NitrOlympX

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Discussion

Tet

Original Poster:

1,196 posts

203 months

Thursday 8th January 2015
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Interesting to see Jerry Lackey's comments on Eurodragster the other day. Now I haven't been to Hockenheim for many years, so I'm not speaking from personal experience. But I have spoken to many that have been of late and they haven't been complimentary.

Jerry Lackey said:
It cannot be denied that the NitrOlympX is popular amongst almost all racers in Europe because of the atmosphere surrounding the event
It absolutely can be denied. The Hockenheim facility is second to none, certainly. But racers want to race, and everyone I know would rather race at a great track in the middle of nowhere with a burger van and a rank of portaloos than at a stty track with outstanding facilities. And that's the reality of Hockenheim. Is it popular among racers? Among sportsman racers, perhaps. But the majority of those in the pro classes certainly don't hold that opinion. The track was dreadful when I was last there, and by all accounts has been even worse than that in the last few years.

I'd love nothing more than to see a Hockenheim event with a decent track. Fingers crossed that it happens this year. European drag racing needs showcase circuits like that. But I don't see how trying to claim that racers love the track or that the past few years have been anything other than a disaster is beneficial to the sport. By all accounts, it's been a great sportsman track. But the sportsman classes aren't what draw 50,000 spectators.

NitroWars

661 posts

210 months

Thursday 8th January 2015
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Where's Benni?

peterwalters

230 posts

210 months

Thursday 8th January 2015
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Tet said:
...Is it popular among racers? Among sportsman racers, perhaps....

...By all accounts, it's been a great sportsman track. But the sportsman classes aren't what draw 50,000 spectators.
You say that, but I have spoken to a lot of European sportsman racers in the past that do not enjoy and say they aren't treated well there.

I've not been, so can't speak from personal experience, just what I've been told on numerous occasions.

dorrisdormouse

127 posts

150 months

Friday 9th January 2015
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Ive had a few UK sportsman racers who have said its a great event, mainly due to the atmosphere. Im looking at going. It seems to get a huge amount of spectators. I did follow what was said about the track on more than one occasion - and I can see Pro Stock being potentially the class worst affected by a poor track. I would think that with the lack of aerodynamic downforce its a bigger risk to them, and that has been seen at an NHRA track within the last year - Charlotte if i recall correctly (http://thefanindiana.com/martin-cant-trust-bellagio-of-drag-racing-venues/). Even over-reving the engine is according to previous posts a big problem for them - often terminal as they dont have the support to do it (spare engines / ability to rebuild). I had heard that they were called out by promoters for not being daring enough to run on the track and im not sure that it reasonable at all. That being said the promoter puts on a great show according to form that can clearly be seen to bring in the fans - which is something we need right now.

Tet

Original Poster:

1,196 posts

203 months

Friday 9th January 2015
quotequote all
dorrisdormouse said:
I had heard that they were called out by promoters for not being daring enough to run on the track and im not sure that it reasonable at all.
Promoters and racers have different priorities. Thus it has always been and probably thus it shall always be. I remember us idling down the track in the semi finals many years back when we ended up with a bye run. The promoter was furious and claimed we weren't putting on a show for the paying public. But the promoter's not the one that has to pay for damaged parts.

Bikermoore

146 posts

192 months

Friday 9th January 2015
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Tet said:
Promoters and racers have different priorities. Thus it has always been and probably thus it shall always be. I remember us idling down the track in the semi finals many years back when we ended up with a bye run. The promoter was furious and claimed we weren't putting on a show for the paying public. But the promoter's not the one that has to pay for damaged parts.
Seem to remember reading a letter regarding this. stating most spectators miss the 1st round due to still getting in, and miss the finals coz there have left etc. The other semi final was similar or both did a 60ft squirt?

shovelheadrob

1,564 posts

170 months

Friday 9th January 2015
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The spectators are there for the night show, they get excited by lots of smoke & fire, most of them have no interest in how quick something goes. Even the pro classes are not really treated very well, it's all about the show & the show must go on even if its pi55ing with rain, where else would you see Top Fuel doing burn outs in the rain?
It is still an event that has to be experienced, a trip around the bear pit will not be forgotten in a hurry!

