Is the racing dead?

[Razor]

Over the last few years I've noticed a dwindling of turbo regals at events. The car count has been low. To add there are way too many classes and few cars per class.

Is it just me or are a lot of owners just not interested in racing the cars anymore. Bet if we did a car show we'd get 500 cars.

Or do the classes just feel out of reach to the average owner?

What would it take to get you as an owner of a turbo regal to actually bring the car to an event and participate racing it?

Thoughts?

 

[turbo nasty]

I agree and I think its the economy more than anything.

 

[turboc87gn]

Its not just turbo regals its everyone the prob is there were fewer of us to start with...theres a ton of cars up here that are popping up in my area people are finishing motors and bringing cars out...It started up here last summer and im seeing a lot of new cars and cars that have been parked for years popping up...

 

[Razor]

I agree and I think its the economy more than anything.

Is it the fear of obtaining hard to get parts? Meaning they are more expensive?

What about the economy. We have a Indian Casino packed every day with people losing their shirts. People will always find a way to feed their vices.

What wod it take to have you bring your car out for example?

 

[ZNix]

I would be at pretty much every single show.. If I had a car lol. Hopefully I will have one soon!

 

[Razor]

Its not just turbo regals its everyone the prob is there were fewer of us to start with...theres a ton of cars up here that are popping up in my area people are finishing motors and bringing cars out...It started up here last summer and im seeing a lot of new cars and cars that have been parked for years popping up...

I know when the street racing laws got tougher here in Florida I saw a dwindling of cars. My local tracks are empty for the major part.

Dunno...

 

[Razor]

I would be at pretty much every single show.. If I had a car lol. Hopefully I will have one soon!

I just don't want to see the events die. With low turnouts it's a death sentence. The last few Buick events have been dead. Compared to how it use go be.

 

[ZNix]

I just don't want to see the events die. With low turnouts it's a death sentence. The last few Buick events have been dead. Compared to how it use go be.

Hmm. I am sure we can find some way to rally the troops. But if not.. By the end of the summer you can count on one more car ... me! Maybe we are not advertising well enough?

 

[GNBRETT]

I think the cost to actually compete in a class that matters is out of most peoples reach. u have 2 or 3 cars that have a chance. the rest are a 1/2 a second behind.

of course the poor economy will cause even less to attend.

I think for most its just funer to have a street car these days. but who wants to build a fast street car that maybe they can race while having a custom DP made to put a 3 bolt on it to race a few times a year? not many. its not like turbos are a few hundred dollars. more a few thousand in some cases

I think there are too many rules for too many different classes.

I would have thought the alky class would have drew more attention tho

 

[krom]

I know when the street racing laws got tougher here in Florida I saw a dwindling of cars. My local tracks are empty for the major part.

Dunno...

Are you still racing your car?

 

[Razor]

I think the cost to actually compete in a class that matters is out of most peoples reach. u have 2 or 3 cars that have a chance. the rest are a 1/2 a second behind.

of course the poor economy will cause even less to attend.

I think for most its just funer to have a street car these days. but who wants to build a fast street car that maybe they can race with to and have a custom DP made and put a 3 bolt on it to race a few times a year? not many. its not like turbos are a few hundred dollars. more a few thousand in some cases

I think there are too many rules for too many different classes.

I would have thought the alky class would have drew more attention tho

The problem was once someone posted a 9 second pump gas run the class was over. Then the cars moved to THS to compete with slower cars. The came TSR and added some more.

I compete in True Street with the NMRA and love the class. Basically no rules and you compete on an average time. Example 9.0,10.0,11.0,12.0,13.0 etc
Each class has a 100 bucks to the winner and the closest go each one of the times gets it.

 

[Razor]

Are you still racing your car?

Yes. I ran 6.0 at 117 tonight. Plan on upper 8's, low 9's on pump gas this coming Saturday.

