Your thoughts and opinions on NHRA Please. (1 Viewer)

[Jrod]

Been awhile since I posted or really even followed much NHRA. 2013 was the 1st year in 25 years that I didn't attend a race nor did I really miss it.

For me and this is just my opinion...it's just not as FUN as it once was. There's really not much to get passionate or excited about as a fan. Everything seems to have become cookie cutter and everyone loves the guy or gal in the other lane.

On a basic level one thing I personally miss are the driver rivalries. What happen to them? No Snake & Mongoose. No Amato vs Ormsby. No Force vs Hoffman/Bazemore/Cruz/Tony. No WJ vs those pesky Dodge boys. The rivalries made the racing more exciting.

Question for you. If you had to pick one (ONLY ONE) driver from each class for whatever reason who would it be and why?

Below are the top 20 drivers from each class ranked by 2013 points.

Below are my picks. Who are yours? What do you miss?
Top Fuel - Clay Millican
Funny Car - Ron Capps
Pro Stock - Jeg Coughlin Jr
Pro Stock Bike - Shaw Gann

 

[Paul]

I think part of the problem is how we have become as a society. It is no longer acceptable to the majority to be polarizing and go against the grain. I will use Kyle Busch in NASCAR as the example, he acts like the rebel and says what is on his mind and people go on social media to his sponsors telling them how horrible they are and how much of an a$$ their driver is which makes them think about their investment. We need different personalities in the sport to make it interesting. Since Bazemore left the only people who come close to him are Cruz/Tony and they have toned it down in recent years and I think it is all due to the potential backlash. We need to find out a way to bring out the personalities without having the fear of public backlash and the potential of a sponsor walking away. It is a real fine line and in these economic times I don't think many people want to deal with the drama.

Driver for each class:
TF Bernstein I am a loyal supporter of the family and is still a good behind the wheel.
FC Capps we both have common interests such as music, sports, etc. and he is a kick a$$ driver.
PS Enders I think with the right marketing partner and on-track success she can help gain the NHRA some much needed exposure on the National level.
PSB M. Smith he is one person that comes to mind who isn't scared to speak what's on his mind and stand up for what he believes is right.

 

[Nunz]

Jerrod most of the banter on this site is centered around the questions you asked.

 

[TSK]

Everything has become too corporate. Gone are the cool nicknames. The main focus is on the sponsor instead of the car and/or driver.
I miss The Freight Train, Rain For Rent, Color Me Gone, Swamp Rat, Rambunctious, etc.
Today it's the (Insert Sponsor Name Here) car owned by (Insert Owner Name Here).

But, to answer the question;

Top Fuel: Doug Kalitta. Steady driver, always cool under pressure.
Funny Car: Tim Wilkerson. Does more with less than just about anybody else.
Pro Stock: I've got to go with Jeg. Absolutely great with fans, especially kids. He can drive the wheels off anything.
Pro Stock Bike: Excuse me, time to go into the pits.

 

[glofria]

Just for fun, I’ll play along

Top Fuel: Dixon Jr., longtime family friends
Funny Car: Jack Beckman, good friend and former customer
Pro Stock: Warren Johnson, longtime family friends and we admire his ingenuity
Pro Stock Bike: Don’t really care for bikes, but if I had to pick one it would be Karen Stouffer as she use to race at LACR.

 

[Toejam]

Still waiting for somebody to throw the "Back in the 70's". Line in here!

 

[Toejam]

We had a driver that started controversy, who wasn't afraid to say what he thought, or who got pissed off! And the PC crowd did nothing but call him names, cry baby, whiner, and he eventually got run off!

 

[mick]

TF: Bob Vandergriff: making it happen as an owner/driver for many years.....sport could use more owners (like back in the 70's)
FC: Tim Wilkerson: more with less / son involved / owner/driver
PS: Jason Line: a racer's racer if there ever was one... self(family) taught, extremely smart, actually makes the power he drives
PSB: don't follow class but how can you not like Steve Johnson

although the 4 big teams contribute hugely to the landscape of today's nhra, personally i would rather see a
2-car limit for all teams. the high percentage of large teams winning & winning again gets old, especially when there
are vibrant drivers we all enjoy seeing win but at the end of the day we say, 'oh, another win for team ABC'.
shouldn't be that way; in fact that is a big part of there being less and less rivalries.
rite now the big teams use more pistons, more tires, more whatever it take$ to win.
the independent teams that are 1st & 2nd round losers pick up their check on sunday and are probably money ahead
of the big teams that spent the big bucks for the $50k winner's check.
talk about a backwards business model.

