Bamboozled?

#31 10-26-2007, 09:03 AM

Hey Paul........good story. And now we see the blueproint to a lifelong fan. Cool

#32 10-26-2007, 09:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paul Miller

To answer your question, I have been following the sport since the first national event I attended, Englishtown 1989. I was 11 at the time and I was hooked after having the chance to meet with Kenny Bernstein and then he went on to win the race (his last in a FC). Why do you want to know??

Just to see why you were so pro countdown.

Paul I'm messing with you.

I'll throw in my two cents. We are beating a dead horse with this countdown talk, racing is racing, and that's where I agree with you.

But Since you've been watching for ages also, then surely you can see this new points deal is BS!

That is all. I think you are tired of this talk so am I.

#33 10-26-2007, 09:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim Gunther

Several folks have made mention that #9 and #10 were "cut-out" of the final purse because of the countdown. Wasn't it a pretty insignificant number $$?? I mean like round money?

I know the Champs have a pay increase this year, TF and FC get $500k this year. Actually, everyone in the top 8 has a pay increase this year and the total point fund has increased by roughly $210k. To answer your question TF/FC 9 and 10 received $16k and $15k, PS 9 and 10 received $8k and $7.5k, and PSB 9 and 10 received $3.2k and $3k. So yes, the dollars are really insignificant.

#34 10-26-2007, 09:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Michael Veskovich

But Since you've been watching for ages also, then surely you can see this new points deal is BS!

As you know, I disagree with you. I am a firm believer that change can be a good thing, so this is why I am willing to see how the Countdown pans out. I may change my mind after I have some facts to support a change, but until that happens I will watch and take notes.

#35 10-26-2007, 10:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paul Miller

I know the Champs have a pay increase this year, TF and FC get $500k this year. Actually, everyone in the top 8 has a pay increase this year and the total point fund has increased by roughly $210k. To answer your question TF/FC 9 and 10 received $16k and $15k, PS 9 and 10 received $8k and $7.5k, and PSB 9 and 10 received $3.2k and $3k. So yes, the dollars are really insignificant.

And yet, compared to other racing series champions around the world, it is a sad pittance... NASCAR Champs take home 10 times that much, and have national coverage of their awards ceremony... I assumed that was the direction the Association was going with the whole change of theme (at least with the press coverage of the Series leaders), but as I said before, here we sit, struggling to get recognition still...

#36 10-26-2007, 10:20 AM

The Countdown gets a lot of NHRA media attention, so much so that the individual races are now almost afterthoughts. The special races, like the Top Fuel race this weekend, are virtually ignored because they play no part in the countdown and the national events themselves are just backdrops for the Countdown.

I would think that the tracks and the race sponsors would be objecting to the shift in focus - even the pre-event publicity has become mostly about the Countdown. The race itself is secondary and event winners are not featured in the post-race story unless they are also in the Countdown.

I may be in the minority, but I always thought each race was something special and the season-long championship was an honor that went to the driver who did best in all the events, not just four or two.

#37 10-26-2007, 10:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Martin Thomas

And yet, compared to other racing series champions around the world, it is a sad pittance... NASCAR Champs take home 10 times that much, and have national coverage of their awards ceremony... I assumed that was the direction the Association was going with the whole change of theme (at least with the press coverage of the Series leaders), but as I said before, here we sit, struggling to get recognition still...

Wellll........wisdom would dictate that "Rome was not built in a day"

Or a year for that matter.

We have no conclusive proof as the Countdown has not played out and been assesed.

Also the pro aqquisition by HD Partners has not been in effect at all either.

Good things may still come........who knows.

I'll wait and see........patience being a virtue and all that..........

REX

#38 10-26-2007, 10:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Larry Sullivan

The Countdown gets a lot of NHRA media attention, so much so that the individual races are now almost afterthoughts. The special races, like the Top Fuel race this weekend, are virtually ignored because they play no part in the countdown and the national events themselves are just backdrops for the Countdown.

I would think that the tracks and the race sponsors would be objecting to the shift in focus - even the pre-event publicity has become mostly about the Countdown. The race itself is secondary and event winners are not featured in the post-race story unless they are also in the Countdown.

I may be in the minority, but I always thought each race was something special and the season-long championship was an honor that went to the driver who did best in all the events, not just four or two.

I may be wrong......however I could have sworn it was you that stated that people go to the races to see the racing.......not the championship......or something to that effect.

Please correct me if I am wrong.........I know I am paraphrasing.

REX

#39 10-26-2007, 10:29 AM

Yep..........

Health of the NHRA....

