Drag racing will survive it will evolve and live on. Period. It is in people's blood to race because someone may not like what that evolution looks like from their current perspective is myopic. Personally I think NHRA will survive and adapt. I dont buy the when this generation dies so does the sport. The BEAT WILL GO ON. IT AWLAYS DOES.

The part of the NHRA purse that has a different value to each racer is the Wally. All the winners circle pictures at an NHRA race has the winner holding the Wally, not the check.
Many of the NHRA regulars having been complaining about the payouts for many, many years. But I would be willing to bet that if NHRA paid no purse and no contingency next year at Indy, every sportsman class would still be full as long as the Wally was given.

The 1/2 track gamblers racing has it's place but the majority of those guys are just giving money to the minority of the guys that are the winners. And lots to the promoters. I seriously doubt that getting 500+ racers to throw 10's of thousands of dollars at entry fees per year will continue for very long.

Johnnie D. got us talking again.

Agree 100% will al of the above.

1/2 track gamblers?

What about the 1/4 mile Wally Ball Washers?

Most of us have recognized when we are being abused...choices y'all, choices. When the NHRA has something to offer worthwhile we possibly will revisit being abused. Till then just call me "The Gambler".

Thanks Johnny! We needed something to talk about!

Chris, for me and thousands upon thousands of drag racers, THIS

https://www.nhra.com/news/2019/reading-sc

beats any big check we could ever hold and for me personally, this was the proudest moment I've ever experienced with my son, more than his first touchdown, more than his first hit at bat and even more than his college graduation 5 months earlier.

He may never win another but the fact is he has won on the NHRA big stage, something 99.9% of drag racers dream of and most will never do.

A proud Wally ball washer!!

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i am glad we have choices. to each his own.

i am glad that nhra racers and big money bracket racers can't do math or both would be out of business

ep

im at a free 10,000 to win race! you can call me a gambler also. im all in!

George Howard used to have those "free" races. With plenty of buybacks.
As for ROI on entry. I can pay $50 at a local bracket race and if I win get $1500. Win 4 rounds and be $10 ahead or with a buyback break even at 4 rounds won. I'll see you New Years in West Palm Beach Chris

This message has been edited. Last edited by: ferndaleflyer,

quote:

Originally posted by TORQIN:
1/2 track gamblers?

What about the 1/4 mile Wally Ball Washers?

Most of us have recognized when we are being abused...choices y'all, choices. When the NHRA has something to offer worthwhile we possibly will revisit being abused. Till then just call me "The Gambler".

Thanks Johnny! We needed something to talk about!

I meant no disrespect by the label 1/2 track gamblers. I was differentiating between you guys and the 1/4 mile sit around and wait for 3 days guys. Many of the winners of the gambler races have rooms full of Wallys and just got tired of the NHRA BS. The vast majority of NHRA racers would be just donating $ to the winners of your races.
It is two totally different kinds of racing.

AZ, No disrespect taken here. I agree on totally different races.

I mean no disrespect to anyone as well. Luckily we have choices. Years back we all did both.

Good insightful commentary too.

Pauley always accurate assessments!

See ya then Fern!

I am lucky to have recently experienced both forms of racing being discussed here. I am a firm believer that if your in racing for money you need to find the "for sale" site of your choice and sell every racing related thing you have as fast as you can. That being said, being able to actually get a little money back never hurts anyone's feelings and unfortunately the NHRA side of the payout window is getting smaller and smaller.

I have been doing this crazy stuff for way too long, but remember when winning a national event would pay for the year, now if you runner up it barely pays for the trip. BUT if you win it's still a National event, the single biggest thing about every racer that has ever donned a helmet wants to win! We were fortunate enough to win the USNationals last year, it was 8 rounds and the feeling was something I could never put a price tag on! However, if I had turned 8 win lights on at the GABR $1,000,000 guaranteed to win race in Memphis those same 8 win lights would have paid around $125,000!

I am one of the few that race NHRA and understand us sportsmen are not the show, we are fillers and it is what it is! I enjoy NHRA racing, I enjoy the fact that they count wins and final round appearances. I think its really cool that a long time ago John Force won Chicago, the same race we did, and he helped push our car into the winners circle for pictures!

All the above being said, I have only been to a hand full of Big Money bracket races if you don't count the Tenn-Tucks at Beech Bend which is in my back yard. That is until I ponied up $3,000 in entry fees to run for a guaranteed Million Dollars! I gotta say it was tough writing that check! But when we loaded up and headed out....it was pretty freaking cool, we were running for more money than well...about any race ever. The race literally had a different vibe to it, they WANTED you there! There was free food, there was a $5,001 to win Golf cart race! Yeah a $5K golf cart race! It was a blast! We did well and actually got some money back if you won 4th round of the Million you got your entry fee back and if you won 5th round the split was $15K for that round! We left the race with a new prospective on Big Money bracket racing!

