Outlaw pro mod
Discussion
37chevy said:
some people just don't want to go that fast
This surprised me. I can completely understanding running at a given performance level due to costs or whatever. But I've met people at the track that genuinely don't want to go any quicker. If they had a windfall on the lottery, they'd still stay racing in the same class at their current performance levels. I don't really understand that mentality. I guess that explains how I ended up where I am!Tet said:
This surprised me. I can completely understanding running at a given performance level due to costs or whatever. But I've met people at the track that genuinely don't want to go any quicker. If they had a windfall on the lottery, they'd still stay racing in the same class at their current performance levels. I don't really understand that mentality. I guess that explains how I ended up where I am!
Ok so probably phrased wrong tet! Don't get me wrong if I won the lottery I'd be buying a nitro funny car! But I'm content where I am given my funds etc, I'd be stressed to hell trying to find the money to go faster and not having the knowledge to make it work.....having said that ask me in a couple of years when I've got my current car running as I want :-PTurn7 said:
Possibly a case of knowing your limitations - driver/money wise, and also happy with pounds per HP ....
Yes this, I'm happy going out there, having a bit of fun with some mates, doing a bit of racing and not stressing out over the costs....I have to strike a balanced work/racing/rest of life and don't want have my head under a bonnet and a negative bank balance just to find an extra couple of seconds on track. Perhaps lazy was a bit harsh, but the point I was making was that as Lee said earlier, in SUMO you had to think & work at racecraft, because it's heads up not who can hit the brake at the right time, I understand that we don't have bottomless pockets but even at SUMO level once you'd built your car because of the rules you couldn't really throw any money at it, you just had to be creative with what you'd got
shovelheadrob said:
Perhaps lazy was a bit harsh, but the point I was making was that as Lee said earlier, in SUMO you had to think & work at racecraft, because it's heads up not who can hit the brake at the right time, I understand that we don't have bottomless pockets but even at SUMO level once you'd built your car because of the rules you couldn't really throw any money at it, you just had to be creative with what you'd got
I do get your point though, to be fair I see a lot of guys tinkering with the best they can afford/are prepared to spend, but I agree with you that the uk needs more people willing to step up to the 'big time', I can't criticise though, and I really don't know what the answer is. I'm just thankful,for those who put it all on the line (no matter how big their budget) to entertain us37chevy said:
I do get your point though, to be fair I see a lot of guys tinkering with the best they can afford/are prepared to spend, but I agree with you that the uk needs more people willing to step up to the 'big time', I can't criticise though, and I really don't know what the answer is. I'm just thankful,for those who put it all on the line (no matter how big their budget) to entertain us
The answer is more people willing to go to a race meeting, win it and still come away with a substantial financial loss. Until the sums add up in Pro Racing there will be no growth. Unfortunately it is not a straight forward problem to sort out.
Burndown said:
The answer is more people willing to go to a race meeting, win it and still come away with a substantial financial loss. Until the sums add up in Pro Racing there will be no growth.
Correct. There seems to be a view in some quarters that people aren't stepping up to the pro classes because there's no heads up stepping stone and that they're not learning the engineering skills and learning to innovate in the bracket racing classes. I think that's wrong. Maybe that would hamper them when the got to the pro classes (or maybe not), but the reason they're not making the jump in the first place is almost entirely financial. That was certainly true in my case, and I can point to a number of the quicker sportsman racers that I know would realistically step up in a heartbeat if they could afford it.FWIW, I couldn't afford it either. But a combination of factors lead to a deal being put on the table in front of me. I approached the only person I knew with that sort of money and asked about the possibility of getting some backing. I happened to catch them on a good day, and they agreed and have funded my racing in the pro classes. Without that, I couldn't have afforded to get involved. But the only thing that was ever holding me back was lack of money.
Edited by Tet on Thursday 16th April 09:57
Interesting thread.
In twenty seven years I've had the good fortune to work with a number of people that have made the move into a 'Pro' category. In each case the sole motive was a desire to compete at the highest level, nothing more. I can't recall prize money or sponsorship even being discussed. Before embarking on the project each individual accepted that they would likely haemorrhage money until they quit. The compensation received from a track promoter was only ever viewed as damage limitation. In all but one case the deal breaker was technical support. No support, no project. I'd be surprised if the Pro classes overseas would look as healthy as they do without Comp Eliminator. It's a lot easier to jump in the pool once you've learned how to swim.
If there's a desire to run at the pointy end of a 'Pro' class, you might find money the least of your worries.
In twenty seven years I've had the good fortune to work with a number of people that have made the move into a 'Pro' category. In each case the sole motive was a desire to compete at the highest level, nothing more. I can't recall prize money or sponsorship even being discussed. Before embarking on the project each individual accepted that they would likely haemorrhage money until they quit. The compensation received from a track promoter was only ever viewed as damage limitation. In all but one case the deal breaker was technical support. No support, no project. I'd be surprised if the Pro classes overseas would look as healthy as they do without Comp Eliminator. It's a lot easier to jump in the pool once you've learned how to swim.
If there's a desire to run at the pointy end of a 'Pro' class, you might find money the least of your worries.
rob l said:
In twenty seven years I've had the good fortune to work with a number of people that have made the move into a 'Pro' category. In each case the sole motive was a desire to compete at the highest level, nothing more.
Oh, I agree. But we're not talking about financial reward being a motivating factor here. The motivation has always been to compete at the highest level. We're talking about money being the difference between being able to compete and not being able to do so. Haemorrhaging money is all well and good if you have money to haemorrhage in the first place. I'm not saying money is the only factor, but in my experience it's been the limiting factor more often than not. Yes, even with money behind me, I'd have struggled to get into Top Fuel had I not been able to bring with me a crew with Top Fuel experience. But without the money, it would have been completely impossible rather than just difficult. In the 10+ years that I've been involved with Top Fuel, the prize money hasn't increased by a single penny, but costs have unsurprisingly increased over that period. So even just in terms of simply minimizing the amount lost each meeting, we're worse off now than we have ever been.Ive spoken to people at the track who are happy where they are and dont want to go faster. At the moment I cant imagine not wanting to go faster! Faster costs money though so we all have our limits. The less you can do yourself or the more you have to learn the more it costs. So I guess people have to find their own balance. I wish I knew more in terms of specing, building and tuning engines, and I wish I had access to the tooling and the knowledge to make and machine my own parts. In some respects I wish that is something I had studied rather than my chosen vocation - but my work is something im good at and it pays the bills. I have so much to learn in lots of different area's but I have a hunger to keep progressing and moving forward. At the moment learning is very expensive lol. I'd love to race heads up or to give Comp Eliminator a try but based on my budget and the type of car I want to race it isnt an option. I dont think there is a class in Comp I can fit into - cant add enough weight to my car to make it legal. A resurgence of Pro Comp might suit me, but it doesnt look likely to happen. Most people are of the opinion that the last thing we need are more classes.
If I had the budget and the help I needed I would love to race a blown nitro fed. No matter what sort of package was available in terms of financial reward for appearing, competing or winning. That would be my dream. Other people have other dreams such as being the fastest doorslammer, or fastest street legal car, or fastest rear engine car. Mine would be to race the fastest blown nitro fed. Cant see me becoming Tony Bartone in a hurry though.
If I had the budget and the help I needed I would love to race a blown nitro fed. No matter what sort of package was available in terms of financial reward for appearing, competing or winning. That would be my dream. Other people have other dreams such as being the fastest doorslammer, or fastest street legal car, or fastest rear engine car. Mine would be to race the fastest blown nitro fed. Cant see me becoming Tony Bartone in a hurry though.
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