Drag Racing is Dying

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Part of the problem with drag racing is the import crowd. I went for a test and tune late last year and it happened to be honda day at Island Dragway. I understand that the track owners need to cater to these people to keep the revenue coming, but the element it attracts is disgusting. They have no respect for rules, property or even laws. I was lucky that I was able to get two passes in. The junk they bring to the track is amazing. They blow up their cars on the starting line and drive the length of the track in the groove. And that's the good part. I need to hear them blasting their shitty music so loud that I can't hear the PA system at the track? I need to smell them smoking their weed by me? You tell the track officials whats going on and they stop by to have a word with them and not throw them out. I"m lucky enough to be racing with NENDRA where we have about 10-15 guys show up on race day for about 16 races or so during the year at different tracks. We make sure when the schedule is made that there is not going to be any rif-raf at the track that day. The younger crowd is showing up at the track, they just don't have any respect for property other than their own. They amount of garbage that was flying around the track in the pits that day was disgusting. Even with trash barrels all over the place. I don't even understand why you would want to own a track at this point anymore.
Sorry for the rant.
 
bobtile said:
Part of the problem with drag racing is the import crowd. I went for a test and tune late last year and it happened to be honda day at Island Dragway. I understand that the track owners need to cater to these people to keep the revenue coming, but the element it attracts is disgusting. They have no respect for rules, property or even laws. I was lucky that I was able to get two passes in. The junk they bring to the track is amazing. They blow up their cars on the starting line and drive the length of the track in the groove. And that's the good part. I need to hear them blasting their shitty music so loud that I can't hear the PA system at the track? I need to smell them smoking their weed by me? You tell the track officials whats going on and they stop by to have a word with them and not throw them out. I"m lucky enough to be racing with NENDRA where we have about 10-15 guys show up on race day for about 16 races or so during the year at different tracks. We make sure when the schedule is made that there is not going to be any rif-raf at the track that day. The younger crowd is showing up at the track, they just don't have any respect for property other than their own. They amount of garbage that was flying around the track in the pits that day was disgusting. Even with trash barrels all over the place. I don't even understand why you would want to own a track at this point anymore.
Sorry for the rant.
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I imagine the old hot rod guys said that about muscle car guys. The import crowd is just young and dumb just like every other group of kids.

They will learn to respect rules and property but we can only hope that they stay active in the sport.
 
bobtile said:
I need to hear them blasting their shitty music so loud that I can't hear the PA system at the track?
Click to expand...

That's why real race cars have ...........radio delete!!!! :boxing::laughing:
 

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bobtile said:
Part of the problem with drag racing is the import crowd. I went for a test and tune late last year and it happened to be honda day at Island Dragway. I understand that the track owners need to cater to these people to keep the revenue coming, but the element it attracts is disgusting. They have no respect for rules, property or even laws. I was lucky that I was able to get two passes in. The junk they bring to the track is amazing. They blow up their cars on the starting line and drive the length of the track in the groove. And that's the good part. I need to hear them blasting their shitty music so loud that I can't hear the PA system at the track? I need to smell them smoking their weed by me? You tell the track officials whats going on and they stop by to have a word with them and not throw them out. I"m lucky enough to be racing with NENDRA where we have about 10-15 guys show up on race day for about 16 races or so during the year at different tracks. We make sure when the schedule is made that there is not going to be any rif-raf at the track that day. The younger crowd is showing up at the track, they just don't have any respect for property other than their own. They amount of garbage that was flying around the track in the pits that day was disgusting. Even with trash barrels all over the place. I don't even understand why you would want to own a track at this point anymore.
Sorry for the rant.
Click to expand...

That is the younger generation in every aspect in life these days.

I say that even though I am part of the younger generation but my adoptive dad is very much the older generation and he tells me and my cousins all the time "you kids are not entitled to anything, you just have everything because previous generations worked hard to give their kids everything"

This generation is probably the most spoiled they have been in a long time.....possibly ever. Everyone wants their kids to succeed and not have to toil, but then the kids don't appreciate it after awhile because they never knew what its like to go without.

The baby boomer generation were spoiled by the toils of their parents and got a lot more slack but every generation grew the problem bigger.
 
doogievlg said:
I imagine the old hot rod guys said that about muscle car guys. The import crowd is just young and dumb just like every other group of kids.

They will learn to respect rules and property but we can only hope that they stay active in the sport.
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The old hot rod guys may not have agreed or liked the muscle car crowd, but they could never say we disrespected property or didn't follow rules at the track. That's not how I was raised anyway!
 
RaniDart70 said:
That is the younger generation in every aspect in life these days.

