I hate the direction racing is heading

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Since Camping World took over as the title sponsor for NHRA and the fact that NHRA owns Indianapolis Raceway Park they have killed bracket racing for the average guy.

No longer do you just race for points on Saturday, but now also Sunday as well. If you wish to race for championship points you have too race twice per weekend now.

The motorhomes start filing in on Friday night for Glamping and don't leave until late Sunday. Worse yet you only get one practice pass on Sunday.

I grew up racing Friday and Saturday at two different tracks. You got there at 5pm and went home around 2am. Those were the good days of racing.

Camping out on an asphalt parking for two nights in a $250,000 to $1,000,000 camper isn't in my budget, or idea of fun racing.

Tom
 
I'll have to agree with you there Tom. Back in the day, I'd get off work, have the car on the trailer in the shop (notice 'ON' the trailer, no enclosed trailers back then, and lots of guys were were still using tow bars), haul that 500 miles and catch some zzzz's in the cab before the gates opened at 8am. That was back in the day when Calif was still enjoying their love affair with the automobile and there were lots of dragstrips and roadrace tracks, and NOTHING but 1/4 mile strips at that! 1/8 mile...what that heck is that?! I never had agreed with 'buy backs' but then I'm REAL OLD school, or maybe just old?!
 
Since Camping World took over as the title sponsor for NHRA and the fact that NHRA owns Indianapolis Raceway Park they have killed bracket racing for the average guy.

No longer do you just race for points on Saturday, but now also Sunday as well. If you wish to race for championship points you have too race twice per weekend now.

The motorhomes start filing in on Friday night for Glamping and don't leave until late Sunday. Worse yet you only get one practice pass on Sunday.

I grew up racing Friday and Saturday at two different tracks. You got there at 5pm and went home around 2am. Those were the good days of racing.

Camping out on an asphalt parking for two nights in a $250,000 to $1,000,000 camper isn't in my budget, or idea of fun racing.

Tom


Yep some guys do that. I’m on my third motorhome and never paid over 6000.00 for one. Current one is a 2001 Chevy 454 (25 foot) that had 23000 miles on it and I paid 5000.00 for it. I bought a used Trailer Toad that I put between the motorhome and the car trailer so it get all the weight and I don’t tear up the motorhome.

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Wait, what the hell is a buyback


Now if you are asking a serious question let’s say there are 80 cars for first round in my class so 40 win 40 lose. 40 guys at 30.00 each are allowed to buyback so to make it easy let’s say 30 guys want to. Those 30 guys race each other and now we have 15 winners and 15 losers that go home or have a beer. The 15 winners join the original 40 winners making it 55 cars heading to second round to race out the evening. So the track made in my class 30 x 30.00 more towards electric bills, wages, taxes, gas for mowers, maintenance, track equipment, insurance, traction compound, new spectator seats, lightning damage, etc. it also helps pay for low car count day purses.
 
No matter what you think of Nascar. They do a better job at supporting regional and local tracks than NHRA/IHRA. So any "Out of the box" ideas is welcomed. The monies is still too top heavy in Drag Racing. Which is contributing to reductions in tracks.

Once my car is where I'm happy. I like watching test & tunes and even qualifying from the stands. I began getting discouraged when index Racing began using throttle stops to regulate their elapsed times. Who wants to watch that?

There are a number of troubling signs we can all point too for discouragement. And I wish I had a magic answer. But if I was the owner of a small track? I would go more viral. Have a cyber talk and interview crew work the crowd and the pits. With today's bandwidths on 5g networks you can even have it interactive with logged in users all over the world. Adding virtual advertising sponsorship?

Again, just throwing out ideas.

I know I’ll get some hate for saying this but the NHRA needs to realize bracket racing isn’t a spectator sport. Small tracks right now that are doing really well are the ones that are getting some time of heads up racing on the schedule. I’ve been to plenty of the big money bracket races all over Ohio/Kentucky/Indiana. Yes the pits are packed but the stands are empty. When I go to a small tire/radial/street car type event the pits are packed full of cars and the stands are full of families watching racing.

People don’t understand the skill involved in bracket racing if they haven’t done it or grown up around it. To them it’s just a bunch of 9 second cars running 10 second passes.
 
I know I’ll get some hate for saying this but the NHRA needs to realize bracket racing isn’t a spectator sport. Small tracks right now that are doing really well are the ones that are getting some time of heads up racing on the schedule. I’ve been to plenty of the big money bracket races all over Ohio/Kentucky/Indiana. Yes the pits are packed but the stands are empty. When I go to a small tire/radial/street car type event the pits are packed full of cars and the stands are full of families watching racing.

People don’t understand the skill involved in bracket racing if they haven’t done it or grown up around it. To them it’s just a bunch of 9 second cars running 10 second passes.

Right on the first paragraph, wrong on the second.

Maybe at a National Event there is a percentage of the spectators who don’t understand the skill it takes to bracket race, but the vast majority of them find it mind numbingly boring.

When any group of people don’t like something why is the de facto answer they don’t understand it? Most people are not stupid. They get it. But hour after hour of throttle stop .90 racing is like watching cheese mold.

Even drag racing nerds have to math out the “package” which is really calculating your throttle stop and delay box settings.

When I first started racing there were no 2,3 or however many extra “hit” delay boxes, no throttle stops or the like. Adding all that just made the cost go up. And you get the added ”benefit” of all that junk making guys competitive who’d be better served at a golf course.

It has nothing to do with misunderstanding bracket racing. The **** is boring. Even doing it is boring. No misunderstanding that.
 
Right on the first paragraph, wrong on the second.

Maybe at a National Event there is a percentage of the spectators who don’t understand the skill it takes to bracket race, but the vast majority of them find it mind numbingly boring.

When any group of people don’t like something why is the de facto answer they don’t understand it? Most people are not stupid. They get it. But hour after hour of throttle stop .90 racing is like watching cheese mold.

Even drag racing nerds have to math out the “package” which is really calculating your throttle stop and delay box settings.

When I first started racing there were no 2,3 or however many extra “hit” delay boxes, no throttle stops or the like. Adding all that just made the cost go up. And you get the added ”benefit” of all that junk making guys competitive who’d be better served at a golf course.

It has nothing to do with misunderstanding bracket racing. The **** is boring. Even doing it is boring. No misunderstanding that.

For you personally no. You understand it fine and so do most people that really race. But the family that watches the shows on Discovery channel or the young kids watching YouTube videos of street racing they don’t get it.

With that being said, I could not tell you the last time I went to just watch a bracket race but I can tell you I’ve been to plenty of radial tire and small tire races in the last 5 years.
 
Now if you are asking a serious question let’s say there are 80 cars for first round in my class so 40 win 40 lose. 40 guys at 30.00 each are allowed to buyback so to make it easy let’s say 30 guys want to. Those 30 guys race each other and now we have 15 winners and 15 losers that go home or have a beer. The 15 winners join the original 40 winners making it 55 cars heading to second round to race out the evening. So the track made in my class 30 x 30.00 more towards electric bills, wages, taxes, gas for mowers, maintenance, track equipment, insurance, traction compound, new spectator seats, lightning damage, etc. it also helps pay for low car count day purses.
Not sure why someone disagreed but this explanation makes sense. Thanks!
 
Not sure why someone disagreed but this explanation makes sense. Thanks!
My local track I have been racing at for over 35 years just cut their Summit Points days from 20 or so to 6 and if you want a second time shot on a points day its $20 , they claim its because of the money . Between that and a few comments made by track management it has upset a lot of people I know for a fact it is going to hurt their car count considerably and racers are already flocking to other tracks points series. My racing program has moved to pro tree and index racing which my local track doesn't offer so after 25 years I won't be renewing my reserved parking spot for that reason but also the comments made . I also won't support their swap meet, nostalgia races or their Mopar race which I have always tried to help promote
 
There are two methods of thought to both brackets and .90 racing: true dial-in 'bracket racing' does involve a developed skill of judging when and where to 'back-pedal', shut off/get your foot off the loud-pedal, really knowing the particulars of your vehicle and the most important part...cutting the lgiht! On-the-other-hand, for the most part .90 has gotten to be more of a 'point and shoot' category with all the electronic paraphernalia to do just about all but steer the car...where's the real skill in that? And my friend, THAT is boring! NHRA stock/super stock racing has taken on a glorified bracket-style racing which has caused a real change in flavor over the years compared to what it had originally been in the '60 and '70s. Unfortunately, speed and power are measured by the bankroll or how big (or small) the racing budget is...and that's a fact! During the early years of .90 (super street/super gas/super comp), there were some pretty exciting races as a good portion of the racers were still wrenching their cars to 'hit the number' w/o any help from mr delay box or any ignition cut out system, there was actually a higher driver skill-factor involved. Unfortunately, like most things in our ever evolving society...let the machine do it as it does a better job...yawn...and I have so many more important things to do (other than develope skills)!
 
My local track I have been racing at for over 35 years just cut their Summit Points days from 20 or so to 6 and if you want a second time shot on a points day its $20 , they claim its because of the money . Between that and a few comments made by track management it has upset a lot of people I know for a fact it is going to hurt their car count considerably and racers are already flocking to other tracks points series. My racing program has moved to pro tree and index racing which my local track doesn't offer so after 25 years I won't be renewing my reserved parking spot for that reason but also the comments made . I also won't support their swap meet, nostalgia races or their Mopar race which I have always tried to help promote


Close it up!!! That will teach em a lesson.
 
This sounds like tracks are attempting a double elimination format? This is common in like softball and pool tournaments. The problem of course with drag racing is mechanical failures. By expanding the field thus adding more runs. Chances of car failure increases.

