Thread: Did anyone else notice?

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Originally Posted by NTFDAY

All of you guys have good points and it's the disappearance of the small local strips that will will kill drag racing if it's to be killed. However on the national level NHRA rolled the dice and lost. funny cars more closely resemble slot cars, and you can't come close to buying anything like a Pro Stock car off the show room floor as yo could in the 60's. One thing to remember, if you don't please the fans you lose. And why do you think Nostalgia racing is so popular?

1.) Even our small tracks are gone, closest now is 3.5 hours.
2.) The cars are all the same, slot cars, this was the same problem in NASCAR and at least they've tried some things to break it up.
3.) So true, the fans are the bread & butter.
4.) Nostalgia is big right now because many of us that remember those days have the money available and the desire to relive our youth.. It isn't (imho) that the racing was better, the cars weren't as fast, but the whole evolution of drag racing came right off the streets and it was something anyone could and would do just because it was fun! The people who became the "big names" were just guys like us in a lot of cases, it was easy to relate with them.

For me, the days of tossin the slicks in the trunk and back seat with a toolbox and stuff are over, and I really have no desire to just watch.. with my medicals, they won't let me drive.. And I don't want to run 14's or 15's... If the right kid came along, I could see me having fun with them in a Junior Dragster..

Originally Posted by NTFDAY

All of you guys have good points and it's the disappearance of the small local strips that will will kill drag racing if it's to be killed. However on the national level NHRA rolled the dice and lost. 1000' foot racing sucks, funny cars more closely resemble slot cars, and you can't come close to buying anything like a Pro Stock car off the show room floor as yo could in the 60's. I really don't care how much the participants love bracket racing, the fans don't and they pay the bills and delay boxes are another can of worms altogether. Gone are the days when the Surfers could go to the local bone yard and pull out a 392 and go fuel racing. One thing to remember, if you don't please the fans you lose. And why do you think Nostalgia racing is so popular?

Fans, what fans???? At either of the local tracks, the fans left 30 years ago!!!! The only ones on that side of the track now are a few folks going over there to get pics of their car when they run in that lane!!!! The Divisional Meets, and big $$$$ bracket races still draw a crowd but the normal Saturday-Sunday action is bought and paid for by the racers and the guys who come with them! Promoters do book in a few special events that will draw (bring?) a crowd of followers with them but that's about it. If racing locally had to rely on people in the seats on the other side of the track, we would have shut down 30 years ago!!!!!! Oh yeah, Jr. Dragster days at the track might put 100 or so fans in the seat.....

Nostalgia racing is kewl, but a couple events a summer isn't going to keep your local track going.... Week in, week out, it's the bracket racers that keep the local tracks open!!!!!! Like it or hate it, if you want to see the local tracks remain open, you better thank (and maybe help out) the bracket racers!!!!!