Forum: SCRAFAN.COM Forum (go)
Moderators: ljennings

OK folks, 2008 will be the 5th year of USAC/CRA's operation. Just curious to everyones view on the pros and cons over the past few years.

For all of you that live close enough to drive to see your local Saturday night heros, just be glad you have a sanctioning body that puts on the kind of shows that they do. 2 thumbs up to CRA and USAC. For the races I saw last year, I just wish the car counts were a little higher

The low car count is because of CRA/USAC!

I don't think so, racerdon

About the only Pro I can think of is that we now get to see the National cars at the end of the year. In order to avoid comitting hari-kari in public, that's about all I care to say on the subject.

sttmn

Please tell us why we are having low car counts ???? Could it be that the owners ,drivers were lied to in the first place ? They were told there would be no entry fee and what happened there was an entry fee imposed. I think they are racing for less money now then when they were when SCRA was around. They have this stupid fee for qualifying pill pick $25.00 They say it to help the cost of the transponders. I dont think I need to go on any farther with why there are low car counts.

Joe

I'm sure that 25.00 fee is the deal breaker . In my opinion the economy down-turn is the car count killer . People don't have as much to spend as they did even 2 years ago , that icludes car owners and fans . usac/cra always is a great show at the pas .

I will be willing to agree that they (USAC) are not the sole reason for the low car count, yes economy may have a small small bit to do with it, but I would say that they are responsible for the biggest reason people are not happy, and car counts are down. They told the owners and drivers what they wanted to hear when the whole split came about, and have not done much to keep up their end of the bargain. They said they would run for the same money, (and I am sure a USAC official that post on here will disagree) and they are racing for less. They said they would attract national sponsors, anything they have got so far was just left overs from their bread and butter, the National series. If that is not true, where is the big dollars from Lucas Oil going? Why are you out there still racing for $2000 or $2500 to win? They said there would be no entry fees, and there is. They make the Hans madatory for all drivers, keeping a handful of drivers away, but then cant even enforce the rule, letting your Oval Nationals champ run without one, ALLYEAR! They make everyone buy radios, keeping a few more away. Now at the end of the year they short some of the top drivers and owners their point fund money. This is all something you can expect from an after work softball league, not an organization that has been at it for oh 50 some years! You wonder why the local 360 groups are getting bigger and stronger? You wonder why VRA has 60 or 70 cars in the pits on a saturday night and the pas has 25-30? Its not real hard to figure out. The majority of people on the west coast are racing for fun, not the money, and if sure looks like USAC has taken the fun out of it for the racers.

Thanks for the back up cshu. USAC required the teams to buy the one way radios and a lot of times it still takes 7 or 8 laps to get cars lined up. I know for a fact the when the Victorville track is running sprints that a number of the semi cars are there

If it's just for fun, why does'nt everybody get together and race at victorville? let's say under cra or scra? when nobody shows up for a usac/cra race maybe they will change their tune... Maybe we could call it a strike or something? Just wondering.........

I don't understand you people. All of you. You should consider yourselves lucky that you have a track that puts on an awesome show every week. Nothing, nor no one is perfect. At least you have an opportunity to have a series to criticize. I know that I brought up the car count question but this isn't the 80's, this isn't Ascot. Just enjoy what you have before it's gone!!

Backitin

The Perris track and USAC/CRA are not the same. USAC/CRA runs events at other tracks check the schedule out. You know why I personally don't go? The screaching voice of a really nice elderly lady on the loud speaker system. Fingernails to me. The car count? All of the above are valid reasons. Has nothing to do with the track at Perris, counts are down at the other USAC venues also. Now if the Divas were at Ventura all the time.........

jay, I do know that CRA races at other tracks. You know what I mean though. I live in Las Vegas and would gladly drive the 3 and a half hours to see what everyone on this boared is complaining about. I drove from San Diego to Ascot every Sat. night in the 80's and 90's and let me tell you something, you don't know what you've got till it's gone!!

I dont think that the people are Bitching about the racing or the race track the racing and the track are great . It is USAC that everyone is bitching about . All there Promises that have never developed all the new fees Ect. Ect. I know what you mean about Ascot I have always lived close to it and still pass by the lot where it use to be wish it was still around.The Quality of all our drivers is great and the track is one of the best around its just the Organazation that is running it that everyone has a problem with. This again is just my opinion.

Joe

Cool I understand. Come on up to Ventura and watch us sometime. Herethe 360's can compete with the CRA when they come to town and the field is full. We have a nice beach, make it a weekend!

Consider ourselves lucky to see 15-22 cars on a sat night.. Not worth the time or money. If i'm going to travel now and see sprint car racing VENTURA is the place to go!!!! I can now see how you got the backitin!!!!!!

Half the lies they tell about me aren't true. 

my point yo you china girl is I have always had to travel to see a sprint car race. For you who don't, and have to find things to complain about, then go to ventura. But if you want to become a star in nonwing sprimt car racing, evevntually you are going to have to put a 410 under your cover. I am also sure that it takes less $$ to run a 360. And as far as the backit in comment, kiss my backside

I've was in your shoes for a period of time when I lived up in the Pacific Northwest but I think you are out of line to tell "All of you" to shut up and sit down because you don't care as long as you are content. What the hell did you expect!

It's certainly not about Ascot, or Perri's. In case you didn't know, SCRA stood for Sprint Car Racers Association and there are fans in the Midwest etc that miss the tour they took every year. You won't hear them saying, shut up and sit down!

I grew up with CRA and having that banner to run under again was just fine with me, but being sold a bill of goods by USAC and loosing all identity is sad. One thing that you might not understand and that's the pride that went along with both organisations. We have never been delegated to being a "afterthought" and I for one don't like it.

What if the Brooklyn Dodgers had stayed in Brooklyn but started calling themselves the Brooklyn/ Los Angeles Dodgers...LOL

If you are interested in seeing a great show next month, drive on down here to AZ and see the Copper on dirt but in the mean time........

Kenny

Half the lies they tell about me aren't true. 

Unless you are a car owner (2 in my case) you can't really imigine just how much this sport costs. A $100K a year is a pretty good starting point if you race weekly (or more) and want to run up front, (Ventura excepted). And if you don't own a trucking company, a string of body shops or a meat packing plant (and have a place to expense/hide the cost) you have to earn $150K to have the $100K after taxes (Bigfish I don't expect you to understand that tax reality so trust me). Point being, the $25 transponder fee or whatever it is at Perris is not the reason for declining counts (do you really think someone would quit racing over that?). Look at the NHRA, they are saying they do not expect to have enough fuel cars to fill 16 car fields in the professional classes.Do you think Prudhomme is going to field one less car cus he is pissed at the NHRA? This deal is simple economics and in this economy car owners are wondering, "can I afford to keep doing this?", folks. Don't sit in the stands and moan about USAC, WoO or whoever and declining car counts. Methanol has doubled in price in the last year, the weekly right rear is 200 bucks and the cost of diesel is thru the roof and 401k's are shrinking. USAC had nothing to do with this.

Do you want to do something about it? Find a driver/team/car you like and go into the pits and buy them a RR, a drum of fuel or pay their pit passes to the next race. If you are loaded help them w/ a $7000 engine rebuild. It all helps. Then, you will be entitled to bitch and speculate all you want.