 

[Larry]

Well to be fair Jarrod it is a corporate atmosphere and Drivers can't afford to go off the reservation for the most part .

T F Spencer Massey
F C Johnny Gray then
F C next year Tommy Johnson Jr
P S Shane Gray
P S B Ed Krawiec

 

[vegasnitro]

"Fun" is a very subjective qualifier. We are likely to remember one of the first events we attended "as the most fun", because everything was shiny and new to us. After you attend many events over some years, familiarity starts to breed contempt as the old saying goes and your perceived level of fun decreases. Also, the older we get, the less resistant to change we are and the more we think things were better back in the day. There have been a few changes recently (Countdown, 1000ft) that some long time fans have been resisting.

As for rivalries, they can't be manufactured, they have to occur organically. The odds of it happening are pretty slim in the polished PR machine driver era that we live in now, but that doesn't mean as a fan you can't draw a line in the sand and choose sides. I personally believe years from now we will talking about how good we have it now in Funny Car, the DSR vs JFR era. Two mega-teams duking it out every year. It is not the splashy, trash talking rivalry JRod is talking about, but make no mistake, those 2 teams are out to beat each other and neither is satisfied unless they are holding the big trophy at the end of the year.

T/F Doug Kalitta
F/C Matt Hagan
P/S Jeg Coughlin Jr by a mile, I think he is the best in ANY category
P/S/M I am usually getting a beer or visiting the pits, so I guess Matt Smith cuz he is Ricky's kid.

Who do I miss the most? Scotty Cannon.

 

[SundayNiagara]

We had a driver that started controversy, who wasn't afraid to say what he thought, or who got pissed off! And the PC crowd did nothing but call him names, cry baby, whiner, and he eventually got run off!

Self inflicted!

 

[Huge]

"Fun" is a very subjective qualifier. We are likely to remember one of the first events we attended "as the most fun", because everything was shiny and new to us. After you attend many events over some years, familiarity starts to breed contempt as the old saying goes and your perceived level of fun decreases. Also, the older we get, the less resistant to change we are and the more we think things were better back in the day. There have been a few changes recently (Countdown, 1000ft) that some long time fans have been resisting.

As for rivalries, they can't be manufactured, they have to occur organically. The odds of it happening are pretty slim in the polished PR machine driver era that we live in now, but that doesn't mean as a fan you can't draw a line in the sand and choose sides. I personally believe years from now we will talking about how good we have it now in Funny Car, the DSR vs JFR era. Two mega-teams duking it out every year. It is not the splashy, trash talking rivalry JRod is talking about, but make no mistake, those 2 teams are out to beat each other and neither is satisfied unless they are holding the big trophy at the end of the year.

T/F Doug Kalitta
F/C Matt Hagan
P/S Jeg Coughlin Jr by a mile, I think he is the best in ANY category
P/S/M I am usually getting a beer or visiting the pits, so I guess Matt Smith cuz he is Ricky's kid.

Who do I miss the most? Scotty Cannon.

By far the best post on this subject to date. It's nice to see that someone is paying attention and gets the concept of all of this.

 

[PJ]

I think people assume non-pc has to be a hell raiser and that isn't what it has to be.

I just want real. I get that you have to plug your sponsor but show me you give a damn.

I don't expect a driver in an interview to sound like he/she is in the WWE.
Beckman and Brown are always upbeat and positive. They promote their sponsor but have some emotion and heart with what they say. I respect that. Capps and Clay also seem to show real emotion as well.

I love Bob running up from the finish line. I have said for years that if I ever got a chance that is what I would do after a win. (Now I have to pick something else).

I loved seeing Jones in tears, simply because I get it. You chase that dream for so, so long and you finally arrive. Let em fly brother, you earned it.

I always rooted for Cory Mac. One reason was because he so hated to lose. I don't want poor sport, blame the other guy or it's someone else fault type of stuff. Just someone who wants to win so much.

I'd love to see some real rivalries again.


