Has professional drag racing lost it's audience?

There's no denying that the "nostalgia" scene has given a lot of racers and fans who no longer appreciate "the big show" a place in the sport of drag racing where they can feel more "comfortable"... Here in my neck of the woods, there's E'Town's Nostalgia Summernationals/Old Time Drags/Funny Car Reunion event, a race that I've been a dedicated part of since its original inception, and I assure you, this event provides plenty of fun and entertainment for those seeking an "alternative" to the mainstream drag racing scene... Different strokes for different folks definitely applies in the drag racing world... I've been a huge supporter of nostalgia racing, so much so, that I even went as far to co-produce Drag Racing Underground's FUNNY CAR REUNION RAW video/dvd a few years ago, I believed in the nostalgia scene THAT MUCH, so much that I sacrificed a lot of time and effort to make that release happen-- And it's been a huge success both here in the States and overseas (especially Japan for reasons that even I can't quite understand)... And I am not alone in my love for the nostalgia genre of drag racing, there's many racers and fans who now gravitate to this scene in droves, the numbers are always growing... So, if "The Big Show" isn't necessarily "floatin' your boat" anymore, I welcome you to check out nostalgia drag racing, get a schedule from your local drag strip(s) and make a date to "be there" for a nostalgia race, you most likely will not be disappointed... It's a groovy scene that I enthusiastically recommend and endorse... "The Doc" (Celebrity Drag Racing Authority & Visionary)...

 

awesome, just awesome. takes me right back to 1973

 

the NHRA being so boring is the reason the Pinks series is so popular. Whoever came up with that idea was a genius, bring back the heads up drag racing people were missing

 

The last time I went to the drags they started with flags. When I heard about the change to brackets I knew there was no reason to go back. But the old philosophy that the fastest guy wins is alive and well. At Bonneville. Bonneville is one of those things everybody should do once - like Mardi Gras or News Years Eve in Times Square. And you'll see the kinds of innovation that characterized the early years of hot rodding. I saw a guy at Bonneville with a home-made intercooler on a flathead. You don't order these kinds of things out of a catalog.

 

Here's my take, NHRA events= I stopped going years ago too expensive (spectate) and boring. Pacific Street Car Association (PSCA) check out one of their races good stuff.
1/8 vs 1/4 mile= I've done both and I like 1/8 mile faster pace and good tight racing.
Bracket Racing= Try the footbrake class (no electronics) .
Test and Tune= When I go on the TnT night the stands are full and you see every type of car from brand new off the showroom floor to full on race car. I always tell people it's cheap entertainment, you pay your $10 bucks or $20 if you want to run your car. Me being a bracket racer I've talked to everyone from the youngster getting started with his car to the old timer's who tells some stories about back in the day what he used to drive and race. TnT nights are fun and about the cars.
Run what you Brung= Starts out pretty even but then the money will take over and change it and kill the class, look at the good 10.5 tire car it takes a lotta money to run those classes.

 

I've enjoyed contributing to this thread... I feel in the name of fairness, it's worth bringing the fact to the discussion that "bracket racing" isn't entirely the doing of the sanctioning organization(s)... The racers themselves are largely responsible for the "Brackets" format of drag racing getting such a stronghold on the sportsman side of the sport... It's also worth noting that although Bracket Racing may not be the most desirable form of motorsport entertainment from some spectators' perspective, there's a h*ck of a lot of racers who are addicted to the handicapping way of racing... And also in the name of fairness to this discussion, I think it should be mentioned that Heads-Up Racing has made an incredible "comeback" the last several years, and there's new generations of drag racers who make up a large population of non-Bracket Racing participants... There's an event 'round here called SHAKEDOWN AT E-TOWN that is ALL Heads-Up racing and I assure you that the car count and number of enthused spectators is massive... There's room for everybody, no matter what their racing format preference might be... And "Heads-Up" racing is alive and well at the drags, you just need to do a little research to find it... "The Doc" (Celebrity Drag Racing Authority & Visionary)...

 

A nother problem i have is the records being set! Look at Tony Schumacher last year. Most wins in a year, most consecutive wins The people that held these record earned them with half the races in a season, and did most of their own work, if not all of it! I dont think the drivers of today should be put on the record page with the real drivers of yesterday! just my opinion!

 

It's probabably been said a dozen time but for spectators I think that the cars look so much alike that they have lost almost all brand identity. Years ago when you could easily identify almost any brand and model of car or funny car made to look like one of those guys often rooted for their favorite brand of cars even if they didn't know the drivers. Now on some of the funny car bodies the only difference between a Ford and a Chevy is the airbrushed grill and tail lights.
I've never been all that big a fan of the pro cars and would rather watch high school kids in the high school drags and watch some of them improve on each round than wait between cars while the pro car crews piddle with them at the starting line.
Plus like everyting else, the cost of going has to cut down on a lot of fans attendance at as many races as they would like to go to.

 

The most fun drag racing was when they still utilized a flag man.

 

a boner is right! And I was a flagman. Lots of good memories

 

So you went to E Town, raced brackets ( you have to dial your et ahead of racing BTW ) and did not know you would lose if ya broke out ???

