NHRA Top Fuel Racer Issues Dire Warning About Series' Future

[RitcheyRch]

Most here saw this coming.

All is Not Well: NHRA Top Fuel Racer Issues Dire Warning About Series' Future

Doug Foley says lower car counts, lack of communication between NHRA and small teams threaten future of series.

www.autoweek.com

NHRA Mello Yello Series Top Fuel owner-driver Doug Foley qualified in the top half of the 66th Denso NHRA U.S. Nationals lineup and sixth at the Indy Dodge event just before that—impressive for a part-time team with not one full-time crew member.

While Foley, 56, is is proud of that, he’s anything but proud of the way drag racing is headed. Truth is, he was concerned about his sport even before the pandemic hit. His forecast is partly cloudy at best for the NHRA, unless series leaders address a handful of issues.


“Maybe they'll have nine full-time cars next year, but it will be single digits of how many full-time dragsters there are running the tour next year,” Foley said. “I predict there will be about six races next year that will have 11 or less Top Fuel cars next year. That's the beginning of the end. As soon as you've done that, you basically put the 'CLOSED' sign up.

"As soon as you prove to the world we don't have enough cars, we're screwed, just telling the world, ‘Hey, listen, we're now a little mom-and-pop organization. We're more of a car club than we are a national sanctioning body.’ So we have to do everything we can in our power to prevent that from happening.”

 

[checkrd past]

Oh well.

 

[pronstar]

I’d hate to see NHRA go.
They’ve got a great product, especially to see live.

It’s also hard to watch on TV, IMHO...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[TimeBandit]

What does it cost to run a top fuel car for a season?

 

[mash on it]

What does it cost to run a top fuel car for a season?

John Force or Chris Karamesines?

Slight difference.

Dan'l

 

[SoCalDave]

What does it cost to run a top fuel car for a season?

A boat load of $$$$ and I'm talking about a big boat.

 

[4Waters]

There's no competition any more especially in prostock, NHRA pushed Ford and Dodge out. You can't sell a competitive series when the only brand in Chevy.

 

[Tom Slick]

What does it cost to run a top fuel car for a season?

A mega team like JFR, DSR, Kallita spend approximately 4 million per car/team. To put it into perspective JFR has 4 teams, therefore spends approximately 16-20 million per season.

 

[monkeyswrench]

What does it cost to run a top fuel car for a season?

About 15-20 years ago, I think the math penciled out to something like 2500$ per pass. That was assuming no equipment failure, just the bare bones. It's been years since an independent could really be competitive in the series. Even as far back as the 90's, seeing an independent was rare. Seeing one qualify was always kind of exciting.

To show up, pretty deep pockets. To be competitive, cubic dollars.

 

[was thatguy]

The mega teams make money doing it.
Don Schumacher does not chase sponsors, they chase him. He’s like the Peter Grant of drag racing, lol
Johnny Gray bought his spot on the team some years ago, as an example. He’s probably got more money than Schumacher personally.

So there’s no way to actually compare “cost” of running a fuel team for a race or a season because the way Karamesines or Zizzo shows up is a completely different animal than how Force or Schumacher shows up.
The private guys spend money when they race, the mega teams earn money when they race.

 

[Looking Glass]

The mega teams make money doing it.
Don Schumacher does not chase sponsors, they chase him. He’s like the Peter Grant of drag racing, lol
Johnny Gray bought his spot on the team some years ago, as an example. He’s probably got more money than Schumacher personally.

So there’s no way to actually compare “cost” of running a fuel team for a race or a season because the way Karamesines or Zizzo shows up is a completely different animal than how Force or Schumacher shows up.
The private guys spend money when they race, the mega teams earn money when they race.

But that is a large part of the "Sport" that is causing the lack of interest. The same Big Teams doing the same Old thing. The Good Old days when a private team Could knock off one of the Big Boys was exciting. I realize those days are gone, but they were the "Days".

 

[was thatguy]

But that is a large part of the "Sport" that is causing the lack of interest. The same Big Teams doing the same Old thing. The Good Old days when a private team Could knock off one of the Big Boys was exciting. I realize those days are gone, but they were the "Days".

