I've been a Drag race fan for over 45 years and followed NHRA and about any other sanctioning group that reported 1/4 mile racing. But since NHRA has become televised it has been my link to the sport. I try to go to at least one race each year and usually it's the US Nationals even though the Madison race is closer, I just like the Indy race.
Times are bad and they have cut the ticket prices to $20 for general admission in an attempt to fill the stands. They are still far from full. A lot of reasons I believe.
I wonder how many people are disenchanted over the multi-car teams within the same classification? I always have been. I just got back from the "Big Go" and got to tell you, it was sickening to me to see the JFR spectacle, a team for who I cheered, for so many years when he was just John Force and Austin Coil, and they were kickin ass and taking names.
Now John has sold his sole to the corporate devil and must perform or else. He's got bill to pay you say, so does everyone else. Would any of the other multi-car teams done the same thing as JFR did Monday? Probably, but the point is, as good as John Force has been for NHRA and the sport of drag racing, and as much as he has helped it, he and his multi-car team dealt a bad blow that has badly bruised the sport. It stunk to high heaven Monday when John took the dive. If you don't agree, that's fine, I respect your opinion. But I was there and I have seen the stats of his previous runs in the past few days, and I seen it. I thought it was blatant.
I blame NHRA for not controlling the growth of the multi-car teams in the same classification. But then NHRA isn't really a sanctioning body now that they have been sold to investors and are just a business putting on a show to make money. It looks like competition, but it's really just a show. I guess I just need to get over it and not expect anything more than a entertainment, kinda like NASCAR.
Rant over, sorry just needed to vent a bit. I still love drag racing but not NHRA .