Was it a Sale, or a Tipping Point?
ow that more is known about the unprecedented sale of the professional half of NHRA, those of us who eke out a dollar or two writing about the NHRA can begin the process of analyzing what it all means. Is it the end of days, so to speak? Will sportsman racers be "stuck" with loads of expensive race cars and equipment and no national events to compete at? Regarding those two and any number of other questions, who knows what will actually happen. With Tom Compton at the helm, and NHRA still administering the actual events, this all may turn out to be a business-as-usual thing after all.
To be sure, the sale was a well-kept secret, and must have left folks like Billy Meyer and O Bruton Smith wondering how it could happen for Eddie Hartenstine, et al and not for them. And when such an unexpected and unprecedented event takes place, the chance for real change within the sport certainly exists. The million dollar question is, of course, will meaningful change come about? For that matter,just exactly what would constitute meaningful change?
To my way of thinking, meaningful change would have to start with paying the professional (nitro) teams actual twenty-first century money. Compare drag racing to any other sport that pays out prize money for performances,and you have to wonder why drag racers bother. I know, it's for the love of the game. Too bad the powers that be have been able to exploit the racers' love of the sport without paying properly for their services. Maybe if the PRO had worked out, we wouldn't be having this discussion. I'm talking about Don Garlits' PRO organization, not that bleeped up mess that purports to represent the racers nowadays. To the public, big money means respectability. If someone were to come along and start a new racing organization - and that's what we're really talking about here - they could gain instant respectability, mass media exposure, and a shot at television simply by paying the nitro fields a BIG pile of money. And I'm not talking about contingency money, I'm talking real money here! Unencumbered by the "bloat"of the sportsman fields, and Pro Stock for that matter, a new entity might even to be able to muster up the big dollar figures it would take to be taken seriously.
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The million dollar question inside the million dollar question is always, of course, where will the money come from? For the answer, one need look no further than the NHRA / Direct TV arrangement. I know it's called something else,but I'm not on the payroll so I'll call it what I want. Back on point, Dish Network is Direct TV's big rival. I'm not sure who is leading in the eternal quest for market share, but I do know both companies are always seeking ways to outdo the other. What better way for Dish Network to blunt their rival's new deal than to come up with their own pro drag racing circuit? Sounds good to me anyway. Now you and I may be of the opinion that there is not enough drag racing, or drag racers to go around, but it wouldn't surprise me a bit if entertainment programming types thought otherwise. Just consider the proliferation of "reality" shows if you seek insight into how programmers think. One thing is for certain. Cable and satellite TV has an almost insatiable appetite for more shows to put on. So why not another drag racing circuit?
As to whom would they get to put on the show, I believe there would be no shortage of takers. For every John Force and Kenny Bernstein, who have firmly and permanently hitched their wagons to NHRA, there are probably four or five racers who would welcome the chance to race for real money, out from under the perceived yoke of the NHRA. Many who race with NHRA do so only because there isn't a viable alternative. Give them one and the nitro pros would jump at it!
A new group,paying decent money would also stimulate the growth of both Top Fuel and Nitro Funny Car. IHRA deserves praise in giving racers in both classes an alternative to racing with NHRA, but suffers from many of the same woes. Too many racers taking too many bites out of the dollar pie spells just another low exposure sport to the buying public at large. A third sanctioning body could also draw entries from the blown alcohol ranks, as those racers suffer from the constant rules tinkering and increasing costs of competing in those classes. I have to believe there are at least ten guys currently burning methanol who would just as soon be on nitro, if only there was a decent paying option out there.
Initially,I think a new circuit could succeed with as few as ten events,maybe even eight. One of the main objections from racers regarding the new NHRA deal is the impending expansion of the schedule. By extension,a new group might score some points with prospective entrants by offering a more reasonable slate of events. They could even go so far as to use a few as four tracks to host the entire tour. In a digital, Internet driven world, is there still a need to physically be in the big markets? Food for thought, eh?
Who knows if any of this has even the slightest chance of happening. Given the amount of money in the satellite/cable programming industry, and the ever increasing need for more content, I think it could work. And given the level of dissatisfaction expressed by many of today's nitro racers, there may even be enough drag racers and drag racing to go around! Tipping point, anyone? Later!
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