LEVELING THE SPORTSMAN PLAYING FIELD

OK, it is time for NHRA to change the national points method.

After thinking about the way NHRA does the national championship points chase it is time to change it. The way it is structured now no doubt gives the major edge to the racer who goes to the most races -- see the last ten years on who wins. This used to be fair but now it is not due to a whole bunch of reasons such as the cost of going to race. Only a racer who goes to the most races will always win the championship, no doubt. See the last ten years on who wins those who go to the most races.

By eliminating the way to win the national championship, then a racer who cannot afford to go to a zillion races may have a chance to win the national championship.

I think it is a good assumption and I think most agree it is NHRA's moral and ethical, if not legal, responsibility to have a fair and level playing field for all of their card-carrying members who race under NHRA  sanction to win the national championship.

Now after the last ten years the same racers who attend the most races have and are still winning the championship

There is no doubt that they have been given a major advantage at all the events they enter and they know it. Examples:

1. They always wait until the last minute to come to the staging lanes; no one does anything about this.

2. The staging personnel are always being told on the radio to hurry up and get all staged, but if racer is sand bagging the staging people have no choice but to wait for the touring pros to show up and an NHRA official will support the touring pro?.

3. The touring pros know that they can get away with this as they are used to doing what they want to take you out of your game plan and NHRA’s telling you to show up all the while you are waiting for them.

4. If NHRA is calling everyone to the staging lanes then if I ever run a touring pro then I am going up to NHRA and say you have called me to the lanes why are we waiting for? All I am doing is what you want me to do.

5. The touring Pro Sportsman has the advantage because they are used to multiple first round; the average sportsman does not.

6. The Touring Pro Sportsman has a major advantage,  especially if he is racing two cars, ‘cause he gets twice as many hits on the tree plus he gets twice as many runs to dial his cars in.

7. If a Touring Pro Sportsman has a lot of money they will always win the championship -- see the last ten years results.