No Prep vs. Radial...Has everyone lost their damn mind?
/And here we go. I have seen a lot lately on the internet regarding this very topic. Not only which is better, but whether or not some forms have lost their luster or whether they are on their “last leg” so it’s time I pipe up for an unfiltered editorial regarding this.
First off, if you are a huge diehard fan of either, you may want to grab your snuggie and wrap up nice and tight for this one. Those that have been fans of our site for any amount of time know damn good and well that I will not hold back on my opinions, and this is absolutely no exception to that rule.
Let us travel back in time to a fonder day, say 2010. This is when Donald Long, known to some as Duck, really launched into the stratosphere with radial racing at South Georgia. Now that is not to say that radial racing wasn’t around long before Donald. For years and years previous to Donald’s races there was radial racing in the NMRA and FFW among other places. Donald took it from where it was and created a worldwide phenomenon of it though. It shouldn’t come as any surprise that he was able to do this though, as the way he promotes has a tendency to either be cringe-worthy or overwhelming joy.
As radial tire racing has progressed over the years, another form of drag racing came into the forefront. This time it was more street style, high horsepower, no-prep racing. Of course, there were detractors when it came to this, including myself because we have tried so hard for years to get racing off the street and on the track. The no-prep scene has been around for long before the television audience got to see it though. Promoters like Shannon Morgan were putting on no-prep races before Discovery came calling the 405.
Over the last five years or so though, it appears as though everyone has been forced to take a side on which they like. As if this is some stupid ass competition between the two. Arguing which is better, why it’s better, and even promoters going as far as to bash the other, all the while welcoming the racers that do one or the other in. Speak of that, apparently, some have forgotten that most of the biggest names in no-prep have raced class racing, and radial raced for that matter too. Ryan Martin, Big Chief, Murder Nova, Daddy Dave, Michael Henson, and many more have all found their way on to radials at some point.
With that said though, some of the fastest cars and drivers in no-prep also came from the radial and class racing side of things. Before it was the Fireball Camaro, it was Joe Copson’s Outlaw 10.5 Camaro for example. Yet all the fans and even promoters lose sight of these facts. All they see is how can they talk shit about the other side, side like a damn fool, and benefit absolutely no one. For some of us, it’s a damn joke to watch the back and forth.
The argument from one side is that all the no-prep cars do is crash. While yes, it is possible that will happen due to a lack of prep as we have seen, it is also possible for radial and big tire cars to go flying. For years, Donald Long touted his race as the home of the flying cars, such as Edwards, Mills, Ethridge, Stevie Fast, etc. It was something that the fans came to see. The giant wheelstands, the side-by-side racing, and the entertainment. Well, no shit fans are interested in no-prep, street outlaws, and NPK, it’s for the same damn reason that we as class fans go to Donald’s race, Monty’s race, Tyler’s race, Victor’s race, etc.
Fans…let’s be truthful about this, the reason that there are so many fans at an NPK race isn’t just the cars. A majority of those fans are television star fans. Guess what…there is nothing wrong with that either. For years I preached about how much I hated that shit, and the fact of the matter is that it’s great for the industry as a whole to have those people and those races. Those fans buy apparel, pay to get into the track and have a damn good time. That money gives races who play in that sandbox the opportunity to buy parts, build cars, and put on a hell of a show.
The fans that are coming to Lights Out, U.S. Street Nationals, Shakedown, OSCR, YellowBullet, etc. aren’t solely concentrated on who they are going to see that was on television either. Typically the ones I run into are diehard drag racing fans. That doesn’t mean they care more about the sport, they just view it through a different lens. They are more analytical and understand the fundamentals more than a fan who just knows the racing because of Monday night television. Both are tremendously important to our sport though.
Do you know what the Street Outlaws and No Prep drivers have over every other driver with the exception of NHRA? They are approachable, welcoming, and are great to their fans. As a matter of fact, about two weeks ago while I was at Bradenton for Snowbirds, I walked up and told Shawn Ellington aka Murder Nova that I have never seen someone better with fans, especially the kids. If class racing and class racers had that type of personality, the drag racing world would be a better place. Class racers pay attention, there is a reason that Stevie is so damn popular, and that Shawn is so damn popular…you all should take notes.
What does the future hold for all of this though? If you were to ask my opinion about radial racing, I believe that RvW is no longer the headlining class. I think classes like Pro 275 and LDR are more competitive and fun to watch from every perspective. I think until RvW dips into the 40’s it’s not as entertaining as it was when we were trying to break the 4-second barrier. The problem with radial racing at some races is the amount of downtime that goes into track prep. Instead of racing the track you are given, it has become a giant bleep swinging contest and drivers get pissed if they hit the tires, even though the driver in front of them went low for the event. Radial racing will continue to be a staple of drag racing for the foreseeable future as long as things are kept in check. With the loss of true Outlaw 10.5 and other slick tire classes, it has forced a lot of racers to either go no-prep or radial.
No prep will always be around, just like street racing has always been around. The television part of that has managed to constantly reinvent itself and find new ways to keep viewers interested and entertained. The cast of characters still has it’s core group, but there is always going to be up and comers trying to beat the best out there. As long as they continue to treat their fans to a great time and an amazing atmosphere, I don’t see that form of racing ever going away, and in my opinion, I hope it doesn’t. That certainly doesn’t mean that I like no-prep more than class racing, but it means that there is a place for all of it.
What all of this means is nothing if you are so stupid that you think you are forced to pick a side and roll with it. Drag racing is drag racing. Doesn’t matter to me if it’s Junior Dragsters, No-Prep, Radial, Pro Mod, or Nitro cars. Doesn’t matter if it is done with a Mustang, Camaro, truck, or even import. So all of you that want to look like absolute morons and take sides, talk shit and be ignorant, go right ahead and do so. Just know that you aren’t a fan of drag racing, and you look like a fool in the process. I would rather more people open their eyes like I did and see the importance of all of it, versus having someone tell me that I have to pick a side like I am some sheeple. Not every form of drag racing is for everyone, but you can bet your ass that all of drag racing is for everyone, and if people keep acting like spoiled little brats, you screw it up for people. Grow the hell up and give it a chance, no matter which side of the line you fall behind.