but they charge $20 bucks to see 8 funny car runs.

You forgot fuel altereds, nitro Harleys, and jets.

 

[Toejam]

I just don't get all the hate in this thread for NHRA. Yes they are not perfect and could do a lot of things better but if they were to pack up stop racing everyone on this board would be complaining. Without NHRA this message board wouldn't even exist. I have been a fan my entire life and was practically born at the track. My dad used to race stock but had to quit when I was young. I've had some bad expieriences at the track but the fun times definitely out number the bad. I just don't understand why some of you spend time on this message board and not say anything positive about the sport. I love the smell of nitro. I love the heart shaking vibration when two nitro cars launch on the starting line. I love walking the pits and seeing the machines up close and getting to meet the drivers. I love the electricity in the air on Sunday morning during the national anthem. I love seeing the low dollar independents putting the million dollar teams on the trailer in the first round. These are the reasons I go to the races. No other sport matches the excitement for the money. People want to blame NHRA for all the ills of the sport. IHRA has become a two day match race with four nostalgia cars and 4 A- Fuel dragsters. If there was an event in my hometown I might go but they charge $20 bucks to see 8 funny car runs. For twice as much I can go to an NHRA event and see 64 or more nitro passes. Which one is the better deal?

I'm heading over to the NBA message board to talk bad about their league and sport. I have nothing but time on my hands.

Because everyone thinks they have the Magic Wand that can Make NHRA as Popular as NASCAR overnight, and if only NHRA had them in their Marketing dept. things would change! I guess that. Since Tickets arent $15, Beer and Soda $3, somehow the fan is getting ripped off! I had no idea that NHRA kidnaps fans and forces them to fork out $100 for a day at the track so they can feel ripped off!

 

[Toejam]

Joe, glad you brought this up. I attended the European Finals at Santa Pod last year. I can honestly say that I have not had such a good time at an automotive drag race in at least 20 years.

It was a blast. Santa Pod is old, so maybe that is why we didn't have to walk 50 miles to get in the place. Great food courts, reasonably priced, etc. But the best part is there were no bracket type cars of any kind ( at least that I saw), and the spectator seating on the right side was right up against the track like we used to have in this country before we became over run with lawyers.

Someone posted a photo of me, on the internet, standing in a vip area that is no more than 10 feet from the fuel cars as they stage. IT has a plexiglass area between you and the cars, but it is like you are right out against the wall.

I don't believe you were around in the glory days of OCIR, Lions, etc. So I say, get on a plane and go over there at the end of this year and come back and post that experience, VS going to any NHRA big show race today.

Jay, if the racing is Superior over there then why do the Euro Fans spend $2,000-2,500 just attend an American Drag race? I sure don't hear fans from the UK or Australia whine about NHRA like Americans do!

 

[Nitrohelper]

..... fuel Altereds, Nitro Harleys, and jets.....

Plus most of the "shows" are eight Nitro F/Cs - they run four sometimes to help reduce the cost for the tracks in the smaller market area...
As a "limited budget" Nitro racer during the 60s-90s , I don't like what NHRA has become in the last ten years...

 

[Nitrohelper]

..... why do the Euro Fans spend $2,000-2,500 just attend an American Drag race.....

Could be like the gamblers from around the world that spend thousands going to Vegas to lose money...
There are casinos around the world...
Maybe it's for the entertainment in a different venue...

 

[Treeshaker]

Wherever/whenever I have an issue with an employee/worker, I ask to speak to a supervisor. If the supervisor can't bring satisfaction, I ask for their boss. If everything fails, then I leave, but at least I know that management made the decision whether they wanted my business or not.

I believe NHRA sanctions the races and controls the competitors, while the track owner dictates the rules for the track security and working personnel. The events are a partnership between the two with a split of the profits/losses.

I have many issues with NHRA, but they provide the safest facilities to compete or spectate at, bar none. And Bruton Smith's group provides the most modern and thorough facilities of all the racing world.

My experience has proven to me that successful tracks put on a spectator drawing event (front gate profits) once a month, with participant heavy (back gate profits) events the rest of the time. And some have found that if they book a couple of wild cars for their test and tune Wednesday/Thursday/Friday nights they can draw up to 2,000 people making it a spectator event every week. When I ran the CIFCA and Southern Fuel Coupe groups, we would work with the tracks to have 2 to 4 events at the tracks per year. When I lease tracks for my promotions, I want provisions to get the track at least 3 times a year.

