Rodger Brogdon has fun drag racing. But, lately, the most fun he's had is ensuring his favorite division is enjoying a resurgence. 

Brogdon has laid out plans for an even more significant investment back into the sport. It's an investment he sees paying dividends to the sportsman racer. 

Brogdon's Competition Eliminator Bonus Fund will be even more robust in 2024, with a planned $750,000 total payout, and is no longer bound by the confines of one NHRA division. This year's series will pay $250,000 to the series champion and will feature competition in three NHRA divisions outside of its home base of the South Central [Division 4].

Brogdon said one simple passion keeps him returning each year in bigger presentations. 

"It's just the love of the class," Brogdon said of the program intended to save NHRA's Competition Eliminator. "I'd love to say I've got all the support in the world, but I don't; I'm still working on that, and the guys are coming on board. I don't know if a lot of people just thought it was just a one-time thing or maybe this wouldn't last, but now a lot of them are really realizing how serious I am about this, and it's getting a lot better. We have a lot of support this year."

This season, Brogdon is not alone in his passion for supporting Competition Eliminator's rebirth, with as many as 30 companies coming aboard to share his vision of more lucrative sportsman racing. 

"I hope I can keep this growing until it gets to the point where we can get to the million-dollar mark," Brogdon said. "We're going to give away $750,000 this year; I think this is phenomenal. And people are really, really excited about it. I'm very happy."

 

CONFIRMED PAYOUT 

CHAMPION - $250,000.00
2nd - $75,000.00
3rd - $50,000.00
4th - $50,000.00
5th - $25,000.00
6th - $25,000.00
7th - $25,000.00
8th - $25,000.00
9th - $10,000.00
10th - $10,000.00

 

​

Brogdon's unselfish investment in Competition Eliminator has spurred at least two more NHRA divisions. NHRA North Central (3) and West Central (5) divisions have now started a version of the Competition Eliminator Bonus Funds of their own. 

"We started here in Division 4 because I'm always going to take care of my guys in our division first, which is only the right thing to do, but this year we're spreading out," Brogdon said. "We're going to St. Louis. We're going up to Kansas. We're going to Vegas. So we're, what's the old saying? Spreading the wealth."

One thing sportsman racers will find out is that Brogdon is intent on sharing that wealth outside of Competition Eliminator. He plans to reward winners of other Lucas Oil sportsman divisions, from Top Dragster down to Super Gas, an additional $1000 on top of their winnings from the event purse. 

"Sportsman racing is where I been 95% of my racing life, and I still have my Super Stock license that I got, that was the first license I ever got back in 1981 and I've kept it all these years, and I just love all the classes," Brogdon said. "Everybody knows that sportsman racing is the backbone of NHRA drag racing. There's no doubt about that. And I don't really think the racers are getting all the credit and accolades that they deserve.

"I'm just trying to grow it all and hopefully one day, maybe next year, that I can start doing some for each individual class a little bit more than what we're trying to do this year."

Brogdon has used his company, Rooftec, "Voted the Best Roofing Company in Texas 12 years in a row", as the backbone of his efforts. What he would like to see is a groundswell of participation from the manufacturers to support the racers who keep those businesses viable. 

Brogdon is quick to point out those who support this program can rest assured that 100 percent of their investment goes right into the racers. 

"By no means am I making any money off this; after what I'm investing this year, I'll be $2 million into this program out of my own pocket, but I just felt like they, the racers, need more money," Brogdon explained. "I remember, when I runnered up in Super Stock at the Chief Auto Parts Nationals back in 1987. As the runner-up, I got almost $10,000. If I win a Competition Eliminator race right now, I won't get near that. I'm not trying to make anybody in particular upset at me, but the racers need more money."

Speaking of support, there was a time when NHRA often shot down such thinking-out-of-the-box ideas as the one Brogdon presented. But such is not the case now. Brogdon confirmed NHRA is fully on board with what appears to be a revolution of significant proportions. 

 

​

"I have conversations with Glen Cromwell all the time, and he's really excited about what we're doing down here," Brogdon said. "And we both hope that all the other division guys can get together and start their own, which I know a couple of them have. Division 3 has something. Division 5 has a little something going on, which I'm actually going to support both of those programs IN 2024 with my company RoofTec. 

"So now it's starting to do what I wanted, but it's sort of like starting a business. It never starts off as fast and as good as you want. It's a struggle to get it going. My roofing company was the same way; I didn't make a nickel in that thing until I was in it for about five or six years."

For years, Brogdon put his money into his own drag racing enjoyment. He raced a full tour on the NHRA Pro Stock circuit until the grind inspired him to look for a return to his roots. 

"It's so much more enjoyable, and I can benefit more people; when I was racing Pro Stock, that was just making other people money because it cost me a lot of money," Brogdon explained. "Guys really don't realize how much it costs to do that on a competitive level, and it's about $40,000 a weekend if you do it right. And I finally realized that I wasn't having $40,000 worth of fun each weekend, and that was my own money again that I was spending. So I figured I wanted to do something more fun, and that's why I went back to Competition Eliminator racing. 

"And then I started coming up with ideas of trying how to boost the class and getting more people involved."

What really lights Brogdon's fire is seeing the impact it has on those not currently in the Competition Eliminator scene. 

"I have no way of really knowing, but we have at least eight or ten guys that have never raced Competition Eliminator before coming to run in our program this year," Brogdon confirmed. "They have either bought a car, built a car, or converted a car to race in our program this year. And plus, we're going to have a lot more people, a lot more racers from other divisions, more than we've ever had before. So, especially by expanding the program out of Division 4 some, I'm trying to spread it out and draw guys from different areas of the country. 

"This year, we're going to pay $250,000 to win this program, not counting the Indy Shootout for $50,000 and the Las Vegas. I mean, the Indy Clash for $50,000. The Las Vegas shootout for $75,000. So it's growing. It's like anything; it's just not quick enough, but it's very rewarding to me."

Understandably, Brogdon gets the lion's share of credit and recognition, but he's quick to point out. He's not seeking attention or hero status. Brogdon wants to see sportsman drag racing thrive. 

Some people talk about it. He does it. 

"I really don't even expect attaboys and pats on the back," Brogdon said. "You like them, but I don't expect them. And as far as being a hero for doing it, NO! I just stepped up and did something that I thought needed to be done, and it's really starting to do pretty darn good. I'm excited about it."

 

10 Events for the 2024 Comp Eliminator Bonus Fund

Belle Rose Sports Nationals
March 14th - 17th

 

Noble OK Divisional
April 19th - 21st

 

Dallas (Ennis) Double Divisional
May 16th - 19th

 

Kansas City Double Divisional
June 13th - 16th

 

US Nationals
Aug 28th - Sept 2nd

 

St. Louis National
Sept 27th - 29th

(1.5Points)

 

Pine Valley Divisional
Oct 18th - 20th

 

Las Vegas Nationals
Oct 31st - Nov 3rd
(1.5Points)

 

Count best 7 out of 10. To be eligible you must compete (attempt to qualify) in at least 7 of the events.