If you could ask for anything, What would you change about grass drags

Aircraftman

Aircraftman

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Aug 15, 2005
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Were in the early stages of putting together a large race and would like all the SERIOUS racer and spectator input we can get- we will listen.

Be assured we understand the sport is struggling and that we believe its time to change with the times. The most valuable source of information to make this change is the racers/consumers wishes. Please feel free to be candid and tell us all. Feel free to call me to discuss directly if you are not comfortable with posting.

- things you like about the past races?

-things you dislike about the past races?

- rules you like to keep and justification for keeping them?

- rules you would like to see changed and justification for changing them ?

-racing format, keep it the way it is or run it NHRA style with qualifying and then single elimination brackets as an example?

- classes that should be eliminated?

- classes that should be added?

- what should manufacturers provide to promote grass racing?

- what changes would drive you to get into drag racing more?

-what changes would drive new people into grass racing?

- how can we lobby manufacturers of new sleds to help you modify them?

- would you like to see asphalt, grass drags, demos, 4 wheelers etc. at the same facilities at the same times?

- anything else?



Thank you

Kris Werth- BLW Racing

414-788-1346
 
well as a spectator and racer i will give my opinion on everything as i have seen from my experiences and from helping run one of south east wisconsin's or for the whole state longest running drags and ovals (43 years now)

as far as what i have likes about past races was the amount of racers and spectators i know it is dieing and we need to help it come back (which i will address later and with in the recent years more things to do like atv demos and have performance companies there

not much i can say about dislikes as it is a show put on by a club or racing organization that takes $$ and time to put on with funds available

most recent rules are there for safety purposes and need to be implemented ...........and need to stay for that reason

rules changes .............well 4 strokes and 2 strokes need to be separrated
4 stokes are killing the drag racing end of this sport from a racers point of view

the std 4 lane top 2 elimination shout stand (more action) compared to the NHRA bracket style you speek of ..............boring and give the qualifiers a better chance to make the final

as far as classes elimininated that would be a though one i would have to sit down and look at all of them and see what could go in my mind

added classes if not there already we need to get these older sleds back on the track that ISR has elimininated witht eh 15 year rule and vintage classes these are the roots of racing and are growing every year at races we attend 20 century (99and oldersleds) and classic class for the gray area from 83-96 ish ...............the vintage and 99 and older sleds are what made the drag racing scene big .....plus not every on these days can afford to spend $20 grand to be competitive on a new late model sled with sled prices these days

trail stock and ameture racer will draw new racers in plus money and trophies

all in all i have seen the down fall of drag racing for many reasons
sanctioning bodies wanting so much for a purse cost of new sleds and product to make them go fast .......and with any type of racing if you want to win it cost lots of money by bringing the older sleds back into the scence that cost less to get going will help ............but it comes down to in this bad economic times the people willing to spend the money to come out and race or watch ..........plus location we have driven 6 plus hrs to go to a race but it was worth it with the fun and people putting on the event ....and make sure the race does not conflict with other close related events

Mike .... member of the suburan snowhwks club check out our site for more info at http://www.suburbansnohawks.com/index.htm
 
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I guess for me being a bit partial I dont like the weight rules triples vs twins. the twins have closed the gap in HP as of late so no need for the weight handicap anymore IMO
 
We hear you and we are working on the rules issue.

One of our biggest challenges seems to be getting new racers. If there is a big race most of the entries are established racers as anyone who is thinking of trying it for the first time feels they will get their but kicked because they dont know what to do.

We have a solution-
The day before the race we will hold a test and tune day where we will have PRO volunteers and selected parts vendors helping any rider that shows up with any sled with setups, tuning, technique, parts and any other advice they can for an entire day on our track with a timing system. This will provide the confidence and numbers for them to compete. We are working on a couple classes for the trail rider to compete.
 
u have a amature class for all people who have not raced a full year for each class then they are not racing against the pros and then u get some that will race the pros any how
 
F-7s OR LITE WEIGHT TWINS SHOULD OF HAD THEIR OWN CLASS SINCE 2003. CHISELS SHOULD BE ALLOWED IN ANY CLASS. NO SPEED TRACKS IN AMATEUR OR TRAIL. 3:16 (yammie tony)
 
separate four and two stroke sleds. People watching think it is lame that a 1000 four stroke is running against a 6, 7 or 800 sled. And the people with the people watching that know why, are tired of explaining it to them.
 
