Drag Racing is Dying

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The object of racing is to be the faster than the next guy, this takes innovation and technology, innovation and technology cost more and more, most regular guys can't afford that anymore. Seems like back in the day when my dad was racing it was all about who could get the best tune that day and it was mostly all motor or some nitrous, most of those classes are dead. Now you need a turbo or blower, fuel injection and a bunch of electronics to be competitive.
 
My original post wasn't intended to bash other forms of motorsports. I'm not into NASCAR, drifting, import racing or stuff like that. BUT, I won't cut down those that do like it. If that's your thing, go for it!! I might even watch once or twice. We would all be really bored if we all liked the same thing.
To be brutally honest, I've never been a big Mopar fan. I've built many Chevys and Fords. This is only my 2nd Chrysler product (first being a '67 Belvedere 2-door 225/auto). But the more I work on my 'cuda, the more I like it. I doubt I'll convert to a Mopar only fan, but none-the-less I'll enjoy Mopars and hang out with other Mopar owners and be happy about it.
Who knows? Someday I might try drifting or circle track racing. But whether I do or not, I won't put down those that love it!!! That's what Hot Rodding is all about!!
 
If you think drag racing is a dying sport just come to California. If anything is still good in California its that we still have tracks to race on. In fact the AAA drag strip just re-opened in Fontana. Once a month is street class racing. $20, closed exhaust, no leaks and no sub-10 second cars. And is a 1/4 mile. Not that watered down 1000ft NHRA has to use. No 1/8 mile nonsense. Also have Famoso. It's like going back in time when you go there. Still in the middle of corn fields and a cement factory.
 
i'm glad Ca still has that kind of racing available. we all equate Ca to the ca culturer/ racing scene. gotta be plenty of open space left out there, EPA can screw everything?

without trying to explain to those not associated with "horse" activites, which is multi-billion dollar thing, let me say the "growth" areas have been the segments that offer FUN and AFFORABILITY. team roping, ranch team sorting, have grown beyond belief, every years last 5-6 years out of mind. while the events that cater to the rich and upper middleclass have stayed barely status quo.

I see the car seen/drag racing/ motorsports, etc...... will continue to grow in the "littleguy" camp...
 
SoulSurvivor said:
If you think drag racing is a dying sport just come to California. If anything is still good in California its that we still have tracks to race on. In fact the AAA drag strip just re-opened in Fontana. Once a month is street class racing. $20, closed exhaust, no leaks and no sub-10 second cars. And is a 1/4 mile. Not that watered down 1000ft NHRA has to use. No 1/8 mile nonsense. Also have Famoso. It's like going back in time when you go there. Still in the middle of corn fields and a cement factory.
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Glad to see they went with a full 1320, 1/8 mile doesn't get it for me.
 
D-50394 said:
The problem around here is there are so many tracks around here that it spreads the crowd out and there is not a lot of people at one place. There is at least 6 tracks within 60 miles from my house.
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Man would I like to have THAT problem!
The closest 1/8th mile track is 60 miles, and the closest 1/4 mile track (110 miles) just went into receivership. Going to have to go 3 hours plus to Ennis now. Nice track, but a long drive up a crowded interstate all the way on a Friday afternoon.
 
Unfortunately, majority of my generation (I'm 16) are interested in 4-Bangers because they're cheap and are "fast." In my town we're building a 1/8th, which will be really cool!
Nothing like the sound of a V8.
 
