bartlett on fuel fc
Discussion
I have visions of people reacting in a big way to what Keith has said, but I respect him for standing up and stating his true feelings without pandering to the needs of any one group of people. He has simply stated what we all know - if drag racing is going to be sustainable at that level then it has to be run along similar lines to a business, and therefore running Funny Car needs to make good business sense. He has also suggested strategies to help Funny Car teams proceed, and I don't doubt that he will work with the teams to achieve this - the revised prize fund for this year being one example.
There are no people with an endless supply of money to pour into the sport but those who come closest are normally the racers themselves :-)
There are no people with an endless supply of money to pour into the sport but those who come closest are normally the racers themselves :-)
I must admit what KB said made a lot of sense to me which hasn't always been the case I'm afraid. Like it or not, there is no way currently that European promoters, particularly the Scandinavians, can afford to run a full FC championship as part of the FIA championship. I really wish it could be done, but I can't see it happening any time soon unfortunately.
CRR said:
Like it or not, there is no way currently that European promoters, particularly the Scandinavians, can afford to run a full FC championship as part of the FIA championship.
That's true, but it doesn't preclude a championship being run. In time, perhaps it'll become successful enough to gain FIA status, but that's some way off. To be honest, just running a championship for the 2 Santa Pod races would have been a start, with a view to growing it later. I was under the impression that there was planned to be a championship of some sort this year, but nothing seemed to materialise. Anyone know anything about it? Jim?I have little doubt that Keith's right when he says that Europe just isn't ready to support two full nitro classes at the moment. As a promoter, he would thus rather concentrate on Top Fuel, and sees the Funny Cars as potentially diluting that. The two new Funny Cars out this year are both driven by former Top Fuel drivers, and with Thomas Nataas stating a desire to drive a Funny Car, I can understand his concerns. But ultimately, people will race what they want to race, and while it may make sound financial sense for the sport as a whole to concentrate on Top Fuel for now, racing (at an individual team level, at least) isn't driven by such considerations.
I don't think Keith was suggesting FC has no future, he was merely stating that they are not 'FIA Ready' yet. Indeed he says himself it is his favourite class and he has worked to support the class even when it did not make sense to do so.
FC is healthier now than it has been for a long time, I see no reason to call 'R.I.P.' on it. It only makes sense to let the class prove itself before investing in it for FIA status, to do otherwise would be to the detriment of other classes.
FC is healthier now than it has been for a long time, I see no reason to call 'R.I.P.' on it. It only makes sense to let the class prove itself before investing in it for FIA status, to do otherwise would be to the detriment of other classes.
Please excuse my ignorance but can someone confirm how the whole FIA status works?
Does the "championship" whether it's Top Fuel, Nitro FC, Pro Stock or Pro Mod or any other class pay the FIA (I'm guessing they don't do it for free) to licence them? So inturn to allow the "championship" greater bargining powers to TV and potential sponsors or is there more to it than that?
Does the organising body of each "championship" go to FIA or is it the race/track promoters?
Does the "championship" whether it's Top Fuel, Nitro FC, Pro Stock or Pro Mod or any other class pay the FIA (I'm guessing they don't do it for free) to licence them? So inturn to allow the "championship" greater bargining powers to TV and potential sponsors or is there more to it than that?
Does the organising body of each "championship" go to FIA or is it the race/track promoters?
jon c , you know its funny you posted that crucifixtion life of brian image ,i knew someone would have a pop at me for the R.I.P post , and for what just for being factual and a bit ironic , do you honestly believe we will ever see nitro funny cars in europe running any sort of championship or being included in the fia series ? jon we can all dream but get real keith bartlett has made a statment obviously to put everyone in the big picture of whats basicly reality !there has been talk for last couple of years, rumours,ect, teams announcing big sponsors and there going to be racing but hey shit happens sponsors let teams down and they cant play any more ,teams running on a shoe string break something like a spark plug and there out for the season .okay thats going over the top but im sure you know what i mean. my personal views on the fc subject is 1/ teams giving up top fuel and going to fc is detrimental to the future of top fuel as we will see numbers in top fuel diminish which will do the class nothing but retard the progress that has been achieved thanks mainly to keith bartlett ,he is the wallet who pays out the racers after all, nobody can argue with that! the man gets stick from all angles but at the end of the day he knows the punters paying the money to go to the fia meets want more than anything is to see top fuel okay we have other classes but top fuel is the draw, KB knows this and he does not want to see the field deminish even if they go the funny car route its no good to him as a promoter lets be really honest here, have you stood on the bank over the last couple of years and heard what the fans have said about the fuel coupes ? if these fuel coupes are so hard to tune and get down the full quarter why dont the fuel coupe teams go top fuel ?obvoiusly they must be easier to tune and get down the track going by how many of these top fuel cars actually run the numbers and do full passes surely if you want to run a fuel car if its easier to run a top fuel car than a funny why not go top fuel? i think it would be very interesting to see how the funny car teams if they did cross over to top fuel would actually do ? would they be up with the front runners or would they still be where they are now and end up as cannon foder ?food for though maybe
Edited by noggin the nog on Saturday 16th June 20:41
Edited by noggin the nog on Saturday 16th June 21:17
Bob Jarrett said:
Boy I wish I did forums. However it would probably take at least 200 lines to inform the mis-informed
Hello Bob !I wish that, too, and feel free to do so, there surely is enough webspace here,
and with your insight and experience that would be an interesting read (at least for me).