Favorites....I can't pick just one although I guess I already mention a few above.

Who do I miss
TF-Hillary Beyond nice and always so great to my kids
FC-Whit
PS-THe old competitive WJ, ok that might be against the spirit of the question so Andy Mannarino
PSB-Angelle

 

[Bullard Anderson]

My thought is this: There was a time (3 years ago) that I had to see how the field looked after First Round of qualifying. I would monitor it through the weekend and anxiously look at the ladder Saturday evening to see what was what. Who was facing who? What driver had the best path to the semi's or finals? This was done in all the categories.

Fast fwd to this season where I will admit that I have missed entire races and sometimes not known who won until mid-week.

I don't really have a concrete answer as to why this is. There seems to be about 5 reasons.

I realized a lot over the past few years in todays "everything at your fingertips world". In fact some of us "diehards" may be a victim of our own over-saturation of the product.

I no longer watch, and actively avoid all NASCAR tv. I do look fwd to watching IndyCar Racing and I believe this is because green flag to checkered flag is really all I see of it in between races. That may be the key.

It just puzzles me how I have lost tune with the NHRA this season. I don't really have a firm answer.

 

[Tumbleweed]

T/F Zizzo -- Strausburg
F/C Wilkerson
P/S No one really of late, past: Bagshaw and Yuell (sp?) Brothers
PSM Karen

 

[legendman]

Two mega-teams duking it out every year. .

2 and a half mega teams

Don't forget about Alan Johnson and the Al-anabi team

They have won 2 of the last 3 Top fuel championships.

I have no favorites in any class these days but root more for the independents.

T/F - Doug Kalitta
F/C - Del Worsham
P/S - Jeg Coughlin Jr (If Dave Connolly is out there in 2014 I will be rooting for him)
P/SM- LE Tonglet

 

[SundayNiagara]

T/F Swamp Rat
F/C Jungle
P/S Grumpy
P/SM Angelle

 

[Jrod]

We had a driver that started controversy, who wasn't afraid to say what he thought, or who got pissed off! And the PC crowd did nothing but call him names, cry baby, whiner, and he eventually got run off!

Joe I agree nit sure why when he spoke his mind people called him a baby...

 

[Jrod]

Well to be fair Jarrod it is a corporate atmosphere and Drivers can't afford to go off the reservation for the most part .

not looking for them to go off the reservation but lets be honest most drivers are dead from the feet up when it comes to speaking and creating hype.

 

[Jrod]

"Fun" is a very subjective qualifier. We are likely to remember one of the first events we attended "as the most fun", because everything was shiny and new to us. After you attend many events over some years, familiarity starts to breed contempt as the old saying goes and your perceived level of fun decreases. Also, the older we get, the less resistant to change we are and the more we think things were better back in the day. There have been a few changes recently (Countdown, 1000ft) that some long time fans have been resisting.

As for rivalries, they can't be manufactured, they have to occur organically. The odds of it happening are pretty slim in the polished PR machine driver era that we live in now, but that doesn't mean as a fan you can't draw a line in the sand and choose sides. I personally believe years from now we will talking about how good we have it now in Funny Car, the DSR vs JFR era. Two mega-teams duking it out every year. It is not the splashy, trash talking rivalry JRod is talking about, but make no mistake, those 2 teams are out to beat each other and neither is satisfied unless they are holding the big trophy at the end of the year.

T/F Doug Kalitta
F/C Matt Hagan
P/S Jeg Coughlin Jr by a mile, I think he is the best in ANY category
P/S/M I am usually getting a beer or visiting the pits, so I guess Matt Smith cuz he is Ricky's kid.

Who do I miss the most? Scotty Cannon.

not looking for WWE hype or manufactured rivalries but it would be nice to see some emotion and not the same robotic speech round after round. Maybe this is the product of todays racing/business environment? I don't know.

countdown is what it is doesn't bother me nor did it take the "Fun" out for me.

1000ft racing has actually yielded better racing from what I have seen. haven't seen much so i could be wrong.

I'm not looking to go to 32 car fields or 1 pump or this or that.

Using todays rules and todays current drivers what would you change to bring some excitement back?

Fun for me was seeing Capps pull Scelzi in rickshaw @ pomona due to losing a bet.