The big kickoff race of the year winternats an only 14 topfuel entered. Not a good sign of the times especially with no Tony Shoe entered. Of course with the countdown probably could miss several races and still qualify for the countdown. Its been said over and over and over again. Something has to be done to cut the costs of nitro racing but it never happens

Yea,I just read on Facebook that Tony Schumacher is parked.

Seems hard to believe.

I wonder if any Top Dragsters in danger of running 5.999 or quicker could run Top Fuel in order to avoid possible disqualification from Top Dragster?

What is really sad besides Tony being temporarily parked is there has been no new to the sport major sponsor announcements for any fuel team this year....

quote:

Originally posted by Big Steve:
What is really sad besides Tony being temporarily parked is there has been no new to the sport major sponsor announcements for any fuel team this year....

Horizontal oil derricks/teams require wads of money. Take away one fuel pump and give them a spec blower. It’s a runaway freight train in the pro classes. It’s obvious by the toll it’s taking, short fields and loss of sponsors. NASCAR seeing the same thing. Look at Pro Sports, money is out of control. You know what it costs to takes in a game with a family... small fortune..

I googled Don Schumacher this morning.They said he is supposedly worth $300 million.

I am surprised he can't come up with some coin for at least a few races.

quote:

Originally posted by 442OLDS:
I googled Don Schumacher this morning.They said he is supposedly worth $300 million.

I am surprised he can't come up with some coin for at least a few races.

Its all business to a pro team like that, No different then when WJ stopped competing with no backing. To them this is a business not a hobby and they arent going to pay out of pocket.

Even if they used his non racing company to sponsor, thats still taking money that may not be there (or allocated for advertising) and using it to go racing.

This is the new reality of Pro Motorsports.

quote:

Originally posted by stk 758 BP!:

quote:

Originally posted by Big Steve:
What is really sad besides Tony being temporarily parked is there has been no new to the sport major sponsor announcements for any fuel team this year....

Horizontal oil derricks/teams require wads of money. Take away one fuel pump and give them a spec blower. It’s a runaway freight train in the pro classes. It’s obvious by the toll it’s taking, short fields and loss of sponsors. NASCAR seeing the same thing. Look at Pro Sports, money is out of control. You know what it costs to takes in a game with a family... small fortune..

Big money teams have wrecked the sport by driving all the smaller teams out! Now that they disappear one by one there are crickets left! The small timers are what made the sport fun! Ya progress is part of the issue but one way or another you need to cap this deal some how, if I were king I'd limit the total number of parts you get to use per year, when you run out, your done! That would put the thinkers and hard workers back in the sport,,, no you have to go fast but make it all last at the same time... Just a thought

quote:

Originally posted by 442OLDS:
I googled Don Schumacher this morning.They said he is supposedly worth $300 million.

I am surprised he can't come up with some coin for at least a few races.

That sounds like a bracket racer trying to convince his wife so he can go racing. Don Schumacher has money because he's not dumb enough to throw his money away racing. Prudhomme walked away when the sponsor money went away.
The big money wrecked the sport applies to all classes of drag and circle track racing. It's doing it's job on bracket racing too.

I don't know if all that is being said is completely fair. There are plenty of thinkers and hard workers in Top Fuel. No shortage that I see. And...the exponential amounts of money being spent to compete has given us wickedly fast cars to watch. Which is pretty much what people watch the fuel classes for. It's sensory overload and insanely fast. They delivered exactly what the fans were looking for. Plus, most of the drivers spend a good amount of time at the race signing autographs between rounds, which again is exactly what the fans like. The teams are large enough to completely turn a car around in the short time given to them, so that fans can see plenty of rounds in any given day. But all of this is expensive. And any one rule change that comes along will mean big changes for the teams, and more money to spend. Plus, they will all spend bucket loads of money figuring out how to go fast within the confines of the new rule. Pandora's box is hard to close after everyone has had a taste of what is inside. Fans are ****le. Hamstring the teams and slow the cars down, and hope that people still want to watch them.

fi ck le

I will say this if they was to go to a spec fuel pump and blower to limit Top Fuel then I would certainly want them to go back to 1/4 mile.

