Stuff to get off my chest. Karma and Sportsman Racers

Karma, there are many aspects, and definitions for the word. Basically be nice to people, do good things for people and it will come back around to you.  Another term we hear a great deal is paying forward.  Example, if you see an elderly man or woman buying a few things in a grocery store, offer to pay for them if you have the resources. Don't expect anything in return but a thank you and a smile. You never know when some stranger will help you out some day.  I am a big believer in karma. Many people have done great things for me with out even asking.

  However, karma can bite you too and when you willingly venture to the dark side.  I think that is what happened this weekend in Atlanta to the NHRA.  My reason for this is simple. Last weekend the NHRA in Houston at the running of the O'Reilly Auto Parts Spring Nationals. The event was plagued by rain rendering the sportsman pits which are situated in a grassy field impassable.

Houston was the debut of "live" racing. Well kinda live racing, it was the final two rounds of racing which were run live.  Which for drag racing is better than a sharp stick in the eye. So I understand the pressure those at NHRA and ESPN were under when the decision was made to not post-pone, but straight up cancel the event all together for the Sportsman racers (outside the Alcohol cars, which were pitted on asphalt with the pro cars. That was harsh.

Why not just tell the pro cars to pull out Sunday evening after the event,  and move the Sportsman racers to the pro pit locations and run the Sportsman cars?  I know easy to say from 1500 miles away, and I am not saying "Why didn't the NHRA think of that?"  Because I don't know if they did or not. However, it inform the racers and inform the fans.

So the next weekend Mother Nature more than made up for the Sportsman racers when the whole event was washed out in Atlanta. Is that Karma or not.  I'm not sure, it might be.

Speaking about Sportsman racers Bobby Bennett has posted a very interesting story about Sportsman racers and how they are treated by the NHRA, and the perception of two very high profile Sportsman racers. One  spoke about how the NHRA and I am paraphrasing here, treats the Sportsman racer like a red headed step child.

This year at Las Vegas there was the tragic death of Derek Sanchez in his Super Gas car. There is talk that the track was not safe to run on. There was talk he wasn't wearing a HANS device. I don't know about either. I have read where some Sportsman racers had pulled out of line before he ran. At other events Sportsman cars are pulled out of line due to unsafe track conditions.

That is a true statement. I too have seen super comp cars pull out of the staging area and drive back to the pits at Phoenix during a national event.

I can truly understand why the Sportsman racers feel the way they do. There is a double edged sword in my opinion and will try to explain from my perception what it is.
1.  The NHRA for years have used as part of their marking packages. "Come to the XYZ NHRA Nationals over  400 race cars and drivers rocketing down the quarter mile."  There are maybe on a good weekend 48-55 "Professional" teams at the event, the rest are Sportsman Racers. So what sounds better " Come see  48 race cars and drivers or 400.
2. If  National Event were just  "Professional" cars? Well then you think some of the "Professional" teams were bitching about a 50-55 minute turn around, try  15-20 minute turn around in order to keep the crowd entertained. (There needs to be something to run between the "Professional" cars and that is the Sportsman racers.)
3. What does the NHRA do that no other sport, let alone Motorsport do? The allow and encourage the spectators to come into the pits during the running of an event. So when the "Professional finish running what happens? The crowd runs back to the Pro pits to watch the "Professional" teams get their cars ready for the next round. Good and bad. One great for the marketing partners on the Professional teams, Bad there is nobody left in the stands to watch the Sportsman racers compete. What about their sponsors? ( Should the NHRA think about limiting fans accessibility to the pit area to the time before cars go down the track and after the conclusion of the racing for the day?)
4.  Speaking of that, when it comes to Sportsman racers and Divisional events the NHRA in my opinion turns their back on both the title sponsor and the racers.  You go to most Divisional races there is no crowd there. I point fingers at both the tracks and the NHRA.  I have spoken to divisional directors at the NHRA and they basically say that it is up to the track to promote their event. Some track owners I have spoken with say it is an NHRA event and the NHRA should promote it.  So what happens, no body does anything and the Sportsman racers, race in front of  NOBODY.  Now there are tracks who are still owned by promoters and they take the bull by the horns, promote the event and put butts in the seats. However, those promoters are few and far between. (Tracks and the NHRA and the people at Lucas Oil should put their heads together to get more people at these Divisional races.  It is a win-win for everybody.
5. From this perspective in Sportsman racing there is nothing more exciting than watching Stock, Super Stock and Comp Eliminator racing. Wheels up launches very fast cars, lots and lots of technology and innovation. Conversely Super Comp, Super Pro and Super Street, is not quiet as exciting. There are great looking cars in these classes however, there is a great deal of monkey see-monkey do.  For some of us you can only watch so many rear engine big block Chevy dragsters on throttle stop. Or Convertible Corvettes on throttle stops. (Take throttle stops off the "Super" classes and make them run with out the stops. Could make for more entertaining racing.")

So what does all this mean?  Nothing, unless people who have the ability to leverage these issues make it a point to do something about it. It has to come from all perspective and all parties must work together or there will be another Derek Sanchez, or worse. We as a racing community can't let it happen.  Drag Racing needs the Sportsman racers just as much as the Nitro burners.  Both categories are relevant  to the sport. Both need to be treated with respect.

I'm out of breath, and if you took time  to read this small version of War and Peace  God Bless you.