Cheers from the Hockenheim motormouth
Benni
KitBoy said:
as good a thread as any for my first post ....
Why not let the Funny Cars run in the Top Fuel class ??? (Like the alcohol cars used to)
Hi KitBoy, and welcome to PH Dragracing !Why not let the Funny Cars run in the Top Fuel class ??? (Like the alcohol cars used to)
Well, the FCs in Top Methanol and Top Fuel have a constructive disdavantage to the dragsters,
being not so long and therefore not running so straight.
Because of that (and other things that the real experts here will surely add soon),
they do not quite run as fast as the dragsters, wich would mean they would be at the bottom of the qualifying list, mostly.
And with the current amount of TF Dragster teams on this list,
they would not be in the race on sunday.
I hope I am halfway correct and do not want to step on any toes (in racers boots),
Benni
Benni said:
KitBoy said:
as good a thread as any for my first post ....
Why not let the Funny Cars run in the Top Fuel class ??? (Like the alcohol cars used to)
Hi KitBoy, and welcome to PH Dragracing !Why not let the Funny Cars run in the Top Fuel class ??? (Like the alcohol cars used to)
Well, the FCs in Top Methanol and Top Fuel have a constructive disdavantage to the dragsters,
being not so long and therefore not running so straight.
Because of that (and other things that the real experts here will surely add soon),
they do not quite run as fast as the dragsters, wich would mean they would be at the bottom of the qualifying list, mostly.
And with the current amount of TF Dragster teams on this list,
they would not be in the race on sunday.
I hope I am halfway correct and do not want to step on any toes (in racers boots),
Benni
I was thinking purely as a fan who wants to see them compete in some way. And thinking back to the Main Event, had qualifying stayed as it was, funny cars would have been 6th and 7th on the ladder come race day.
noggin the nog said:
which will do the class nothing but retard the progress that has been achieved thanks mainly to keith bartlett ,he is the wallet who pays out the racers after all.
Sorry ,But i would argue that Fuel funny car and Top Fuel has progressed, due to the new technology that has been brought over to Europe, and the work put in by the teams, running the numbers you say people like watching, not by or from any promotors back pocket or prize money as you suggest, they can provide the stage, but the entertainers have to do the rest, that applies to any class of drag racing.The Professional package you now see, is because the teams have upped the ante to attact sponsors and promote the class, showing a professional image to everyone, and is light years away from ten years ago.
The same as is the current package you see at Santa Pod.
Look at the complete deal, Car, Sponsorship, Trailer, Knowledge, Crew, Pit set up, Spares, and thats before you get near a dragstrip.
That comes from spending cold hard cash, with Lots of hard work on top, and can not be brought from the round and or prize money on offer, that may cover a very small part of the cost, but thats all.
If people feel that this may cause numbers in Top Fuel to drop,then that is for others to make Top Fuel more appealing to teams, as with any class, so that racers choose to stay or join the ranks.
Now, I would be the first to agree that Fuel funny car has let spectators down over the last few years, in entertainment, bar a few runs that come to mind.
But now you have the chance to see some back again, So why knock them because Top Fuel might drop its numbers, thats not their fault, and its up to those teams what and why they want to run Fuel Funny car.
Prehaps they and the drivers want another challenge, prehaps they dont think the FIA championship has been that good for them, who knows, I doubt its for the money, but its their decision, the same as its yours where you work.
Yes i am biased, I love Floppers and always will.
Darren
Edited by Nitroalkyholic on Monday 18th June 00:08
"Ignore Noggin the Nob. He talks from where most people excrete from.
Please don't judge this forum or comments on this mans idiotic thoughts"
Bit harsh I think toilet, Noggin has made some true points there regarding fuel funnies. If they cant get enough track time or whatever money fueled needs they are lacking they are always going to be wannabee's (unfortunately). When on tight budgets there is more chance of oil downs no matter how much commitment comes from the teams and it is sad that we cant see a full field of funnies pulling impressive times, because they are great to watch.
If KB wants to keep the show professional then he has to make a business decision regarding the fia and fuel funnies- simple as that really and until the teams running them get there act together why should he give them professional status?
Speaking the truth does not mean it comes from the arse but only highlights the dreamers out there who are living in the 80's. Get over it and run cars in classes you can compete succesfully in.
tony g said:
If they cant get enough track time
nail on the head. The Showtime team, as do others, invest heavily into the car and from what I can see they get to compete in 1 season only a handful of events. Chicken and egg situation; KB wants the cars to run better & have more of them to even think about an FIA slot but without the track exposure this will never happen. I was at santa pod today, good days racing but with a sparse crowd (imo) but if they billed an AAFC chicago style race then this would give the FC teams much needed track time plus increase the gate. Gassing Station | Drag Racing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff