a changing of the guard

Four years ago, I saw my first snowmobile asphalt race. My boss "invited" me to accompany him to come out, take pictures and meet the people of National Snowmobile Straightline Racing. I had seen the story about BIR that my predecessor had written, but had really no inkling of what to expect of this type of sled racing. I also had no idea what to expect of NSSR's Top Banana, Meg Greenhaw.

Meg's reputation preceeded her. People either like her or hate her, but everyone should at least respect her. And they do. I place myself in the camp of those who like Meg. That puts me in line with the best snowmobile racers I have ever met. They have a passion for their sport and its growth. And now that passion for growth will be put to the test.

In May, Meg sent me a fax to say that she was closing the doors on NSSR due to economic and industry political pressures. The Brainerd Muscle Sled Shoot Out, the flagship event of asphalt racing has been put on hiatus for this year because of the turmoil. Track officials may opt to invite sleds back, but not for this year.

"We definitely feel that there is an interest in seeing the snowmobiles race at our national NHRA event," said CBIR's Bob Van Houton. "We are interested in qualifying eight racers to come to the event. Unfortunately, because of a lack of time, we will not be able to do anything this year."

Van Houton indicated that he will be looking into creating a series of two or three qualifying events for next year's Nationals. But he didn't have any concrete details about classes or possible sanctioning bodies.

What does that mean for the sport? Opportunity. Hard work. While I will miss seeing Meg at the track, and listening to her boundless stories, I look forward to watching new organizations crop up and grow.

As of right now, there are many small pockets of racers attending bracket racing events at their local tracks. For instance, a fellow by the name of Mike Hicks has let me know that there is a consistent group of about 25 to 30 sleds running in the Abbot Power Motorcycle/ Snowmobile ET racing series at the Oxford Plains Dragway in Maine. Those sleds have the potential to compete at the IHRA Bracket Nationals in Norwalk, Ohio on October 6-8.

Events like these are going to be the near future of asphalt drag racing. Just as the grass drag has its beginnings in small events, asphalt racing will have to reinvent itself as small, local bracket events. In time, the enclaves will grow in size and technical savvy.

As that happens track owners may be more inclined to add us as separate classes. The beauty of bracket racing is that every sled can be competitive. But the even greater beauty of class racing is that there's more chances to race and more chances to win.

But the biggest, most important thing an aspiring circuit director needs to do is start sensibly and grow organically, without looking to the ever-drying teat of factory race support money for assistance. If drag racing is to grow, it has to be done independently of the Big Four.

Losing NSSR as a central organizer and standard setter is a blow to the sport. It sets us back a few years, organizationally. But with time and tenacity, the sport can grow a new organization, possibly better established to withstand the often abusive politics inherent in racing.