I say that even though I am part of the younger generation but my adoptive dad is very much the older generation and he tells me and my cousins all the time "you kids are not entitled to anything, you just have everything because previous generations worked hard to give their kids everything"

This generation is probably the most spoiled they have been in a long time.....possibly ever. Everyone wants their kids to succeed and not have to toil, but then the kids don't appreciate it after awhile because they never knew what its like to go without.

The baby boomer generation were spoiled by the toils of their parents and got a lot more slack but every generation grew the problem bigger.
Click to expand...
Exactly!
 
bobtile said:
The old hot rod guys may not have agreed or liked the muscle car crowd, but they could never say we disrespected property or didn't follow rules at the track. That's not how I was raised anyway!
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Are you serious? Your telling me young crowds in the 70s weren't smoking pot in the pits or drinking or blaring zeppelin?

The older guys will ALWAYS complain about the younger crowd in every aspect of life. They have every right to because what you explained is sadly what happens with younger crowds.

I would rather have a bunch of kids acting like idiots at a track then have a track that's a ghost town and about to shut down.

This thread was started sayying the sport is dying. What you are sayying is that we should let it. Like I said before these kids will turn into adults and mature and keep our sport alive!
 
Drag racing is still quite popular tho, come to the yellow bullet race at cecil this year, ull see what i mean
 
RaniDart70 said:
well, you don't have to go there.......its just a discussion ....nothing personal, in my books we are still FABO siblings because regardless your style, your scamp could be on a scrap pile now, so I appreciate that you are keeping it on the road.

No bigs .....in fact I will even friend request you, because it is what it is and its all good. :)
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Oh I agree different strokes for different folks I do apologize for calling you an idiot. I let my pride get the best of me
 
doogievlg said:
Are you serious? Your telling me young crowds in the 70s weren't smoking pot in the pits or drinking or blaring zeppelin?

The older guys will ALWAYS complain about the younger crowd in every aspect of life. They have every right to because what you explained is sadly what happens with younger crowds.

I would rather have a bunch of kids acting like idiots at a track then have a track that's a ghost town and about to shut down.

This thread was started sayying the sport is dying. What you are sayying is that we should let it. Like I said before these kids will turn into adults and mature and keep our sport alive!
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I'm completely serious. I don't know what you did in the seventies, but as a teen in the early eighties, The people I saw and hung with at Englishtown weren't like that.
I shouldn't have called them kids. These are 25-35 year olds who will never respect anything in life.
You're entitled to your opinion, and I mine. I never said I would rather have the track shut down. I go there in spite of certain "elements" it brings in.I just said I would never want to own one.
 
Wouldn't waste my time with drifting most of the cars are "rice burners" which I have no respect for.. "real" muscle cars race in a STRAIGHT LINE as far as the sport dying not really but there are just too damn many "rice burners" taking up space in the staging lanes and breaking at the starting line causing delays every time I'm at the track:angryfir::angryfir::angryfir:
 
"Are you serious? Your telling me young crowds in the 70s weren't smoking pot in the pits or drinking or blaring zeppelin?"

I ran at Fremont Raceway sometimes twice weekly 1971 - 1980 and NEVER smelled pot and don't remember hearing any music period (how could I over open headers?).
 
Is drag racing dying?
No.
Is it changing?
Yes.
Money and insurance have changed the sport......a lot, at least for the pro or semi pro racer, but that's not realistic for most of us.
Technology has a big part to do with it, the quest to be more up to date with computers, etc. It's not as simple today as it was in the '50s to the '70s (for the average Joe). People used to race with a ''run what you brung'' attitude, now it seems that it's as if you don't have a 9 second car that's streetable, you are laughed off the track.
Back in the day, (the '60's), if you had a car that was in the 13's you were a big deal. If it was in the 12's, it was a serious player. 11's? you were a pro.
People have lost sight on what it is to have fun......to hell with the numbers, and the big budget that goes along with it.
That's the spirit of drag racing that will never die, if people will just go back to the roots of it.
Have fun, that's what it's all about.
For what it's worth, i don't get any enjoyment out of the drifting thing.
 
No spectators? Last time I went to a race with some friends it was something like $75 for me and my 2 young-ins to get in the gate. I don't need to watch some $75 kind of bad. just sayin'
 
stroked340 said:
Wouldn't waste my time with drifting most of the cars are "rice burners" which I have no respect for:angryfir::angryfir::angryfir:
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If you ever get a chance to ride in a skyline gtr go for it. Might give you a new look at things. But I will agree that I absolutely hate front wheel drive.
 
1970Duster said:
If you ever get a chance to ride in a skyline gtr go for it. Might give you a new look at things. But I will agree that I absolutely hate front wheel drive.
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I wouldn't mind going for a ride in a gtr :) I really wish they would have had a different design but it's still an amazing car.
 