Thing is if they did that the timers and clutch would become more critical in getting the power to the track. It would help to lower cost at least for a while.

I think NHRA has several problems most of which they went out of their way to create. They have been trying to run off racers for anything they can. They treat spectators and sponsors like dog poo and wonder why they do not want to give them any more money?

NHRA has done a lot of good things but they have done some really stupid stuff to.

Right now,there are 14 Top Fuel cars entered.

This seems like a tremendous opportunity for somebody that has a Top Fuel dragster that can pass tech and start.

Who cares if it would only run 17 seconds in the 1/4 mile?

Wouldn't they collect the money for qualifying,or does NHRA have the right to cut the purse for a car that runs too slow?

As time goes on, major sponsorships are drying up.
The ROI just aren't there as they were in year past. Companies are really looking at the P%L's
Cut,Cut,Cut and more Cut.. Only concerns are for the share holders period.

quote:

Originally posted by 442OLDS:
Right now,there are 14 Top Fuel cars entered.

This seems like a tremendous opportunity for somebody that has a Top Fuel dragster that can pass tech and start.

Who cares if it would only run 17 seconds in the 1/4 mile?

Wouldn't they collect the money for qualifying,or does NHRA have the right to cut the purse for a car that runs too slow?

I think I read that they are now paying show up money down to 20th for non qualifiers. So all someone that has a car that will pass tech has to do is show up and stage the car 1 time and idle down the track to collect

Cubic money, sponsorship, NHRA mgt., etc. all plays it's part of course. But the world is a place of change and drag racing's hay day has come and gone. Would you invest your money in the stock market in the racing industry expecting the sector to grow? Today's youth has no love for the internal combustion engine. Enjoy the trend, it's going to continue. One thing you can count on, while participants, attendance and viewers decrease rules and regulation will increase.

Canted Valve, just because young people don't like your kind of racing doesn't mean they're not interested in automobiles or racing. Drag Racing is alive and well, just not the kind you grew up with.

quote:

...just not the kind you grew up with.

The prevailing topic is Top Fuel.

Economy must be booming; they are up to 15 fuelers now with the addition of Austin Prock!

quote:

Originally posted by TD3550:
As time goes on, major sponsorships are drying up.
The ROI just aren't there as they were in year past. Companies are really looking at the P%L's
Cut,Cut,Cut and more Cut.. Only concerns are for the share holders period.

Should they be more concerned with the state of drag racing? If my 401k or other investment isn't doing well because they are more concerned with drag racing than they are making money, then I am going to drop that investment.

quote:

Originally posted by TOP38:

quote:

Originally posted by stk 758 BP!:

quote:

Originally posted by Big Steve:
What is really sad besides Tony being temporarily parked is there has been no new to the sport major sponsor announcements for any fuel team this year....

Horizontal oil derricks/teams require wads of money. Take away one fuel pump and give them a spec blower. It’s a runaway freight train in the pro classes. It’s obvious by the toll it’s taking, short fields and loss of sponsors. NASCAR seeing the same thing. Look at Pro Sports, money is out of control. You know what it costs to takes in a game with a family... small fortune..

Big money teams have wrecked the sport by driving all the smaller teams out! Now that they disappear one by one there are crickets left! The small timers are what made the sport fun! Ya progress is part of the issue but one way or another you need to cap this deal some how, if I were king I'd limit the total number of parts you get to use per year, when you run out, your done! That would put the thinkers and hard workers back in the sport,,, no you have to go fast but make it all last at the same time... Just a thought

Sounds like what Jegs/Summit has done to the local speed shops, or Home Depot/Lowes to the local hardware stores...... Shall I continue?