Brackets vs. Heads up

RILES

RILES

F**k your 10%
What will it take to get more heads up racing? Would you rather see an 11.50 class, cash pay outs for a quick 8 or quick 4. What would you like to see? What will it take to see more heads up? Bracket racing is fun, but I think most spectators don't understand them. Would you like to see equel numbers of bracket trucks and heads up?
 
I think heads up is more interesting. It seems that there are spectators out there that don't understand Indexing. Personally, if I was a racer with a 10 sec. truck I would want to go heads up. Don't you think it forces the truck owners to constantly up their game and their builds? I would think so... And to bring them out to play, the prize money will always be the factor. If there are large purses, it would be a no brainer to show up and compete.
 
DennisM said:
I think heads up is more interesting. It seems that there are spectators out there that don't understand Indexing. Personally, if I was a racer with a 10 sec. truck I would want to go heads up. Don't you think it forces the truck owners to constantly up their game and their builds? I would think so... And to bring them out to play, the prize money will always be the factor. If there are large purses, it would be a no brainer to show up and compete.
Click to expand...

...I agree, but what is a good purse? $2000.00 for a quick 8, $ just to make the field and payout to win, would that bring faster truck out to compete?
 
I don't know, you would have to ask those who participate in those classes. I would think money would make the difference but I could be wrong
 
Purse(well the ones we are seeing now) do not always bring out trucks......... at least on this side of the country. A 2 grand to win will not cover expenses many times for a guy that has to drive 4-500 miles one way, get 1 room minimum, eat a few times, drink a beer or 3, pay entry fees, oh yeah, and spend some days away from work. Most guys out here are doing it for fun and exposure, cause anyone that runs one regularly will tell you that you generally aren't up money after the season.
 
We must both be wrong, I thought money would bring them out, If anybody knows what it takes please share.
 
Not just back halfed or tube chassis trucks, it would be nice to see half a dozen or more 11 second trucks even, I understand at this point in our community (diesel motorsports) that almost nobody is going to break even at this, just trying to get a feel for what it will take to get a few faster trucks to race
 
DennisM said:
Personally, if I was a racer with a 10 sec. truck I would want to go heads up. Don't you think it forces the truck owners to constantly up their game and their builds?
Click to expand...

Out here 10 seconds heads up means you are lucky to finish 4th, and the amount of money it takes to run up there is staggering. I'm not hating on those pushing the envelope, but there have to be some sort of indexes in other classes to keep the fields close, unless we want to have 240 classes(cause everyone's setup is different) or inducer limits like the pullers do.
 
Well since it's not about the money, because we already don't come out for the money even at this point... Wouldn't it make sense to have another Index class? Is that what it's called? I'm not so knowledgeable about the classes and I don't always understand it, but what about a next class up. So it's not bracket racing, but like a 13.5 or something. Street Diesel.

Did that make any sense? I knew what I meant. lol
 
Maybe more classes that'll even out the field. But at that point you have to have a bigger turnout of drivers to fill more classes, on the other hand now maybe some guys dont race because they cant be competitive.

More classes with more drivers that are evenly matched makes for good fun racing that'll bring out drivers and spectators.$.02
 
Would 10.50, 11.50, 12.50 heads up work? and do you think an event could get a quick 8 in all three classes? I think most would like to see something like that but I haven't seen that many 10.50 truck at a single event yet, I don't think I've seen that many 11.50 trucks at one event yet. Honest suggetions are welcome, what will it take?
 
RILES said:
Would 10.50, 11.50, 12.50 heads up work? and do you think an event could get a quick 8 in all three classes? I think most would like to see something like that but I haven't seen that many 10.50 truck at a single event yet, I don't think I've seen that many 11.50 trucks at one event yet. Honest suggetions are welcome, what will it take?
Click to expand...

I like the Idea of rules that do things such as limit inducer size, no bottle, street tires, full interior. Make classes that limit what you can do to the truck not say you can only go so fast.

It seems to me that index classes are just like bracket racing except you have a bunch of guys with the same dial in. Make people work to be as fast as they can with the same parts not say you can only go so fast.
 
Maybe it's apples and oranges, but I sure liked racing NHRA index classes back in the "old days" before people were running 6-second cars in the 9.90 index class (so they can have really high top end mph for judging at the finish line). NHRA 9.90-index Super-Gas (originally called Pro Gas) was the grand-daddy of the index classes, which I started racing in 20 years ago. Before that, there was a race series which featured 7.90-12.90 index classes. I ran in the 11.90 index class, and had a great time. We had decent turnouts at almost every event in the slower classes, as it gave guys with various bracket cars a chance to do something different. The purses were pretty decent (I made a net profit in the years I ran the series), and it seemed to be a good draw for spectators.

Nowadays the "main" drag racing series (NHRA - divisional points races) seems to be as big as ever in terms of participants, but the events don't seem to draw many "outside" spectators. Nearly all of the index cars just launch enough to "bump" out of the staging beams, then sit there idling until the timer "re-launches" the car, so it can run a 9.90 at 170+ mph. To me it seems relatively boring to watch, at least compared to the old days when 9.90 and 10.90 cars could be counted on to do some good wheelstands.

The one nice thing about index racing is that someone can run and win without having spent the most money. I ran Super-Gas on used parts, and towed to the track with a 1973 Blazer & an open trailer. It was fun parking amongst the massive enclosed trailers and transporters at a big race, and watching them all load up while I was still in competition ;)

Maybe a creative set of rules can create some heads-up non-index classes which are fun to run, but I guess I'm not that creative.

Regards,
Michael Pliska
 
my take on it. my truck runs 11.0s' to 10.8's on a good day. but one thing about it is the number that it runs the day at the race it is usually with in .02 all day.

with not being a able to run a throttle stop its a pain in the ass to try and slow the truck down in the 2-3 times run you get the day of the race (I did it all last year)

and I don't want to spend the cash to bring it up to a 10.50 class

so with as constant as the truck is its easier for me to go make my 2 times see what the numbers are for the day and go with that . Plus every weekend I run bracket so to go out once a month set the truck back up to run an index class sucks.

just my $.02 George
 
I think most of us know that an index class is just another form of bracket racing, it just has a predefined dial in (index). To spectators this is not the case though. The difference is, that in an index class (not talking CE type indexes, but more like Super series ones), both cars leave at the same time. This is much more understandable to spectators, though still not as understandable as heads up.

I wish I had an answer on what would make spectators show up. I know that in an NHRA race spectators love seeing diesel pickups beating up on the race cars. At this time though the general populations image of diesels, is of a slow smokey truck. Once they are at the track, it doesn't matter what "class type" they are watching, they are just amazed at how fast they are going. At that point it's more of a brand war. They are going to want the same brand to win, as the one they own.

The real question is "how do we get spectators to the track", not so much as what classes do we run once they are there. Typically its exhibition classes that get people to the track. That is, outside of the mainstream NHRA divisional and national events.

Paul
 
Michael said:
Nearly all of the index cars just launch enough to "bump" out of the staging beams, then sit there idling until the timer "re-launches" the car, so it can run a 9.90 at 170+ mph. To me it seems relatively boring to watch, at least compared to the old days when 9.90 and 10.90 cars could be counted on to do some good wheelstands.

It was fun parking amongst the massive enclosed trailers and transporters at a big race, and watching them all load up while I was still in competition ;)

Maybe a creative set of rules can create some heads-up non-index classes which are fun to run, but I guess I'm not that creative.

Regards,
Michael Pliska
Click to expand...

I agree with Michael, personally I think its sickening to watch those cars launch like that. There are way too many electronic devices to these vehicles. The sad part is it was the 8.90 - 9.90 - 10.90 gas classes that intiated all of these hi-tech advantages. These classes were originated for THE GRASS ROOTS RACERS. If the NHRA would have kept everything simple only allowing a throttle stop. One thing that is changing is that most of the bracket racing now has a class for footbrake competitors. I'm getting off coarse here. Thanks Steve B.
 
paulb said:
The real question is "how do we get spectators to the track", not so much as what classes do we run once they are there. Typically its exhibition classes that get people to the track. That is, outside of the mainstream NHRA divisional and national events.

Paul
Click to expand...

I don't think the races ( or the entire diesel motorsport ) is promoted enough. You have to figure the only people who really know when an event is are the members of these boards. You need to go outside of our small group. Usually if you go to a sled pull at a county fair there will be a good crowd, go to national event maybe a fair amount of people. Its kind of sad when you go to a national event and look at the stands and you know most of the people sitting in them. Need more advertising radio/tv, newspapers in the event areas, but this all cost money. You have to spend money to make money. $.02. Thanks Steve B.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top