Oh I agree.
But it’s also the mega teams and the mega sponsors that made it a “living room” sport.
Double edged.

 

[ltbaney1]

having been involved in drag racing all my life. the writing has been on the wall the past few years, dwindling spectators and fields dominated by a few guys. my family has 2 cackle cars that were both owned by my grandfather in the 60's and driven by McEwen and Pruhdome. i know both of our cars and most of the others that we do stuff with, burn about a gallon of fuel per minute at idle. figure nitro runs about $30 per gallon and then the methanol we cut the nitro with to bring it to 90% is $8 per gallon. We use lucas nitro 60 weight at 9 quarts per motor (we buy it in 5 gallon buckets) it gets really pricey real quick to do a an event like the hot rod reunion in bakersfield they just cancelled. we have to pay to be there and then if we are lucky they will give us some fuel (normally about 15 gallons). guys like us will always do it. like boating, if you look at the cost everytime you go, you will quit. do it because you love it and the people you do it with. i think NHRA's numbers are few unless they start focusing on the sportsman guy.

 

[monkeyswrench]

Oh I agree.
But it’s also the mega teams and the mega sponsors that made it a “living room” sport.
Double edged.

Very true, it brought in new fans. A lot of those that were young at the time are now the guys with 7sec doorslammers. A fuel car is pure unobtainium.

Those who only saw them on the tv though, missed so much. The thumping in your chest when they brought them of the start/warm up methanol, the burning in your eyes...the almost sweet smell of nitro...you want to breath in deeply, but know you shouldn't. Hell, most the new blood haven't ever felt the adrenaline when they used to whack the throttle to seat the clutch.
Coke and strippers were never half the drug for me being in the fuel pits was.
I may be a little messed up, but I'm okay with that.

 

[was thatguy]

Very true, it brought in new fans. A lot of those that were young at the time are now the guys with 7sec doorslammers. A fuel car is pure unobtainium.

Those who only saw them on the tv though, missed so much. The thumping in your chest when they brought them of the start/warm up methanol, the burning in your eyes...the almost sweet smell of nitro...you want to breath in deeply, but know you shouldn't. Hell, most the new blood haven't ever felt the adrenaline when they used to whack the throttle to seat the clutch.
Coke and strippers were never half the drug for me being in the fuel pits was.
I may be a little messed up, but I'm okay with that.

I grew up in AK only seeing them on TV until I was 18. Spent a year in Florida and went to my first National. 1980 Gatornationals.

Saw Grumpy nearly get into a fist fight in the pits, Connie still had a full head of hair. Gary Beck, Amato, pruhdome, hell even Gene Snow was there with all his little gay bois.
We hitchhiked there from Panama City, slept in a tent on the side of the road. We had no extra money, and ate tuna from the can for breakfast. There was a hose by the entrance so we took a whore bath in our shorts each morning and afternoon.
Best 3 days at any race in my life...and I’ve been to at least 50 of them since then!
For a kid from Alaska it was absolute sensory overload and I’ve been a fan ever since. That was 40 years ago.

 

[riverroyal]

like all forms of pro racing they fucked up years ago when taking your family of 4 cost $400 tix, parking, food, pit passes. etc.

 

[Looking Glass]

I remember back in the "Hay Days" the Midway was just as exciting as the racing. There were all kinds of exhibits that the every day guy could relate to. They had street engines, wheels, accessories. There were grab bag give aways on and on. I will never get over the first time to Pamona for the Winternationals looking at all the Top Drivers Vehicles they brought to the Race. Alternating between the Pits and the Midway was an experience that had to be Lived and impossible to explain to anyone who has never been to one.

When Lucas pulled out of the Boat Drags, could be a very bad sign of the times. I don't see another with that type of budget ever showing up to replace him. I can only hope, as it is a Wonderful Best Of Both Worlds Event, Top Fuel in Boats and then all the Sights, Sounds along with just being there. What a great weekend!!