Being a self proclaimed expert in a field makes it more shameful to make wild/erroneous statements. If we are keeping score Jerry, more nitro motors and related equipment go through my shop in a year than you have been involved with over the past 5 years, but it doesn't make my opinions count for any more than someone like George's.

And as far as the article which this thread is about, my opinion stands, it is a whiny piece written with envy and bias.

 

[Toejam]

Wherever/whenever I have an issue with an employee/worker, I ask to speak to a supervisor. If the supervisor can't bring satisfaction, I ask for their boss. If everything fails, then I leave, but at least I know that management made the decision whether they wanted my business or not.

I believe NHRA sanctions the races and controls the competitors, while the track owner dictates the rules for the track security and working personnel. The events are a partnership between the two with a split of the profits/losses.

I have many issues with NHRA, but they provide the safest facilities to compete or spectate at, bar none. And Bruton Smith's group provides the most modern and thorough facilities of all the racing world.

My experience has proven to me that successful tracks put on a spectator drawing event (front gate profits) once a month, with participant heavy (back gate profits) events the rest of the time. And some have found that if they book a couple of wild cars for their test and tune Wednesday/Thursday/Friday nights they can draw up to 2,000 people making it a spectator event every week. When I ran the CIFCA and Southern Fuel Coupe groups, we would work with the tracks to have 2 to 4 events at the tracks per year. When I lease tracks for my promotions, I want provisions to get the track at least 3 times a year.

Being a self proclaimed expert in a field makes it more shameful to make wild/erroneous statements. If we are keeping score Jerry, more nitro motors and related equipment go through my shop in a year than you have been involved with over the past 5 years, but it doesn't make my opinions count for any more than someone like George's.

And as far as the article which this thread is about, my opinion stands, it is a whiny piece written with envy and bias.

Good post Virgil, I have had my gripes with NHRA in the past believe me! But I also know there are a TON of entertainment options out there to do other than NHRA or Drag racing in general. Some of these guys act like they are trapped at an NHRA race, and don't want to be there! Seems like most disgruntled NHRA fans end up at March Meet or the CHRR!

 

[Nitrohelper]

....with over the past 5 years....

How about during the past 48 years since I started burning Nitro ...
I also have my tune-ups in 12 Nitro funny cars or Fuel Altereds ...

 

[George.]

I just don't get all the hate in this thread for NHRA. Yes they are not perfect and could do a lot of things better but if they were to pack up stop racing everyone on this board would be complaining. Without NHRA this message board wouldn't even exist. I have been a fan my entire life and was practically born at the track. My dad used to race stock but had to quit when I was young. I've had some bad expieriences at the track but the fun times definitely out number the bad. I just don't understand why some of you spend time on this message board and not say anything positive about the sport. I love the smell of nitro. I love the heart shaking vibration when two nitro cars launch on the starting line. I love walking the pits and seeing the machines up close and getting to meet the drivers. I love the electricity in the air on Sunday morning during the national anthem. I love seeing the low dollar independents putting the million dollar teams on the trailer in the first round. These are the reasons I go to the races. No other sport matches the excitement for the money. People want to blame NHRA for all the ills of the sport. IHRA has become a two day match race with four nostalgia cars and 4 A- Fuel dragsters. If there was an event in my hometown I might go but they charge $20 bucks to see 8 funny car runs. For twice as much I can go to an NHRA event and see 64 or more nitro passes. Which one is the better deal?

I'm heading over to the NBA message board to talk bad about their league and sport. I have nothing but time on my hands.

Maybe we (I) should consider that things change, people change, times change, and no matter how much I would like to see some of the glory days return, it's simply impossible to turn back the clock, and the technology that times brings.. We can try all we want, but the toothpaste never goes back into the tube..

It is what it is, and to blame the NHRA for poor moves in the past is simple hindsight, and boy would I love to be able to go back and change a few things from my early days. But it's never too late to suggest ideas that we all feel would benefit the experience with the intention of raising the next generation of drag racing fans to support this sport.. Suggestions usually come under the category of criticism, and that's what you are reading here.
I see plenty that could be corrected, but it's only my opinion from my tiny corner of the world.

