Short fields (1 Viewer)

[Gone Dead Train]

Jim ... it has been proven over time that big $$ to win races do not draw any better than NHRA sanctioned events. Whether it's Sportsman, Pro Mod, or Alcohol classes ... racers are set in there ways and committed to what they have always done. The concept seems to only work in bracket racing, and it works really well there.

For TAFC, most teams know who all is likely to be there and my understanding is there is very little, or zero, round $$ paid out. So if I am a TAFC team and know my chances are slim against guys like Bellemeur and Marshall, why would I spend my own $$ for food, travel, lodging and running the car to get nothing in return unless a pure lucky chance completely falls in their lap. Risk vs. Reward. It just becomes a poor financial investment, right? I also know many teams aren't interested in racing late into the night and in the past these races have always run late.

As for the lack of fans, I would think it simply comes down to the overall duration and time of the event. Most people (families for sure) are not interested in being at the track all day well into the night even if it was only $15 dollars for the final day. And what's the draw? Big crowds occur when there is some kind of "star" power. Most drag racing fans know a few of the personalities that were involved in this race, but not many.

Just my 2 cents worth and strictly opinion without having been there or talked to anyone directly involved.

So if you had a TAFC team and you new your chances were slim to none on winning at a Div race ($2500.00) and
Nantional event ($5000.00) to win (sh!tty) money) when there is 3 to 6 hitters there, where are you going to race your junk at?
Why Great Bend and Brainerd Alky fields sucked who knows. Me I'm grateful to my local tracks here in the Northwest
that put on shows and I'm really grateful to the low buck Alky and Nitro teams that show up at Div and Nat events and race
there junk. And if I was a Alky Funny Car racer I would be grateful to groups like Midwest Drag Racing Series and Funny Car Chaos...ect
that give more options where to spend my money and race

 

[Pete]

As many here, I have been a drag racing fan since 1975 on TV. Started attending races at Epping in 1985. Began racing in 1992 locally, moved up to Super Street racing 2004-2007. I have attended more national and divisional races than I can count. I have many friends and associates across various levels of the sport and this same discussion has been a topic since I first started back in 1975. In the end, the reasoning seems to all be the same....MONEY!

Many have brought up excellent reasons why they believe NHRA is "failing", but then they pull the nose up and have a few good years...and so on...and so on. Here's my opinion:

I am originally from New Hampshire. At my highest level, I ran NHRA Super Street in Div1 (2006-2007) and had a sponsor that paid me $8500/yr. Laying out my schedule, I had the options of local Super Street races at Epping (13 weekends & 20 minutes away...actually kept my equipment there, so it was easy) and Lebanon Valley (10 weekends 200 miles away), but I decided to chase points with NHRA then run Epping on non-Div race weekends. NHRA paid Super Street winners $1200 + (if you were stickered correctly) another 5-10,000 in contingencies. The furthest for me was Virginia Motorsports Park at almost 700 miles, 13 hours and I was $1500 in the hole (entry fees, tolls, fuel, food, race gas, etc...) before I left my door/turned a tire on the track. Remember, the class only paid $1200 to win, + contingencies. At the end of 2006, after 6 divisional races and 13 local races at Epping, my final net loss was -$7100. We did finish 7th in points, for what it was worth against some of the best 10.90 racers in the country, bar none!

Unfortunately we lost our sponsor of 5 years after 2006, but we had a blast (key word) and decided to continue with the Div1 schedule and now with grade points, run the only national that had Super Street in Div1, Englishtown (if I remember correctly the entry fee was $340 including 1 crew pass). We made it to 8 cars at E-town and collected a whole $250 vs. the $2000 expenses for the race.
All other related expenses did not change and by the end of the season we were -$6400 for the season.
So why did we do this? Chasing the dream! We wanted that WALLY! Prize money was nice, but it wasn't the driver! The realization of risk v. reward finally set in and we parked in 2008.

