ya i dont like Comp E because its all random cars racing each other. and one leaves before the other.

 

I’m with you! I love going to events and seeing/racing with/against fellow sport compact racers.

But I understand why Tony and his dad bring it up and want more sport compact guys out at the track with them. They are really great guys and they love racing and want to have more guys out there with them that embody what they do. I can't fault them for their passion for that.

It's just a different deal for most of us in that we have door cars that are "in your face sport compacts", their is no way of getting around that a civic is a civic and it’s a Honda etc... The NHRA is not as welcoming as our fellow sport compact guys who are making the Comp and Sportsman rules in the NHRA work for them and their programs. Another thing that really turns a lot of sport compact racers off to the NHRA is the fact that the rules really hold back the innovation we all work on. Our setups are far from being just a cookie cutter deal that can be classed easily, hell we fight about it amongst ourselves almost endlessly, The domestic stuff that’s been around for a very long time and the altered's and dragsters are a lot easier to classify.

 

This weekend at the Winter Nationals you have in Comp eliminator the #1 qualifier is a naturally aspirated honda powered altered and there is a 2JZ Turbo powered dragster in the mix also.

In Super Stock the #2 qualifier was a VW and other qualifiers include Scott Kelley in a toyota and 3 other VW's.

A little bit of a sport compact invasion this past weekend on the NHRA's biggest stage

 

well that and the NHRA **** on all sport compact people at once.

 

yea that was pretty screwed up IMO, then NOPI dropped the ball after NHRA passed it to them ....

 

I am not 'SHOVING" Comp on anyone. I merely asked if anyone was interested in racing in it with an N/A front -wheel drive car.

 

you might not be, but you are now a part of the "crowd" who insists on trying to get "us" to race comp.

**** comp. end of story.

 

Bob, Thomas, Carey, Scott, and Steve all raise valid points. NHRA is always going to have an excuse for everything. They're the law and they don't have to change it. Scott went through absolute hell just trying to be able to compete. It's bull, but they don't care. They have v-6 cars in Comp that "only" run 9.0's, so their "we don't want slow Imports running next to a fast Pro Mod" argument is just a weak excuse to keep us out, plain and simple. Norris, Jeremy, Bisi, 4piston, etc; all can run 9.0's and be competitive. They don't want to see it. As Thomas stated, eventually they're going to dump on sportsman racers so much, none will show up. They don't have ONE full sportsman field at Pomona this weekend. At $315 per car, not counting crew members, it's not all that surprising. Having to park in mud, dirt, crowded in pit area, having your run schedule altered because "the almighty BIG SHOW" experienced problems....sometimes you only get one qualifying run. I understand your point, Steve, as 99.9% of people on this site really only want to run heads up, and against other Imports. Bob was just coming here and asking if anyone would be interested in competing. We know how you feel about it, and your opinion is respected. Asking questions like this is what helps make the long fight for acceptance easier for some. Fighting the NHRA is like fighting the IRS after your identity has been stolen: It's difficult to prove who you are and what you've done, and they really don't care, either, because they are believing what they want to believe and nothing else. Proven or not.

 

I think you mean Dave^^^. but im with dturbocivic. ****** COMP. THAT **** LAME. i just wanna see people keep focus on sport compact drag.

 

 

I definitely see both sides of this, as I have raced and competed on both sides, and here is my take on it.

Do I like bracket racing, absolutely not. But what I do like is racing period. If making my car legal to compete in Super Stock can allow me to race closer to home then I'm all for it. It's fun regardless. You've got a shot to win a Wally, set official records, run heads up in class, chance to win some coin and **** a lot of die hard domestic guys off. Believe me, I've done it....haha.

Yes, the entry fee is expensive, and yes, you typically get pitted in the middle of no where, are racing for little money, and are just a filler to the "big show" And this is why I look at this as just another place to race.

I'm not going to go to less sport compact events because of it, as I've support sport compact racing for the last 12 years. But if there is a division or (US Nationals) at my home track of less than 15 miles away, I'm definitely going to run in it. Racing is racing in my eyes, and I find it all extremely fun. This is the main reason I made sure that my car will fit into a SuperStock class. But I really only have plans of running the spring/fall division race and US Nationals. All within 15minutes of my house.

Is class racing for everyone? No. But I guess it's just how you look at it, how far you want to travel, and how often you want to race. I personally enjoy all aspects of racing.

 

If there is a PRO ALL MOTOR set up in comp, what kind of times would be needed? Will cars with lexan, one piece front ends, back halved be able to run? I like racing and there are not enough races here in so cal. I know Division 7 races I could make would be Vegas, Bakersfield, and Fontana. Not that I have a fast car, but hopefully soon.

 

Just to give some insight on what its like to run at an NHRA National event, dont knock it until youve tried it. In Comp you get treated far better then if you run Super comp, Super Gas, Stock or Super Stock. You dont get treated like a Top Fuel team either. You do have designated times when you run which is nice as it is easier to plan your days out. The tech guys and all the Officials come to you, so you dont have to tow your car to get teched in. When youre going to go run they come to you and tell you. I was parked right next to the Pro Stockers, so its not out in the middle of no where. Hell they even work with you on whats good for you. This past weekend after qualifying on top I had to have a displacement check done to ensure I was legal. They came to me to ask me when a good time it would be for me to do the check. I told them when and they said ok. They do treat you fairly well.

I do wish they would bring back the qualifying money and increase the payouts. I can say my experiences have been good at NHRA's nationals and divisional events. At $305 for a national event entry and another $255 for crew passes it is expensive, far more then a IDRA race or IFO race, However the payout is also better. If I would have won this weekend I would have made around $11,000, not too bad. Comp in general is way more expensive to run the a normal sport compact series but for me it has far more potential to get me where I want to go.

Im not saying Comp is for everyone, its not. It is a harder class to understand or to get people generally interested in because of the rules. It is a first to the finish line winner take all class. But its not a heads up class, which is also a lot of fun to race, and way easier to get fans interested in.

 

I have no problem with any format. I don't think NHRA should start changing **** just to allow us to race, but if they did allow us, it would be cool. I would probably go to one divisional and then my local race and that's it. I'd rather race SS than Comp...but whatever. I just want to be there I don't care what class.

My priority is to race at sport compact events and allowing these cars to run NHRA will never take them away from the import events. It isn't in our SC culture to not race heads up, I like being around my friends and customers, and I like to hear vacuum cleaners running down the track LOL. Spending $1000 with entry and fuel is half what it costs us to go to a SC race so I don't think entry is a big deal. Our closest drive to race imports is 13+hrs. If I can drive 10 minutes and spend $300 on entry I'm all in

 

Well thank you. We have had the same great experiences you have. Racing Comp at a Divisional is even better, there are no Pro's there and Comp is only second to the Alcohol cars if they are running them. We were also told @ the first race we went to, that our car would never work. We went to the semi-finals that day! And like you stated Comp is not for everyone. I am not asking anyone to stop racing in the sport compact series either. I'm merely asking if anyone would run in Comp if they make an all-motor front -wheel drive class.