REX

#40 10-26-2007, 11:06 AM

#41 10-26-2007, 01:57 PM

Yes, I am convinced that people go to the races to watch a race, not to watch a championship, but you wouldn't know it from the pre-race and post-race releases from NHRA. The race gets lost in the constant drumbeat of Countdown hype, and if it doesn't have anything to do with the Countdown, the winners are barely mentioned. Andrew Hines won the Bike shootout and was virtually ignored in the Saturday release from Indy.

#42 10-26-2007, 05:26 PM

Now see.........personally I would Love to go to Vegas and Pomona.

Alas I'm on the opposite side of the US plus in the middle of my busy (as in $$$$$) season.

And I wouls go because of the new format.

The spectator in me finds it intruiging.

Of course I realize my opinion is a individual one.

As many here have & still continue to infer.........Ah'm jess one 'o' da' "Idiots"

Oh well..........guess I can live with that

REX

#43 10-26-2007, 06:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Larry Sullivan

I may be in the minority, but I always thought each race was something special and the season-long championship was an honor that went to the driver who did best in all the events, not just four or two.

By no means in the minority, Larry. Not only do I agree with what you posted above, but as far as I'm concerned, between qualifying and eliminations, each event is a playoff unto itself. If the inherent excitement already in drag racing doesn't attract new fans, the countdown won't either.

#44 10-26-2007, 06:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mel Smith

Hey Paul........good story. And now we see the blueproint to a lifelong fan. Cool

Mel...

I was at my first Drag Race in '66 age twelve... and I'll tell you the open shows and the AHRA shows were always better than the NHRA shows... and Jim listen to racers unlike...

Which would I rather see... a 32 or 16 car open flopper show, The PDA Meet, The June 32 car Nitro show at the country, almost anything Pappy Hart did at the Beach, The MFG meet at the County or at Rockford... The County's 4 race Winter series... BAKERSFIELD!!!! or the Winters and 'SuperNationals' @ O.M.S.

Honestly, the open stuff was much better... and wasn't so 'retentive'... and the NHRA divisional points races were a much better more fan friendly show...

Personally, I think we have too many National Event and they are all equal in Value... At least Indy was Double Points... We (NHRA drag racing) have grown too big.... In 'the day'... a pro could run all the NHRA events... be bought in to AHRA events, and still run the Important OPEN shows (which really paid the better money)... but, being NHRA Champion and a buck will get you a cup of coffee at 7/11...

Sorry to say this, but to understand my views on this season, all I have to say is know your Roots... does the championship mean anything to me? not really... I really feel the Sport has outgrown the Glendora concept of what it should be... Pass the belt every week... We aren't Stick and Ball, we aren't NASCAR, WE aren't NCAA... every week is the Sweet Sixteen... Promote it That way...

Geez.. they're promoting the Dirt Cars over the P.A.
Do we get Promoted at a USAC or NASCAR race?

#45 10-26-2007, 07:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jackee Allen

Here's what the 'outside' media said in the Oct 8 LA Times.... note, the 'Countdown' is referred to as a 'two race championship'. Nice

"Four-time series champion Gary Scelzi earned one of four berths in the two-race championship, beating teammate Ron Capps in the Funny Car final Sunday in the Torco Racing Fuels NHRA Nationals at Dinwiddie, Va.

Scelzi, who jumped from sixth to second place, was joined in the winner's circle by Top Fuel's Doug Kalitta and Pro Stock's Dave Connolly, who has won five straight races overall to take the No. 1 seeding.

Capps secured the fourth and final berth in Funny Car with his semifinal win over Tim Wilkerson. Tony Pedregon and Robert Hight will be the other two finalists.

The drama in Top Fuel played out in the first round when Brandon Bernstein ousted Bob Vandergriff to cement his position in Top Fuel's final four. Larry Dixon, Rod Fuller and Tony Schumacher are the other three finalists.

In Pro Stock, Greg Anderson will be seeded second and the Pro Stock final four was filled out by No. 3 Jeg Coughlin, who drove his way in with a first-round win Sunday, and Allen Johnson, who clinched the fourth and final berth.

The top four drivers who remain alive in the Countdown to the Championship will have their points reset in 10-point increments, from 3,030 to 3,000, before heading to Las Vegas (Oct. 26-28) and Pomona (Nov. 1-4) for the two-race championship."

Who knows? Perhaps the SoCal readers are sophisticated enough to read into the story, but I'm pretty sure the 'new fans' the Countdown has created, are still scratching their heads at the points reset, two race Championship, etc.

I think I might rather explain bracket racing as in why the car that got there first lost because he didn't hit his brakes hard enough.

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