It's time for us alcohol racers to come together and bounce back

Discussion in 'Pit Buzz' started by Will Hanna, Nov 15, 2011.

  1. Will Hanna

    Will Hanna We put the 'inside' in Top Alcohol
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    We all knew this regional deal was coming. It didn't make it taste any better to see so many racers lose races in their back yard. I've talked to a number of racers the past few days and had reactions that go from glad to see something done to ready to sell everything and get a boat.

    The only thing I feel fortunate of is there are some people in NHRA that went to bat for us and got us back at some races. I think if some parties had their way, we would be out of divisionals altogether. Still at the end of the day, this is a hard pill to swallow.

    I think the lesson here is us being able to race on a local/regional level is not something we should take for granted.

    The first thing we need to do is to let the tracks that brought us back know we appreciate their support of the class. Judging from the look of it, there was an up and down vote of tracks who wanted us back, and they sorted out the pieces from there how to chop it up.

    Some of us may be limited to the degree we can show that gratitude, but at very least, pick up the phone and make a few calls. Find the track manager when you race there and go and shake his hand. That kind of stuff goes a long way.

    If you can spare an extra day, volunteer to go display somewhere.

    If you're lucky enough to have a hometown race, if there's a give away, help out. Do what you can.

    One way we can turn the ship around some is to show that we can make tracks money.

    The other thing is we need to try to sell the idea of alcohol shows to the tracks and NHRA. From what I gather, I think the powers that be would be receptive to a track that wanted to bring the alcohol cars in as a stand-alone show. Further more, if tracks want just one class or the other, it might create more racing opportunities.

    For instance, Texas has quite a few TAD teams in and very near, but no regional races next year. Lets say the Motorplex wanted to have a TAD only race. Now they have about an $8500 purse plus whatever fee NHRA tacks on to staff and run the event. It would be up to the track to put the rest of the show together. Now I think you have a very economically viable show that might get some races back for us.

    I hope to see us all work together on this.
     
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  2. Mark Billington

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    Well said Will. I'll try and make Indy, but if I can't I would love to get involved in trying to get some alcohol only events at some venues like Dallas.
     
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  3. Will Hanna

    Will Hanna We put the 'inside' in Top Alcohol
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    youth

    It's a problem really facing the sport, specifically sportsman racing is getting youth interested in our kind of racing.

    I don't think the sport is the problem. I think some go off the deep end on what we need to do to change the sport or the cars, etc., to make it more appealing. I just think the sport needs to be promoted better. Some of that needs to come at the grass roots level.

    I think if we do work with tracks, it might not be a bad idea to direct some promotional attention, whether it's a display or making an appearance, to visit local high school vo-tech programs or vocational schools.

    We all need to recruit fans for our sport. Wouldn't hurt if we made them fans of the alcohol classes along the way. We have some short term problems facing us, but some steady promotions aimed at younger crowds might pay good dividends for us down the road.

    Hell you might pick up some grunts for your own team along the way...
     
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  4. David Smith

    David Smith Member

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    It is pretty sad when I first started going to the races I could goto Englishtown and see about 5 or more specialty events a year that showcased Top Alcohol Funny Cars and Dragsters. Thats on top of the Divisional and National Events. To hear they do not want to have the alcohol cars anymore at all burns me up.. They are all about Monster Truck shows now :-( ..
     
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  5. OutlawGBR

    OutlawGBR Member

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    Youth

    My brother Phil and myself are committed to doing what we can to get youth involved in our race team in the coming years. We have had some small local programs we put into place with our jr. dragster and top dragster as a youth to youth program and hope to continue to get kids involved in the sport of drag racing with our new TAD. We are also excited about the changes and cant wait to get our new car on the track next season!

    Thank you for all your support and help Will and ITA supporters.
     
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  6. Nancy Matter

    Nancy Matter Member

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    Not sure if my opinion Matters here since I haven't ran for a couple of years (since that has been pointed out by several that if you haven't ran a race, no matter who you are, your opinion doesn't count) Well Bull CRAP, we have an alky funny car and only need 2 miner upgrades to be in compliance with all the current rules and have been looking forward to racing with our Friends again in 2012.

    Mark Billington, we are the only 2 alky flops in Dallas, with Brian Brown just north in Gainesville, I'm with you and am very interested in seeing how we can pull this together. This weekend we are doing a charity event at North Star with the Pro Mod, maybe there is some kind of hybrid deal we can put together for All TAD - A/F - TAFC - Nostalgia Floppers and yes the dirty word Door Cars (LOL j/k).

    Far fetched, but hell, it's far fetched for Burck to run his car at his closest home track now that is Okla City from Corpus Christi, and for Ro in Houston, Then we have Lee, Brounkowski, Manners, Dennis plus more.......

    I'll keep doing some research and some creative thinking and hopefully, some light bulb will surface that we can all embrace.

    Thanks everyone, look forward to 2012 :)

    Oh and FYI -- I have been working with some of USA's Finest Women Basketball and Volleyball special olympic team members. (most of these atheletes have lost limbs or nerve damage some how or another during the childhood, teens and beyond) So Far, they are 100% in support of everything they are seeing and are looking forward into cross marketing with our team........ and other teams when we resurface.........
    \
     
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    Last edited: Nov 16, 2011
  7. rognelson777

    rognelson777 Member

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    Here's a thought, think outside the box for car counts. If it is a friday saturday event
    make friday qualifying for the top 4 spots, locked in to the show, late arrivals get 1 maybe 2 time shot on saturday to qualify for the final 4 spots. Alot of teams have to take thursday off from work to travel to race,this would allow teams to cut out a day and maybe get more teams.

    just my 2 cents
     
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  8. Will Hanna

    Will Hanna We put the 'inside' in Top Alcohol
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    day off

    I don't think the answer is to try to do a top 4. Time off is tough, but you pretty much need to take off work at least thursday, if not half a day on wednesday for the way things have been. I don't think there are a lot of fans of NHRA's 12 car lock in for the pro's, don't think there would be much appeal to that deal.

    2 day races can help because you either have an extra day to get there or get home early.
     
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  9. rognelson777

    rognelson777 Member

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    Funny car racing a A/dragster. Just watched phillips funny car crash down under, he was racing against a dragster. Maybe smaller events could have 2 4 car fields 4 funny 4 A/dragsters and the 2 winners run off?

    Kind of like winston allstars many years ago in Bristol. Promotional Bonanza
     
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