If we continued to stay local and race in Epping, we would have done well, had a blast and kept our expenses down. This is only MY story, from a low level race team. Now apply this same scenario to the big teams, fuel, pro mod, etc....I was racing for $1200 to win and each race cost me almost that to be able to pull into the burnout box, however I was always racing at a loss, unless I won and was stickered right. I may have had a chance to break even at a race, but no chance I would come out ahead at the end of the year.
Fuel teams don't pay entry fees and as Schumacher put it a lot of years ago "It costs $25K per run", taking into consideration all of the team/shop expenses. Lets say they run all qualifiers and win the race, thats 200K...and at the time, NHRA paid 50K to win.
For the smaller teams, that price drastically goes down...I think one of the smaller teams said $3500 is the real price just for the run, not hurting parts or paying anyone.
The formula is totally out of balance and has been since I started back in 1975....this is why everyone matchraced and ran multiple sanctioning bodies, to make enough to continue to the next race. Racing at all levels is expensive and your always in a financial deficit! There's a reason why you only have 9 touring TF teams...and the rest of the field is filled by part-time, pardon the expression, "hobbyist" racers...guys and gals that only run 2-3 races for FUN...don't get me wrong, they are there to win, but its virtually impossible unless something happens in the other lane. Was anyone reading this rooting for Steve Torrence in Denver? I doubt it! GO JOEY!!!

The cost of racing at these elite levels has increased year over year, but as of 2020/2021, the purses have decreased. The purses for the sportsmen classes, if correct, haven't changed in 15-20 years...again, the cost of racing here has gone through the roof.

Now that the kids are grown, my wife has directed me to get back into racing...so I started by figuring out what class or style of racing to get back into....I have a very liberal budget to do this and am just stunned at how much this is going to cost, close to 80K just to get back to where I left it in 2007.....and the purse for that class is still $1200...contingencies have all but dried up.

The formula is out of balance and until NHRA figures out a way to make the sport more affordable (i.e. purse increases, scaled back races, etc.) the car counts will continue to fluctuate, until they drop for good. PDRA, Funny Car Chaos, Midwest Pro Mod, BIG$ bracket races and alike are dominating the sport...in my opinion, NHRA is the place for sensory overload, but for me, they are a distant 4th on my list of races to attend...very sad.

One last thing, I watched a video of the Nite Under Fire at Norwalk...Bill Bader proudly exclaimed they were sold out, not a seat or standing room only spot to be had...and this one event had more spectators than the entire 3-4 days of the national earlier this year. Fans that buy tickets want to be excited, emotionally overtaken and have their world rocked...all in a small window of time...Bader gets it!

Its your call NHRA...balls in your court!!

 

[Cliff]

Pete, well said! Reminded me of when drag racing first got started. People raced for a trophy & "bragging rights". No $$ at all. Even in the early 1960's, winners at the Nationals won a new car or an engine or like that. Some tracks did post $ to win AA/FD.... $100 savings bond at Lions, etc, I don't think there has ever been a time when you made enough $ to cover expenses, except for Garlits, etc, who were paid to show up. And, of course, Funny Cars in the '70's with match races and all that. I used to see a guy at the old Irwindale, ran an El Camino. He got 'the hook" at age 60 (!) and ran for some years. Don't remember him winning anything, but he loved to race. I guess that's the key to the whole thing. Even as a spectator, I wouldn't spend the $ for a ticket and high prices for a hot dawg if I didn't love drag racing.

 

[none]

I’ve wondered if Scott Palmer isn’t on to something good. He's picking up some small track dates like match racing did back in the 60’s70’s and developing a solidly rabid fan base. He doesn’t have to follow legal rules or kill his parts making a pass on those tracks and the fans see a cool smoke and thunder show for 1/3 the price of a NHRA National Event.

Sure those events may only be 5 hours instead of a 10 hour show. But the 10 hour show may be why the bleachers are empty for the T/F and Funny Car final round.