 

[Chili Palmer]

Remember when you could walk the pits and see the drivers , talk and get their autographs? Now the only time you see them is when they win a pass and the TV cameras are there interviewing them. The last driver I saw in the pits was Kenny Bernstein, that was 20-21 years ago. He shook my hand and we took a picture with my 6 year old boy. He was a really cool, quiet guy.

 

[was thatguy]

Remember when you could walk the pits and see the drivers , talk and get their autographs? Now the only time you see them is when they win a pass and the TV cameras are there interviewing them. The last driver I saw in the pits was Kenny Bernstein, that was 20-21 years ago. He shook my hand and we took a picture with my 6 year old boy. He was a really cool, quiet guy.

I go early on Saturday and Sunday.
Like first one in the gate.
That’s when the drivers are out being themselves sometimes.
Had some pretty long talks with Dougy and a few others who are really solid people. Fan oriented.
It was early morning in Phoenix when me and tony Schumacher almost went to the mat. Lol.

But NHRA (and drag racing in general) is still the most fan oriented motor sport as far as pit access and team access.

 

[RaceTec]

Here is what I think NHRA should do. Let anyone 16 and under in for FREE, cut the regular ticket price in half. Get people in the gate! Bring PRO MOD on hard, hit up ever local sanctioning body up near a local track and create strategic partnerships. Bring in a street racer 10.5 tire type class and partner with all of the "street racer" type TV shows to bring them to the bigger NHRA events for points, something along the lines of Best Street Racer in America. Do power tours with Motor Trend between events. Embrace social media and all of these smaller things that are getting more TV and internet coverage. You have to change or die! There are so many things they could do but refuse to for some reason?

 

[ltbaney1]

Here is what I think NHRA should do. Let anyone 16 and under in for FREE, cut the regular ticket price in half. Get people in the gate! Bring PRO MOD on hard, hit up ever local sanctioning body up near a local track and create strategic partnerships. Bring in a street racer 10.5 tire type class and partner with all of the "street racer" type TV shows to bring them to the bigger NHRA events for points, something along the lines of Best Street Racer in America. Do power tours with Motor Trend between events. Embrace social media and all of these smaller things that are getting more TV and internet coverage. You have to change or die! There are so many things they could do but refuse to for some reason?

Ive been saying for years, get rid of pro stock and bring in pro mod. i record the races on tv if i dont go, the main reason i record is to fast forward through pro stock. from what i have been told, NHRA does not want to "associate" with street racers, but i agree with you on bringing 10.5 and the other points you brought up.

 

[ltbaney1]

pulled this from my phone, its a couple years old but gives an idea.
TOP FUEL FAST FACTS

* One Top Fuel dragster 500 cubic-inch Hemi engine makes more horsepower than the first 4 rows at the Daytona 500.

* Under full throttle, a dragster engine consumes 11.2 gallons of nitro methane per second; a fully loaded 747 consumes jet fuel at the same rate with 25% less energy being produced.

* A stock Dodge Hemi V8 engine cannot produce enough power to merely drive the dragster’s supercharger.

* With 3000 CFM (cubic feet per minute) of air being rammed in by the supercharger on overdrive, the fuel mixture is compressed into a near-solid form before ignition. Cylinders run on the verge of hydraulic lock at full throttle.

* At the stoichiometric (optimum) 1.7:1 air/fuel mixture for nitro methane the flame front temperature measures 7050 degrees F.

* Nitro methane burns yellow. The spectacular white flame seen above the stacks at night is raw burning hydrogen, dissociated from atmospheric water vapor by the searing exhaust gases.

* Dual magnetos supply 44 amps to each spark plug. This is the output of an arc welder in each cylinder.

* Spark plug electrodes are totally consumed during a pass. After 1/2 way, the engine is dieseling from compression plus the glow of exhaust valves at 1400 degrees F. The engine can only be shut down by cutting the fuel flow.

* If spark momentarily fails early in the run, unburned nitro builds up in the affected cylinders and then explodes with sufficient force to blow cylinder heads off the block in pieces or split the block in half.

* Dragsters reach over 300 MPH before you have completed reading this sentence.

