More BS for alcohol cars in Division 4

Will:

You have a lot of nerve posting ideas like this.

I remember back in 1991 or 1992 racing the divisional event in Bakersfield. The 6 of us stopped at Denny's Saturday morning as we headed for the track. The waitress asked us if we were going to some race somewhere because she saw we were wearing racing T-Shirts. We told her we were racing TA/FC at Famoso. Here comment was:

"I didn't even know about it. Me and my boyfriend always go to the drag races. Why didn't they advertise it"

.

 

My point is there is really no back gate as only four cars show up. Four cars at around 380 apiece = 1520.00 back gate. Pay out is 8000.00 high ratio of 5.2-1

Conversely if 10 TAD show up and 10 TAFC show up= 7,600.00 back gate payout is 17,600.00 ratio is 2.3-1

Making a point if they don't advertise the race and promote the alky cars then why should the teams show up.

Hutchison should be embarassed, I know for a fact that Div 6 and Div 7 directors like the alky cars.
Maybe they should give a lesson on the class and what they can offer to Craig.
You guys have some of the best a/fuelers anywhere.
Wake up dude, being a div director does not make you god, you are supposed to be a liason between track racers and NHRA.

Dean

 

There you have it.

.

 

Will,
You are right on the money. They are lazy and don't care wheather the top alcohol cars show up or not. It's been a long time ago now but I made a post when the first Sportsman Nationals was held at Belle Rose and made the statement that if NHRA allowed this to happen we would never be included. Of course NHRA and Belle Rose said that it was just an experament and if successful top alcohol would be added the next year. So what did they do? They paid in a couple of top fuel cars, a jet dragster couple of pro stockers to advertise! I'm sure that cost more than the entire purse for the alcohol cars. We are still waiting to be included in these races. Being the top of the sportsman class how could we be ignored in these races for so long.
I appricate Forrest Lucas suppport for the sportsman racers but he above all others should no what it costs to run one of these cars. However the purse has been the same for how many years???
As long as the class is not shown live on race day it will never amount to anything.
I personaly hope the new Pro Fuel Class Bob Auto is putting together turns some heads and wakes some promoters up.

 

I am fairly new to an alky funny car and have never raced in a divisional race. This last year I raced in an top dragster style class in Denver. The Puirfoy Chevrolet Fast 16. I paid $150 to enter each event plus the crew. For one day. I would gladly pay the entry fee and crew to drive for one of you guys.

We have the basic set up as the funny cars do just not all the same safety equipmentas them. To go the TA/FC would cost me at least 5 grand and that's not including the new block we need to get cause ours is now junk. My father and I would love to go alky racing. We just can't.

I know that paying to be the top dogs at an event sucks but I would pay to go racing.

I don't want to offend anybody but its part of racing. One or two events for me a year is all I get and is not near enough, but its all we can afford. I am fine with it. What are sponsors for anyways? To make your car look pretty?

Sorry but that's my opinion only.
Alcohol cars have always been my favorite an now I get to drive one. Don't ever want to see the alky cars not show up to events.

Maybe with the entry money they can do a better job of advertising and get people to show up and enjoy the very thing I love. Drag Racing.

Thanks
David Hill

 

Is this the same Dave Hill that drove our car ast year getting his tad license?
If so give me a call.
Bob Holley

 

We can talk about this among ourselves until we wear out our keyboards. I recommend a steady, consistent effort to keep the HRA's informed of our views. For my part, I sent an e-mail to the Div. Director in Div. 4. I've not yet received a reply.
We can also take the matter into our own hands, to some extent with bookings and other arrangements as the Nostalgia folks have done.
There are a number of smart people running these cars. We can make it work.
Cheers,
Ed Arcuri
www.rockymountainsuperchargers.com
P.S. Thanks to NitroHawk for editing a "spelling error." You could start a new approach to posting!

 

re: Mr Hill

I really tried to sit on the sidelines and not say anything but my passion overwhelmed my intelligence. Mr Hill speaks of "what are sponsors for?"- sponsors are marketing partners-they advertise on our cars because it makes good business sense to them. Do you really think they want to pay to advertise to empty grandstands? I think that racers need to understand the "front gate vs back gate" principle. Tracks like Boise don't want alcohol cars because they cost money. What they really want is a hundred or so super class racers. Each pays full entry, prize money is shit, and no track prep required. Essentially the reason track owners don't care if they get spectators coming through the front gate is that they have plenty of money coming through the back gate with the other classes of racers. Lets add the situation in Div 4 up- $380 to enter, three qualifying passes, one round of eliminations=700$ That means 4 passes for 320$ is 80$ a pass. It simply can't be done. Now if Mr Hill wants to lease a car to go Top Alcohol Racing he might want to revise his cost estimates. I personally know of someone who did that- leased a TAFC that was nationally competitive for a paltry $7000 a weekend. And even at that amount I am betting the car owner still lost money when you factor in wear and tear and maintenance. I apologize for my wandering thought train here. But it seems as though the solution to so many of the alcohol racers complaints is simple. If the HRA's gave a crap about the racers they would require the tracks having div events to also include the TA classes. Don't let the track owners have all the gravy without the vegetables too. A division event without top alcohol cars is all profit except for the fee the track pays the NHRA to have 'their' event. I am tired of being bent over by the tracks and the NHRA.

 

Mr. Germain I agree with you. I didn't mean to ruffle feathers here. I try and do everything in my power to get to the track and take a few laps down the track. But that only happens once or twice a year. I don't need a sponsor cause I don't make it out that offen. I would do nothing for them.
I don't want to lease a car I have one. It's just not up to date with current rules and has a bad block.
I suppose that I am yet a newer driver that I will pay to race. Cause I want to drive.

D. Hill

 

It all revolves back to the sanctioning body,....

everything cost more than it did last year or the year before,..
the parts, the fuel, the cars, the food, the entry, the tech, the sfi parts
etc,..etc,....But do you think Glendora would do anything to help the actaul people that make it all continue to happen,...hell no,..thats why they have tax returns like this,...HERE IS YOUR MONEY,..Including Mine.

http://www.dragracingonline.com/analysis/xi_12-tax-1.html

 

Vic, of course they did something to 'help' curb the spiraling costs..... They DOUBLED the re-cert fees, I just forked over $260 for my 10.1E sticker (includes travel fee ) that sticker must be platinum or some junk