don't worry, next year you will see subtle changes in how the races
are viewed and reported during the last 1/3 of season.
can't get it all rite the first time around.

i also think nascar peaked a few years ago, then dale sr. passed away.
you don't think one man makes that much difference? i'd beg to differ.
their new points deal is definitely an attempt to retain their audience;
as lance stated, 'the real race fan still watches every week, the casual
fan every once in a while'.
so i would argue nascar is using altered points to retain while nhra is
doing the same to gain. who's rite? i would think both; both are trying
to not be stagnate.

In All Honesty... I went to see a Drag Race over the Weekend... I went to see Robert win, or Teach... I went to see Melanie or Hillary win...

Don't get me wrong, I'd have been happy If Mike had won, or Ron or Scott... or Dixon and Grubby

And I'm happy Doug K won... I'm happy Gary won...

And IT's NOT about points... It's about seeing people I like winning... The Points are about being the best All year... It's a performance bonus... and to be out front... I'd like to see Robert run the table at V2 and P2...

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nascar numbers may be down partly due to the marketing solely to the youth market strategy and are now finding out how fickle that crowd can be.

I enjoy watching all of them race Karl. I usually stay at the track and will start wandering about on Thur evening. I get to talk to a lot of them one at a time without a crowd. I'm rooting for GA but I have raced at the Snowbirds National with DC. He's a decent guy and I wouldn't sit around depressed if Greg lost and Dave won, or Jeg, or Allen.

But, this post is about the points. The countdown sucks!! It's just not right.

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Bob
Doug - 2006 & Greg - 2007 The Real Champs

Ok, no offense to anyone, but seriously, anyone who can sit here and argue that the new system is fair is just plain STUPID! And honestly, I feel no need to explain myself on this conclusion, because if your dumb enough to actually believe that the system is fair, then you certainly are not smart enough to understand my logic.

Nobody's arm was twisted? Don't like the heat get out of the kitchen?

You don't consider that arm twisting?

Here are the new rules, we don't want your opinion about the new rules and if you don't like them you can give up racing, the way you make a living....and that's OK with you. It looks like a lot of arm twisting to me.

Wow...I'll be dammed...the old point system and the COUNTDOWN GOT (1) Right... Beckman is in 5th place in both!

My Take on the "COUNTDOWN" is simple. NHRA Needed something to spark some "MEDIA" interest in Their Product, BRING IN NEW PEOPLE AND DEMOGRAPHICS TO DRAG RACING, and provide some "DRAMA" towards the end of the season. The COUNTDOWN is simply put..JUST THAT!!!! A Media Story! But, here is the problem...NO BODY IS LISTENING! The COUNTDOWN to (8) Did create some "Drama", who's gonna get in....who won't...Who Should have...Who Didn't....And it created talk in SUPRISE...CHAT ROOMS AND DRAG RACING FORUMS! The "COUNTDOWN" is not fair to those who were on top of the standings, but Ask Tony Pedregon, Gary Scelzi, Tony Schumacher, Allen Johnson, Jeg Coughlin, Peggy Lewellyn, Brandon Bernstein, and Chip Ellis what they think of the possiblilty of winning a powerade championship having to only make up a round or two in the last two races of the year! Do you think any of them will PROTEST their Championship????? MAKE A STATEMENT AND NOT ACCEPT THAT BONUS CHECK FOR $400K??? Or that Trophy??? Or The Ring??? Or the Prestige??? NOT A SNOWBALLS CHANCE IN HELL FOLKS! But what did Bring NHRA to the PUBLIC EYE towards the end of the season????
1) ASHELY FORCE-VOTED AOL's HOTTEST ATHLETE/ And Jay Leno Appearance.
2) JOHN FORCE ACCIDENT IN TEXAS, and AMAZINGLY HOW HE SURVIVED!
3) THE DEATH OF WALLY PARKS

What Brought DRAG RACING TO THE PUBLIC EYE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SEASON?
1) The Tragic Death Of Eric Medlen
2) The Troy Critchley accident in Selmer, Tn

....But the "COUNTDOWN TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP" did not get all that much airtime, EXCEPT FOR THE NHRA BROADCASTS ON ESPN2.

Does Ron Capps, Rod Fuller, Greg Anderson, and Matt Smith have a legitimate Gripe if they don't win the championship....TO AN EXTENT YES! But, the countdown did not just happen in the middle of the season. They all knew it was coming. Is the system Flawed??? Perhaps! Does Drag Racing on the NHRA Level need to copy Nascar....HELL NO! But, Nascar is putting BILLIONS in their Bank accounts. Even for a "NON PROFIT" organization like NHRA, it's all about the "DOLLAR BILLZ".