No prep and no times is the leading for front of drag racing these days. Bracket tracing has gone stale and is old timers still living the life of the old ways i grew up around bracket racing and it bores me to tears. I cant stand it. Class heads up racing on small tires is gonna be a blast. No prep and no times just seems more illegal legit type of setting many could grasp. So these type of events draw major crowds and now have a damn tv show called street outlaws or something. Those guys are the for front to the new era of drag racing. Big crowds, money wagering in the stands and trash talking. Not my ideal track setting or crowd but seems much more appealing to me than brackets and billionaires with paid sponsors of redbull, pepsi, or valvoline. At least i can converse or understand the no prep crowd as they are more like me than the others are. They are not dogging me for anything other than being part of the event. Nk cuz i drove a slow street car to a dragster delay box race.(yawn)

 
turbofreek said:
No prep and no times is the leading for front of drag racing these days. Bracket tracing has gone stale and is old timers still living the life of the old ways i grew up around bracket racing and it bores me to tears. I cant stand it. Class heads up racing on small tires is gonna be a blast. No prep and no times just seems more illegal legit type of setting many could grasp. So these type of events draw major crowds and now have a damn tv show called street outlaws or something. Those guys are the for front to the new era of drag racing. Big crowds, money wagering in the stands and trash talking. Not my ideal track setting or crowd but seems much more appealing to me than brackets and billionaires with paid sponsors of redbull, pepsi, or valvoline. At least i can converse or understand the no prep crowd as they are more like me than the others are. They are not dogging me for anything other than being part of the event. Nk cuz i drove a slow street car to a dragster delay box race.(yawn)

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I went to a div. race at topeka some time back, they`re were 156 dragsters in comp et bracket. 1 had a small block chrysler of some sort, 1 had a sbc, the rest were rat motored-all looked alike-all had delay boxes, crossovers and all, was absolutely the most boring part of the whole race, I went back and hung around my buddies superstocker. was way more intereting! I would rather watch real cars any day, of course they need to be fast-nosalgia cars rock!!--jmo
 
The biggest problem I see with the sport is "'US" the car guys, we post do you think drag racing is dying and I get the same type of thinking when I call my buddies about going to the track, No Body goes any more so why should I the sport is dying , it's not like it was ! Bla Bla Bla ! and their cars sit and nobody shows up at the tracks.
I think as we get older it is allot easier to make excuses on why not to do it! I know when I was younger I was @ Raceway park all the time and did not care what my junk ran, just went for the love of cars and the fun!
 
dwire67 said:
The biggest problem I see with the sport is "'US" the car guys, we post do you think drag racing is dying and I get the same type of thinking when I call my buddies about going to the track, No Body goes any more so why should I the sport is dying , it's not like it was ! Bla Bla Bla ! and their cars sit and nobody shows up at the tracks.
I think as we get older it is allot easier to make excuses on why not to do it! I know when I was younger I was @ Raceway park all the time and did not care what my junk ran, just went for the love of cars and the fun!
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Another good point. I know a lot of guys that have cars sitting in garages that never even go in a trailer. I go to the track almost every weekend in the summer. Doesn't matter if it's just the normal bracket race or a big money small tire race. At least twice a month my car is going down the strip even if it's just my street car. I'm always good to give the track owners money to help out.
 
Turthfully drag racing isnt dying. Bracket racing is. The younger guys cant afford to keep up with the electronic dragster crowds and its boring to see dragsters. I dont even lookat them except to not trip over one in the pits. Who the **** like those things is beyond my ability to comprehend. Ive seen door cars as deadly as any rail could ever be. Ive watch the best in the nation get trailered twice in the same day by the same door car. They do not make it easier to win or run a number. That is a mental midgets excuse for why they never ******* win. When the truth is they just suck at bracket racing and shouldnt be in it for sinning in the first place. They should go to enjoy some competitive fun.
 
Retson said:
Unfortunately, majority of my generation (I'm 16) are interested in 4-Bangers because they're cheap and are "fast." In my town we're building a 1/8th, which will be really cool!
Nothing like the sound of a V8.
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Nothing wrong with a four banger. Got one myself and it is the fastest in my fleet. I was into the sport compact scene before it was considered "cool" lol.

dwire67 said:
The biggest problem I see with the sport is "'US" the car guys, we post do you think drag racing is dying and I get the same type of thinking when I call my buddies about going to the track, No Body goes any more so why should I the sport is dying , it's not like it was ! Bla Bla Bla ! and their cars sit and nobody shows up at the tracks.
I think as we get older it is allot easier to make excuses on why not to do it! I know when I was younger I was @ Raceway park all the time and did not care what my junk ran, just went for the love of cars and the fun!
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I have the same troubles. I gave up asking anyone if they want to go to the track for test and tune. I just go myself.
 