 

[Mr.Spool]

not throwing me out when i go below the bar limiti keep being told i have a race car even with street tires,ac,stereo,and driving to the track.even though i sign the waverand some dude can go 8's on a bike or snowmobile and not get their stones broken.i do believe in safety but the regulations do make you change the car into a compromise situation and the $ and time add up quicker,eventually doing the dukes of hazzard to get out of your ride.another problem in the northeast is the distance from the tracks,there are just not enough dragstripes,and none locally to me.i just can't take the mrs. and my little one out in a car full of bars because some genious thinks my car is to fast,it can get confusing since my friends keep telling me i should turn the wick up on this thing im too slow

 

[GNBRETT]

Yes. I ran 6.0 at 117 tonight. Plan on upper 8's, low 9's on pump gas this coming Saturday.

ur TA?

 

[Razor]

ur TA?

Nah it's a Mustang. I started building it a few years ago trying to get more Ford business as 90+ percent of my sales are GM based. What I learned from the Buick has worked incredibly on this car.

The thought of building a Buick to run in any class is cost prohibitive. The we get into the safety concerns as all the classes at current events push the cars into time slips that require bars/cages.

 

[Razor]

not throwing me out when i go below the bar limiti keep being told i have a race car even with street tires,ac,stereo,and driving to the track.even though i sign the waverand some dude can go 8's on a bike or snowmobile and not get their stones broken.i do believe in safety but the regulations do make you change the car into a compromise situation and the $ and time add up quicker,eventually doing the dukes of hazzard to get out of your ride.another problem in the northeast is the distance from the tracks,there are just not enough dragstripes,and none locally to me.i just can't take the mrs. and my little one out in a car full of bars because some genious thinks my car is to fast,it can get confusing since my friends keep telling me i should turn the wick up on this thing im too slow

My buddy JD runs into this issue. Exalple the last race in Columbus he didn't want to bring his car 800 miles so the track would kick him out.

I totally understand the issue with taking a really nice car and putting a jungle Jim in it. That's been the draw to have track rentals with a little more lax attitude. My local tracks are pretty cool about it. They can't squeeze racers like they use to cause they won't come back.

 

[Onalky87]

Personally, for me it's my own fault I havnt attended an event. 1. Not one close enough since I don't have a trailer. 2. My car is not equipped with the right safety equipment :frown:

 

[krom]

Nah it's a Mustang. I started building it a few years ago trying to get more Ford business as 90+ percent of my sales are GM based. What I learned from the Buick has worked incredibly on this car.

The thought of building a Buick to run in any class is cost prohibitive. The we get into the safety concerns as all the classes at current events push the cars into time slips that require bars/cages.

I miss my 93 5.0.

 

[turboc87gn]

Razor...Street racing was dead here for the last 4 years or so then a few sweet things happened...Milan introduced no et street racing at the track....That brought out a lot of heavy hitters from the street that id never see at the track...Light on the tech you can run 10s 9s without a bar they dont show ur time and they let you stand behind the cars in the lanes...You can also hand flag if you want.... Then when gas prices went down last year street racing came back and it been pretty decent this year too...Ive seen more turbo buicks on the street than ever so idk where it gonna go from here...Im hoping the buick events come back too..Ive just gotten to the point that im able to own and invest $$ into a turbo regal and id hate to see it all die off....

 

[scot w.]

I wish we had better turn outs too but I believe it's due to too many events and whats happening is people are settling for what is close to them... I believe if some of the small old ones that are barely squeaking by were to fall to the way side you would see more people travel to the larger nicer events. Just count how many events there are right now and just imagine if about 3-4 of those dropped off what the larger events would be like. Everyone will never be able to make it to ALL the events, If there were less them more people could plan to make it to those... Just my thoughts....



The Economy!
The Gas prices!
Too Many events! Is my guess....


The classes have nothing to due with it at all, as a matter of fact the new classes generated in the last few years actually opened the doors for many more people to race their cars! so technically that should have brought More racers in...


Scot W.