I feel Bracket Racing classes are needed to increase the number of racers. Class racing, no matter if its cars, sleds, grass, pavement, etc. is just TOO expensive and too much tuning required to be competetive. Bracket racing makes all sleds/racers equal no matter how much money you do or don't spend. I think the purse is secondary. Most people race for the competion not the money. You can still run 4 at a time and have the 2 winners advnce to the next round.

Keep the class racing for those who want to do it. Introduce bracket racing for those who just want to race the sled they ride all winter long. Look at the sucess AmSnow and the MSA are having with the Super Sled Shootout. This years predicted and mostly rainy weekend still had 40 sleds in the bracket class (Being involved with New England Dragway for all my life and my father being president of NED since 1968, the weather FORECAST is often more detrimental to racer and spectator turn out than the actual weather during the actual event). This October at the New Hampshire Grass Drags in Freemont (the biggest grass race event in New England?), I don't think there were 40 sleds total, forecast and weather were perfect for racing.

Bracket racing was born back in the early 70's because class racing was getting too expensive and the regualr racer could no longer be competetive . I see snowmobile racing in that same position now.
Thanks,
Scott
 
Index classes are getting a huge response. E.g. 4.7 second, 5.1 second. You can run anything in those as long as you comply with the rules for your intended class. Other classes like factory mod 1 and 2 are also doing well. I agree that sleds like lightweight 800 twins that make 215hp should be in heir own class or more likely run weight to weight with the 215 HP 800 triples. That's still an issue to me in grass. Different story on ice.
 
Jmo
I Hate bracket racing. I have no desire to watch a 500 trail sled run up against an 800 pro stocker. I love heads up racing but agree the cost to be competitive is a huge factor in dropped registrations.
In stock classes run the sleds at factory weight plus driver. No weight breaks!
Improved and pro stock classes should be one weight for the class! Choose your ride carefully if you want to be competitive.
Index classes can be very fun for the modded sleds as well.
Good luck and thx for trying to get input from the people who love the racing.
 
Quick ?

How many classes are there in Snowmobile racing, I only know what we use Stock, Imp stock, Mod and then King of the Snow/Open class Anything goes
 
The classes are numerous. Back in the day when there were 75 entries In the biggest class this wasn't an issue but when we've got 3 sleds in a class and don't even run 30% of them due to no entries it tells me something. Look at World Series of ice in oconto falls, wi this weekend and look at the amount of classes. see how they fill them up. Hope they do but it'll take a whole crapload of sleds. We're going up with our ps6 and running index 6.1, ps600, and fm1.
 
I aswell would like to chime in on the weight issue, We have seen a serious decrease in drags around these parts, not that this is the sole reason but I still attend the odd one, and the one comment I continually hear is that lightweight twins should have their own class or cut the weight handicaps all together. Around hear its firecat after firecat after firecat winning races beacuse of their weight. Spectators are even getting bored and confused because there are so many firecats running around, because its the only thing competetive due to their weight. I would be more than glad to shave off some weight from my improver and go head to head with them should the chance arrise.
 
Aircraftman said:
We hear you and we are working on the rules issue.

One of our biggest challenges seems to be getting new racers. If there is a big race most of the entries are established racers as anyone who is thinking of trying it for the first time feels they will get their but kicked because they dont know what to do.

We have a solution-
The day before the race we will hold a test and tune day where we will have PRO volunteers and selected parts vendors helping any rider that shows up with any sled with setups, tuning, technique, parts and any other advice they can for an entire day on our track with a timing system. This will provide the confidence and numbers for them to compete. We are working on a couple classes for the trail rider to compete.
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This is exactly what the sport needs up here in Mb I looked into possibly running snow drags and ice, the rules from race to race were too confusing for me as they didn't seem to stick to one set of rules from race to race.
As far as bracket racing I find heads up more exciting but with the cost of everything today I decided to put my sled on the asphalt. Once its setup I no longer have to spend money on changing clutching etc. etc. Though I'm not a great fan of bracket racing, its economical and you don't have to be an ace mechanic to be competetive especially with the new sleds so its a cost thing too.
 
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turch said:
This is exactly what the sport needs up here in Mb I looked into possibly running snow drags and ice, the rules from race to race were too confusing for me as they didn't seem to stick to one set of rules from race to race.
As far as bracket racing I find heads up more exciting but with the cost of everything today I decided to put my sled on the asphalt. Once its setup I no longer have to spend money on changing clutching etc. etc. Though I'm not a great fan of bracket racing, its economical and you don't have to be an ace mechanic to be competetive especially with the new sleds so its a cost thing too.
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I hope they figure something out here in MB also so many people whining about rules, whats wrong with running one set rules and everybody follow not that hard ;)!
 
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