Sport of drag racing has no interest anymore. Lol
Ya like someone said, racing isn’t like it used to be.
- Thread starter pittsburghracer
- Start date
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Bracket Racing is thriving but Stock / Super Stock
is struggling a bit.
Many tracks in the West Coast have closed and more
are soon to be closed out here. Wild Horse in Phoenix is having the
last National Race early next year before the Indians tear it down! I have
been running the National Race and a division or two there for 30 years.
Many of the remaining tracks like Sears Pt. and my home track LVMS have dropped
many of their bracket races and test dates. They are just too big a facility and too expensive
to operate on a regular basis for Drag Racing. It is not a money maker for them except for
the National races once or twice a year.
If I did not have 12 race cars / 5 Grand Kids and a 5000 ft shop, I would be moving back East
and hanging out with you guys!
is struggling a bit.
Many tracks in the West Coast have closed and more
are soon to be closed out here. Wild Horse in Phoenix is having the
last National Race early next year before the Indians tear it down! I have
been running the National Race and a division or two there for 30 years.
Many of the remaining tracks like Sears Pt. and my home track LVMS have dropped
many of their bracket races and test dates. They are just too big a facility and too expensive
to operate on a regular basis for Drag Racing. It is not a money maker for them except for
the National races once or twice a year.
If I did not have 12 race cars / 5 Grand Kids and a 5000 ft shop, I would be moving back East
and hanging out with you guys!
Bickel Motors
Well-Known Member
GTX, I think class racing is waning somewhat in your area maybe. Here in the midwest its still pretty strong. Granted, we havent lost as many tracks as the west has, but they still show up at the association races and divisionals around here. I feel bad for the racers that dont have venues anymore. We're spoiled where i'm at
These small outlaw tracks are where the future is at. Low maintenance race at your own risk. The big money is in personal betting. NHRA and IHRA stay out.
B3422w5
Well-Known Member
Frankly, the liberals have ruined California. Expensive, ordinances, taxes, real estate is unreal high.
Places like drag strips don’t have a chance anymore , unfortunately.
loved it when I lived out there, but that was many moons ago
One doesn’t have to look far to see the success of such organizations like the Midwest Class Racers in the upper midwest/plains states that cater to the S/SS crowd. Full schedule of racing and decent payouts. I’m closer to Vegas, but maybe only race there twice a year. They run the summit series races during the daytime and most of the time its STUPID HOT in that sea of asphalt. They won’t run the lights due to costs or so I hear. Back in the day they’d run Saturday night which was great as I could even work Saturday and get there in time to race. I find myself making the five hr trek to Famoso more often, but the last two years the fuel costs have really cut into that. Irwindale has a lot of events and their Thursday night program sells out nearly every week. we‘ve been in save mode so my racing has taken a back seat. Our days in the west are numbered. Made my farewell trek to Sacramento back in September.
Mr Irving, you and I have both been around to know what exactly is and has been transpiring over the last 3+ decades with class racing and the political nonsense that goes along with it. I started racing S/S in 1971, primarily at Vacavalley and Fremont (Sears Pt was too inconsistent then with the movie corp owners at the time...might have been a tax write off?!). As much as I hated to do it, 5-6 years ago I decided I was done with NHRA and that form of class racing for a number of reasons. Unfortunately, it's gotten way out of control in Commiefornia now for most forms of motorsports as well. Interestingly, since I moved from the State of Confusion to the South I have discovered a much different form of 'S/S' racing in the form of South Eastern Gassers Assn. It sure isn't what NHRA/AHRA/IHRA was or is but it looks to be fun and the crowds are pretty impressive and more symbolic of the '60s (fairly sizeable, energetic and appreciative). The only REAL drawback is it's mainly 1/8 mile tracks but then...it's better than no track and beats the stuffins' out of street racing! YUP, it just ain't what it used to be...no doubt!...wb
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I believe I race against you with my Demon = the better part of
30 years ago.
30 years ago.
Sears Point? Sacto? Fremont? Quite possible. I lived in Vallejo until '93 when my 'carrier' job went south and I moved to Dunsmuir, an hour south of the Oregon border. I really miss Fremont as it was a neat place to race and the folks there were friendly and helpful...it was a great track and full of 'characters'! I clearly recall my first trip down the Fremont dragstrip; Friday night grudge races, me and my '67 383 B'cuda SS/HA car...ah, memories! Hahaha...hope you're getting healed up and well from the virus, John. Take care...wb
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justinp61
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Bracket racing is doing fine here, but what pays the bills for the track is the small tire and heads up shoot out stuff. Not many spectators at the regular bracket programs but there will be tons of people at the heads up stuff.
Exactly, and that's what the SouthEast Gassers Assn is all about, '60s type heads-up racing. The Assn 'rules' are limited to a 10.5" slick for gassers and 7" cheater slick for s/s. It's tough to get hooked on a small tire but there are a few guys making bumper-dragging launches on that little tire. There are a couple of fellas on this site that are running their 'gassers' so they can attest about the popularity of this Assn and type of racing. Check them out on youtube...
There is the Ozark Mountain Super Shifters in my area. You have to leave with a clutch and there are a lot of clutchless 5 speeds and Lenco's. (too bad they allow them)
They have their own points competition and put on a great show wherever they race.
They have their own points competition and put on a great show wherever they race.
BVoelzke
Well-Known Member
Bracket racing does ok at my local track but they do much better with special events like funny car shows, nostalgia races , swap meets etc. The average car count in my class ( sportsman ) is between 30 -36 cars a week , pro is usually 40 -50 cars and super pro is 15- 20 for some reason that class has been suffering for a few years now perhaps they are out big money racing. We lost Englishtown a few years ago and that was a big blow , we almost lost Atco last year but it going strong now, my local track of 25 plus years closed briefly back in 2013 due to poor management luckily it reopened after a few months under new management ( same family only now ran by the 3rd generation ) Stock and Super/ Stock , S/ST, S/G S/C etc. seem to do well here in the north east between divisional , nationals and association races (.90 , Stock / Super Stock etc. ) We run 1/4 mile but lately some races are 1/8 mile including the Bracket Finals there is talk around that all racing might turn to 1/8 mile in the Northeast division I guess it will be discussed at the Track operators meeting in January maybe just for the Summit series I guess we will see. I lately prefer index racing on a 5/10ths pro tree my local track doesn't offer it so I have to go to Atco ( two hours away ) or Cecil County ( two and a half hours away ) both tracks do pretty well with their index programs
Drag racing tracks have become a racers venture as opposed to a capital business venture as it was in the past. When was the last time you saw a 20k spectator head count at a sportsman race? Weekly grudge racing used to draw a larger crowd than sportsman racing does today. Only NHRA other pro class racing draws a good size crowd, its not the show unless it’s top fuel racing. In the end tracks will be owned by racers who love racing with or without spectators and those tracks will be small bare bones tracks.
I was racing at Fremont when I was stationed with the Navy at Moffett Field with my 68 AMX from 1984 until they closed the facility then I switched to Sonoma and Sacramento. Loved Fremont. Turned my fastest ET ever with the old AMX there.
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