Re: IHRA Ends Stock & Super Stock Racing
 

Sad day yes but not a surprise. Enough people just didn't support it. Our sport is changing just like everything always does. I'm looking forward to see what next year brings!

Re: IHRA Ends Stock & Super Stock Racing
 

Eric,
I hope all the series grow and not just myself. The problem that I find is that people don't really care about the $$$. I know that sounds really stupid but, it really is true. That Wally, Ironman, .90 Trophy, Etc. means more to some people then any cash. Unfortunately, a lot of racers are very old school and remember getting $15-20K in contingency payout and you didn't have to pull teeth to get and they still believe they will get that when they win an event in 2017. Little do they know that they will get 1/2 of that and have to prove their first born child's blood type to get paid. Hopefully we'll see you at some races next year Eric.

Rob

Re: IHRA Ends Stock & Super Stock Racing
 

I have been following this thread the last couple of days and like many of you am sorry to see any sanctioning body make a move that leaves racers wondering what to do next year with their investment in a race car. As many of you know The National Muscle Car Association (NMCA) took the plunge this season with our Stock/Super Stock Combo (S-3) eliminator and as the season came to an end just a few weeks ago in Lucas Oil Raceway, Indy we crowned our first S-3 National Champion Ricky Pennington who will receive his Victor National Champions Trophy and Nitto Champions Ring at the PRI Show later this year. NMCA is very excited about the future of S-3 and hoping we can provide a quality environment for all of you wishing to participate in this series. We do understand that we cannot be all for all but will try our hardest to give you a fun exciting place to race. For us as we do every year we ask for the participation of all competitors to provide input into the following years rules process; we review every written request and discuss each one during the rules making process. So here is your opportunity to be a part of that process in developing next years S-3 program that will best suit the majority of competitors. It's a clean sheet of paper-- everyone lets start writing. You can send you ideas and input to: nmcarules@promediapub.com this will reach all of the general rules committe members.

Our complete rule book is available at NMCAdigital.com

NMCA believes S-3 has a wonderful future in the NMCA series and we look forward to seeing many of you next season.

Thanks,
Gene R. Bergstrom
Director of Operations
NMCA / NMRA

Re: IHRA Ends Stock & Super Stock Racing
 

Great post Gene, every racer should give the NMCA a chance to see what it is like. I raced all 6 races and have nothing but praise for the NMCA. It may be impossible to make 100% of the racers happy but you guys listen and do all you can for us. To the racers sitting on the fence, you have nothing to lose by coming to a race and everything to gain. Hope to see an even bigger turnout next year!

Dennis Breeden

Re: IHRA Ends Stock & Super Stock Racing
 

Unfortunately NMCA will not get Division 1 racers, unless they can have races closer. They have 2 Division 2 races and 4 Division 3 races.

Re: IHRA Ends Stock & Super Stock Racing
 

And now the coffin is closed and nailed shut!

http://www.ihra.com/ihra-news/all-ne...racing-program

No matter how or why it happened, it is still a sad day for Class Racers everywhere.

Re: IHRA Ends Stock & Super Stock Racing
 

It says it will be "moving to a bracket racing format for the first time in 2018".But didn't Billy Meyer try that back in the 80s?

Re: IHRA Ends Stock & Super Stock Racing
 

Yes he did. And it was a "flop".

Re: IHRA Ends Stock & Super Stock Racing
 

Come and join the fun....NMCA runs a great program with good payouts and great customer service. Here is there 2018 dates,

March 8-11, 2018
16th ANNUAL NMCA MUSCLE CAR MAYHEM • Bradenton Motorsports Park, Bradenton, FL

April 5-8, 2018
10th ANNUAL NMRA/NMCA ALL-STAR NATIONALS • Atlanta Dragway, Commerce GA

May 17-20, 2018
17th ANNUAL NMCA BLUEGRASS NATIONALS • Beech Bend Raceway, Bowling Green, KY

July 26-29, 2018
13th ANNUAL NMRA/NMCA SUPER BOWL OF STREET-LEGAL DRAG RACING • Route 66 Raceway, Joliet, IL

August 23-26, 2018
17th ANNUAL NMCA ALL-AMERICAN NATIONALS • Summit Motorsports Park, Norwalk, OH

September 20-23, 2018
17th ANNUAL NMCA WORLD STREET FINALS • Lucas Oil Raceway, Indianapolis, IN

Re: IHRA Ends Stock & Super Stock Racing
 

WOW I am devastated this happened.
Worked hard supporting Pure Stock, little bit with CM.
Think NHRA would be wise to pick up these classes for future of Stock racing.

