11/7/03

The way I see some changes that are coming:

here have been some major announcements recently from NHRA that could have a dramatic effect on things for a lot of people. Not so much the bracket racers, like me, but racers who like going to National and Divisional events.

First, I want to talk a little about how changes are made and who knows about them. I realize I am writing for the new style racing magazine, the e-magazine so to speak. No paper needed, no postage required and it doesn't take up any space in your home (bathroom) when it isn't being read. Herein lies one of the problems the people involved with the intranet have to deal with. "What about the racers that NEVER check the Internet and may not have a computer at home or work?" Have NHRA, IHRA and DRO forgotten about them? I hope not because I would estimate there are lot more racers without easy Internet access than there are that do their "surfing the 'net" everyday. I was doing a personal survey at the last race I attended and the results pretty much amazed me. I asked 20 bracket racers if they check the Internet regularly or had read the latest issue of DRO. Seven racers said they are in the computer about three evenings a week and also have access at work. Six of them read DRO regularly and told me they wished it were updated more often. The other thirteen are aware of the Internet but either do not have a computer at home or work or really just don't care. They live their lives the way they want to and their "world" is just a bit smaller. The jury is still out if it's better or not.

There were a couple of racers that I talked to that couldn't name the teams in the World Series (and it was in the second game), never watch NFL and had no idea what www.NHRA.com or www.IHRA.com or www.dragracingonline.com websites even looked like. Several others wished they had computers but also mentioned they thought it would take too long to learn how to use it and that it would take away from "garage time" that they really enjoyed. I am on the computer about four hours a day with work and checking out different racing sites. It is a hobby for me. I was stunned that this many racers NEVER were on the web. I guess we just are as important as we thought we were.

I think it proved to me that the Internet has a long way to go in the racing world. Are there more people who can now read DRO's Agent 1320 Notes, this "Dead-On" column, NHRA and IHRA websites and other great drag racing websites? Sure there are, but it is possible a lot of them are just "surfing" and find these sites. We are glad to have them at DRO and hopefully our "book" will lead them to go to a local track and see what is happening. The "die-hards" like myself and thousands of other racers out there check out their favorite sites everyday looking for news, rumors or something to make them feel "updated" faster.

This brings me to an announcement from NHRA headquarters that I first read on their website, "New Sportsman Schedules in effect for 2004". Basically the NHRA has decided to delete one sportsman class from every National event. At one race it will be S/Gas at the next it will be S/Comp, etc, etc. While this might not be earth shattering news for us bracket racers, can you imagine how some class racers feel? These racers might go to four divisional races and put up with the small payout, huge fields of cars all to get the "grading points" they are required to have to attend maybe the one National event they save up for all year. Then they find out their class won't be racing at the event that year! That would be upsetting to me. They are doing this to reduce the number of entries, which I feel is way overdue.