I don't know what the solution to the countdown SITUATION IS. Getting rid of it, is not gonna happen! You can sign every petition in the world, even have a presidential order by BUSH...but It would still go on! Perhaps the only solution is if you can't live with the countdown, and CHANGE Scares you, then the IHRA Forum may be in your future! When I checked it today...It had (1) Veiwer! NHRA's had 105!

PJ Tell me this. If NHRA does not go ahead and get rid of the countdown, are you going to stop watching???? Will you BOYCOTT NHRA EVENTS and Not attend? If you make a stand, and do exactly that...Do you really think NHRA is gonna miss you? Or any of those who bolt? Answer....Not a snowballs Chance in Glendora!
It's a sad fact, but true none the less. Like it or not folks...The Countdown to the Championship is here to stay. It may be Revised..But, I don't see it going anywhere anytime soon!

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I don't care who wins the championship's this year, the countdown is crap, and needs to be flushed down the toilet, along with Tom "alky" Compton, and Graham "dim" Light, they are running the nhra into the ground.

__________________
"I'm pi$$ed at all most everthing."

Actually that would be my solution if I was so unhappy.

I'd STOP WATCHING!!! Heck, this ain't the only HRA in town.

Everyone Hates the NHRA/new system but they can't stop their fascination with it good or bad.

Some one/team will win the trophy.

And there will be glee, if they were in first when the countdown began or eighth.

I actually know people other than me that like the format as it is now

And I refuse to get upset over this whether or not the Countdown stays or goes.

I have been a fan and occasional participant for 40 years.

I have always loved this sport, the Countdown has not nor will ever diminish that.

So all of you that are so upset, don't watch the last two races.

Some of you have said it......it means "nothing" to you.

If something means nothing to me I lose interest and pay no attention at all.

You can all get upset with me and my comments. No one would ever accuse me of running a popularity contest or minding whether or not I had the minority opinion in a group.
Neither could I care if I were at the bottom of the "pig pile" but I certainly would never want to be on top.

Man up and Boycott the last two events.

that is the way I see it.

REX

I have watched less then half of the last 7 or 8 races and qualifying shows. Before If I didn't watch it when it was on I would at least tape it to watch later.

I did let my TEC tickets go at Indy and had not planned on going as a protest. Some surprise gifted tickets from Glendora and a possible media meeting did however change that.

On the bright side since I have been digusted by countdown and paying less attention to nhra. I have found myself paying more attention to other drag racing circuits. I went to an nmca race and was very impressed. I have 2 IHRA national events within 2 hours, plus I've just been to the local track on regular weekends. I have not given up on nhra yet, I still hope that they will come around. But I have seen that there is life and racing beyond nhra. I am willing to leave and take the money I pay for tickets to several nationals each year and the support I give to sponsors for both my personal business as well as the purchases I make as the purchasing manager where I work and head off down the road to find a sanctioning body that believes points should be awarded on the track.

It is not what I want, and I realize they could give a crap about losing one fan (especially me) but that is an option that I see as a last resort.

I'm hopeful this off season will bring changes that are postive to the sport.

__________________
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Tact is for those not witty enough for sarcasm

Is it really any different than watching the NFL in week 16 and 17 of the regular season trying to figure out who will make the last Wildcard spots? Millions and millions watch that and seem to have no problem with it.

My expectation is that NHRA historically has always crowned the best driver as their champion for that season.

Other sports can not claim that now neither can we.

__________________
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Tact is for those not witty enough for sarcasm

Lance that makes absolutely no sense, it is completely different... First off, in the NFL, once a team is eliminated, they are done, they cant come back and ruin someone elses chances... second, they play for one game, the super bowl, which consists of 2 teams, there isnt 14 other teams there that could get lucky and knock you out of your chance of winning... so YES, there is a huge difference, there are still 16 cars, a playoff format means teams being eliminated so you can come down to the 2 best teams, you want to make it like the nfl then I guess there should only be the top 4 cars show up at Vegas and Pomona

Well, I guess to quote you then Steve, I wasn't comparing the Countdown to the NFL Playoffs. I was comparing how hard (or not) it was to keep track of all the different scenereos, tie breakers, etc., and what it would take for a certain team to possibly make it into the playoffs..........or Countdown in this case.

Once again, millions and millions watch the NFL unfold and seem to have no problem with it.

But once again Lance, they have no problem with it because it comes down to 2 teams, just as I explained before. They arent playing for a points system, they are playing to get into the playoffs, and they know when there, once they knock out a team they dont have to worry about them coming back. And once they make the playoffs, they still have the same record, the team with the better record gets home field advantage, etc, they dont get their points taken away so some other guy can go on a lucky streak. Like I said before, the reason people have no problem with it is because it isnt some welfare charity system, its all about coming down to 2 teams, who play for the championship in the end with nobody else to worry about, not 16 teams with only 4 having the chance to win.