Here is what I can still do...!
Would like to remain a PS Contingency Sponsor with the Independent S/SS Series.

If interested email me at danfahey@dansources.com

Have emailed NMCA to see if they are interested.

NMCA looks like a resource to help ALL the Independent race series.
Hope there Is a collaboration..be a good mix.
They have excellent marketing which attracts fan base.
Current Independent Series have technical resources to manage races.

Maybe a Class Nationals type race again.
Much like the Class Nationals that Mike Beard put on.
Except with a lot more help, advertising, social media to draw attendance.

IHRA upper management missed a lot of opportunities.
Simple things that could have made a difference.
Scheduling races on weekends where NHRA was not racing.
Aggressive advertising and social media.
Schedule race dates several years in advance.


WOW !!
Peace !

D

Re: IHRA Ends Stock & Super Stock Racing
 

Rob...you will see me. Got nothing else to do lol. ..and I don't mind the ride.

Re: IHRA Ends Stock & Super Stock Racing
 

Two things Gene. 1.) I wrote you last year and offered help with your organization of the S/SS format. Never got a response. As I am the President of the SSSSA I would have thought you would want some input. Guess not. When you state that you want input and "please give me input", you really should mean it. At least you could have said "no thanks".
2.) Not sure what the thinking is to place a race 100 miles from an NHRA race on the same weekend, not just once but I see you're doing again this year. You know the definition of insanity don't you?
I ceratinly have nothing against the NMCA for sure! We (SSSSA) have been including your cars in our races for over 6 years. We were the first to do that as well as welcome all IHRA classes. I would certainly attend your race in Bradenton if it wasn't on top of an NHRA points race! I don't understand why you did this ....AGAIN! You waht to double of triple your car count? Change the date! I learned very early that you never try to compete with the NHRA races. Jim


..

Re: IHRA Ends Stock & Super Stock Racing
 

We did the NMCA at Norwalk, and had a good time, we will do it again.

Re: IHRA Ends Stock & Super Stock Racing
 

"The new Summit Sportsman Spectacular bracket events will be targeted to Top, Mod and Junior racers looking for a value-oriented and fun double-race weekend. The series will work in conjunction with the Summit SuperSeries to provide tens of thousands of grassroots bracket racers new opportunities and events that are designed to provide maximum value for the participants.*"
Summit looking out for their customers...

Mike A114

Re: IHRA Ends Stock & Super Stock Racing
 

"The major change in the IHRA lineup will be the switch from the class racing-based Summit Sportsman National Championship series to the newly-created Summit Sportsman Spectacular. The new bracket racing-based program consists of 20 races over ten weekends. Summit Racing Equipment will support the program through a new multi-year sponsorship."

That's it? No "Thanks to all our loyal S/SS racers and we appreciate you"? Wow. I am really disappointed in Jim Dunn. Not surprised though I guess. Jim

.

Re: IHRA Ends Stock & Super Stock Racing
 

Would love to try your venue but you offer no races in Division 4 i.e. Houston, Dallas, Belle Rose etc.

Re: IHRA Ends Stock & Super Stock Racing
 

The first IHRA race I ever competed at was in 1981 at Lancaster Dragway and I think I've been a supporting member every year to this day. This season I raced at Empire, ran at Grand Bend and even drove all Friday night from the Chicago Nat's to make the double in Pittsburg. Many great times and somewhat successful as well. Very sad day for all class racers. Reminds me all too well the day a letter came to say there would no longer be Modified Elim. Felt like Bader kicked me out of the family.

Re: IHRA Ends Stock & Super Stock Racing
 

This is a real simple deal, which I'm sure has been discussed here MANY times.

MOST racers cannot afford a really competitive Stock/SS car. And, if they can build a car that will barely run under the index, they know that they'll lose almost every heads-up race.

On the other hand, lots of guys can build a really competitive bracket car, for a fraction of the cost of a competitive S/SS car, of similar ET.

Also, there are LOTS of places to race, and LOTS of big purse races, where they will be welcomed. According to what I've read here, many of you guys have very few places to race, without long tows, and when you get there, the entry fees are high, you are not treated very well, and you run for small purses.

So, this is really a no-brainer. Bracket racing is the only thing that has kept MOST drag strips open. So, it seems to me that you guys who wanna race only Stock & Super Stock cars, will just have to be content to race at the current venues available to you, switch to bracket racing, or quit racing.

I've raced & won both class & bracket races. I enjoyed the bracket racing much more. Without bracket racing, most all the small tracks we ran would have closed back in the late '70's. Right now, I don't have a dog in the hunt. Just offering an opinion, which is what guys do on forums. So, there's no need for any badmouthing.

