I remember when winning an NHRA Wally trophy used to mean a significant racing accomplishment. Then they started giving them to "best appearing" cars (albeit smaller ones). Today it is possible to win one for winning a bracket race, a heads-up shootout race, or seemingly anyone the local race promotor wants to award one to. If I were a truly serious competitor who had earned one of these in the past I think I might be disappointed at how easy it is to acquire one by comparison. I think that dumbing down the requirements to win a Wally has diminished their impact. What's next? handing you a red "200 MPH Club" hat when you step off an airliner?
I have close to 40 of them, earned the old fashioned way. I don't care how anyone else gets theirs, I know how I got mine and what it means to me.
I just started running with the SCTA in 2010. When I recieved my first official timing tag with MY name on it I about broke down. Its no Wally just a little peice of brass but it still means alot to me! I'm sure the Wally would have the same meaning to its recipient?
The Wally is the trophy awarded to winners of an NHRA national event. They have been handed out at national events starting with the 1969 NHRA race season. With an antique brass plating over a standard metal mix and a solid walnut base, the "Wally" (named after NHRA founder Wally Parks) is 18 inches tall and weighs 12 pounds. Contrary to popular belief, the Wally trophy does not feature Parks himself, but is rather modeled after Top Gas racer Jack Jones.In the June 30, 1995 issue of National Dragster, Jack Jones said, "Believe it or not, Wally Parks called me at my job and asked if I’d do him a favor, pose for pictures that would be used as models for the trophy." The Wally was modeled after the images taken of Jones during a photo shoot at Pomona Raceway in California in 1969 Variations of the Wally exist for other special purposes. Some of which include the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series Wally, a scaled down replica of the national event Wally. The NHRA National Dragster Challenge Wally, awarded to NHRA Summit Series E.T. Bracket racers, is the same size as the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series Wally but with a pewter finish. Beginning in 1994, a full scale Wally with a square base was first awarded to NHRA Junior Drag Racing League national champions. A variety of special awards including plaques and glass etched trophies integrate the image of the Wally.
The IHRA Iron Man is the same way it used to take a divisional or national event win to get one( the national event ones were 1.5Xbigger ) then they started giving them out at bracket races and local event races, kinda took a little of the mystique away if ya ask me.
When they start handing out Wallys at the gate then I'll start losing respect. Until then regarless of how many Wallys they give out they are all EARNED. I race with the SCTA. I have all my timing tags and, like Lance, they mean a lot to me. To those who think its easy, go get one and come back here and tell us how easy it really is.
Oh come on now. Isn't the "dumbing down" of anything and everything the new American way?? Geesch, if someone just can't hit the mark, move the mark!!! My gosh, I mean before long, all of us "stonage thinkers" who feel one must actually have: to work - to pour out a lot of blood, sweat, and tears - to try and fail repeatedly - to actually want something so bad you can taste it, and when you get it, you cherish it like there really isn't anything else like it - to realize what an honor it is to have achieved it; yes, when we have all finally died off, the this ol' world will be such a dumb-downed place that one could even win a Nobel Peace Prize for just thinking about world peace. Uh, wait a minute . . . . . . LOL!!!! I agree with all the previous sentiments. Seems people "cheapen" the efforts of those who have build the plethora of institutions we have today.
Speaking of awards, I think this comment deserves the Arrogant Comment of the Month award. Please your highness, allow us measly low life bracket racers just a little taste of the glory that by your "thinking" should only be reserved for those with large racing budgets. We don't ask for much - a smaller version of the ones awarded to the gods like you would be just fine. For it certainly doesn't take any kind of skill to bracket race - how dare we consider winning one a significant accomplishment. I realize that in your high and mighty world you don't believe we are worthy, but I've got news for you, low as you think we are, we battle it out week after week, year after year in hopes of having the opportunity to win one. Everybody that I know who has earned a Wally in bracket racing will tell you it is their most highly coveted drag racing trophy. The kind of arrogance that says they don't deserve to have one really pisses me off.
Come on out to Bonneville during SpeedWeek and ask any guy wearing a 200 club hat did he get the hat because he flew on a plane? Super 442s is right. You do deserve the Arrogant Comment of the Month Award. Shaped ike a Wally of course.
