The Last Race Of The Season And A Few Observations...

[Editor]

On The High Side

The Last Race Of The Season And A Few Observations...

The 16th Annual Automobile Club Of Southern California Hot Rod Reunion presented by Holley marks the end of the Nostalgia Funny Car Associations first year on their own after Goodguys left Nostalgia Drag Racing. It is also the race where the Nostalgia Funny Car Association will crown it's first Champion in their Championship Drag Racing Series. This also marks the beginning of the Museum Racing Series being run by Steve Gibbs and the NHRA Museum that begins in the 2008 racing season.

The Nostalgia Funny Car Association's first year on its own was an up and down affair. We were treated to individual cat fights between association members that brewed over into the public eye, which did nothing to help the association or its members. Why anyone would air the dirty laundry to the public is beyond me. It not only hurt the current hierarchy running the association, but also the incoming hierarchy to come later this year. Jim Broome is retiring from Nostalgia Funny Car racing and from the presidency of the association. Gene Amaya has become a non entity within the association as of late after being fired from his crew chief duties on Steve Nichols flopper. Who will fill the void? Beats the hell out of me. I believe that the association should hire a promoter type to run the association, who could be paid to run it through a percentage of the deals he brokers for the association. It would also put someone in charge of the association that is neutral and could not be accused of preferential treatment to anyone in the association. I believe that this type of an individual would be better suited and motivated to get more events and at a better pay rate than some of the events we see today. This person would still be responsible to the association and could be fired by a simple majority vote.

Another thing this promoter could do is get more events in the home market of the association. That would be the SOUTHWEST for those not aware of that. If you want to maintain and grow your fan base in your home market, YOU NEED TO RACE THERE OCCASIONALLY. Most of the Nostalgia Funny Cars that run in the Association Series are local to that area. Many can't afford to travel thousands of miles for a possible payday. So, many of the Nostalgia Funny Cars had a six month layoff between the last event, held at Fontana in April, and the California Hot Rod Reunion next weekend. Let me be clear on one point. I have no problem with events outside the home market. I think these events are a good thing and should continue to be available for those willing to travel.

Another reason that the six month layoff between events in the home market area is bad is this, you have a large list of floppers that haven't been racing in six months. How will these teams perform at next weekends California Hot Rod Reunion after such a long layoff? I am hoping that these pro's will continue to put on a great show with little or no down time. But it does give me pause for concern.

The NFCA's Championship Drag Racing Series Points Chase consists of an accumulation of points from five out of six points events. I take this to mean that if you run all six events, you take the points from the five highest point events that you run. With that said, how can those not able to travel long distances hope to compete in the points race? Two of the six events were run in the Northwest which preculdes those that can't afford to travel from competing. That gives an unfair advantage to the higher budget teams that can afford to travel. How can any lower budget team compete when they are at a one race disadvantage before the season even starts? If you are going to run a points series than it is my opinion that you should count no more races for points than are run in the home market. An example would be this year. Four events are held in the home market area out of six. It would only make sense to only include the best four points events for each team instead of the five that currently are being counted. That way you are not automatically taking the lower funded teams out of the points race before the season even starts. This would be the FAIR way to institute the points series.

It is no corporate secret that Steve Gibbs and the NHRA Museum will be running a series of events next season in Nostalgia Racing. I believe that this series will fill a much needed void by providing approximately three events in the home market for the Nostalgia Funny Cars, and a pair of events out of the area for those willing to travel. That will give the Nostalgia Funny Car class at least 4 major events in the home market area next year, if not more.

Hopefully Mr. Gibbs is working out a plan to include the Nostalgia Funny Cars into the whole event, not just on a Sunday basis like the last two California Hot Rod Reunions. This class deserves equal billing to the Front Engine Dragsters and put on just as good of a show as the Front Engine Dragsters. Lets be clear on this point. Steve Gibbs gave the Nostalgia Funny Cars a shot to be included in last years CHRR for the first time and brought them in on Sunday only to bolster the crowd count. Apparently Mr. Gibbs liked what he saw and invited the floppers back again this year on Sunday only. I for one appreciate the fact that Mr. Gibbs gave the floppers a shot, brought them back again this year, and plans on incorporating them into his series next year. I am fully aware that car counts and classes preclude the floppers from running on anything but Sunday last year and this year. But as I said above, I hope he plans on incorporating the floppers into the whole event in the future.

Another thought that I think needs to be addressed. Not everybody wants to be a part of the Nostalgia Funny Car Association. No big secret there. But these same guys need a place to race. It is my opinion that the Nostalgia Funny Car Association should open up its events to any Nostalgia Funny Car that is determined to be NFCA LEGAL upon tech inspection. These non association members could be charged a fee per race to be included in the event, and a one time fee to run in the points series. There are just not enough cars out there to keep any Nostalgia Funny Car from racing at NFCA sanctioned events. This doesn't mean that a flopper that doesn't meet specs in any way be allowed to run at NFCA sanctioned events. If you want to run at an NFCA event, you had better come legal.

It has been a hard first year with the absence of the Goodguys very apparent. But along with the hard times comes the understanding and knowledge needed for the association to make the necessary changes to keep it a viable organization for the Nostalgia Funny Car class. Mistakes were made and lessons were learned. It is the way of the world. Hopefully the association will take the bull by the horns and do the right things to ensure the continuation of the class, and its successful progress to date.

But then again, what the hell do I know???

Editor

[stevenwright]

Very well said, ED. Looking forward to a terrific event.

[nitrofc54]

MARK,
YA hit on the high notes and things that needed to be said.
YA KNOWS a hell of a lot more then me,you get to the events that you can and do what you can to PROMOTE things.
All i do is buy the tickets and watch "the show" and hassle the drivers and crews,buy t-shirts,and tape events with some picturtes and video from my cheepie digital camera. I have FUN all that matters.

[A.G.]

Here's hoping for bigger and better things for the future for these guys. Crawl, walk, run.

[morebetter99]

Mark,
Well written!
See you on Friday...
Pete Gemar

[Scott V Smith]

I say screw the points system. Offer $$$$ and they will come.
No one leaves the stands when the funnys are in the lanes.
Chicago style seems to work well. 10k to the winner seems about right.
everybody else splits 50k. I know the money is there.

[Gator]

Originally Posted by morebetter99

Mark,
Well written!
See you on Friday...
Pete Gemar

would love to be there!
Enjoy

[Expat]

Well, there were some very valid points and a lot of it made sense. But being a resident in the NW I'm a little disappointed at the disregard for the races up here, your fan base growth will be pretty limited if you stay home all the time. I'm a fan of this site, but that was a bit of an insult. If these guys want to race and want exposure to draw more dollars, why can't they work together and make this more of a travelling show. It sounds more like they need to start getting along rather than packing up there toys and staying home. It's amazing what you can achieve when you work as a group with a common goal.
I am just an observer and don't know the politics and what goes on behind the scenes, so these are unqualified comments, but it's how it looks from the outside. Whilst I could happily sit and watch Bucky and Terry race all day, I would prefer to see a few more cars up here, I hope they keep a points race up here......

Thanks
Paul.

[bob meek]

EXPAT- Sharky is a lot nicer on the phone LOL! sometimes the internet can not convey feelings, so you gotta cut some slack--I don;t think he intended to insult us North Westers, esspecially when they are faster and better than the guys from the southwest (LOL) can't blame em for not wanting to go north to find such heavy competition. All that aside--I think the points thing is overblown also-- just put up money---Without money, even Southern NFCA racers didn't seem to want to be in Bakersfield--am I right?

[Beegator]

Without decent money, we didn't even go to the S. Carolina event.