With all the discussion of the new points system for '07, I don't think I've seen any mention of the increases in the year-end Championship payouts. The fuel classes go from 400K to 500K, or a 25% bonus. No matter what, that's a plus, no? I understand trying to create drama to generate new interest from fans, I think the day we have a single winner take home over 1Mil for a championship will get a lot more attention, IMO.

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"The Doctor"
www.wannaberacing.com

I hear ya'...

Jeff Green, the last place finisher at this week's NEXTEL Cup race collected $75,000 for completeing TWO laps. So . . . if you qualify for seven cup races and finish last in every one, you will receive $525.000!
Extend this for the entire 36 race season and (providing you qualify for every race), your take would be $2,700,000, and that is for finishing 43rd in every race. There are lot of really bad teams in NASCAR doing this every week.

Is there any doubt that something is wrong here? Do the math on NHRA collecting hundreds of dollars from 500 to 700 sportsman racers and the huge dollars they extort from vendors vs what it actually costs them to put on a race. Are you surprised that high profile fuel teams are still looking for sponsors for 2007?

NASCAR can afford those weekly payouts because they have a title sponsor with deep pockets and a lucrative television contract. But given the NHRA's situation I think that an extra hundred grand added to the payout at the end of the year is nothing to sneeze at.

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"Alcohol is for drinking, gas is for cleaning parts, and nitro is for racing!"

That was kinda my point, Rich. I absolutely agree that everyone racing deserves higher purses, but I was just surprised that the increase in NHRA's year end bonus didn't get much mention, at least that I noticed. The NASCAR vs. NHRA payout discussion is pretty much a waste of time. While last place finishers over there seem to still make a lot of money, you have to remember that the highest of fuel-car budgets in the NHRA wouldn't allow a NASCAR team to turn a wheel. Maybe not even a BUSCH car. Apples and oranges again. While we can never have 1 winner in the NHRA, imagine if we did and the POWERADE money wasn't split up 4 ways, it would be a much more impressive number. Anyway, my original point was that I'm glad that there was a raise in the year-end purse.