Event Coverage Nostalgia Drag Racers, race for money, trophy, or fun?

I don't know if this discussion has been covered on here, so here we go. Guys that do nostalgia drag racing, why do you do it? What makes you race an old out of date car? What type of events do you go to? Some events are just for the fun of it. No money, no trophy, no winners. Some events have purses for the winners. Some events have trophies. Whatever happened to trophy girls? What about jackets, didn't they used to give jackets away? Guys that did it back in the day, what was your motivation to go racing? Was it to try to set a record, beat your buddy? I am interested in lots of opinions, thanks!

 

Take the money out of the equation, hand out a trophy, it'll be fun!

 

^^^^^^^^^^^^ what he said.

 

Just for the sake of it, its the most fun you can have with your clothes on.......................

 

No money. Money ruins it. Like it ruins everything.

 

I built mine to have nothing but fun, and half the fun has been building it,,, Tim Jones

 

The two events around the IL. and WI. area are for fun no money or trophies just bragging rights and a cool two part waterslide decal at each event that go together to make one.

 

Don, Nostalgia Drag Cars are a lot more fun than running cars with all of the electronics and crap, besides it's kinda like building a racing version of a Classic Car or Street Rod,
Put it this way.... You can buy a new luxury car for a fraction of the cost of a nice Street Rod, and get a waranty for repairs if needed. So why would a person want to build a Street Rod?

Another thing... If you built any Drag Car to make money your fooling yourself.
You do it for the fun and the memories of the past.

 

i race a flathead bantam altered in the ANRA series. i got back into racing because street cars cost to damn much money. what with the insurance, registration and all the equipment you have to have, it adds up. my car cost me $2500 to build about 17 years ago and i am building a 23 t now and should have about the same amount in it. i win quite often because most racers have a hard time beating a slow car. unless they run them a lot and really know their car, it's hard to beat a slow car. the reason also was racing was my first love when i was young. i have done all the rest, street cars, motorcycles (2 and 3 wheels) over the years. our events are 3 day affairs so we party hardy 2 of them after the racing is over with.

 

We did it for love!!!! WDIFL

We do it for a good time, and for the love of the FED machine. Although our car is newstalgia, I would love to build a period correct front engine and run it in the modern classes, but its my dad's baby and I drive er.

We have had a championship, wins, losses, dnq's, broken engines... all were great times either way.

 

Jackets??? Now that is a cool idea for the Texas Nostalgia Nationals!!!

 

I race in the Gasser Racing Series and it does have both, a little pay out and a trophy. We also collect points at each race too, guy with most points at the end of the year is the Grand Champion for the season and gets a jacket stating such.
Me I just like to race and hopefully win just to needle and be needled by my fellow racers. The first round losers sure have a great ball busting time in the stands.

 

I built my junk to have fun and entertain the masses. It's not about the money, I'll never win enough to recoup my investment and I truly believe money will ruin the whole thing. I hate Bracket racing for the same reasons listed above. Heads up is all about who can afford the best parts.

I love running the Scout for what it is... different. But what makes it all worth while is seeing the look on a kids face as he/she walks up to the Little Beast because they recognize it and the smiles I see when I give them a photo op sitting inside. And then there's the old guys telling me stories about the Scout running in the "Good ol Days".

The Meltdown was the best event I ever attended. There was no prize monay, there was no trophy... yet I'm willing to make the long haul back down there to be part of it for as long as they'll have me. I fully belive that the Meltdown event has the right idea. Celebrate the era, run your junk and just be part of it.

 

show me the money!

actually, the two groups that I race with are match-racing. In other words, two similar appearing cars with similar ET's are paired. It is man against man. And fun.

but in both cases, our groups are paid an appearance fee at the tracks where we perform. In turn, the racers that participate are each given a share of that.

At the end of the year, it will pay my fuel costs.

and that is quite a bit!

 

i win quite often because most racers have a hard time beating a slow car. unless they n them a lot and really know theruir car, it's hard to beat a slow car.

Alright Gary, I know your tricks. No more N.E. III. I'm building a "T", as well. And it's going to be way slower than yours!! You can sit there and watch my tail for two or three seconds - then RED LIGHT!! HA!

Rad

 

So, except for the match racers, you guys don't need a payout to go racing?

 

I race quite a few special event Nostalgia Races (5-7) around the Oklahoma City/Tulsa/Ardmore/ Denton area plus a monthly Nostalgia Racing series plus either the March Meet or HRR (Bowling Green). Drag racing is my hobby not any of the other stuff matters ! Wheels up and here we go....

 

Wish I had some to ruin my life!

 

Some of us race just to try to get a red baseball cap...

 

Already done the money thing, and the trophy thing. I race to have a good time, I decided a long time ago that when it stops being fun I'll stop doing it. Put prizes in the equation and it stops being fun and becomes work.

When it comes to work I become Menard Krebs.

 

Number one is the fun. Appearance money is nice if you have a nice tight group of similar cars. It would be a cool idea if the track owner would keep all the money and lower the price to race or if the spectator crowd was a good size give the entry fee back to the racer. Who was it that said..."to make a million dollars in drag racing you have to start with two million."

 

You forgot the "G".... Lol

 

Drag racing is an adrenelin rush. It's one of those things that you have to do to understand. Nostalgia racing is about sharing memories and having fun.

 

I do better with numbers than letters I am afraid. And you are correct it was manerd G krebs.


Work, WORK !!!!!

There seems to be a similar car thing going on here. We are not talking racing are we? This is the beaner climbing up on the box thing so if you are not thick skinned stop reading right now. Rules are about equipment that is allowed and not about how a car looks. If Joe Blitzfiltz figures out that he can out run you by making his car set or drive differently that is not breaking the rules in most real racing venues and certainly not in the racing that we would like to remember, it is just racing.

OK back to Newstalgia racing sorry for the rabbit trail.

 

Nostalgia racing is 100x more fun than bracket racing. #1 the cars actually have personality and are a blast to drive. #2 in keeps the history of the sport alive #3 new drag cars are boring.....so to answer your question....its for the love of the history of our sport.

 

Unfortunately there are people with more money than brains, building uber-dollar repops, that try to turn a hobby back into a money hungry sport. These people won't fire up their cars unless there's money involved for their bragging rights.

NO, for all racers!

I, for one, will run for shits & giggles. But if there's money out there, it should be available to every racer and not just a select few.

Again we're going down this "special rules" path!

It should either be "in" or "out".

I say OUT!

 

I haven't officially raced for years because of the headaches of "money" racing. I am building a nostalgia type gasser coupe that will be raced mainly for fun but I don't mind winning either. If I happen to win a little money that would be great but definitely not the reason for building this car. Fun, family, friends and old gassers and hot rods, that's real reason.

 

ok....Don.....being an honorary crew member of yours.....why do " you " do it.........

 

Don:
I enjoy the nostalgia drag racing for several reasons.
I like Front Engine dragsters.
I have driven both and the FED is more exciting.
I don't have the drive or money to race Super-Pro on a weekly basis.
I am in the racing engine business for a living. A slower front engine dragster will have more appeal than a fast rear engine car. A fast FED has even more attraction.
Did I mention I like Front Engine Dragsters?

Matt

 

My partner and I race the dragster you see in my avatar off our SS money.
We race mostly in ok and tx and always go to boling green. So when we win alittle money we are happy as hell because it pays for the high priced deisel fuel for the tow truck. So I like the GD money.