Wally World Sticks it to the Racers.....Again!!! (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Dave
- Start date
FABMAN
Nitro Member
Bill, your right on the money, entries statistics show increase in Sportsman Catagories over 40% since start of this thread.
JF
Nitro Member
There's a lot of talk on other sportsman sites about an Indy boycott. Then we'll see how deep the needle is really in.
So your going to Boycott a race that is 13 nationals away and 6 months away? Do you really think that is going to work. I'm not saying no. I'm just saying if your going to do it it has to be now and with full boycott.
Not a bunch of guys saying "Yes lets boycott" and then showing up and qualifing #1, Class Winner and quarter final finish because all the "Good cars" observed the boycott.
Unfortunetly, It won't happen because you won't be able to get a full boycott.
As for the needle, You are not going to get an addict to quit "Cold Turkey" . You have to them an alternative to the addiction like a large payout race somewhere else that is against Indy (remember Tulsa 1973) Do you think if back then there if was no where else to go, all those pros would have stayed home!
Just something to think about. It would take a large sponsor that is fed up with NHRA (MT Tires,etc) and a track owner that NHRA has screwed over.(I'm sure there are several of those) and racer participation.
Then the needle can remain but has a new "drug"
"Dr. Dirt"
Nitro Member
Well, I've sat on the sidelines and finished all my popcorn so here's my take:
* Home Depot = reduction in over 3000 items in stock due to the economy
* Wal-Mart = reduction in 45% of their overall stock pricing due to the economy
* Sears = reduction in many prices throughout their entire inventory due to the economy
These are three of the world's largest retailers who understand this is no time to raise pricing.
* IHRA = streamlining operations costs in an effort to keep licensing fees from increasing as a result of savvy management and economic circumstances.
Even I can see a trend here that Glendora can't or won't.
I believe Jesse has summed it up best for me:
* Home Depot = reduction in over 3000 items in stock due to the economy
* Wal-Mart = reduction in 45% of their overall stock pricing due to the economy
* Sears = reduction in many prices throughout their entire inventory due to the economy
These are three of the world's largest retailers who understand this is no time to raise pricing.
* IHRA = streamlining operations costs in an effort to keep licensing fees from increasing as a result of savvy management and economic circumstances.
Even I can see a trend here that Glendora can't or won't.
I believe Jesse has summed it up best for me:
NHRA is following the footsteps of our great new leader of the United States of America, Obama. It sounds all so familiar.
Good points about retailers lowering prices ... but let's not paint them as Martyrs for the consumer. They lowered prices to move "dead" and excess inventory to better thier own P&L statement plain and simple. There are no Board Room meetings saying "Let's help the consumer out and lower prices". It is probably more like "You better find a way to move this inventory or there will be some changes around here".
As far as savvy management at IHRA ... kind of have to wonder where that statement gets any support.1) No Title Rights sponsor for the season points fund
2) 269 cars at thier season opening National Event. Hard to make money that way.
3) 14 Pro Stock and 11 Pro Mods at the first race. Aren't these IHRA's longtime bread and butter classes?
4) And a ridiculous Sportsman points tournament that everybody hates worse than the NHRA Countdown from what I have read.
I think the ADRL will affect (hurt) IHRA way more than IHRA will ever affect the NHRA?
So ... I guess the savvy management team at IHRA feels the only way to get ahead is race a Monster Truck and a Jet Car against each other. Hmmmm, savvy?
Without going political here because everybody has thier opinion and affiliation, but how many ideas has the "conservative" side brought to the table? Oh yea, NONE! It is easier to complain about all the bad things the opposition does rather than offer up better ideas. You can't be held accountable that way. But, that's just American politics.
"Dr. Dirt"
Nitro Member
Raising fees is akin to raising taxes!
"You can't tax a nation into prosperity"
also
"You don't streamline business during tough times with higher fees"
Let me guess who you voted for?
"You can't tax a nation into prosperity"
also
"You don't streamline business during tough times with higher fees"
Let me guess who you voted for?
Dave
Nitro Member
You make very good points, especially about IHRA. As far as the coming up with better ideas, in this case it's damn near impossible. Actually, the ideas aren't too hard to come up with but the trouble is they will never be heard or realized. NHRA will never realize the majority of the problems with NHRA Drag Racing lies with themselves. As many have pointed out, the people at the helm are not racers and they don't apear to have any idea on how to keep the constituants happy. It would be fair if the licensed NHRA competitiors had voting rights to decide who should be running the show. I think if you have a job doing something, it wouldn't hurt to be qualified to do it, or have some some idea of what you are doing. If McDonald's hired a kid to make burgers but he kept setting the garbage on fire, he might not keep his job. I could say more but I might be accused of treason.
Dave
Ugly one
Nitro Member
amen Bobby.....
Randy
Nitro Member
There's a lot of talk on other sportsman sites about an Indy boycott. Then we'll see how deep the needle is really in.
Yea, a boycott would be a great idea.
Tom Compton and his buddies were at the March Meet in awe of the number of fans and their reaction to the NFC's, etc. If the pits have no sportsman entries because of a racer boycott then you can just about bet the next race might see the former sportsman pit area consisting of cars like Pisano/Matsubara against Plueger and Geiger, the Blue Max against Braskett and Burgin, etc., instead of a bunch of whining sportsman racers.
Who needs who?