* In order to exceed 300 MPH in 4.5 seconds, dragsters must accelerate an average of over 4 G’s. In order to reach 200 MPH well before half-track, the launch acceleration approaches 8 G’s.

* Top Fuel engines turn approximately 540 revolutions from light to light!

* Including the burnout, the engine must only survive 900 revolutions under load.

* The redline is actually quite high at 9500 RPM.

* THE BOTTOM LINE: Assuming all the equipment is paid off, the crew worked for free, & for once, NOTHING BLOWS UP, each run costs an estimated $1,000 (USD) per second.

 

[Chili Palmer]

At Pomona everything is on a time schedule now, no more exhibitions like jet cars or semi tractor, runs. If you're lucky you'll get to see the "Hemi Under Glass" car do a couple passes, that's it.

 

[was thatguy]

pulled this from my phone, its a couple years old but gives an idea.
TOP FUEL FAST FACTS

* One Top Fuel dragster 500 cubic-inch Hemi engine makes more horsepower than the first 4 rows at the Daytona 500.

* Under full throttle, a dragster engine consumes 11.2 gallons of nitro methane per second; a fully loaded 747 consumes jet fuel at the same rate with 25% less energy being produced.

* A stock Dodge Hemi V8 engine cannot produce enough power to merely drive the dragster’s supercharger.

* With 3000 CFM (cubic feet per minute) of air being rammed in by the supercharger on overdrive, the fuel mixture is compressed into a near-solid form before ignition. Cylinders run on the verge of hydraulic lock at full throttle.

* At the stoichiometric (optimum) 1.7:1 air/fuel mixture for nitro methane the flame front temperature measures 7050 degrees F.

* Nitro methane burns yellow. The spectacular white flame seen above the stacks at night is raw burning hydrogen, dissociated from atmospheric water vapor by the searing exhaust gases.

* Dual magnetos supply 44 amps to each spark plug. This is the output of an arc welder in each cylinder.

* Spark plug electrodes are totally consumed during a pass. After 1/2 way, the engine is dieseling from compression plus the glow of exhaust valves at 1400 degrees F. The engine can only be shut down by cutting the fuel flow.

* If spark momentarily fails early in the run, unburned nitro builds up in the affected cylinders and then explodes with sufficient force to blow cylinder heads off the block in pieces or split the block in half.

* Dragsters reach over 300 MPH before you have completed reading this sentence.

* In order to exceed 300 MPH in 4.5 seconds, dragsters must accelerate an average of over 4 G’s. In order to reach 200 MPH well before half-track, the launch acceleration approaches 8 G’s.

* Top Fuel engines turn approximately 540 revolutions from light to light!

* Including the burnout, the engine must only survive 900 revolutions under load.

* The redline is actually quite high at 9500 RPM.

* THE BOTTOM LINE: Assuming all the equipment is paid off, the crew worked for free, & for once, NOTHING BLOWS UP, each run costs an estimated $1,000 (USD) per second.

Another thing I read once was that if you hit the starting line doing 200 MPH on your Ninja motorcycle at the precise instant the top fuel car launched, he would catch you and pass you from a dead start before you reached the 1/4 mile finish line.
(Back when they went 1/4 mile, before Scotty got killed)

 

[Looking Glass]

Here is what I think NHRA should do. Let anyone 16 and under in for FREE, cut the regular ticket price in half. Get people in the gate! Bring PRO MOD on hard, hit up ever local sanctioning body up near a local track and create strategic partnerships. Bring in a street racer 10.5 tire type class and partner with all of the "street racer" type TV shows to bring them to the bigger NHRA events for points, something along the lines of Best Street Racer in America. Do power tours with Motor Trend between events. Embrace social media and all of these smaller things that are getting more TV and internet coverage. You have to change or die! There are so many things they could do but refuse to for some reason?

Promotion, Promotion, Promotion. I agree with you 100% this is a whole new Breed of Potential Fans.

 

[RaceTec]

Ive been saying for years, get rid of pro stock and bring in pro mod. i record the races on tv if i dont go, the main reason i record is to fast forward through pro stock. from what i have been told, NHRA does not want to "associate" with street racers, but i agree with you on bringing 10.5 and the other points you brought up.