Dartnut said:
Is drag racing dying?
No.
Is it changing?
Yes.
Money and insurance have changed the sport......a lot, at least for the pro or semi pro racer, but that's not realistic for most of us.
Technology has a big part to do with it, the quest to be more up to date with computers, etc. It's not as simple today as it was in the '50s to the '70s (for the average Joe). People used to race with a ''run what you brung'' attitude, now it seems that it's as if you don't have a 9 second car that's streetable, you are laughed off the track.
Back in the day, (the '60's), if you had a car that was in the 13's you were a big deal. If it was in the 12's, it was a serious player. 11's? you were a pro.
People have lost sight on what it is to have fun......to hell with the numbers, and the big budget that goes along with it.
That's the spirit of drag racing that will never die, if people will just go back to the roots of it.
Have fun, that's what it's all about.
For what it's worth, i don't get any enjoyment out of the drifting thing.
Click to expand...

Well said.

It's tough being young and having the money to build a decent car.
 
I drift on occasion....I drift toward the center-line and the other guy freaks out, hits the brakes and I get the win light, LOL.....well, it only happened once, by accident, but hey, it was funny all the same :D.
 
RaniDart70 said:
That is the younger generation in every aspect in life these days.

I say that even though I am part of the younger generation but my adoptive dad is very much the older generation and he tells me and my cousins all the time "you kids are not entitled to anything, you just have everything because previous generations worked hard to give their kids everything"

This generation is probably the most spoiled they have been in a long time.....possibly ever. Everyone wants their kids to succeed and not have to toil, but then the kids don't appreciate it after awhile because they never knew what its like to go without.

The baby boomer generation were spoiled by the toils of their parents and got a lot more slack but every generation grew the problem bigger.
Click to expand...


If I did not know better I would swear up and down you were an old stuffy white guy just buy reading most of your posts in this thread.


No offence ment, just a fun observation.
 
flyfish said:
I drift on occasion....I drift toward the center-line and the other guy freaks out, hits the brakes and I get the win light, LOL.....well, it only happened once, by accident, but hey, it was funny all the same :D.
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very nice, that is definately some drag race humor and scary as hell if you see the other guy drifting your way ....LOL


that almost looks like a colorado plate on the front of that purple cuda notch.
 
Burntorange70 said:
If I did not know better I would swear up and down you were an old stuffy white guy just buy reading most of your posts in this thread.


No offence ment, just a fun observation.
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Im not sure if that is a compliment or what it is but i will take it as good because i find i have more to talk about with the older folks than people my age. Probably started when i became real close friends with a few of my professors which you could probably call old stuffy white guys LOL

That is the problem with college, you start to see things in a different light which contrasts your old high school buddies. Ideolgies and political stances can be impacted by a different style of thinking.

My life would be a whole bunch easier in this hobby and lifestyle if i were a stuffy white guy
 
NASCAR and drag racing used to be stock car racing, you watched them at the track, going straight or around a oval. But it was with cars you and the guy down the street could buy and run on an average paycheck, not any more. the cars or the money to run them
 
Nobody has mentioned one of the biggest changes...... THE CREDIT CARD! It use to be if you bought a cam, 4bbl and headers, you saved and felt like you spent a ton. Now, everybody has a card and a catalog, which translates to aftermarket heads, strokers, advanced cams, and a payment at the end of each month (LOL). But they don't care, they went fast. I'm not that old, but I do remember when a 13 second street car was a tough car to beat! There was always those that went much faster, but your common street hot rod couldn't get into the 13's. There were a lot of 14 & 15 second Camaros, Monte's, and 5.0's. I can remember the Grand Nationals being well respected from the dealerships, and they ran 14.90's from the box.
 
318willrun said:
Nobody has mentioned one of the biggest changes...... THE CREDIT CARD! It use to be if you bought a cam, 4bbl and headers, you saved and felt like you spent a ton. Now, everybody has a card and a catalog, which translates to aftermarket heads, strokers, advanced cams, and a payment at the end of each month (LOL).
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Thats because the parts stores dont carry anything for older cars anymore. I just ordered an exhaust kit from Jegs because there is no way anyone is going to have something like that locally.

In fact i am getting a grocery list of things to "order" from my local advance auto parts store.

Such as a slant six intake/exhaust gasket......slant six timing set. These items were probably in stock at one time but now i already know i will have to order them and then after a few days go all the way back and pick up the order....or i could go online and order it from advance auto dot com but they dont have free shipping now and i am not paying $9.95 to get a timing set and a gasket down here to my shop.

since there is a waiting time no matter what option you pick now, ebay is just as good as any other source and if anything you can probably score a better deal online
 
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