Stick and ball sports keep their show only 3-1/2 to 4 hours long for a reason. Maybe it’s so they can have a good/great crowd at games every week who become their rabid fans who buy whatever’s being sold at the stadium.

(I’ve never used the word “rabid” twice in a post before. Maybe it’s both words… “rabid fans”. Drag racing could use more of them. )

A 10 hour show? When's the last time you attended a race? Brainerd was typical of an event these days when we don't have weather issues.

Top Fuel first pair fired at 11 AM Final pair at 3:50 PM 4 hours 50 minutes.

Alan

 

[dr flames]

A 10 hour show? When's the last time you attended a race? Brainerd was typical of an event these days when we don't have weather issues.

Top Fuel first pair fired at 11 AM Final pair at 3:50 PM 4 hours 50 minutes.

Alan

The red writer strikes again, cut back on the fluff and show more sportsman, love top fuel cars and funny cars, but would like to see other classes like I do at the race in person

 

[Von Halen]

The red writer strikes again, cut back on the fluff and show more sportsman, love top fuel cars and funny cars, but would like to see other classes like I do at the race in person

You should splurge on NHRA.TV.

 

[mick]

.......cut back on the fluff and show more sportsman, love top fuel cars and funny cars, but would like to see other classes like I do at the race in person

sportsmen not part of camping world series sponsor package. sunday tv not obligated to show them, but they have shown the final rounds in the past, which IMO
is a cool thing to do; lets viewer see what else transpires at a national event and it only takes a couple minutes to show......the sportsman show from BIR should be real good.
9 dragsters and 3 funny cars ought leave plenty of time to cover the other classes

 

[dr flames]

You should splurge on NHRA.TV.

I need to Chk that out

 

[dr flames]

I think some people on here are missing the point what Alan posted. Alan was addressing Philip's post about race day
on Sunday, speading up the show. 4 hours 50 minutes at Brainerd what a great show. For a number years the National
Events i've bin too, done by 4PM ( no weather issues ) You can't run a National Event any faster than that!
And if want great sportsman action. Do what I and other people have done get NHRA.TV I've had it since day one, before
that it was All-Access, before that ESPN live on the internet. Have not watch NHRA on tv in years. And There Is No Fluff
Bar None The Greatest Value In Live Drag Racing. Oh sure there is issues from time to time. Please turn up the sound of
the cars. But since I went with Roku in early 2019 just BITCHIN and it's in 1080 Ultra HD. GET ROKU FOR SURE!!!
Far less issues with Roku

I wasn’t trying to discount Allen’s post at all, I was referencing how main broadcast showing more sportsman might get more people at the track, Allen is the bomb, been a fan for a long time

 

[ol21stud]

A 10 hour show? When's the last time you attended a race? Brainerd was typical of an event these days when we don't have weather issues.

Top Fuel first pair fired at 11 AM Final pair at 3:50 PM 4 hours 50 minutes.

Alan

You are right in that the NHRA nitro show promptly started at 11AM and the Final was over at 3:50PM (NHRA and you should be rightfully proud of that one.) But for the typical spectator to feel they saw the whole show and got their money's worth, they will be on the grounds at least 1 to 2 hours before that 11 AM nitro start so they can get from the parking lot, thru the gate, checkout the pro pits while they are warming up, then do a quick check of whatever Manufacturers Midway they might be able to see before the crowd jams it up between rounds. Many also want to at least make a walk through the Sportsman Pits to feel like they've seen the whole event. Yes, they can do it between rounds but have you seen the line for the pro pits, food or the restrooms? Even if you don't have "food in/out issues", checking out the pro pits and manufactures midway between rounds is a tough walk (especially if you are trying to collect hero cards and get them signed.)

There's also another 1/2 hour minimum to add to the 4 hour - 50 minutes you quoted. That's a minimum it takes to get to your car in the parking lot and get it out of spectator parking to the road. (Remember spectators don't have VIP parking.)

