NHRA Cracking Down on Contingency Claims

September 08, 2019, 08:50 AM

Back in the 70's and 80's when I worked for TRW two of us walked the staging lanes during the first round and confirmed which cars had the TRW decals on both sides. We listed each car by the NHRA class and competition number but never required a check to see if they actually had the product (pistons and rings). We never required proof of purchase (invoice) so obviously was no expiration date requirement, the two decals were the single requirement. After the event we sent that list to the TRW MotorSport Department in Cleveland. When the car owner submitted the contingency claim it was promptly paid.

Things have changed since then.

Bob

September 08, 2019, 04:55 PM

Roger McGinnis

Aren't NHRA contingency posters asking for proof that you bought their product in the last year or two? I've been around race vehicles for 50 years and have never looked at the stickers on the podium vehicles. The only sticker I can see is the one that pays the bills,,,, the major sponsor.

September 11, 2019, 12:58 AM

Will Harrison

quote:
Originally posted by sst5167:
It looks to me like most people commenting here are making the assumption these drivers "sticker slapped" some decals on their car sometime before the final. Do we know this to be fact? I know 2 of these drivers personally, and I find that hard to believe from either one of them.
Contingency forms have a list of paying companies. That list is handed to the driver as soon as you make the turn off in the final round. There is a column next to the company names with a box labeled "product" and another labeled "decal". The driver checks off all products he/she runs on that particular car. Once finished, he/she hands the list off to a tech guy. The tech guy is supposed to walk around the car to verify that the decal actually exists on the car.
So at this point in time, its usually late Sunday afternoon, and said tech guy has been there for 3-4 days. He's tired, usually somewhat grumpy, and definitely ready to go home! He rushes through his part of the list, not really caring what decals are actually on the car, rather, jsut going through the checked boxes labeled product from the driver.
So maybe, just maybe, these drivers did nothing wrong. Perhaps it was a tired, lazy NHRA tech guy who couldn't wait to get home that made the mistake.
Again, I have NO idea as to any of the details with the above infractions. I'm just throwing out some ideas from my own personal experiences.

did you see harem's car in national dragster? Not a single sticker on the car one round and like 40 stickers on the car in the final... that's pretty funny, like how do you actually think no one will notice?? Adding 1 or 2 to a car that has 30 already, no one would notice, but adding 40? Lol

September 11, 2019, 01:27 PM

DragRaceResults

quote:
did you see harem's car in national dragster? Not a single sticker on the car one round and like 40 stickers on the car in the final... that's pretty funny, like how do you actually think no one will notice?? Adding 1 or 2 to a car that has 30 already, no one would notice, but adding 40? Lol

Yup

September 13, 2019, 05:04 PM

Don Higgins Crew Chief Pro Software

I pay out around $2500 a month on contingency and am still amazed how many submit claims with no decals, and some have not even bought our Crew Chief Pro Software.

This is why almost nobody is paying anymore, it literally takes one person to monitor the claims and validate them, far too long per claim.

We still pay NHRA national and divisionals, and IHRA divisionals. We also pay for some bracket races and some club races because we give back. We are always the first to send checks as well. Usually pay the same day we validate. No holding periods like many other companies.

I received a check nearly a year after my last national event runner up. I gave up calling the company, then finally a check arrived, we don't want to be like that.

September 13, 2019, 09:38 PM

ferndaleflyer

I don't understand why you can't just take NHRA out of the loop and pay your self if they have purchased and displayed the decals----seems that would be a pretty simple way.

September 14, 2019, 10:20 AM

sittin duck

There is one company that is nothing but a pain in the azz to get a check from but they want all the notoriety of being a title sponsor to a couple Pro special races during the year. I spoke with this company at the P.R.I. show last year after hand delivering my info for a win from over two months before, I was told they were thinking about cutting back on contingency. If you want to cut back on contingency you need to do it at the first of the year that way NHRA can forget to hang your banners and run your commercials, bottom line if you want to be apart of it pay up if not I'll take the sticker off or maybe just turn it up side down.

September 15, 2019, 08:41 AM

Cashflow

Mr. Higgins,

Are you coming to Great Bend?

September 15, 2019, 09:12 AM

Woody B

(over)30 years ago when I won my first points race a tech man handed my a bunch of decals after the race, and said he'd be by to verify contingency in a few minutes. I already had decals on my car for the products I was using. I didn't add any more decals. I understand your frustration Don.

September 15, 2019, 12:27 PM

Don Higgins Crew Chief Pro Software

quote:
Originally posted by Cashflow:
Mr. Higgins,

Are you coming to Great Bend?

Can't this year, sold house and for some reason the new owners think that weekend is the perfect time to move in...