I am not sure if or what he could say but I would be interested to get @cyclone take on the whole thing, he is in it more than me daily! I would also work more with the vintage guys, bring more cackle events to races along with the Vintage Fuel Funny car guys! Partner more with Goodguys and the Funny Car Chaos people.

 

[MSum661]

I am not sure if or what he could say but I would be interested to get @cyclone take on the whole thing, he is in it more than me daily! I would also work more with the vintage guys, bring more cackle events to races along with the Vintage Fuel Funny car guys! Partner more with Goodguys and the Funny Car Chaos people.

You're talking about bringing back 32 Funny Cars with 32 jet Cars and East Coast vs. West Coast with 64 Funny Cars....No curfew........Right??
I like it!!

 

[ltbaney1]

I am not sure if or what he could say but I would be interested to get @cyclone take on the whole thing, he is in it more than me daily! I would also work more with the vintage guys, bring more cackle events to races along with the Vintage Fuel Funny car guys! Partner more with Goodguys and the Funny Car Chaos people.

i would love to see nostalgia funny car and top fuel at national events. thats a good call on @cyclone, i met last year or the year before at the world finals i believe standing on the starting line watching a exhibition car run waiting to get the go ahead to start our car. I bet he has a interesting view into it as well.

 

[Tom Slick]

The mega teams make money doing it.
Don Schumacher does not chase sponsors, they chase him. He’s like the Peter Grant of drag racing, lol
Johnny Gray bought his spot on the team some years ago, as an example. He’s probably got more money than Schumacher personally.

So there’s no way to actually compare “cost” of running a fuel team for a race or a season because the way Karamesines or Zizzo shows up is a completely different animal than how Force or Schumacher shows up.
The private guys spend money when they race, the mega teams earn money when they race.

Unfortunately this is no longer true. DSR is the biggest professional team in the NHRA and they can not find funding for the winningest Top Fuel driver in the sports history, Tony Schumacher. They are also very likely to loose two Funny Cars in 2021, as Doug Chandler will not be renewing the Chandler family sponsorship on the Funny Cars driven by Jack Beckman and Tommy Johnson Jr.

Because of Covid, the NHRA has also made two reductions in professional prize money. Both Top Fuel and Funny Car winners were paid $50,000 for a national event win. When racing resumed two months ago at Indy, the NHRA lowered the purse to $35,000 for the win. Now moving forward with just 6 events remaining in the season, they have lowered the purse again to a meager $15,000 per event win. The NHRA has also made massive lay offs last week. Shit is hitting the fan in Glendora, and that's not good news for fans or race teams.

 

[Ziggy]

Here is what I think NHRA should do. Let anyone 16 and under in for FREE, cut the regular ticket price in half. Get people in the gate! Bring PRO MOD on hard, hit up ever local sanctioning body up near a local track and create strategic partnerships. Bring in a street racer 10.5 tire type class and partner with all of the "street racer" type TV shows to bring them to the bigger NHRA events for points, something along the lines of Best Street Racer in America. Do power tours with Motor Trend between events. Embrace social media and all of these smaller things that are getting more TV and internet coverage. You have to change or die! There are so many things they could do but refuse to for some reason?

Getting local and/or the "little guy" involved without it costing them a house each time will do nothing but bolster racer attendance at same time increase spectatorship at these events. As it is now the big teams have outclassed the rest of the field nobody wants to come and blow all their money just to "be there".....unless it's someone elses money.

 

[AZMIDLYF]

This doesn't help either:

'6-Pack and Bag of Pretzels': NHRA Slashes Winners' Prize Money by 70%

A Nitro Class victory that used to pay $50,000 is now worth only $15,000 for the rest of the 2020 season.

www.autoweek.com

.

 

[WATERDOG]

I miss the days of Lions, Irwindale, Pomona and of course Orange County. Hot pants and Halter Tops plus 32 cars in all classes.