Gainesville? In the past I've spent well over 45 minutes just sitting in my car, creeping along, trying to get out of the parking lot onto the road in front of the track. We've tried leaving there both ways... if the final pair matchups are not our favorites, we have left before the final to get a jump on traffic. (It really doesn't work.) Most of the time we stay for the final round. I'm not sure if there are guys like this at every track, but in Gainesville, there are always guys that grill in the parking lot after the final round because they know they will be gridlocked anyway. I've had similar issues in Pomona and St. Louis plus close to that in the much smaller Atlanta.
Add the 1 or 2 hours before 11AM and at least another 45 min. after the final NITRO pair to the 4 hour - 50 minutes day you quoted and a day at an NHRA National Event is typically a 7-1/2+ hour day on track property. And that's IF there isn't extra track downtime to add to it.
I have come to love a concise racing program. I've raced, owned racetracks and promoted automotive events in Kansas, Illinois and Florida (yes, a long time ago.) and as much as I love drag racing, I was at Bakersfield about 8 years ago for the March Meet and actually got seriously tired of watching the huge number of funny cars. Today I would rather drive my 90 minutes to Gainesville 3-4 times a year for 8 car shows than just once a year for 7+ hours on the grounds.
I think this is why the stands are full for NHRA's 2nd round nitro show but almost empty for the final round. Would you leave a pro NBA, NFL, MLB or NHL game before the last period started? (Ignoring when the fat lady sings early.) The pro stick and ball team owners get their local crowd to come to their events 8 to 70 games a year but NHRA can't get the crowd to stay for a final round for just one to two races a year.
Fix this issue and the fan base will grow.

 

[DanTheFan]

Oh my, Phil. Sounds like a complaint that in order to enjoy the whole day you have to have some time for the pits etc? That’s part of the day. I usually get there on a Sunday at 9:30, do the walk around etc. if anything, I have found race day almost too fast as there is little time between rounds to eat and pee if you want to catch it all.

You are right about Gainesville though. Last couple of times it took over two hours to get out of the lot. Then have a several hour drive back to where I’m staying. I won’t go again. Other than its historical aura, the track Is nothing special. Very cramped grounds. I save my $$$ for Norwalk, Vegas etc.

 

[Cliff]

I think every race track is a pit when trying to leave after the race. Same problem with Wild Horse in Phoenix.

 

[none]

You are right in that the NHRA nitro show promptly started at 11AM and the Final was over at 3:50PM (NHRA and you should be rightfully proud of that one.) But for the typical spectator to feel they saw the whole show and got their money's worth, they will be on the grounds at least 1 to 2 hours before that 11 AM nitro start so they can get from the parking lot, thru the gate, checkout the pro pits while they are warming up, then do a quick check of whatever Manufacturers Midway they might be able to see before the crowd jams it up between rounds. Many also want to at least make a walk through the Sportsman Pits to feel like they've seen the whole event. Yes, they can do it between rounds but have you seen the line for the pro pits, food or the restrooms? Even if you don't have "food in/out issues", checking out the pro pits and manufactures midway between rounds is a tough walk (especially if you are trying to collect hero cards and get them signed.)

There's also another 1/2 hour minimum to add to the 4 hour - 50 minutes you quoted. That's a minimum it takes to get to your car in the parking lot and get it out of spectator parking to the road. (Remember spectators don't have VIP parking.)

