Top alky Beaten like step children

funny thing

is the guy who started this thread

isn't there
doesn't have an Alcohol car ?????




I agree with Randy..... I'm happy too!

Get another spoon Vic

 

So.....I got it right?

 

No Clint, Im not out there in the trenches no more, am I..
No I dont have a supercharged Top alky car, as you do..

That doesnt mean that for the last 7 years I havent been apart of the Alky class seeing and knowing what goes on, and how the Alky class gets it in the rear when ever someone else shows up with more money or the nhra needs away to cut the days cost and time down. I have always delegated for the Alcohol class to get more money and better pit spaces,exposure and equal qaulifying efforts, which means being able to run right after prostock or before PS in eliminations, according to rank.
You guys are the 3rd quickest class in the Nhra, I would think they would treat it that way, but they dont, and you are happy with this.
Not my fight, sorry for caring, and further more I will now relinquish any heart
felt, true opinionated, constructive critisim for a class (as a crew member) I gave blood, sweat,
and time to be apart of because I loved it so much and I allowed everything else to be nothing.

Spoon this,.........Pro Alcohol Funny Car and Pro Alcohol Dragster,..


Bob,..dont you know,..... you always get it right,....

Let the applause and thank gods begin,......I am done here.

 

But wait.....Clint and Randy want a t-shirt!

 

I've been racing TA/FC for 20 years (racing in general for 37 years). NHRA has, for the most part, been very gracious to me. Maybe I'm all screwed up?

Here's my history with the NHRA which, in turn, creates my perspective on this.

My first offical race after stepping up and licensing in TA/FC in 1990 was the Winternationals. This guy named Bob Frey dropped by my pit and did a feature on us on Nashville Network's "NHRA Today" with he and Steve Evans. The car wasn't even painted yet. It was unbelievable for a new guy to be featured like that. I was (and am) a nobody but that's what they did.

NHRA's Carl Olsen and Melvin Record sent our race car and team to Japan in 1993 and 1994 to race two different weekends on each trip at the FIA sanctioned international races. We got paid very well for going when you include the fact that my crew and I had all expenses paid along with the money we got to race the car. It was like we won back to back all expense paid trips to Japan plus a pocket full of cash to go with it on a game show.

Over the years we've done some sponsorship proposals. NHRA stepped up and has given us everything we've needed to do professional presentations.

When we won the 1999 Pacific Division Championship we were treated like royalty by NHRA at many events we attended in 2000. When I wasn't racing NHRA took care of me whenever I wanted to attent an event back east so I didn't feel like an outsider.

NHRA hired the most knowledgable guy in the pits to cover our class in National Dragster, and he does a great job. I'm talking about Brad Littlefield.

NHRA has televised hundreds of our races on ESPN2 by finding sponsors to cover the costs (thank you Forest and Charlotte) or by paying out of pocket to do it. They know our classes feed the professional classes. Do you know what that means for guys like us who survive on sponsor money to be able to show a video of ESPN2 covering an event like our Las Vegas win?

I knew up front what I was getting in to. If I don't get pavement to park on I'm still happy. I'm just glad we have a place to race. Back in the 70's and early 80's when I raced every weekend the wind was chopped out of my sails when Lions, Irwindale then OCIR was shut down. I figured it was over for me. But not so.

I'm also glad NHRA is keeping tabs on the class. I'm glad Jim Collins is checking Clint Thompson's fuel temperature. Clint is glad Jim Collins is counting the teeth on the top pulley of my new "C" PSI blower (works great LOL). I think they are really trying to be fair. I'm glad Pro Mod is a class because it's all racing to me. And when I quit some day I'll have only a few regrets that NHRA has nothing to do with.

Sure, things could be better or different. But looking around at other series and types of racing I think we have a lot to be thankfull for. It's NHRA's pool, and if you want to go swimming it's your choice and we have to abide by their rules. IHRA sure has set a good example. Thanks for coming...Good by.

Racing isn't a right, it's a privilege as far as I'm concerned. And...

I'm happy.

RG

.

 

No fair thinkin.....

 

Let's Promote All Classes!!!

NHRA shoots itself in the foot again. We saw the fans leave, we saw the vendors shut down. When NHRA shuts the jumbotron down it tells the "Casual Fan" that there is nothing coming up to watch. So as the fans leave the vendors close even though they still had all of alcohol funny cars and dragsters to run.

When they shut the Jumbotron off it's a discouraging act. Your they're to promote business not discourage it.

Once again fans leave, vendors close would it really have killed them to leave the Jumbotron on for the alcohol class?

Think about it when you turn your tv off at home, the shows over right?

Hate to be critical, but we need to promote the entire race.

 

she's right

I agree with Teresa that the NHRA (announcers) could do a better job of "building up" the other classes and promoting the Alky cars in general. Making sure the fans know what is coming up and encouraging them not to leave would be a good start. Some tv time during the big show to "teach" the casual fan that there is this other (third and fourth quickest) catagory that is interesting would help too.

Vic, I am your friend (yes I will still openly admit it) and am sorry for slamming you. It seems you always got your big spoon out stirring things up and bemoaning the NHRA. Sure things could be better, nicer or seemingly fairer, but as Randy points out it is thier pool and it is the best one around. I just think that constanly running down the NHRA on this or any other forum is counterproductive ( as in it does more harm than good) and I for one am tired of the same old rant you (and others) are on against the sanctioning body. If you have good Ideas to change things, then bring them up in positive way and see if that makes anything happen. Bitching, whining, and carrying on about how "they" don't want us and "they" don't like us or treat us fairly just continues to make "us" right. We just get more of what we don't want.

 

Thanks Clint,
I too am so disappointed in the bashing of NHRA on a constant basis. Not so much on this site but many others. I agree it is frustrating when things like the Jumbo Tron gets turned off. We have to be realistic at a National Event though, for many folks it is their yearly or bi-yearly spectator event. Watching the pros in the pits is part of the happening.

If our classes want to work with NHRA on enhancements to the show for sponsors, surely a meeting could be arranged by the racers in a or each division to forward to NHRA. I have always thought a better job could be done but maybe they don't realize it. Maybe we don't see the NHRA's side either....like the person that runs the Jumbo Tron only works 8 hours...may be a job not a hobby. Like the Busch series, alcohol is the farm team for the pros. Maybe the racers have to help themselves.

Not too many winners are whiners........they figure it out and get it done. Not too many folks try to make a living from racing alcohol. Hats off to those that can. It has to be fun and I enjoy every moment whether its in the pits working or in the stands watching!!!!! Both are better than a day at the office