 

[SoCalDave]

Remember when you could walk the pits and see the drivers , talk and get their autographs? Now the only time you see them is when they win a pass and the TV cameras are there interviewing them. The last driver I saw in the pits was Kenny Bernstein, that was 20-21 years ago. He shook my hand and we took a picture with my 6 year old boy. He was a really cool, quiet guy.

John signs my shit at every winter national event.

 

[was thatguy]

Unfortunately this is no longer true. DSR is the biggest professional team in the NHRA and they can not find funding for the winningest Top Fuel driver in the sports history, Tony Schumacher. They are also very likely to loose two Funny Cars in 2021, as Doug Chandler will not be renewing the Chandler family sponsorship on the Funny Cars driven by Jack Beckman and Tommy Johnson Jr.

Because of Covid, the NHRA has also made two reductions in professional prize money. Both Top Fuel and Funny Car winners were paid $50,000 for a national event win. When racing resumed two months ago at Indy, the NHRA lowered the purse to $35,000 for the win. Now moving forward with just 6 events remaining in the season, they have lowered the purse again to a meager $15,000 per event win. The NHRA has also made massive lay offs last week. Shit is hitting the fan in Glendora, and that's not good news for fans or race teams.

This year has and is killing a lot more franchises than just racing teams and sanctioning bodies.
Chandlers money for those 2 cars was posted by Terry Chandler before she died was my understanding? So it couldn’t be running out at a worst time No doubt about it.

But yeah, maintaining any team at any level (let alone growing a team) during this strangulation of commerce is a daunting thought.
Force sure thinks so at least.

I thought it funny that Daddy wouldn’t fund juniors car out of pocket...but I’m not a fan of Sarge...at all.

 

[petie6464]

The NHRA has ran its course..Their iron fist approach to the racers has came back to crush themselves.

Good radiance to them, they are at fault for their own demise.

 

[was thatguy]

The NHRA has ran its course..Their iron fist approach to the racers has came back to crush themselves.

Good radiance to them, they are at fault for their own demise.

I’ll bet you drive a ricer!!

 

[KevinR]

I miss the days of Lions, Irwindale, Pomona and of course Orange County. Hot pants and Halter Tops plus 32 cars in all classes.

Ahhhh, those were the days.

I still remember watching this Gas Ronda flopper run at Lions.

 

[monkeyswrench]

Pops took me to the Winternationals in 87. Hell, may have snuck in. He wasn't much a car guy, but knew I was going to be. 30+ years ago, still have the autographs, including "The Greek", "Snake", "Ace"...damn, just a highlight of growing up.

Have 3 kids now...could damn near build a motor for what it would cost to take us for a few days. Maybe we should build a nostalgia car...events are few and far between, but still fun.

 

[MK1MOD0]

They really need to work on being relevant. Some of the classes are so friggin boring it’s hard to stomach. I don’t know the class name, but the normally aspirated dragsters that all take off slow then a timer kicks in and they go full power.......... WTF is that. They should call those the snore class. it’s painful to watch. They really need to look at what no prep is doing to get people to the races. Fast squirrly, dangerous. Yea. That’s FUN to watch.

 

[Carlson-jet]

I’ll bet you drive a ricer!!

Who cares?
NHRA went big,
The little guys who busted their asses to build cars and started the whole thing are dead and gone.
I'm not paying 4 hundy for a few hours of entertainment unless it includes huge titties and a happy ending.
I'm a big believer in local tracks for the masses. That is how it was started and intended to be.
Bean counters focked it all up. End of story time.

 

[was thatguy]

Who cares?
NHRA went big,
The little guys who busted their asses to build cars and started the whole thing are dead and gone.
I'm not paying 4 hundy for a few hours of entertainment unless it includes huge titties and a happy ending.
I'm a big believer in local tracks for the masses. That is how it was started and intended to be.
Bean counters focked it all up. End of story time.

It was supposed to be a joke.

On a side note, what the hell are you guys spending your money on at an event?