Gainesville? In the past I've spent well over 45 minutes just sitting in my car, creeping along, trying to get out of the parking lot onto the road in front of the track. We've tried leaving there both ways... if the final pair matchups are not our favorites, we have left before the final to get a jump on traffic. (It really doesn't work.) Most of the time we stay for the final round. I'm not sure if there are guys like this at every track, but in Gainesville, there are always guys that grill in the parking lot after the final round because they know they will be gridlocked anyway. I've had similar issues in Pomona and St. Louis plus close to that in the much smaller Atlanta.
Add the 1 or 2 hours before 11AM and at least another 45 min. after the final NITRO pair to the 4 hour - 50 minutes day you quoted and a day at an NHRA National Event is typically a 7-1/2+ hour day on track property. And that's IF there isn't extra track downtime to add to it.
I have come to love a concise racing program. I've raced, owned racetracks and promoted automotive events in Kansas, Illinois and Florida (yes, a long time ago.) and as much as I love drag racing, I was at Bakersfield about 8 years ago for the March Meet and actually got seriously tired of watching the huge number of funny cars. Today I would rather drive my 90 minutes to Gainesville 3-4 times a year for 8 car shows than just once a year for 7+ hours on the grounds.
I think this is why the stands are full for NHRA's 2nd round nitro show but almost empty for the final round. Would you leave a pro NBA, NFL, MLB or NHL game before the last period started? (Ignoring when the fat lady sings early.) The pro stick and ball team owners get their local crowd to come to their events 8 to 70 games a year but NHRA can't get the crowd to stay for a final round for just one to two races a year.
Fix this issue and the fan base will grow.

Phil,

Not arguing, just discussing. When I go to a football, game, if kickoff is 7 PM, I'm heading out about 5, usually get parked, and grab a bite to eat before the game starts. I could leave the house at 6:30, but I would have to search for a place to park, probably end up with a long walk and maybe even miss the kickoff. I also will leave in the middle of the 4th quarter (or sooner if the game is lopsided) to beat the rush. Most sports stadiums I have seen are not nearly as full at the end of the game as at the beginning. It has been my experience that more and more of our fans have their favorite drivers, and if those drivers are out, their fans are less likely to stay for the finals, but if your driver is in the final, you stay.

And I'm curious when you were at Gainesville? I have been going for nearly 30 years, and I certainly would agree that ingress and egress it used to be a nightmare. But since they widened the road and will now have three lanes going out when the event is over, it is MUCH better.
The last few years, I have done the Winner's Circle then gathered my stuff and driven right out. And that's about an hour after the last pair. And my "VIP" parking puts me closer to the tower, not closer to the exit.

And certainly some tracks are better than others, but then in every sport some stadiums are better than others.

Alan

 

[mick]

turned off hwy 371 into BIR on 8/21 at 9:45am. on starting line at 10:30 for Super Stock (and drizzle). left at 7pm after Stock quarters. no wait at all leaving (gate B). 9 hour day. felt like 4.
don't forget to tune into joe castello WFO show

 

[dr flames]

Phil,

Not arguing, just discussing. When I go to a football, game, if kickoff is 7 PM, I'm heading out about 5, usually get parked, and grab a bite to eat before the game starts. I could leave the house at 6:30, but I would have to search for a place to park, probably end up with a long walk and maybe even miss the kickoff. I also will leave in the middle of the 4th quarter (or sooner if the game is lopsided) to beat the rush. Most sports stadiums I have seen are not nearly as full at the end of the game as at the beginning. It has been my experience that more and more of our fans have their favorite drivers, and if those drivers are out, their fans are less likely to stay for the finals, but if your driver is in the final, you stay.

And I'm curious when you were at Gainesville? I have been going for nearly 30 years, and I certainly would agree that ingress and egress it used to be a nightmare. But since they widened the road and will now have three lanes going out when the event is over, it is MUCH better.
The last few years, I have done the Winner's Circle then gathered my stuff and driven right out. And that's about an hour after the last pair. And my "VIP" parking puts me closer to the tower, not closer to the exit.

And certainly some tracks are better than others, but then in every sport some stadiums are better than others.

Alan

I stay late and wonder pits for a while far less stressful and much better than dealing with aggressive drivers trying to get out

 

[Nappy]

I stay late and wonder pits for a while far less stressful and much better than dealing with aggressive drivers trying to get out

Same here ! I try to stay around and talk to some of the crew or drivers . Much better than dealing with road rage

 

[flapjack]

Same here ! I try to stay around and talk to some of the crew or drivers . Much better than dealing with road rage

Did that at Epping one year and I think that’s how I’m going to do it from now on. It’s amazing what 45 minutes to an hour will do in terms of clearing out traffic, and in that time you are more likely to get in a pleasant conversation with a crew member or driver now that the race is over.

