The 2020s could and should be a decade of change for NHRA?

https://sports.yahoo.com/column-2020s-could-decade-change-130004918.html

NHRA has lost its focus since wally Parks step down
All the new guys at the top I've watch have focus on the bottom line, not the racers or the fans

NHRA change?

They will go under before they will change....

I've raced in Div 1 my whole life. At one time there was 22 tracks, now there are like 12-13 and Ceil County isn't even running a NHRA bracket program this yr. Mason Dixon Summit attendance has been decreasing for years. Their SBRA (1/8 mile format racing) series brings in atleast twice the car count. All the big money bracket races are 1/8th mile. Like it or hate it, 1/8th mile racing is helping bring in more racers. Then some of their safety rules are just over the top. I'd rather see some of their "expiration" dates extended (Like seat belts and trans shields). and make more guys have diapers. Yes everyone will moan and groan, but that's something that could and will help prevent accidents and down time from clean ups.

The impetus for change typically begins with seeing flaws in your self or your methods.
Admitting that they have made mistakes is definitely not their strong suit , so I don't see them changing until the bow of the once great ship is the only thing above water.
They will have gotten theirs and move on.
And the rest of us ? It was clearly our fault.

They're changing, but not for the better. At NHRA events, entry fees are up, payout is down. 25 years ago, a national event in Stock, Super Stock, the .90 classes would pay 13-18K depending on how you had the car stickered. Now it's 9K, tops. Entry fees are way up and no longer include a crew person. Divisionals are just as bad. Used to be 120 cars show up at points meets and nationals. Now the nationals have quotas of around 50. It took 8 grade points to get into Gainesville this year.

It's all about the big show and all but the best financed sportsman racers are being pushed out. When guys like Rampy, Biondos, Fletcher give up and go bracket racing, that's a sign.

The last big money bracket race I watched and it wasn’t a real high payout had at least two “pro” racers competing. One top fuel and one Pro Stock racer. There may have even been more

Is it the 1/8 mile that racers like or is it that the better paying races are 1/8 mile? I'm inclined to think that it's NHRA shenanigans that are keeping the car counts down at 1/4 mile races, not the 1/4 mile itself.

I've been racing off and on quite a few years myself and prefer 1/4 (even though I did more winning at an 1/8 mile track)....but I'm not all that fast, so marginal 1/4 mile shutdowns don't really scare me.

Now 1/8 mile races at national event level tracks like Maple Grove seem silly, so I don't bother with the few of them they have there.

That story seems to focus on the John Force circus and who will replace him, as if NHRA will collapse when he retires. Probably not, but still...

There is a big difference between what is run at the NHRA events - Stock, Super Stock, dot 90, Top whatever, Comp, Pros, etc., - and the local sanctioned tracks. People participating at one or the other have a different set of concerns as well. Some may overlap, many don't. NHRA is different things to different people.

They have to get REAL WORLD on spectator prices ! ... some of the stands are 2/3 empty in many cases

I’m dragging my feet on renewing my All Acess at last years 125.00 cost. I still enjoy pro mod, top fuel, funny car, and of course the factory stock cars and especially qualifying but they cut back on track prep last year to keep speeds down and it’s become a boring burn out contest.

Attendance has been the highest it's ever been at NHRA events this year... Been hearing for 20+ years, the sport is dying, but yet it's still going.

I don't stay connected to the NHRA stuff as much as I would like. But if you don't already listen the Brian Lohnes's NHRA Podcast. Brian is the lead announcer and as I am sure most of you know is a crazy drag racing encyclopedia. I believe the NHRA isn't going down the drain and it sure does seem like spectator counts are trending up, sold out at some tracks.

Here is a link to the podcast. I haven't listened to a bunch of them but I do when I have time and think about it, good stuff.
https://nhra-podcast.libsyn.com

I do believe they are certainly trying to change the crowd, they have had drag week cars doing exhibition passes, Outlaw 10.5 stuff and radial cars as well.

when I first began my hot rod/drag racing enthusiasm back in the '60's drag racing was the fastest growing spectator sport in America. now I have no interest in it. what ran me off? I think a loss of identifying with the cars/racers. doesn't make any difference what it is (nhra, nascar, nba, nfl, etc,) once there's a bunch of money and some folks get too big for their britches it's a down hill slide.

I've been hearing the NHRA (and NASCAR) is dying since about 1980. Someday it may come true.

The sky is falling the sky is falling. Lol. Get out of the lazyboy and go out in the world to see for yourself. All I can say is the East Coast tracks are doing ok.

Exactly John. All the people that say it's a dead sport, are the ones that don't go to the track. Car counts were the highest they have ever been at local tracks. Brainerd had to actually turn racers away labor Day weekend for a FUN race. I think they capped it at 585 entries, so they could get the show in. The place was packed.