WTF? Firingorder is saying those guys DID earn the hat why would you want to give it to some one who didn't As far as bracket racing I bracket raced for 10 years and finally got to a postion where I could run a limited divisional schedule and when I earned my Iron Man I knew I earned it. I won quite a few bracket races and finished top ten in points three years in a row before I raced divisionals, I earned those wins and trophies too. If we follow Super 442s logic my kid has a super bowl ring coming because they won the 10 year old championship this year and they damn sure earned it! Can't wait for that Lombardi trophy! Every racer earns their wins and I know from personal experiance that no one works harder or has more love of the sport than bracket racers but that in it self is not a qualifcation for a Wally or an Ironman, IMHO
Some of you guys are reading too much into this. No one here is saying that the people who won their trophies did not deserve them, that they didn't put everything they had into the effort. Yes they deserve what they got, BUT......... A Wally? No. Basically what is being said is the Wally is for a very specific accomplishment and should always remain representative of that. The trophy the bracket racer won, is no less important to the competition and the recipient than a Wally, it should just be something else, something that represents their competition ONLY. I have a mate that won the Victoria Cross (VC) a while ago, now this award is regarded on the same level as the Congressional Medal of Honor (CMH). Now, if they start to hand out chrome copy's of the VC and CMH for barracks cleanliness, sure they worked hard to have a clean room but a fucking VC or CMH?? Way to cheapen something that represents the very best this world has to offer just because 'we worked hard at our level'....................... You get that, AT YOUR LEVEL?? Have something that represents the very best at that level, don't copy something from a different level. I don't grudge the Military because none of my medals are the VC I know that as hard as I worked I didn't earn that! I hope this makes some sense? Doc. Edit, Sorry my spell checker changed CMH to cmg for some reason, fixed now.
I agree with the original post. This from a person that will likely never be in a position to win a Wally, or even compete for one. I think best engineered is a real accomplishment, but not Wally-worthy. Frankly, I'd be a little embarrassed if I won best appearing. It's a racing competition, not a car show. JMHO
Yes, I understand what you (and the others) are getting at. I understand your point of view, but keep in mind, the Wallys that we bracket racers have the opportunity to earn are considerably smaller than the ones given to Pro classes. And keep in mind they state on them what they are awarded for - there really is no confusing what it was awarded for. To use the football analogy, frankly if there was an all encompassing version of the NFL, I don't see an issue with the lower ranks receiving a smaller version of a Super Bowl ring engraved with the specific event they earned their win in. The sanctioning body is recognizing the achievement at the highest level in the respective category. That said, I do kinda smirk when somebody is awarded a Wally for Best Appearing or Best Engineered car. But where do you draw the line? Should Wallys only be given out in the Professional categories at national events? Do the winners in Super Street at that same event deserve them? How about Stock Eliminator - is it dumbing down a Wally to award one if the winner is a 16 second O/SA car? And how about at the divisional level. Here in Div. 6, Pro and Super/Pro are run at divisional events - and the winner receives a Wally. Should they? Considering the Professional categories are no longer run at the divisional level, should anybody (TAD, TA/FC) receive a Wally? Again, where do you draw the line?
Yes Doc, That pretty much reflects what I was trying to say but you did it much more eloquently. Me, I'm just a lowly bracket racer with my share of race trophies and track season championships, but to have been handed a Wally for any of that, well, I would feel a little embarrased knowing what a national-level competitor has gone through to earn his compared to my feeble efforts. Nevertheless, when you send me that "Arrogant Comment of the Month" award could you mold it in the shape of a Wally? Peace.
Well, I have to eat a little bit of crow here. Yesterday I won my first "Wally Jr." and I must admit I got a little choked up for trying for the last six decades to win one of these. It was just a crummy little seven-round Super Pro bracket race, but I told my wife Wally was not going in a cardboard box in the basement but was being displayed prominently in our living room which is otherwise devoid of racing memorabilia at her request. She agreed wholeheartedly.
I have them in both sizes and although the little ones are "just" for Best Engineered I am kind of proud of the fact that I have built several of my customers a car that was well thought out enough to be recognized as such at national event level. The large size did not come from driving but for being part of a team that won a national event at pro level and sometimes that takes more effort at crew level than the driving side of things. Roo
Don't have one, nor am I likely to ...... ever. What few awards I do have though, are each different, and I like that. Clones of other classes' awards don't turn my crank as much as something with its own look. "Butchie" notwithstanding.
I got a Wally trophy for winning a national event in 1994 in Super Comp... which is index racing... It felt earned to me. At the end of the day though, it's a trophy. Trophies aren't important in life... at all...
My self , I run & have competed In NHRA /IHRA a few times , & Out Law Tracks If I was to receive a Iron Man or Wally , & it was not for My accomplishment Of Qualifying & working my way to the final elimination round & Winning !!! Then I do not want One !!!, To me , a Out of Pocket Racer , Me as a Racer , that the GOAL to WIN a IronMan / Wally , I am also a old street racer , I would LOVE to had received a Street Racer Trophy Of any Kind !!!! like your wife / G friends G sting along with the $$$ & bragging rights , that I kicked your A$$ ! I would have had Quite a few !!!