 

[ol21stud]

Complicated subject and I apologize for the length. Alan, I greatly appreciate your comments and I don’t want this to be an argument either as I post here to see if my thoughts on “How to improve and increase drag racing’s appeal.” have merit. I’m not talking about the drivers, the car owners and their crews. They have a totally different set of needs. But NHRA’s big shows currently are the image of drag racing nationwide if not worldwide and that image either makes it better or worse for drag racing everywhere.

To me, the NHRA’s many “acts” on their fantastic stage in one weekend, is too much for many of their “typical” ticket buying spectators to absorb in such a long day. That results with many spectators only buying a ticket once or twice and not returning after that. That spectator behavior requires NHRA to have to develop a large new crop of spectators every year or so. I used to get 6-8 comp weekend tickets to the Gators every year and I couldn’t get anyone to take one the second time. (Except my younger son and he was already hooked on drag racing from going to the track with me since he was 4.) Same issue each time I tried to give them to the same people the second time. They didn’t want to give up that long of a day... for free!

(I’m old and this alone proves it)… AHRA’s Jim Tice wisely told me that operating a drag strip is like farming. I would need to constantly plant a new “crop” of spectators every year to replace the “crop” that dies, loses interest, or moves away. True, but he also said… “We must always give the average spectator a great and concise show so they will never want to miss another Grand American.” (AHRA’s nitro show)

Business colleges teach that for businesses of any kind, it’s cheaper to keep repeat customers than it is to find new ones to replace those that leave. This is true in drag racing too.

I’m talking about the true spectator and not the pro or sportsman racers and their close family and crew. Nitro shows are not like bracket racing which exist on its performers and business sponsorship dollars. With few spectators to speak of, only the narrow range of businesses that have positive ROI from bracket racing will pay a promoter and/or bracket racers for bracket racing exposure.

It’s not the same for NHRA nitro show sponsors. If NHRA can produce races and TV programs for consistently happy fans who never want to miss a race, they have the ability to again sell McDonalds and other big name non-motorsports based advertisers. A happy and repeat ticket buying crowd could bring the same big name sponsors that pay the pro stick and ball teams their big bucks.

Putting any region of the country’s NHRA’s nitro show in one weekend per year is a huge gamble as it typically takes decent spectator sales to maintain profitability with the big number of “acts” on stage. Then there’s the needed income to cover for any year that has promoter killing rainouts or Covid19 cancelled events.

Spreading that gamble out reduces the promoters gamble and greatly reduces the chance of a major loss for the year. Losses that a one big race a year rainout, cancellation or poor crowd would create at that venue.

Alan, you agree that it makes the event fun if you can partake in the food and atmosphere before “kickoff” but arriving just 15 minutes before it starts means you may miss that and possibly an important part of the show you paid to see. Also, if you typically leave in the middle of the 4th quarter, are you saying the football games are longer and less interesting to you than they should be. (Blowouts excluded) You are saying that getting to the game even 90 minutes before kickoff makes you want to leave before the end. Imagine if that game was twice as long.

I get it that some drag fans leave when their favorite drivers lose. But do you think they still leave when their favorites all lose in the 1st round? But that shouldn’t be a cause for the large number of new spectators leaving early. New folks haven’t developed favorites yet and should be excited watching another round of the smoke and thunder that 330 mph nitro racing is.

My whole premise is that the show is too long and probably there are too many “acts” on NHRA’s National Event stage. At the same time, I’m NOT for eliminating classes like NHRA did with Modified or even the totally cool twin-engine rails like “The Freight Train”.

