I had a friend ask me a few days ago why I didn't go to the big money race down the street.

I told him I could race all month including maintenance and high diesel prices for the money they wanted to enter the race.

Honestly, the local racing is equal to, if not more difficult than the big money stuff....at least out here. I would rather go racing on the weekends vs race 1 weekend, and sit around for the other 3-4. Plus, a local race doesn't cost my vacation time.

I expect that the reason many race those races, even if someone doesn't think they won't or couldn't win, is because they want to. It's not up to anyone on any forum whether or not they can race and spend large sums of money. It's their money and their decision what they do with it.

Personally I wouldn't spend lots of money on a paint job for a dragster. They all start to look the same to me but none of them are my car and you can do as you please with your car and money. I'm happy for people to get to do what they want to do, because life is way too short to never have some fun. Especially if you don't do it because of what someone else thinks.

With all that said, I'm not saying it makes good financial sense for many. LOL JMO

I am a drag racer and I love the sport. After 27 years of racing my goal is to race as much as I can when I have the money. The draw to a big money race for me is not the big money, its the fact that I probably get to race 3-4 times in one weekend. I am a bottom bulb racer who doubles in the box class. That being said I get to enter 6-8 times in one weekend which is a 6 weeks worth of racing for some people and in Florida you just can't trust the weather enough to get to race that often.
Every local track has a few that win all the time, and if that few went to big money races they would be competitive.

quote:

Originally posted by Holytown:
I had a friend ask me a few days ago why I didn't go to the big money race down the street.

I told him I could race all month including maintenance and high diesel prices for the money they wanted to enter the race.

Honestly, the local racing is equal to, if not more difficult than the big money stuff....at least out here. I would rather go racing on the weekends vs race 1 weekend, and sit around for the other 3-4. Plus, a local race doesn't cost my vacation time.

The idea that is prevalent which says big money Super Pro bracket racing is a higher caliber, has come about as a result of the promotion of the idea. The reason for the promotion of the idea is simple, to get you to buy in.

Don't matter how much the race pays, there's only one way to determine excellence. How many final rounds in how many entry's.

I'm pretty sure 13 final rounds on 21 entry's is the all time record for modern day, delay box Super Pro bracket racing.

You ain't gotta drive a million miles to have a world class Super Pro bracket race, you can accomplish that at your local track, on a set of 8" wide DOT street tires.

Common sense

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Mike Rietow,

Why do I donate to big money racing? I consider myself an above average racer & I'm always looking to improve my game. The Big Money puts a lot of pressure on you to do well. I find myself getting into the money at these races & I've won 3 or 4 races between $5K - $10K. I still haven't won what I consider big money yet, $20K & well above that amount.

With that being said, the #1 reason I race the Big Money is to race some of the best drivers out there. You have to race the best to get better; that's if you learn from your experience. I've learned immensely from these races especially the Spring Fling Million. The round strategies/deception that go into these types of races is what I enjoy the most. I've been on the receiving end of trickery, but I have also dished out some also.

I take what I learn at the Big Money Races & apply it to my local racing. Overall, I'll pay the price of entry to improve my racing game!

I only go to 2 added purse races a year now as at 81 years old my skills have diminished a lot. But trust me when I say getting to visit friends from all over is worth the admission. Its the only sport or recreation I have ever known so I go. 2 0f my friends have won "big races", one the Million and one a $50k and neither got the advertised amount. Not even close. The one that won a $50k race got $22,500 or about 1/2 the advertised purse the one that won the million got about 1/3rd the advertised purse. Not bad. But it is everyones choice and I'll be the duck at Bristol next week having a good time.

quote:

Originally posted by B KING:
Why do I donate to big money racing? I consider myself an above average racer & I'm always looking to improve my game. The Big Money puts a lot of pressure on you to do well. I find myself getting into the money at these races & I've won 3 or 4 races between $5K - $10K. I still haven't won what I consider big money yet, $20K & well above that amount.

With that being said, the #1 reason I race the Big Money is to race some of the best drivers out there. You have to race the best to get better; that's if you learn from your experience. I've learned immensely from these races especially the Spring Fling Million. The round strategies/deception that go into these types of races is what I enjoy the most. I've been on the receiving end of trickery, but I have also dished out some also.

I take what I learn at the Big Money Races & apply it to my local racing. Overall, I'll pay the price of entry to improve my racing game!

I think people forget the object is to go dead on. I suppose the trickery is how negative you are total at the 330 or 594 block, but what does that have do with the guy who hasn't forgotten the object,...... not much.

Al this talk of trickery and strategy are money makers for a few, with these idea's for sale in memberships.

When in reality .015 total or better is the game. The rest is the trickery / con.

There's no magic strategy or trickery to going dead on consistently, other than the mechanical aspect.

He!! Mike I can go dead on most of the time but those .099 lights don't get it done. Red don't help either. LOL

Mike,

Trickery might or might not be the correct word, but that's what I used. Example, during the million my opponent was racing my front tire. He caught me early in the run he was holding more than I was because our lights were close. He uses nitrous (nitrous is in my future also), I found that out the hard way on a previous day. Anyway, I have the option to take the stripe with the front of my tire or my stripe taker. On this race I choose to use the stripe taker & it worked out with a round win. My Camaro has a very long nose & that stripe taker is out there a good amount, but still is somewhat hidden.