FABMAN
Nitro Member
OK, there has been a lot of talk about what the sportsman racers should do and I think they have come to the conclusion that a 100% boycott of Indy would hit the spot. Would it take a big money payout in all sportsman classes running NHRA rules and race format at a premium tract located in south central part of the United States to make it happen. I know Jegs sponsors sportsman races during the year and we don't want to takeaway anything from there races cause they are great for the sport, but this race is for the racers not NHRA. I think it could happen but it will take the top leaders in the sportsman classes to get racers to leave NHRA's biggest race of the year for a Big Payout Race and no points in order to make a big statement to NHRA.
So maters lets ask them would you attend such a race?
Lets make it simple, Inaugural SPORTSMAN NATIONALS
I will start a new thread and lets here from the racers that would like to attend. There's not a lot of time so maters if you know these racers have them spend a buck and lets here what they think.
So maters lets ask them would you attend such a race?
Lets make it simple, Inaugural SPORTSMAN NATIONALS
I will start a new thread and lets here from the racers that would like to attend. There's not a lot of time so maters if you know these racers have them spend a buck and lets here what they think.
T.Smith
Nitro Member
Hey Randy, you and I should go partners on a super comp....imagine the amount of burgers we would get to grill and eat.Yea, a boycott would be a great idea.
Tom Compton and his buddies were at the March Meet in awe of the number of fans and their reaction to the NFC's, etc. If the pits have no sportsman entries because of a racer boycott then you can just about bet the next race might see the former sportsman pit area consisting of cars like Pisano/Matsubara against Plueger and Geiger, the Blue Max against Braskett and Burgin, etc., instead of a bunch of whining sportsman racers.
Who needs who?
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Randy
Nitro Member
We'll just order out. A couple dozen 4X4's from In-N-OUT should do the trick.
Randy
Nitro Member
NHRA would love the idea. They want the big shows to be 1-2 days anyway and you would solve their problem.
Want an illiustration of how much you'll be missed by your boycott? Stick your finger in a glass of water, pull it out, see the hole left in the water...bla bla bla...
Tony and I will show up with our super comp dually pick up truck and win the whole thing.
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Reese
Nitro Member
Don't forget, they also doubled the chasis inspections fees so I hope you have the dually certiflied already
I hate to say this but, I do believe that NHRA wants to get rid of the sportsman racers (or make us get rid of ourselves). Just look at the actions in the last couple of years. Also we had almost 600 cars in Belle Rose for the sportsnational and I think that's where NHRA wants us to play, not in there national events sandbox. I think the only thing that could help sportsman racing is for Wally to arise from the grave, other than that it don't look good.
I myself will keep on building my car, pay my increased member fee, competition numbers, and entry fees because I love drag racing.
Also I will continue to whine every time they screw us.
Randy
Nitro Member
Don't forget, they also doubled the chasis inspections fees so I hope you have the dually certiflied already
I hate to say this but, I do believe that NHRA wants to get rid of the sportsman racers (or make us get rid of ourselves). Just look at the actions in the last couple of years. Also we had almost 600 cars in Belle Rose for the sportsnational and I think that's where NHRA wants us to play, not in there national events sandbox. I think the only thing that could help sportsman racing is for Wally to arise from the grave, other than that it don't look good.
All this doom and gloom, yet when I registered my car for Vegas I didn't see any hints they were taking you off the list of classes allowed to run. If NHRA really wanted to "get rid of the sportsman racers" they would post a change to the entry list by removing the sportsman categories. But they haven't, have they? And they have said they don't plan to.
If a bunch of racers think it will show them a thing or two by boycotting I doubt they would have a problem making adjustments to the entry list of classes. They'll just replace your class with categories that really want to race. No problem.
Reese
Nitro Member
The car counts are limited by grade points and they remove a class at every event(except Indy). Even the Alky cars and dragsters(if they are still classiflied as "sportsman") are not at every event. If they cared about lower car count, then why not let all sportsman classes run at all events and stop using the "not enough space" bull$hit reason and get rid of the grade point system.
I love superstock, stock, comp and Alky but will not go to a National event if one of these classes is not run. (I like super classes too)
You are right about one thing, boycotting will not result in anything, they been limiting us for years.
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FABMAN
Nitro Member
Randy, I'm not sure that boycott is the right thing, but your a popular racer in sportsman category and your saying your satisfied with NHRA, and having a race for sportsman that pays better and provides a more positive attitude where at the end of the day you fell you got a fare deal and that would SOLVE THEIR PROBLEM. Why do they have a problem with sportsman racers.
Randy
Nitro Member
I'm not saying I'm satisfied. And I don't have a problem with sportsman racers (I'm one). We (alky) haven't seen a purse increase since Buster used flags to start the races. Happy...not me.
I'm saying a successful boycott will backfire and the results will not be what was hoped for. If the motivation is to attend another race that has a better format or payout, fine. But to let it be known that the racers are "sticking" it to the NHRA will only "stick" nails in a coffin that may already be built.
Trust me. Eyes were opened at the March Meet. Why do you think Steve Plueger was asked to run his two NFC's at Las Vegas a couple weeks ago?(Plueger and Geiger Mustang and Bucky Austin in Steve Plueger's Arrow bodied car). Bakersfield was packed in March, the Glendora head hauncho's were there and they were impressed.
RG