What I believe would be better for NHRA Drag racing would be the spreading out of the show. Give me a Top Fuel show plus just a few Sportsman classes one weekend and then a month later at the same venue, promote a Nitro Flopper weekend. Another weekend could be Pro Stock/Pro Mod Weekend. This spreads out the financial risks of a rainout weekend along with making each of the “shows” its own spectacle. Probably would help more racers find sponsor money as they would be the BIG STARS that weekend.

I’ve had the great fun of attending the two of Drag Illustrated’s “C-Tech. Doorslammer Nationals” at Orlando Speed World. They were fantastic events where everyone in the crowd got to see and talk to the racers, the racers were in really good moods as they were having “fun” and they were racing for the largest purse of the year in Pro Stock and I believe Pro Mod too.

Can you imagine how much fun it would be to go to a nitro Funny Car race with 16 or more floppers and a few logical additional classes? As a spectator you could see the whole show, get your hero cards signed plus buy a t-shirt to match the one you got a month ago at the Top Fuel race and also the t-shirt you bought two months ago at the Pro Mod/Pro Stock race.

If the stick and ball MLB, NBA and NFL made their games twice as long or double headers, I have no doubt they couldn’t double the ticket price and make it work… even if they cut the number of games per year in half. They can have so many more games in each venue's town because they keep it simple and fun for the fans. Imagine if you could go to each of your local national event tracks for a great NHRA Pro Show 2 or 3 times a year.

Wally Parks was forced to reintroduce nitro to his show (in 1963 I think) as AHRA was drawing larger crowds. Wally also dragged his feet in making Funny Cars a Pro Class until the crowd and track owners demanded it. Same for adding the Pro Stock Class in 1970. He understood the show much change to fit the demand and needs of it's spectators. When they are leaving before the final and even semi-final, it’s time to look at the presentation of the show.

 

[Cliff]

Phil, this reminds me of the Old Daze somewhat. The Big Show race was Pomona Winternats. During the year, we had all kinds of shows at various tracks. Some of the shows would be T/F and F/C. Other weekends wouild be circuit shows, like AA/GS, BB/GS, AA/FA, Top Gas Dragster, JR/F, injected F/C. Something for everyone and the races would be spaced out during the year. I really miss that today. I wish the tracks would do shows like you outlined.

 

[none]

Let's say that you split the shows as you outlined, Top Fuel only one weekend, Funny Car on another weekend and PS/PM on another. With something to fill in. Would you rotate those as well? And what about sportsman racers who run multiple classes? When NHRA was rotating some of the classes many racers stayed home if they couldn't run both cars. It's the same travel expense and if they could only run one class they had half the chance of winning.

It takes an hour minimum to turn a TF car. Do you really think that fans would rather fill that time with Funny Car, Pro Stock, Pro Mod or something slower?

What would be your total number of events? If you run three at each track three times, that's a lot of weekends. I guess you would run Top Fuel in Denver and Funny Car in Atlanta the same weekend? Where would DSR send the hospitality team? And for that matter, where would the MOPAR or DHL execs go? They come to the races to entertain customers and watch all of their cars run.

What about Television? Are you going to have three full crews to cover all the races? You mentioned that you think spreading the shows would help teams with sponsorship. Sponsors want to be on TV so you need that coverage.

And yes, I did say that I might leave a game early if it appears to me that the outcome has been decided before the clock runs out. But if my team is still in the game, I will stay until the end. That's true in every sport. I have been to Major League Baseball Stadiums that will let you in free at the 7th inning, because fans come out for the experience, they watch the game for a while, have a hot dog and enjoy the event, but they don't have to stay until the very end to have a good time.

I think that many of our fans, come out to see the cars, get an autograph or two, maybe join us on the track walk and if their driver is out leave before the finals. In this day it's not like you have to wait a week, to find out who won. And I have run into many fans at the local Bar/Grill Sunday evening that left early to go someplace to watch the TV show.

I know this, if I leave a game before the end, it doesn't mean that I didn't enjoy the experience.

Alan