At least you folks have tracks , here on the island we have historic western speedway , a 1/2 mile donut track that they use less than 500 ft of for drag racing in the summer , I used to sit the stands a few years ago for 5 bucks on a sunday afternoon , now they want 20 bucks to watch cars set up to run the distance , put a 1/4 mile car out there and it launches , bangs second and slams on the brakes yeehaw , The top track on the left coast is Mission Raceway over on the mainland ,it¸s a great track and the friday street car shootouts are fun , no elimination just keep lining up and they track who beat who and award a winner , lots of passes instead of getting a single test and maybe getting trailered first pass at western , but it's 2 hours from the ferry terminal that is 45 minutes from Victoria and a 1hr 45 min boat ride to the mainland making it at least 4 hours from here and the boats don`t run all night so add a hotel room to the double ferry ride .
 
I do agree bracket racing is going the way of the Dodo , The "no electronics , foot brake only" classes are were it`s at for me , shut up and line up , then drive it home .
 
doogievlg said:
Arguing about if drifting is better then drag racing is like arguing about gun control with a liberal. You can type all you want but in reality your just banging your head against a brick wall.......
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Now here....I can agree with you 100%.
 
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). 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.
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So true, but there are also people that throw the money at the engine and don't know what they are doing and it is an expensive slow dog. Now with that out of the way, I was at Maple Grove this past summer and it was a Saturday local meet, there were no fans in the stands except me, the OL and maybe another couple, but they were "old" like 70 or something. I still think that an NHRA sanctioned event may draw people, but there is no support for a local meet, and that is a shame. Plus, they don't let you bring your own beer in. I had to buy their expensive beer. Good thing I don't drink like I uzda could. I remember tailgating in the pits twenty years ago as a spectator. The good old days!:blob:
 
lower gas prices should help people make the trek to all kind of events. probably won't help much some activities that have a bigger problem.???

a lot of things in life run a cycle, some make a big circle and return to its roots..... if drag racing is to survive or even flourish, maybe it will have to return to its roots..... for the hobby guy... heads up and affordable for the masses.....??????
 
Was at the LVMS Strip last night for their Midnight Mayhem....good crowd of old and young...alot of newer mustangs...camaros and a few challengers....

they have a sort of Street Outlaw thing going...1/8 race...you can challenge a higher ranked car...racing was not even close...half of them did not get down the track or shut off on the line...plus they had some "showcase car" (?)....

actually the tractor draging the track make the most passes...as plenty of leakers....
 
Back in Time said:
Finally...:burnout::burnout:I don't see bracket racing dying much.Go to Bandimere in Morrison,Colorado any weekend in the summer and you will see a lot of partisipation but most of the spectators are crew and friends of the racers. On the other hand I think Professional Drag Racing is in a little trouble.It has priced it self out of the market for the most part.When John Force has to scramble for sponsorship and cut budgets in order to race things are a little shakey. I don't agree with those that say the cars need to look like they did in the 70's and 80's but do think something needs to be done about $ 60,000 bodies and $ 50,0000 blowers so more can afford to be competitive. Right now if it weren't for Force and Shumacher the fuel classes would be fielding 8 car fields at best.I don't pretend to have all the answers but it makes me sad to see a sport I care about in this shape.:sad9:
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X2

Yes, it boring to set in the grand stands watching Bracket Racing. BECAUSE I WANT TO BE DOWN THERE COMPETING!!!!

I remember the days when the grand stands intimidated me way more, then the Guy/Gal in in the other lane!:???: :D
 
D-50394 said:
The problem around here is there are so many tracks around here that it spreads the crowd out and there is not a lot of people at one place. There is at least 6 tracks within 60 miles from my house.
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God I'm envious. seriously
 
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