It seems as if there is going to be an abundance of Nostalgia Events in the 2017 season

The United Nitro Funny Car group will start to promote races in the Pacific Northwest called the United Nitro Funny Car Invitational, which will be run at Spokane on June 9-10 and Seattle on July 8-9. Uncle Bucky Austin is behind these two races. These are invitation-only races to those who are members of the UNFC, and will pay out purses close to those paid out by the IHRA last year.

One has to give the UNFC group huge props for doing something about nostalgia drag racing. Something that the current sanctioning body has not really done in the past, except to provoke and alienate nostalgia racers with some of their decisions. This start-up association is paying out more than an NHRA Heritage Series event.

Many rumors about the IHRA and their participation with nostalgia drag racing. As it appears, now the IHRA has gone strictly to sportsman racing therefore many of their nitro racers will be heading to either the Heritage Series or the Midwest series promoted by Drag Racing Online Editor Jeff Burk.

Burk has confirmed that he has five races on the docket as of December 2016. Two stops at Martin, Mich.; Bowling Green, Ky.; Cedar Falls, Iowa; and Columbus, Ohio. Two of the stops (Columbus and Bowling Green) will be run in conjunction with Goodguys events.

From the 30,000-foot view it appears as though the Goodguys are also working their way back into nostalgia drag racing, which from a personal perspective is a good thing. It does show there is a market for nostalgia nitro racing. Mind you, most of these events are going to be Funny Car-based shows, but it is nitro racing and it is competitive.

Take note dragster guys, you have worked hard to get the issues that plagued you all ironed out and contained. It might not hurt to look at other avenues. Just a thought.

Looking at the structure of the events most of the non-Heritage Series races are either one day to two day shows. This seems to be the structure most preferred by the racers, as it allows the teams to get crewmembers to the event on Friday afternoon, and then fly them home on Sunday. This cuts down on expenses for the teams and reduces lost income for those team members who are volunteers.

It seems like that is the trend, as it allows teams to control cost and gives facilities a chance to promote a condensed show, which would possibly allow for great profitability. Just kinda spit balling a bit as it were.

Since this is the last Getting Nostalgic for 2016 I would like to take a moment to thank all seven of you who have been faithful readers of this column, and yes, Schwartz, that means you as well. Thanks to those who have been so kind as to come up and say hello over the past year, it means a lot. Last but certainly not lease a big thank you to Jeff and Kay Burk for putting up with me. Here is wishing everybody a happy holiday season, and a Merry Christmas.