So, we decided to go to the OG Million in Montgomery, and again, it was fun! They wanted you there, they had water out for you, they had a food cart and a beer cart at night...all free. They feed everyone a steak dinner one night. We didn't set the world on fire that weekend but we did ok and it was fun!

Now I'm not saying one is better than the other or I will never NHRA race again, nor am I saying the entry fees are too big and the racing is too tight and I'm never going to a big money race. But I definitely have a new appreciation for the big money stuff and I still love NHRA. I personally don't think either one is going anywhere! NHRA has figured out its niche and is doing fine actually, without the RONA they usually filled every national event! Points races that I attended were all very good in the last few years. Big Money racing IMO is growing, I know that there was no lack of participation at either of the races I went to and it's easy to see the allure as you are treated great and its fun racing with big prizes if you go a few rounds.

Pick the one that is best for you and have fun. But don't knock one til you try one, they are both pretty cool!

I believe these larger money races have helped some local tracks offer $5k and larger races for the racers that can’t travel. This has been great.

I go where our group of friends go. I prefer the big money bracket racing only because you can get more seat time and with my limited schedule it helps. Most of the guys I race with like the divisionals,so if I can I follow them. I like to win as much as the next guy but when we all get together with the family's it makes it better.

If NHRA quit handing out Wallys to winners at National and Divisional events what percentage of racers would NHRA lose??

Somewhere between 51 and 100% because as I’ve stated before, NO ONE racing at NHRA Divisional or National Events is there for the $.

I have cashed every single check I have ever Won and payout is always a factor in my decision on where I race. As a matter of fact I have cashed every single paycheck I ever made. When someone says it is not about the Money you can bet it is about the money.

Mind you I am definitely not racing to make money but I am not interested in racing any where that does not have a decent payout.

A local track had some bracket races a few years ago. They drew in more than $35,000 in entry fees and paid out about $3500 total in all classes. With in a few weeks hardly anyone was showing up to race there. Then they got pissed because everyone started going somewhere else. They just did not have a fair payout in my opinion and obviously many others felt the same as I.

NHRA was paying out $50,000 to winner of Pro Stock and $250,000 to the Champion. Now the current payout has to effect the car count. How much remains to be seen and it may not happen overnight. Many will race for a while then eventually determine it just is not worth it.

Curley, has it had any effect on car count? Don’t think so myself

The current payout has damn sure had an effect in NHRA. TD and TS rarely have full fields (32 freaking cars that is) on the division level...think the payout vs the expense just might have something to do with it? These are expensive classes to compete in...some may not agree.

Comp has been a slow death to say the least with money NEVER being a factor to its supporters.

BIG money racing has in fact grown with 500 or more entries spending 10s of thousands per year for years now on entry fees. SHOWS no signs of less car count.

NHRA is down overall...anyone deny this? Think money may have something to do with it?

I am just as proud of my son winning 10, 20, 30 granders as any mom or dad with a child winning a wally. Just as hard or harder to win 10 rounds BIG money as any national event win. Just ask anyone who has done either of them. THIS is the BIG stage of Bracket racing...and its never paid so much money before. Overall NHRA pays out less than ever VS entry. FACTS.

Again, luckily we have choices. Some want the trophy, some want the BIG check...it's all in what you actually want for a reward. No reward means no attendance for me. Wallys simply cant HELP pay for some of the racing expenses...BIG checks can and do.

Have fun no matter your choices!

Purse sucking is nothing new. In mid 90's IHRA paid $8000 plus contingency for TA?FC,called a por class then. We figured it was about 1200 per run after all said and done. SO at 8 runs(4Q and 4E) we where maybe even. HAd 3 winss and 2 RU's out of ten race schedule and was 80k in the hole and 2nd(first f--ing looser) in championship chase.

Maybe I look at it different than some because of above experience. I figure cost per run plus entry as to where there is chance of making cpl bucks towards future parts. As said if running big money race and do half azz I stand to come home with gas money for next week. If do 3/4 azz I make money for new parts. If run National I had better win or I will Have to dig bigger hole in my account. Plus cost of keeping everything updated to meet rules at National event. just my two cent and sure for some I over valued that.

Chris, NHRA racer participation is not down. In fact, class racers especially stock eliminator and super stock racers are constantly complaining about the quota system to enter national events and wanting the NHRA to allow MORE cars to enter. I also know that TD and TS always have a full field at least at D1 and D3 events.

Again, NHRA racing is not about the $ and NHRA cutting the purses of the Pros means NOTHING, it's just a talking point on internet forums for those that are not Pro racers to air their opinions. You can bet that everyone of the top 16 teams in each class that compete at ALL 22 National events every year will again be competing at every national next season.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: 1320racer,