People complaining about NHRA are just like people who complain about their tracks. Then wonder why they disappear. NHRA is alive and well, I wish they would increase the quotas but National Events are not about the sportsman racers anyway. Plus with everyone having 100' long rigs these days, and some with multiple ones there is only so much space available. We had 770 cars at the fall divisional here in Vegas, that don't sound like its hurting at all. Have not seen anything close to that number in 15 years. The Spring race this year will probably have 600+ cars entered.

Not technically an NHRA event but held at an NHRA track the Halloween Classic had well over 1200 cars the third week of October. Their 20,000.00 box race was sold out and their 10,000.00 no box race was too.

Attendance has been the highest it's ever been at NHRA events this year... Been hearing for 20+ years, the sport is dying, but yet it's still going. [/quote]


What is your source for this information? Are you talking national events?

What is your source for this information? Are you talking national events? [/quote]

The Gatornationals sold out this year. Brainerd was packed, even on Friday for the national event. Local tracks had the highest car counts ever this year, for misc. events. How many years in a row did the World Series of Drag Racing at Cordova have to turn fans away at the gate?

Plain and simple, the sport is NOT dying.

Jx ... high ATTENDANCE as far as the race cars ? ABSOLUTELY... but not spectators!

Pull up some of the videos of the stands !

1200 cars or 1200 entries. I heard it was 1200 ENTRIES. That's a BIG difference. We are not allowed to double enter in NHRA divisional/National races, one category one car period. We have a VERY large facility, in fact one of the largest in the country. It is much bigger than Norwalk for sure. We get a ton of ENTIES for the fling as well. But not that many individual cars for sure. Will 1200 individual cars even FIT in Norwalk, I would find that hard to believe, Ive been there many times and the NMCA fills up a good chunk of it with just a few hundred cars. But could be wrong, but my understanding is 1200 entries/tech cards not cars. no matter just a small attempt of one-upmanship I suppose

On another note nice to see some of the big bucks stuff is starting to going away from double/triple entries with one car. FWIW we will be lucky to fill a field for the upcoming Mopar race here in Vegas and Saturday has a $10k and a $5K Sunday if you can run Q32 or $2500 for S/Pro

1200 cars. No double entries allowed. Both sides of the track are filled including the north 40 acres on the part side of the track out by the airport. We race Sunday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, first round of the Classic on Saturday and if you win first round Sunday again. I’ve gone to around 40 of them.

Ohhhh no buybacks either.

Very cool that's a lot of cars. We fill the place up pretty well at NMCA races but a lot of 100' rigs there too. So apparently NHRA is not so dead then, since Norwalk is an NHRA sectioned facility

How about those complaining about the sport dying, start promoting instead? Is the ticket price for a NHRA event high? Maybe, but what isn't today? If I go to a National Event on a Friday, I get a ENTIRE day of racing, and can walk the pits all I want. How much does it cost to see a Baseball, or Football game for 3 hours? We don't live in 1960's times for the cost of things. Don't want to spend that much? Hit up your local tracks. They would love to see you. Support them. Pay your $10 entry, and hit up the concessions. Buy a T shirt... You will still get a FULL days worth of entertainment for less than $100.

jX ... you sound like a MOUTHPIECE for NHRA !

Watch it Doc...

The stands often fill and empty based on what is running. Like previously mentioned several races have had days that have sold out.

There are many things I would like to see NHRA change, like increased Stock and Super Stock quotas at National Events. However even though people complain abut NHRA "watching the bottom line" if they don't do that they will not continue to exist. In my opinion it is that simple.

Totally understood BUT I’m judging based on when the most popular cars ARE RUNNING. Someone mentioned they thought or were told that Gainesville was sold out ? Pull up your dvr or vhs tape of the race ... pit side had some bits of the stands empty and the other side had a BUNCH open

The last divisional I went to was about 4 years ago at Tri-Stata in Iowa. I walked the pits a few times. There were close to 400 cars there, and I counted a grand total of 2 open trailers and 4 single rear wheel pickups. There weren't even a whole lot of duallys in the sea of motorhomes. toters, and stackers. Apparently things aren't that bad in the Sportsman ranks.

Kinda early but.

Isn’t it ALL ABOUT the Glory of that NHRA win .. be it a divisional or national event ?

The first year we ran the NHRA Winternationals in 1973 had over 600 sportsman entries, less than 100 Pros
The last NHRA division 7 race I went to in Phoenix in 1985 had 133 Super Street racer entered and more S/G and S/C cars than S/ST
How many national races this year had less than full fields in the pro ranks,3?, 6? or ?

Vegas 2 has sold out 2yrs in a row.... you might have been able to get a GA tik, but that puts you in the blazin sun allll daaay looong!

I need to get back there.... been awhile