11/20/03

The way I see some changes that are coming

PART II

New Rules

There are some things that these new rules could do and here are some of the things that I see happening:

1. Someone will organize a Sportsman Association and put together a few independent "Sports National" type events. A good, well-funded promoter could pack the place with good payouts and a solid tech crew. I think there are dozens of manufacturers waiting for this to happen. They would get direct response from the racers and the midway would actually return to being a place manufacturers could display and SELL their products directly to the racers and fans.
   
   
2. I think local tracks will have the opportunity to put together more "Super Class" races and Stock/Super Stock events. With the grading point requirements easing off, the class racers are not forced to travel all over their division just to get "grading points". I think a local track that puts together a strong "Super Class Shoot-out Series" will see more participation than ever before. The benefit could be more bracket racers will try that type of racing as well as bracket racing.
   
   
3. IHRA will see a large increase in participation because of less NHRA grading points, lower entry fees, excellent tracks, equal contingency awards and a more relaxed easy-going attitude by officials. The question is, "will they (IHRA) be prepared for this?" Time will tell.
   
   
4. I think more and more "class racers" will return to their local tracks and do more bracket racing. The Super Class racers are a perfect fit for S/Pro class. Leave off the top bulb and dial it. Most tracks will allow them to race with their throttle-stop settings if they want to do that, or at least the smarter track owners will make it OK. The only difference is that they will get to choose their own dial-in now. The Stock/ Super Stock guys can run the Pro or Mod classes where delay boxes are prohibited. They will find that this bracket is usually the largest one and the competition is better than they expect, as is the prize money.

I hope the changes do make a difference. I feel it might make all facets of our sport better. Less racers traveling to poor paying divisional races (because they had to for NHRA grading points), more local participation and IHRA growing their sportsman ranks so it is even stronger and becomes good competition for NHRA. I have two racecars, as most of you know, A rear engine dragster and the newest (so to speak) a '72 Vega. We will run the dragster in IHRA Top Dragster in 2004 as well as Quick 16 events and local bracket racing. The Vega will run the IHRA Hot Rod (10.90) class and Mod (no delay) brackets locally. I am really excited about less long distance travel and getting to spend more time on the track rather than sitting around waiting to get a time trial.

While I am on the local bracket-racing subject I have two things I want to mention.

1. The Summit Super Series: Come on guys.....SPREAD THE MONEY OUT A LITTLE MORE. Talk about a top-heavy payout, about $150,000.00 to win and maybe $15,000.00 for second place! I think Summit would do itself a lot better if the wealth was spread around so the incentive to "buy a round or two" would be diminished. Why not have Summit pay $25,000.00 to the champ, $20,000.00, $18,000.00, $16,000.00, $14,000.00, $12,000.00, Etc until they make the same dollar payout but it is spread out to a lot more of their customers. Nobody who has a six or eight race hot streak and picks their point races just right should win that kind of money when the third place guy was a round behind and got less than 10% of what the winner received. I think the racers are seeing through the smoke and mirrors of a payout like this and are not even talking about it at the track anymore. Spread out the money and more racers will be calling Summit.
   
   
2. The response to the ET Finals article last month was excellent. The strange thing was that everyone (except one) who responded agreed with my opinion of what I didn't like about the ET Finals. If you haven't read Cordova's response to my editorial, please go to the Archives and read it. I think Scott knows it wasn't a personal attack and after the responses we got it sounds like every ET Finals has turned into this type of event. If it is an event that is supposed to empty the pockets of the qualified team members, fine. If it is supposed to be a unique experience for racers who normally are trying their best to beat the guy who is now their teammate, that is fine also. The bottom-line is, if you don't like what your ET Finals has turned into write to IHRA or NHRA, your division director and your track manager. Don't delay, as the Division Track Manager Meetings are coming up and your input can ACTUALLY MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

That is it for me this month. Hope to run into some of you at the PRI Show. Until then, thanks for reading DRO and have a great Thanksgiving. Remember our soldiers when you are giving thanks as they are putting their lives on the line so we can enjoy the many freedoms we take for granted...like the freedom to go racing! Enjoy.

nicholson@dragracingonline.com