Would you sell out tomorrow or keep racing? I myself would want to continue. It is my hobby not my job.

Yes I would continue to race as much as time with family and work schedule allows.

As long as it is somewhat local and what the entry fee cost. But I would probably still be racing.

Makes no difference to me, I don't race to put food on the table and keep a roof over my head, I’ve got a real job, real career for doing that. 99% of the events we compete at pay less than $5k to win the other 1% pay no more than $20k. I’ve never had any interest in supporting races with no rules, with drug use amongst competitors and house cars and “life changing money” is nothing more than a marketing ruse aimed at sucking in the dreamers. If taking home $100k and less after the spilts, deals, car owner cuts, promoter cuts for winning one of these “life changing money” events and before taxes, in fact does, you’ve made bad decisions in your life.

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

I wish local races paid 5K to win on a regular basis. I would be WAY ahead of the game.

I haul my junk to the track weekly and race for 1K or less so 5K is still big money to me. Just don't have the time and resources to go big money racing like some of you do.

I wouldn't be doing a single thing differently if the biggest payouts were $100. Take care. Tom Worthington

Certainly.

When you look at folks who have done this for decades....made a hobby string out over a lifetime of enjoyment....there is one thing they all seem to have in common: They race within their means considering all resources. Resources being time and money. The ones that get out ahead of their resources tend to either burnout, or run out of resources.

That said, I foresee more racers staying local next year. The price of everything racing and non racing is going up much faster than most of our incomes. If I want to keep saving at the rate that I do, and doing what I do for a living, I'm going to have to adjust. Racing local is one simple way to reduce costs certainly.

I have heard some racers claim that they just can't afford to get their cars out of the trailers for less than x amount. What that is to me is addict speak. The only way to justify the money they spend is to spend more money. Silly. This also implies some amount of debt. That can really be a weight around one's neck, and I have seen it destroy a racing program or many over the years. There is no need to keep up with the Jones'.

Bradenton is paying $10,000 to win Summit bracket series Neighborhood Super Pro championship points races.

$100.00 round money starting 3rd round.

There's no reason to drive thousands of miles.

Exactly what 1320racer said

The promoters of big money racing naturally wanna deem the guy who drove the most miles and bought the most tech cards, as the best.

What are they telling you, when they promote that idea? They're telling you if you wanna be considered the best, buy more tech cards .. and multiple tech cards while you're at it. Who does this idea serve?

Meanwhile back in the neighborhood, we did it with one tech card. 13 finals on 21 entry's Super Pro. Ain't nobody ever come close to that, ever.

Ya gotta be the best in your neighborhood, to be the best.

Brandenton an Capital City is we’re it’s at for 2022….just wish brandenton was closer

All racing is like going to the casino. We win about $50k/yr with our open wheel stuff and the most I have ever won in a year with the dragster is $60k. Anyone that says they can't get their car out of the trailer for less than $X should always get their car out, because I guess that they're saying that they're in the money every race. I win more than $60k on the craps table every year.

Always been a hobby for me, any money I win is just a plus. If I was in it for money I certainly would not be racing a blown alcohol car in NHRA Top Dragster.

A local track weekly bracket program that pays $1500 with preferably no buybacks suits me just fine.

quote:

Originally posted by WHOMPWHOMP:
Brandenton an Capital City is we’re it’s at for 2022….just wish brandenton was closer

He11 yea Bradenton is having 2 day points races next year paying 10k to win each day every month.

quote:

Originally posted by Tom396:
I wouldn't be doing a single thing differently if the biggest payouts were $100. Take care. Tom Worthington

I second this and would add I will and have raced for a plastic trophy. I am retired and do what I want. Return on investment is of no concern. Challenge and fun of level playing field is.

I am with Muggs, X2...

I think you would have moe racers.Mainly because a lot of folks see guys running 60 or 70k cars and figure shyt you are not going to compete unless you have all of those gadgets too. Part true and not so much..

I am sure a lot of guys here raced brackets back 25 or 30 years ago when a delay box was new thing.Electric shifter may or may not have been around. Two steps where in the future.

My first car was old 66 nova body that we built full chassis for.Had 454 with injection.A power glide that had a in shop machined valvebody,a turbo shaft came later and a converter. Whole car on track and dunning was less than 15k I know. Car ran good was consistent as he11,driver not so much.he hever staged same spot,left off bottom bulb and shift by engine sound.Stupid car would still run same number.

I think payout was 800 bucks to win. There where 30 or 40 cars in top on slow weekends and close to 100 on some of them. We ran Fri., Sat. and Sunday at local tracks. Had a blast.Then we bought a TA/FC and I am not sure what you guys did until about 2002 or 2003(14 years later) when lil brother wanted to run my old dragster

Back in the day,Early 70's when i started. The purse was maybe 200-250 and was pretty happy with that. just an attempt to compete was a dream.

Breaking an input shaft on a Muncie was the norm weekly. Seen many a marriages gone down the tubes
due to drag racing. Mine included.. Called an obsession with the smell of burning rubber and VHT
and speed. Still at it when i can get out

Heck went from a Muncie to a Clutch Flight trans
For those that don't know what that is. It was a
Torque Flight automatic with a clutch only to launch the car. With Stacked Crower Injection.
Heck we used WD-40 to keep the blades from Icing up.Then Crower decided to drop the nozzles below the blades.

Technology advancement turn the tides of drag racing.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: TD3550,

I mostly race NHRA points races and a couple National events,so I'm used to races that pay hardly anything to win.

The last big money race I ran I lost at about 8 cars around 5:30 in the morning. They were running the final as I pulled out the gate at 6:30 and sun was coming up. It was in the middle of the Texas Summer and it was brutally hot. I had been going for over 24 hours in the heat and it just was not any FUN.

I like to win but we still do this for fun and that simply was not, it was miserable and not worth the money I won.
I also do not like to have to tow for 6 or 8 hours to race. That to takes the fun out of it to. I am cool with 2 or 3 hour tow but if it is a longer tow I will probably not go. Now when I get my new trailer with bathroom package, AC and beds then I may tow a little further but not much. Now if I ever won the bracket Finals of course I would make that tow out there but other than that I will be closer to home and pass on the Big Money races.

If you enjoy the Big Money races then go. In fact you race Index racing, big money, Pro Stock or what ever you want or can afford and are good at.