Reserved seats? Box seats? Full meals?
I’ve never spent that kind of money at an event UNLESS I made the choice to...
NHRA is probably still the cheapest pro race to attend.
No pit pass charge, most general seats are well under $50, even on race day...and cheaper for kids.
Don’t get me wrong, I like splurging too!
But you don’t have to.

I raced division 7 for 2 years in that Nova.
It was the only 2 years the track in Palmer AK was sanctioned as far as I know.

I realize the problems facing all racing bodies today, NHRA not the least.
But the NHRA is why I am a gear head today and always have been.
I refuse to cheer their demise, and I really hope they can re-start at their roots somehow and regrow in a modern, sustainable fashion and STILL let me experience the spectacle of the most incredible machines on the planet...regardless of whether I can ever afford to race one.
I want to fly jets too, that ain’t happening either. Lol

 

[MK1MOD0]

Who cares?
NHRA went big,
The little guys who busted their asses to build cars and started the whole thing are dead and gone.
I'm not paying 4 hundy for a few hours of entertainment unless it includes huge titties and a happy ending.
I'm a big believer in local tracks for the masses. That is how it was started and intended to be.
Bean counters focked it all up. End of story time.

lot of truth right there. Funny how series/ sports chase the big bucks, and fall apart when they can’t get them anymore. Just about anything grassroots beats the pants off corporate bullshit.

 

[Carlson-jet]

It was supposed to be a joke.

DOH!!

I like to edit and say it up front. Always have.
Any Good trophies? I have a few, they are all I have. I never bothered to take pics. I was too busy getting ready, dialing in and packing up. I was a one man band.

 

[was thatguy]

I won the first time out running 11.90 heads up pro light!
It was awesome!
It got harder after that...lol

On a side note every year at least one NHRA doom and gloom thread shows up.
I went to the last real race race this year, Phoenix pre plandemic
I’m sure others on here were there as well?
Sold out. You couldn’t shoe horn one more person into that venue.

I always read about how they are doomed, but when I go (2-3 times a year) they are always packed.
The sportsman classes as well.
I don’t understand why racers always try to compare the traveling circus to home track, home grown events?
I spent many days spectating st Sac raceway, many weekends slugging away at my home track in AK (where a moose walking across was always a threat lol) I love Friday night run what ya brung, all of that.
But that’s not why I go to a National event.

I go there to see the spectacle. To see the space shuttle machines as well as the insanely perfect sportsman champs.

I’m not an NHRA racer, I’m a fan and spectator.

 

[WATERDOG]

Ahhhh, those were the days.

I still remember watching this Gas Ronda flopper run at Lions.

View attachment 921185

I built my 67 to look like this. Except I ran dual quads and my wheels were chrome. I think it was Burch Ford that bought it for an offer I couldn't refuse.

 

[guest hs]

NHRA jumped the shark when it went to 4 wide.

 

[oldschool]

You can make a small fortune in drag racing, you just have to start with a large fortune.

 

[was thatguy]

NHRA jumped the shark when it went to 4 wide.

Thats 2 races out of 24. Well, normally anyway. Lol

 

[Tahoe540]

Try going to some Nostalgia races (Bakersfield). They have real drag racing, great people, affordable tickets and normal guys that can afford to race. Plus who doesn't like front engine dragsters. They have nitro too

 

[boatdoc55]

Remember when you could walk the pits and see the drivers , talk and get their autographs? Now the only time you see them is when they win a pass and the TV cameras are there interviewing them. The last driver I saw in the pits was Kenny Bernstein, that was 20-21 years ago. He shook my hand and we took a picture with my 6 year old boy. He was a really cool, quiet guy.

My wife and I have been able to talk to the whole Torrence family and many of their crew the past 3 years in Vegas. They are the most personable people we've made contact with in the pits. The wife in fact, has her NHRA hat signed by all three,, Billy, Steve and mama K. across the bill. We never were rushed and felt right at home with each of them. Granted this was was early in the day but none the less they were great. I spoke with the fuel man and he too was very nice and answered all my questions and I suspect because I asked some not so common questions that I'm sure he's not been asked a million times. The super charger guy was the very same.

We're very disappointed this year not getting to go but what hasn't been a disappointment in 2020.