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Originally posted by TalNLnky:
i'm street(street A), i'm a new member (tho i've been to a drag comp for the past 2 yrs) and i don't seee much of a problem with Cargo Vans being allowed.

there isn't really much modifications that can be done to a cargo van in this class that would put it above anything else.

cargo vans allowed or not, i have a van i'm working on that will be entered into as many drag comps as possible this summer(by my friend who's also working on it) no matter what class it ends up being in.... it may end up being superstreet, das cool, i might not even place if thats the case, but i don't care... Its all about learning and getting better.

This van won't have much in equipment either... we're talking 2 home theater 15's and around 1000watts with prolly 2 batteries in a wall. WE don't expect to win lots of shows, but rather prove to people that you don't need to spend $5000 on an install in order to get loud. Wanna guess how much our equipment is gonna cost us? $500 for all the electronics including wiring (but not batteries)

drag is about competing, but its also about having fun, You work at a shop right? why ruin the fun for others like me who just wanna show off thier skills just cause you hate the rules of 1 class?

Know how many comps there were in my area last year... 5!!!! and only 1 was a sanctioned event. I had every intention on Joining both IASCA & DRAG last year, but then found out that niether would even come close to having enuf comps for it to even be worth my time. And the shops that hold "local" type comps don't always hold as many as they say they will...

I WAS HAPPY, that i got to go to 4 shows...I wish more would have been sanctioned and actually followed some good rules, but hey... gotta play by the rules listed.
This year i finally decided to join Drag not because i think i'll make it to finals, crap, i'd be surprised if there's more than 3 sanctioned comps here this year. But because i thought $30 which only part of which goes back to drag was worth my while for a membership. I may not make it to more shows than last year, but at least i'll be supporting a sport that i love, and others love too. Hopefully one day there will be enuf people supporting drag that there might be more than 1comp a year in my area. maybe even more than 1 shop that holds sanctioned comps.

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With all that was going on in this thread before, I passed up your post and forgot to respond to you. Sorry about the delay. Your words are the only thing in this thread which actually make me take the time to second guess my stance on these issues, and I think that it is because of the sincerity in your post. I would love to see people like you in the lanes competing with your vehicle of choice. I love to see people who are dedicated to getting loud and going to shows. I love hanging out with die hard competitors. (as long as their ego isn't too big)

When I think of street classes, I can't help but naturally think of what we see running around as actual street vehicles. Real installs done for the daily ground pounders. In my opinion, what you see out in the real world is what the street class should be about. Not vehicles being built specifically to compete with that really aren't daily drivers. This is going to happen to some extent in any sport, but I don't believe thatit should be what we see in the street classes. That is why I don't think that this class should include vans. I've been very up front with my beliefs, and perhaps over reacting. I still don't believe that walled off vans (of any kind) belong in a street class, because it just isn't something that is done out in the real world.

We have done a lot of walled off systems for guys who want to go out and run the streets. I call them ground pounders, loud low bass that they enjoy, and frankly creates a lot of interest from other people in the area that want a loud system. (we do non walled off systems as well of course) I can't help it, but I still just don't believe that allowing walled off vans into this class is the right thing to do. Simply because it will bring a lot of vans into this class. (if not then why are so many of the super street guys all over this discussion) It will present an image that will not attract real street systems to compete in that class. Since there is no class that they will feel comfortable in, they will continue to not compete.

For someone who actually does a lot of these installs, this is a very bad situation. Guys who want to compete, have installs done, but simply don't feel they have a chance against what will likely wind up being a lot of stripped down super street vehicles. (or at least the appearance there of)

I'm a retailer, looking for a place where the installs that we do for our customers can compete, and hopefully do well. I want to run sanctioned events, but when classes are structured in a manner that my potential competitors are not comfortable then I'm forced to looking at either doing shows for another sanctioning body, or continuing to do non-sanctioned events and structure the classes in a manner which suits our local market.

I am dedicated to my customers and give them what they want. I do everything that I can to make them happy. I probably go too far for them, to the point that it hurts our bottom line. But I am dedicated to these guys, just as they are to me. It's a vital relationship that is mutually beneficial. This deidication to my customers is probably why I have wound up going head to head with some of the established competitors here. I don't believe that their intent or desire actually represents what we actually see on the street. Of course it could be called mini-super street or something. But that just leaves my guys where they currently are, feeling that they have no format to compete in where they have a real chance to do well. I'm not going to be able to change their mind when they go to their first tripple point event and see a dozen vans competing in their class. (especially if the vans do well) If they go and see a bunch of vehicles like theirs, and/or cars that take advantage of these rules then the perception will be very different. (Even if my guys don't do well) It may not make sense to most of you who are hard core competitors, but there are a lot of guys running around on the street who feel this way.

Perhaps I'm not a loyal supporter of DB Drag, but I could be. I simply need to feel that what is being offered by DB Drag is the same kind of dedication to my local competitors as I have, and perhaps that is not what is best for the existing competitors. (even though there are no existing competitors in this class because it is completely new) Personally, I believe that the street classes should at least resemble what we actually see on the street, and walled off vans simply isn't a part of that.

I hope that all of you can understand if not appreciate my reasoning behind these views.

[ 02-01-2004, 08:11 PM: Message edited by: Chris Dilbeck ]

Posts: 279 | From: GA | Registered: Nov 2003  |  IP: Logged |