Imagine for a moment, you traveled to your local gas station and realized from the time you left home the price of a gallon of gasoline had increased from $4 per gallon to $8. Imagine the reality you'd face at the time. This fictional scenario bears a striking resemblance to another situation developing in the high-stakes world of nitro drag racing in the NHRA.

Last week, the official fuel supplier to the NHRA raised the cost of a 42-gallon barrel drum $300 to $1,250. This time last year a racer could purchase a 55-gallon drum of nitro for $850. The price rose to $950 at the U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis. New regulations for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has mandated new regulations limiting the amount of nitromethane capable of being stored in each pit area to under 400 pounds.

How does this affect the teams? The real affect is in the bottom line where many teams are struggling to maintain their existence. 

At least one driver said his limited schedule will be further limited because of this surprise increase. Unsponsored Funny car veteran Jim Head pointed out this decision will cost him three races he’d planned to attend.

Imagine for a moment, you traveled to your local gas station and realized from the time you left home the price of a gallon of gasoline had increased from $4 per gallon to $8. Imagine the reality you'd face at the time. This fictional scenario bears a striking resemblance to another situation developing in the high-stakes world of nitro drag racing in the NHRA.

Last week, the official fuel supplier to the NHRA raised the cost of a 42-gallon barrel drum $300 to $1,250. This time last year a racer could purchase a 55-gallon drum of nitro for $850. The price rose to $950 at the U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis. New regulations for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has mandated new regulations limiting the amount of nitromethane capable of being stored in each pit area to under 400 pounds.

How does this affect the teams? The real affect is in the bottom line where many teams are struggling to maintain their existence. 

At least one driver said his limited schedule will be further limited because of this surprise increase. Unsponsored Funny car veteran Jim Head pointed out this decision will cost him three races he’d planned to attend.

“I wasn’t planning to run 24 races, so I am not going to tell you that nitro caused it,” Head said. “There are a few races less I can run now.”

For Head, the associated cost relating to a near $20 increase per gallon to $31.25 hits hard.

“I’m a contractor so everything is math,” Head added. “I’m looking at spend an additional $51,000. How does that affect me? You figure it out.”

Recent NHRA Gatornationals finalist Gary Densham, a racer of limited financial resources, conveyed to the capacity crowd in Gainesville, Florida, had he have known of the increase before he got to the the track, he'd stayed home. The official supplier distributed a letter to the racers days before the event.

“If I would have known the price of nitro was going up like it was this weekend that would have been the straw that broke the camel’s back. We wouldn’t have been there,” said Densham. "We are already a team with limited funds. We had already debated coming because of the diesel prices. If I would have known the price increase was coming – I might have stayed at home.”

Several teams have met with the NHRA regarding the nitro pricing situation, yet nothing was resolved over the course of the weekend.

“I blame it on NHRA,” Densham said. “Any time someone gets a monopoly or an exclusive on a product, human nature pushes them to make as much money as they can. Do I believe the price increase is necessary? I don’t. But, then again, maybe there are things I just don’t understand.

‘To hit us with that large of an increase when we didn’t know it was coming, is pretty stout.”

This financial hardship when coupled with the competitive nature of the class drives a hard bargain for Densham, only one of nine racers that have qualified for all three races in 2008.

”Last year no one qualified for all the races and I’ll be surprised if someone manages to pull it off this year,” Densham said. “We’ve pruned the number down this small in three races. What do you think?”

The numbers just don’t jibe for racers like Densham and Head when they point out a qualifying berth nets only $10,000. Head contends he'll alter the way he races now.

“One of my close friends had a good idea and while I might have not looked at the feasibility of it years ago, I’m looking now,” Head said. “He suggested we stop doing water burnouts and to be honest, that’s not a bad idea now.”

A water burnout, Head revealed, burns an extra four gallons of nitro.

“That would be real good for the sport if we cut out the water burnout,” Head asks. “Back in the old days when I was developing my air clutch, we could make it leave the starting line real good. The thing was really confused in the water.”

The competition should beware. Head has 25 runs to the finish line without a water burnout.

”The real problem is how to get around the water,” Head pondered. “I don’t expect my competition to stop doing burnouts. I won’t do dry hops but I’ll blip the throttle quickly.

“That ought to be good for the fans considering how much they love the burnout. They ought to love that.”

A match race produces a different scenario for Head.

“Now when I’m getting paid for it, I’ll go all the way to the eighth-mile mark,” Head said. “When I go up to Bader’s place, I’ll show you a burnout. So you tell me, who is hurting in this instance?”