Tet

Original Poster:

1,196 posts

203 months

Saturday 10th January 2015
quotequote all
Bikermoore said:
Seem to remember reading a letter regarding this. stating most spectators miss the 1st round due to still getting in, and miss the finals coz there have left etc. The other semi final was similar or both did a 60ft squirt?
No, we both ended up just idling down the track. The claim was made that we should have at least done a launch to 60' or something. But again, why should we risk the parts by doing so? The promoter wants to put on a show for the spectators, and without the spectators, we wouldn't have racing. We all know that. But putting on a show costs money. If that's what the promoter wants, they need to pay for it rather than expect others to do so for them. Nitro is really, really unforgiving, and it's quite possible to do tens of thousands of pounds worth of damage just from a launch. Further, were we to have done so and damaged the car, there's a risk we would have missed out on the final (and thus the corresponding win money).

jumpingdoghouse

81 posts

195 months

Monday 12th January 2015
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The simple answer is you are not happy with the track from previous experience, then don't attend. no promoter holds a gun to your head...

dorrisdormouse

127 posts

150 months

Thursday 15th January 2015
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Hockenheim will be hosting the 2015 F1 GP after all rather than its alternate. I guess that will mean more surface work again this year.

37chevy

3,280 posts

155 months

Thursday 15th January 2015
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why don't they just move the event to a couple of months BEFORE the f1 meeting.....plenty of time to prep the track then....or is that just too sensible?

dorrisdormouse

127 posts

150 months

Thursday 15th January 2015
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Probably relates to the FIA schedule and the ability for people to travel, possibly weather too.

Burndown

732 posts

165 months

Thursday 15th January 2015
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Well at least it wont be a surprise if the track is no good.

quarterpounder

166 posts

205 months

Thursday 15th January 2015
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dorrisdormouse said:
Hockenheim will be hosting the 2015 F1 GP after all rather than its alternate. I guess that will mean more surface work again this year.
I was going to take a punt on the track being OK this year and go to the event but this news has just confirmed my decision not to bother. Looks like it's Tierp then

jumpingdoghouse

81 posts

195 months

Saturday 7th February 2015
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Well, it looks like the track should be a good one after all :-)

ribaric

262 posts

174 months

Saturday 7th February 2015
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At least the F1 people won't be buggering it up.

Tet

Original Poster:

1,196 posts

203 months

Tuesday 17th March 2015
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It's still uncertain, but the balance seems to be tipping towards not running the F1 race at Hockenheim this year:

http://www1.skysports.com/f1/news/12040/9763661/ho...

tom405

38 posts

109 months

Wednesday 18th March 2015
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Sooner or later someone will surely build a purpose built facility like Tierp in Germany, they obviously love their drag racing. Must be some disused airfields around…

dragstarfan

7 posts

111 months

Wednesday 18th March 2015
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Tet said:
Promoters and racers have different priorities. Thus it has always been and probably thus it shall always be. I remember us idling down the track in the semi finals many years back when we ended up with a bye run. The promoter was furious and claimed we weren't putting on a show for the paying public. But the promoter's not the one that has to pay for damaged parts.
This is one of the reasons I no longer attend races in Europe.

You either go racing or stay at home if you don't want to spend money. A bye run is a great way to gather the much needed data. We all complain about the lack of races etc but if you/we want more races rule 1 is to make a good show.

Like someone correctly commented: no one is putting a gun to your head to go there. If you don't have the money to race top fuel maybe alcohol is an option. Better do it right than do it half. But that's my opinion

dorrisdormouse

127 posts

150 months

Thursday 19th March 2015
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With the current economic climate if those who could not run every run 100% start line to finish line and know that they would be able to make the next round changed to TMD then the fuel classes would be decimated and you may be lucky to have more than 2 cars in the class period. Its just the way things are at the moment.