As to the total package, of course we shoot for the smallest package. How we get it or don't get it is the trick. I always hold & I tell everybody. It works for me & it varies significantly throughout the race.

quote:

Originally posted by B KING:
Mike,

Trickery might or might not be the correct word, but that's what I used. Example, during the million my opponent was racing my front tire. He caught me early in the run he was holding more than I was because our lights were close. He uses nitrous (nitrous is in my future also), I found that out the hard way on a previous day. Anyway, I have the option to take the stripe with the front of my tire or my stripe taker. On this race I choose to use the stripe taker & it worked out with a round win. My Camaro has a very long nose & that stripe taker is out there a good amount, but still is somewhat hidden.

As to the total package, of course we shoot for the smallest package. How we get it or don't get it is the trick. I always hold & I tell everybody. It works for me & it varies significantly throughout the race.

10-4 on that. I'm ol' fashioned maybe, I believe the car wins races.

Before too much more shade is thrown at those who enter bracket races, but very rarely win (maybe never), consider their importance. Big money bracket racing is a house of cards. Without a huge contingent of repeat competitors who never win, the whole thing comes to a complete and abrupt end.

I have found it amusing that many here will say that they don't mind "slow" seasons where they "only" break even. Run the numbers. It is the exceptional competitor who breaks even. And I am only considering entry fees, double entries, and b*ybacks versus winnings. Never mind the other expenses. Posters on DRR do not truly represent overall bracket competitors. Who wants to post when they are told that they su*k lemons and are totally broke dyck over and over. It HAS to be. Yes, there are a tiny few who actually make more than they spend, but they are rare. I am also convinced that many competitors are using their own small businesses as advertising write offs and/or their sponsors are using those competitors entry fees as write offs.

It's fine and it's just how it is. You pays your money, you makes your choice. Probably not a bad idea to have open eyes too, though. Take care. Tom Worthington

The car wins the races.

Work on it.

Best trick/approach/strategy there is.

Having raced Bradenton for many years its interesting to see some of these big names winning races. While they no doubt are awesome racers at any track they show up at, they tend to blend in at Bradenton. Which speaks to the level of competition there, if you.can win at BMP you can win anywhere.

There is a lot racing IQ in these parts...

One thing that plays here I'm sure is the different skill sets and knowledge it takes to win traveling and at your home track. At my home track, one thing that gets the travelers is when the dew sets....and it will....and throws just about any car a couple numbers. I know what to look for and how to predict it. That's tough if you don't race there regularly. Knowing how the race flows through the day and the timing. Where the sun hits the tree. Now for the traveling races, it's more about adapting to the maybe unfamiliar track. Different drivers. A different flow and timing to the day. For long races, managing your energy level for the weekend and when to eat. How well you are equipped for travel races over a long weekend too. How nervous you are over the money you spend to get to the race and enter it. I suppose the youngsters may not feel the pressure if they don't have skin in the game. Or family financial obligations. Just some thoughts.

quote:

Originally posted by NortonRacing:
Having raced Bradenton for many years its interesting to see some of these big names winning races. While they no doubt are awesome racers at any track they show up at, they tend to blend in at Bradenton. Which speaks to the level of competition there, if you.can win at BMP you can win anywhere.

There is a lot racing IQ in these parts...

Sunshine & Bradenton have always had a leg up. That's what a 30 to 40 race schedule produces over 20-30 years.

It's nowhere near like that anymore in terms races on the schedule, BUT the kids now racing BIG cars experienced the tail end of it racing Jrs, so there's another generation to carry the flag into the future.

I think that's flip flopped now though, the tracks up North, now seem to race a lot more than Florida tracks.

At one time though, there was Jacksonville, Orlando, Sunshine, Bradenton, West Palm all with 30 plus NHRA or IHRA Super Pro points races on the schedule. Sunshine and Bradenton was 41 races to win the championship up until 2006, when it was cut back to 33 races. There's a lot of experience to be had with that many races every year 30-40 miles from the house.

I still don't know how they got the race in every Friday at Sunshine, first round at 8 oclock sharp. 300-400 cars and motorcycles first rd every Friday night by midnight, most times.

It was rapid fire.

There's a lot of old parts scattered across the land from those battles, making their way to the surface in these times.

Been a long while since I've seen a Pyle Bros pinion support. This shyt been collecting dust probably 20 - 30 years.

I love nostalgia , relics

quote:

Originally posted by Mike Rietow:
The car wins the races.

Work on it.

Best trick/approach/strategy there is.

I have to somewhat disagree with you. I agree you need a good car as a base. The guy wearing the brain bucket makes the car win.

I'll give an example: I raced a 1988 Ford Mustang, 10" tire & high 9 sec. to low 10 sec. car for a guy. This car was the very best race car I have ever driven; our Camaro is a close 2nd. The 1st year out with the car after being built, we got a late start on the season. We tested the car as we raced. Anyway, we raced 8 races that year, won 7 & 1 2nd place; won a Wally one of those races & 2 1K races back to back. This was done at 4 different tracks. The car continued to win big the 3 years I drove it. I finished with a 5K win against a sea of dragsters.

After stepping away from the car. The owner put a handful of different drivers in & it became a First Round Duck! On a fluke, I think the car made the 3rd round one time.

So, based on my experience of racing many different vehicles. Most were good vehicles some were not, but I was able to win in all of them!

This message has been edited. Last edited by: B KING,

I still think the car wins .015 total or better Super Pro races.

I think it's 80-90% of it.

If you win those types of races regularly, I can promise you the car is a Bad MotherTrucker.

quote:

Originally posted by Mike Rietow:
The car wins the races.

Work on it.

Best trick/approach/strategy there is.

Guns don’t kill people, people kill people JS

quote:

Originally posted by the rain maker:

quote:

Originally posted by Mike Rietow:
The car wins the races.

Work on it.

Best trick/approach/strategy there is.

Guns don’t kill people, people kill people JS

McMillan Tac-50, 80-90% of it is the weapon.