 

Going back in time (1951), when drag racing was a great thing to observe between 2 cars, admission was 50 cents (including pit pass) at Santa Ana. Just about anyone could run all day & have a blast, same thing when Lions opened, the stands were mostly vacant because everyone was racing or in the pits getting ready. Then came along the hot shots & big name sponsors & slowly things went in reverse, the "little" guy didn't run his car, he went up into the stands to observe instead of participating, I know this from experience, then in Pomona, years later the price of admission was up to 3.25 in 1963, I could see the writing on the wall, & thats the last time I ever attended the drags.------Not bitter------Just history!!------Don

 

I enjoy NHRA. At least the super/stock classes. I get there early to watch those tires lift up. Of course I HATE the 8.90 etc. crap.

 

So the idea of beating a Suburban with a Charger is exciting (?), but when you lose on a breakout you never return?

It helps to know the rules before you play a game.

This is the end problem with heads up racing; it's fun when you think you have a faster car. When you don't, mmm...not so much. What if you had to run heads up against a dragster in that Charger?

A good friend of mine spends about $50,000 a year running Comp because he perceives it as non-bracket racing. Yet all he talks about is his index, and CIC, and how he can't go more than .60 under, blah, blah, blah. He is bracket racing.

I'll stick to nostalgia brackets.

As to the original question, I don't even watch Pro racing.

 

Nope,,had always raced on Front Street and Delaware ave up to that point,,Did the dial in but did'nt really know what it was about

and yes was exciting cause as I said would have been a trophy,,prior to that truck ,,I won my other races ,,Against a Camaro,,and a Cougar,,,just barely won with against the Camaro

and yes a better understanding of what was going on would have helped

I guess in my eyes the truck had no business being there wasn't a race car,,and with such a high ET

Guess that the difference between organized and unorganized racing

and if I lost to a Dragster well I could live with that,,loosing to a faster car is one thing

loosing to a slower time...

 

I didn't mean to pick on you, L'Wing, I wanted to use your experience to illustrate my point about heads up racing.

I'll tell you this, getting good at bracket racing IS exciting. I recommend it to anybody. And if you want to be racing all-out, handicap yourself .1 to .05 less than your car's best time. This will keep you from breaking out. You should be almost dead even at the finish line. It is exciting. It's not heads up racing, but it's all out racing.

I told myself I would not advocate for brackets any more, and here I am doing it again.

 

Just cant stomach to watch it anymore the ASHLEY/JOHN FORCE show

 

Watching a 4 second race is almost as exciting as watching identical cars turn left for 3 hours.

 

Bracket racing can be complicated, especially to novice spectators... Understanding dial-ins, christmas tree handicapping, and break outs makes some peoples head spin... Comp racers have their own unique format of racing that confuses the novice spectator too-- Although as I posted earlier, there's both Bracket and Comp racers who are absolutely addicted to racing with their respective format and wouldn't have it any other way... Heads-Up Outlaw racing is certainly the flavor of the month, actually the flavor of the new millennium in the sport-- And although there are some classes that are sort of budget friendly, a lot of heads-up racing requires mucho money-- It's a war zone... The heads-up scene is currently a lot more in favor with spectators because it's conducted in a way that's more true to the way the sport was started by the original pioneers (like during the "old days" of drag racing)... Nostalgia racing is now more popular than ever before... A large portion of nostalgia racers aren't as concerned with winning as the other genres of drag racing are (at least they claim they're not, and that they're more concerned with "putting on a show")... Although it's only natural for nostalgia racers (or ANY racer) who've been doing it for awhile, and who've spent a considerable amount of cash and elbow grease on their cars to want to activate the win light, go rounds and get in the winner's circle... It's definitely a mixed-bag in drag racing these days-- It's even the proverbial "ball of confusion" to some onlookers--- It should be interesting to see where it all goes over the next several years... I definitely believe Heads-Up and Nostalgia racing will endure... "The Doc" (Celebrity Drag Racing Authority & Visionary)...

 

When were you tearing up Front Street and Delaware Ave? I used to be there nearly every Friday and Saturday night in the early 70's. When the cops would chase us away from Front Street, we'd go over to Delaware Avenue, from there, it was on to Oregon Ave... when they'd turn on the fire hydrants, a few of us would trek out to the airport, or even over to Jersey. Dang, they really were the good old days! Now THAT was a lot more interesting than the JFR Traveling Circus that NHRA has turned into!

 

exactly, this is a friend of mine running his 86 import, it's the only one running like this as far as I know, still got a good time even though he missed a shift and blew the motor halfway down the track. accidentally shifted up into second and bent all the valves. The grass roots racing like this is where it's at. forget all the high dollar BS today. he's usually running against other people, but I think this was a test run. http://www.grs-motorsports.com/noticias/foro/videos/etown/fall2009/111.wmv

 

See it's not just me!!

 

In football they say "defense wins championships, offense wins fans." I think that for the track operators and sanctioning bodies it's "bracket racing wins racers and heads up wins fans."

 

I agree

 

Very well put.

 

I love the "nostalga funny cars" vintage looks, 1/4-mile passes, lots of smoke,..
Great stuff!

 

Yeah ,,I thought later about that adjusting teh time thing

 

"Jungle Jim" was/is my hero...( and "Pam" wasn't too tough on the eyes either,...LOL)

 

yeah flooding the street ,,lol I was early 80's to late 80's

 

Well just this summer was the first time i had gone to the Summer Nationals at Englishtown NJ. I did have a great time, but i definitly agree that it is just billbords on a rocket ship. Ive always said to my self all these dragsters look the same, they all look the same to me. I wont lie though, to watch and here somthing like that go that fast is insane. It also cost me 50 buck to get in to the damn place.For that price I should have tailgated in the muddy parking area with all the hill billy's, red necks and mullets and just listend on thier radio.