Empty stands

Ok I have got to ask this, we went to Gator Nationals, great event, loved every minute of it.

My question

Why do the stands clear when the alcohol cars run? Even the big tele got shut off? We just couldnt understand it, we loved all the cars but the locals seemed to run off?

I found it in a weird way a little offensive, these cars are lots of $$$ but seem to get zero respect...

Did my head in, 5.4's from alky funny cars and 5.2's from the rails but the fans walk away?

WHY?

 

55 views and no comments? Did I say something?

 

most fans are only interested in the 300 mph cars for some dumb ass reason.... Did anyone hear on espn them saying pro-stock was the hardest to drive? any thoughts?

 

Johnny Gray said Pro Stock was probably the hardest to drive RIGHT, next closest would be Alcohol Funny Car.. I can see a Pro Stocker and their little bros in Comp being nasty to get right and hit the shifts dead on the money. Leaving on the clutch with a class average RT in the high .030's - .040's, hitting your shifts dead on 4 times in roughly 6.5 seconds, pulling second as you're passing the tree, delicate steering input. There are a lot more chances for the driver to mess up a run, especially when almost every car runs within 1-2 hundreths of each other.

On the BS side of things, the only class that can compete with TAFC's and BAD's on the badass burnout spectrum, with the exception of maybe John Force's 300 footers, would be Pro Stock.

 

Anything that follows the Fuel cars will be greeted by a Fire drill, doesn't matter if it's Pro Mods, Alky Cars, whatever.

 

The alcohol cars don't get the fans to come to a national event. Nitro does. But for a diehard fan of racing, all cars...stock/super stock comp super comp/gas...you will watch. To me I just want to be out there racing fans or not. It's nicer to have people there to watch and cheer you on. Just think, when everyone leaves to go to the pits, you have a clear shot of the racing action.

David Hill

 

I think it is a combination or two things......first, fans that only go to a national event once a year or less have to make choices. They try to take it all in. Pit action with the pros is hard to compete against. Hence they go when the alcohol cars run. Before you say anything......I didn't say it was right!

Second, I think a lot of alcohol pits get blocked off by tow vehicles at the back of the trailer and frankly, alcohol racers don't interact with the fans as a planned promotional event. It is not the same as some of the pros setting up to sign autographs. Not having uniforms really hurts the driver identification too. Other forms of racing personalities are much more identifiable.

I think NHRA should leave the Jumbotron on. I agree this is such an opportunity and NHRA should get behind our classes like the Busch series or whatever it is called right now.

The same situation happens at our home track, Mission Raceway at a divisional when the alcohol cars run. I am sure the other classes hate it when the stands empty to go to the pits.

Lastly, I really feel our classes have such an opportunity to "try" and work with NHRA to collaborate on a working marketing partnership especially at the national event level. After attending my first IHRA event (the Rockies in Edmonton) with Tim's nitro coupe they do a great job with Fanfest. That is an example would could be done with our classes

 

Thanks for the replies, we just found it very odd, its not as if there slow either??? And the thing is, ok they might like nitro but the what about the injected cars that run in alky?

We watched everything, every and any car than ran. Very impressed with most of the cars, some lovely cars. Also tell you what, one other thing we did notice was the difference in revs on the motors compared to Europe. You def rev them harder and higher than over here.

Anyway, NHRA need to sort that out, it aint fair, these cars are still high $$$ and still run low 5's

 

I'm gonna state this with my head hanging low. I go the the U.S. Nationals every year. For me, it's the nitro. I don't like pro-stock and (sorry to those who do) I REALLY don't like PSBike. So, when I go to the stands to watch, I'm there for 2 to 3 hours at a time. In September, in metal (well used to be) seats under the humid Indiana sun, that's about all I can take. So, I pick what I CAN'T see at the division level. Don't get me wrong, I'd give my lefty to be able to run TAFC. I just can't afford it. Hell, my stock block blown bracket car about breaks the bank. (and my spirit right now). So, the basic answer is, I pay $120 to watch Nitro. I can pay $30 to watch alcohol cars.

WILD MAN

 

NHRA can promote the alky cars till the moon turns green....people in the stands are going to watch what they want to watch........

 

I have been partners with two individuals who have driven Pro Stock, TAFC, and finally fuel cars. They both have told me the the TAFC was the hardest to drive. Granted the Pro Stocks we ran 30 years ago weren't as sophisticated as today's. They also said the fuel car was the most fun.

 

On the empty stands, I will guess it has been that way most of the time. However, I looked at a video on You Tube (1981 NHRA Southern Nationals) that has a mix of classes (I think it is Saturday qualifying). The TAFC I was with runs in the left lane at 2:00. A set of TAFC cars run before and after that (I recognized Jerry Gwynn's car in the pair after). The stands seem to have about the same amout of people as when the Nitro cars run. I can't remember (old age) if we ran before nitro and the stands filled prior to their session.

 

It also depends on the track. I drive 400 miles to attend the closest Nation to me at Maple Grove, and the fan count during sportsman racing in general is very good. I have a buddy who calls Seattle his home track and the fan count there is embarrasing to him.

The only thing that gets me away from the action on the strip is SuperComp. Super Comp & nitro oildowns are opportunities for a trip to the crapper or food vendor.

I walk the pits before the action starts or late in the day. I love walking the pits at night...

Chris Saulnier
Gray, Maine

 

brick yard !!!!

tune in and look at the stands wow! doesnt look half full