 

[Nick Name]

Jay, if the racing is Superior over there then why do the Euro Fans spend $2,000-2,500 just attend an American Drag race? I sure don't hear fans from the UK or Australia whine about NHRA like Americans do!

I never said the racing was superior. I said the fun factor, have a great time factor, being treated really well by the people you are giving your money to factor, is way above that of NHRA national events.

I have attended events in The U.K, Germany, Austria, Japan, Australia, etc, and I know of what I speak.

As for the Europeans coming over here, it is supposed to be the "big time", so they have to check it out. They probably didn't think the experience was all that bad because they got to see John Force in person.

As for the Pomona finals, a lot of them came over because of the pro stock bikes back when they were popular. We could count on seeing all of our European distributors at that time of the year.

 

[DragFan2]

Appearantly the writer has never been to another race before. You can't blame LVMS or NHRA for $70 round trip to the track.

I usually don't rant about an article like this but no one forced him to go to the races. If a internet magazine like DRO doesn't spport the races why should other fans come out. Positive reporting will help the sport grow much more than negative stories. Me and my wife went to Vegas for the races. After paying for flights, hotel, rental car, race tickets and food we dished out $1600. Of course that doesn't even include our losses at the casino's. I had a hell of a time and I can't wait to return in October.

Chris and others, if not familiar with DRO (Drag Racing Online) and its columnists, then you are in for a rude awakening. Jok (not Joe) Nicholson is a regular columnist for DRO and has been for as long as I can remember. I can assure you he has been to many many drag races. Apparently not to LVMS until now, as he lives in Iowa, home to NO major NHRA national events. He is a former (possibly current) sportsman racer so he knows his way around drag strips, just not ones that have the NHRA Gestapo controling it as he stated. The Editor-in-Chief of DRO is a guy by the name of Jeff Burk. Ever heard of him either? He rants about some of the same things that Jok Nicholson did, and quite often. Both are concerned for the fans and the fan experience just as much as you probably are. I can guarantee you that most fans of drag racing don't drop $1600.00 on a race weekend. That is close to my entire entertainment budget for a year, besides an actual vacation, and I don't consider myself poor. I have been attending drag races since the 60's and still go every year, but I do it on a budget or I don't go. Let's just say I'm not one of the 1% ers of the U.S. In this economy, and with events poorly attended for several years now, it would behoove NHRA to listen to the complaints from columnists of Drag Racing Magazines, whether they are whining or stating facts in an objective manner. I chose NOT to attend the Gatornationals this year due to cost, and it is the 1st time I have missed the Gators since I moved to Florida in 1988. A 24 yr. straight attendance streak down the tubes due to economic reasons. So, YES, there are many choices to spend my entertainment dollars, and this year the Gatornationals didn't make the cut. I hated to miss it, but I survived. Will NHRA? How many 20-something kids are they attracting these days? If it weren't for us 40 and over geezers propping them up, they would be bankrupt by now. I think it would be smart to listen to some of us long time fans before it is too late. I may skip next years Gators too, and that could be my new streak. Anyone listening??

 

[Treeshaker]

Trouble is we do know DRO and their slant on NHRA. Now if DRO and it's "writers" have all the answers, then explain why the series they promote is floundering? Three years and the crowds are small, along with small purses, lack of participation, rules constantly in flux, and races canceled at the last minute. Maybe they should strike a deal with Jerry for the 12 cars he is involved with. Oops, they only make about one race a year each so that wouldn't be much help.

It seems that drag racing technology and costs have passed some of us by and we feel it is NHRA's fault that we can no longer afford to attend. I visited Atlanta Dragway the past two weekends. The first week they had a swap meet at one end of the pits, a jr dragster race started at 9 am, an et race at 10 and a Summit Super Series event at 3:30. This past Friday was the second day of a 4 day event that included a swap meet, car show and street car race. Pits were packed when I arrived at 8 am with a line still out to the highway to get in. Now maybe these individuals will attend the NHRA national event there in a couple of weeks, maybe they will chose to spend their money on their mode of participation. Either way, Atlanta Dragway and NHRA seem to be doing well at this venue by listening to their customers and fulfilling their desires.

Now I must admit that I do not attend any national events as a spectator and only a few when friends ask for my help, and most of the time I try to do that over the phone. Not because of cost or rude workers or quality of show or size of facilities. I admit to having an addiction, and that is that I get a very strong desire to participate, and I always over indulge in everything, by competing with those that I consider the best in the business. It is best for me to not tempt myself.