I'm not totally against the idea of buy back. If a fair portion of proceeds goes into prize monies. But from what I'm hearing it's not the case? (As you can tell. I haven't been to the track post Covid time. Sounds like changes have been made?)
 
At least at some of these races. Buy one entry for 400.00 and get another one free. Buybacks first round 125.00. Buyback second round 100.00. It’s not about being the best racer anymore. It’s about being young enough to double enter all weekend and have lots of money in your pocket. For guys that have never driven 200-500 miles to a race and be at the track for four days you will never understand how just one race entry takes being in good condition. Then there’s the drive home. Warming up your car at 7am and racing going on till 2-4am. I love it but even if you don’t race both entries you are up and ready all day long.
When I start hatin somethin, I quit doin it. Maybe you need to whoop you up a street car and drive it around and see how that feels.
 
Yep some guys do that. I’m on my third motorhome and never paid over 6000.00 for one. Current one is a 2001 Chevy 454 (25 foot) that had 23000 miles on it and I paid 5000.00 for it. I bought a used Trailer Toad that I put between the motorhome and the car trailer so it get all the weight and I don’t tear up the motorhome.

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Very nice setup, John.
 
When I start hatin somethin, I quit doin it. Maybe you need to whoop you up a street car and drive it around and see how that feels.
He's BTDT, the track allows him to race and go fast and stay out of jail.
 
Close it up!!! That will teach em a lesson.
I surely don't want them to close as its only a 1/2 hour / 32 miles from my house and I will probably still test there.. the current owner is the third generation of the original owners I just wish she would remember who has supported the track for so many years and kept them in business. " you don't bite the hand that feeds you "
 
When I start hatin somethin, I quit doin it. Maybe you need to whoop you up a street car and drive it around and see how that feels.


Rusty if you lived that life racing 5-6 nights a week and two days at the track and survived and didn’t have a handful of tickets it was time to quit. 3-4 years of street racing with guys traveling 25 plus miles away to race you was exciting and I loved every minute of it but I wouldn’t go back. Been there done that. I wasn’t undefeated but I was pretty close to it. When guys still talk about your car from the 70’s and 80’s I guess I left a mark.
 
For you personally no. You understand it fine and so do most people that really race. But the family that watches the shows on Discovery channel or the young kids watching YouTube videos of street racing they don’t get it.

With that being said, I could not tell you the last time I went to just watch a bracket race but I can tell you I’ve been to plenty of radial tire and small tire races in the last 5 years.
I was at Edgewater watching the small tire race last weekend.
 
For you personally no. You understand it fine and so do most people that really race. But the family that watches the shows on Discovery channel or the young kids watching YouTube videos of street racing they don’t get it.

With that being said, I could not tell you the last time I went to just watch a bracket race but I can tell you I’ve been to plenty of radial tire and small tire races in the last 5 years.

I go up often and watch bracket racing when I have a few hours and am not racing myself.
 
Yep some guys do that. I’m on my third motorhome and never paid over 6000.00 for one. Current one is a 2001 Chevy 454 (25 foot) that had 23000 miles on it and I paid 5000.00 for it. I bought a used Trailer Toad that I put between the motorhome and the car trailer so it get all the weight and I don’t tear up the motorhome.

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Don't think I've ever seen a trailer toad before. Looks like a great idea though! We take the same motorhome approach. Find a good used one for not a lot of money, and if it needs minor repairs then I do that myself.
 
How was the turn out? I figured 10k should get some fast cars out of the garage. Wanted to go but I had way too much to get done around the house.
It was a shXX show. Track was cold and everyone had too much power in their cars. 3rd pair down the track a Nova hit the wall. 45mins later after cleaning the track, a Turbo Buick blew parts everywhere. They were very loose in the middle. Had to run 1/8 mile because the slow down area was under water. On a positive note, the car that won overall was a 1969 Roadrunner.
 
It was a shXX show. Track was cold and everyone had too much power in their cars. 3rd pair down the track a Nova hit the wall. 45mins later after cleaning the track, a Turbo Buick blew parts everywhere. They were very loose in the middle. Had to run 1/8 mile because the slow down area was under water. On a positive note, the car that won overall was a 1969 Roadrunner.

was the roadrunner kinda charcoal black
 
It was a shXX show. Track was cold and everyone had too much power in their cars. 3rd pair down the track a Nova hit the wall. 45mins later after cleaning the track, a Turbo Buick blew parts everywhere. They were very loose in the middle. Had to run 1/8 mile because the slow down area was under water. On a positive note, the car that won overall was a 1969 Roadrunner.

That track has come a long way but there is a ton of work to be done. Last time it flooded we were down there running a friends Mustang. The track still had dirt on it. At the 1/8 mile the car in the other lane hit the dirt and started to spin. Crossed the line in front of my buddy and smashed the wall. Luckily my friend saw him coming over and got on the breaks immediately. Still, their piss poor track care causes accidents.
 
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