Already my '07 off to a bad start

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Wish I could help some way David, still cheering for ya.

They seemed to be getting it together toward the end of the year. Hopefully he'll be back

Hopefully a sponsor picks him up he had some great moments this last season knocking some big names out!

This really sucks to wait 6-7 weeks after the season's over to decide to pull out! This late in the game I'd be suprised if they were able to put anything together this close to the season.

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Shift for Brains!!!!

Well Joe, it just costs so much now that even a lot of "modest millionares" can't afford it. And if they can't, how can a company with only so many advertising dollars to go around afford it? A financial monster has been created with these cars and they need to find away to get the costs down...way down and quick! I know its always been expensive and all that jazz but what we're seeing now is beyond expen$ive.

Rich, they can start by listening to the Crewchiefs about the 85% rule. I've heard that alone has increased costs by well over $100,000 per year!

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Shift for Brains!!!!

I figured something was up since Baca hadn`t blogged since Oct. 13. Would`ve been nice for Mach 1 to have stayed onboard for more than half a season.

I really hate this. David is one of my favs. He is one cool cat and I couldnt wait for him to win his first race. Hopefully that day will still come.

This is a touchy subject to say the least. I remember back to '93 in the pro pits at gainesville with our fuel funny car. I mean there must have been 6 or 7 other fuel funny car teams parked on the grass there working out of gooseneck trailers and with one or two bulletts in the trailer to get them through a race weekend. Our team personally did it with ONE block and some spare parts. And we ran well at the events we were able to attend. Nowadays it is impossible for anyone such as our team to compete without corporate backing and it seems a shame. But the reality is that in respect to the other professional racing series in the world the costs to operate a professional team in the NHRA are very reasonable.

I think it would be wonderful if more low budget teams could compete with the big boys and have a shot at winning like they used to but in todays age of multi car teams and extensive R&D work, its nearly impossible. I think that we are fortunate as a racing community that we have the IHRA which enables those unable to obtain those major sponsors a place to still compete in the classes that are considered the eptiome of our sport.

This is unfortunate news. I thought that the basis behind the airline sponsorship was a great idea. I would be curious to know if the reasoning for the end of the partnership was due to a lack of ROI?

I am not familiar with Mach 1 but have often thought that a smaller airline such as that could benefit very well from a series such as the NHRA.

Good point on ROI....Baca's team was an also ran and most teams knew thay were not that competitive on Sun.
Look @ Vandergriff and UPS. UPS is a top notch company that is flying their colors on a struggling race car.
Mach 1 and other companies like UPS have the $$$$ to play. But they want to be connected to top shelf players.
I heard Mach 1 had alot of interest w/ Snake/Dixon racing.......

Jory, I agree. I guess the only thing one can do is thank their stars for the IHRA, then stand back and let the NHRA guys race to out money each other until only a handfull are left standing in this game of highstakes musical chairs. It's to bad that IHRA doesn't have a foothold in the west.

NHRA can also help by promoting the A/fuel cars more to make it a more appealing class to run for those that can't afford to run Top Fuel.

Baca is a standup guy and has a big heart. If anyone belongs to be out there it's him. The sponsorship-corporate battle is a tough one and thank goodnes that Dan Olson recognizes that something must be done to get the costs down. I remember in the early ninety a half million could get it done now it's 2 million. Thats a lot of money if the returns are minimal.

Top Fuel has always been expensive.
Today it takes everything you have to race just like it did twenty or thirty years ago.
Things have changed w/ the NHRA and they are kind of @ fault for the small car count.
I saw it start w/ the % change, Engine retention devices, -20 suits certification issues, oil-down penalties, pre-acceptance by the NHRA, forged blocks, all hoses must be pressurized tested and tagged, valve cover restraints, heat-treated chassis/back half, roll-cage titanium plate, rear wing must be purchased through one company and angle is pre-set, 75 minute turn around and many more if I think a little bit. But take a look @ that short list of those few requirements and you are in to $12,000.
Insurance companies cringe @ the thought of cars going 330 mph side by side so they will insure but someone will pay those premiums.
I agree w/ Dan Olson but will racers @ the top slow down to save money?

This is too bad; he made the Bud Shootout this year. Now I know why his hauler was for sale in National Dragster. I thought he was getting a new one. I guess I was wrong.
Hope he finds a good sponsor and can get back into it.

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First of all, I HATE this! My daughter and I will never forget the kindness he showed to Erin by taking a lot of time to educate her on TF racing. He always has time to chat with us and a hug for Erin. The man truly loves racing and I also wish I could help.

A couple of corrections . . . I believe David stated that Mach 1 informed him at the end of the season (not now) that the sponsorship would not be extended. Also, to the best of my knowledge, Mach 1 is a freight forwarding company - not a small airline.

The sponsorship pool continues to shrink as TF costs skyrocket. From everything we have heard, the 85% rule is destroying parts as smaller teams try to compete with teams with virtually unlimited parts inventories.
Something needs to change NOW. NHRA - WAKE UP!!!

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