 

[DragFan2]

You are missing my point Joe...

This is the NHRA, not the NFL.
Re-read my post a little slower, and put yourself in the position of a newbie attendee who gets their first taste of the current NHRA experience.
How many become returning fans, especially if you can't bring in a bottle of water? An embarrassing low for a family sport...
I might sound negative and I may be way off base, but for me, the draw has totally jumped the shark. Nothing new except less track and more John Force.

George, I agree with your point about who Jok Nicholson's audience was, and it wasn't towards the Joe Sherwoods of the Drag Racing world. He was writing it towards a newbie audience and what MAY have happened to such a person and his wife. Just imagine if they had been dragging small children along with them! I agree with many posters here, including Virgil Hartman, that he was "whiny" and unfolded practically a "worst case" scenario. I have never experienced anything close to that, or James Aslip's nightmare he shared with everyone. Again, this is a Drag Racing FAN forum that is read by a very small percentage of drag racing fans, pretty much the "hard core" variety, and DRO is targeting mostly hard core FANS too, so I doubt that a casual fan would ever see or be aware of Jok Nicholson's article. He was directing it to those in the industry, and unfortunately NHRA management primarily, as a wakeup call. I still enjoy going to NHRA sanctioned drag races when I can as I have witnessed firsthand the evolution of the sport to the professional atmosphere it is today. The "good old days" were fun, but things were very crude back then, and amenities like we have today have vastly improved the experience. I've been disappointed like he was by nitro cars going up in smoke early in a run and coasting through the run, and usually that is a factor of track temp. Typically if it is too hot, but sometimes if it is too cold, and I understand that. Casual fans probably don't. I have also experienced lots of oil-downs too, which I usually appreciate as it gives me a chance to run and take a leak without missing any action. I still support NHRA and will continue, once my current economic situation improves.

 

[glofria]

Some good dialog going on here and want to add some comments.

Judging by the stands at national events, whether it's the fan or the sportsman racer (not back at their trailer) less people are seeing the value of being there.

The success of the sport of drag racing is not entirely based on the success of the NHRA's national events. More so by the willingness of those who take their own car to the local track and race it.

Lastly, this sport like all others are a form of entertainment. Some are entertained by watching others participate in the act of racing, and others find entertainment in doing the act themselves. Personally I fall in the later category.

BTW, look for our racing program on the cover and with an article in the next Drag Racer Magazine due out May 15th.

 

[Nitrohelper]

....they only make about one race a year.......

Wrong again - plastic breath , I was at sixteen events last season, and tuned over 100 runs...

 

[Topfuel386]

He means DRO races grandpa.

 

[Nitrohelper]

He means DRO ....

Guess he can't count very good ,isn't there six?

 

[Huge]

Trouble is we do know DRO and their slant on NHRA. Now if DRO and it's "writers" have all the answers, then explain why the series they promote is floundering? Three years and the crowds are small, along with small purses, lack of participation, rules constantly in flux, and races canceled at the last minute. Maybe they should strike a deal with Jerry for the 12 cars he is involved with. Oops, they only make about one race a year each so that wouldn't be much help.

It seems that drag racing technology and costs have passed some of us by and we feel it is NHRA's fault that we can no longer afford to attend. I visited Atlanta Dragway the past two weekends. The first week they had a swap meet at one end of the pits, a jr dragster race started at 9 am, an et race at 10 and a Summit Super Series event at 3:30. This past Friday was the second day of a 4 day event that included a swap meet, car show and street car race. Pits were packed when I arrived at 8 am with a line still out to the highway to get in. Now maybe these individuals will attend the NHRA national event there in a couple of weeks, maybe they will chose to spend their money on their mode of participation. Either way, Atlanta Dragway and NHRA seem to be doing well at this venue by listening to their customers and fulfilling their desires.

Now I must admit that I do not attend any national events as a spectator and only a few when friends ask for my help, and most of the time I try to do that over the phone. Not because of cost or rude workers or quality of show or size of facilities. I admit to having an addiction, and that is that I get a very strong desire to participate, and I always over indulge in everything, by competing with those that I consider the best in the business. It is best for me to not tempt myself.

I seen Rhonda at the restaurant this weekend. We really miss seeing you and Rhonda out here on the tour.