Re: IHRA Ends Stock & Super Stock Racing
 

2017 IHRA participation by Class

TS 105
TD 158
SS 143
ST 185
QR 129
SR 144
HR 202
JD 166

Why couldn't they have moved the classes other than SS/S to the new 20 event local schedule? Those aren't all that hard for local tracks to tech and race and they wouldn't add that many cars. You could still have a championship with only local travel needed.

Re: IHRA Ends Stock & Super Stock Racing
 

I only knew people mostly from California - I ran AHRA because we had Irwindale, Orange County, Long beach and Bee line. I only ran stock a couple of times and never took off the bumper but I guess I did not because I had a new car ('69 Z28). I do remember a little of the snipping from NHRA guys but to tell you the truth there were not that many in So Cal. I was hitting National events in a Pro car in GT3. I do remember Sox + Martin, Rod Shop, Bill Hielscher, Golden Commandos, Wally Booth, Gary Kimble (Kimble Brothers Chevrolet), Ram Chargers, Kevin Rotty, Dick Harrel (Fred Gibb Chevrolet) - the list goes on - none of them were junk. Seems I also remember Wheatly Brothers (from upstate NY) made a movie called "Two Lane Blacktop" - oh and Granny Goose (Hiner and Miller) both of those cars were NHRA competitors - man this is dredging up some old old memories - 45 to 50 years ago. Of course most of you are to young to remember most of those guys. Thank you for stiring the embers. BTW the pay outs were the same or better than NHRA and the contingencies were just as good. It is America and everyone is entitled to their opinion.

Re: IHRA Ends Stock & Super Stock Racing
 

They do the same thing with Norwalk NMCA being against Bowling Green NHRA Div. 3 and now Indy NMCA againt Gateway NHRA Nat.'s

Re: IHRA Ends Stock & Super Stock Racing
 

Hello ALL:

Just got off the phone with Jim Campisano from NMCA.

DanSources has just become a non-automotive sponsor for Pure Stock with NMCA.

We also had a long conversation about the races, racers, public and discussed all the Independent S/SS, Comp, .90 Series listed in Class Racer could bring to NMCA.

Association Presidents the door is open.
Contact them and see what you call can work out.

Go to the NMCA "Contact Us" icon you can see all their names.
Jim was former Division 1 racer now living in Sarasota.

I like their format and rules.
Friendly like IHRA but better.

Call them and what you can work out with NMRA.

Hey Crate Motor racers the $10 Bet you cannot beat me is STILL ON !! :eek:

Dan

Re: IHRA Ends Stock & Super Stock Racing
 

Jim Tice

Re: IHRA Ends Stock & Super Stock Racing
 

Are you senior?

Ron

Re: IHRA Ends Stock & Super Stock Racing
 

People can afford to build a competitive Class car. However, they choose to spend their money on exotic motorhomes for the track.
Do you want a competitive car or do you want to live in luxury at the track?

Re: IHRA Ends Stock & Super Stock Racing
 

What world do you live in? When we ran class, to rebuild a torqueflite we went to NAPA and got a rebuild kit. Now, one has to have some 'trick' trans with 904 innards that will not last. I've got a good pal with a Stocker Ford that has more money in his heads than I have in a complete NSS 426 Hemi motor. He also has a 3K converter and some kind of trick transmission that cost thousands. At 65, I don't event WANT to get into that. Who can blame anyone for not wanting to sleep in the pickup? That may be part of the problem, why the counts are so low.

Most guys also have families, and there are other priorities in life than having a 'competitive class car'. Like bills.

You might want to think about what you say before you say it.

Re: IHRA Ends Stock & Super Stock Racing
 

Nmca looks ok but not very good for div 4 racers.

Re: IHRA Ends Stock & Super Stock Racing
 

Steve 1118, how about $5,000 + for the latest trick 727 with 904 innards? Yep they are are there.

Re: IHRA Ends Stock & Super Stock Racing
 

This is terrible news for sure. But, shame on us as a Stock/Super Stock community for not supporting IHRA. IHRA welcomed us with open arms to run double events and virtually NO ONE showed up. I went to US131, Empire and Pittsburg this summer and the car counts at these IHRA-sanctioned races were unbelievably low.
Just last week I had a lengthy conversation with Scooter Peco from IHRA and he expressed the frustration from their end with the low car counts in Stock and Super Stock, as well as the other sportsman classes. No one can expect sponsors to continue to hand over money to classes when the car counts are so low.
Twenty years ago we started the Can-Am Stock/Super Stock Association and it has continued to thrive and grow as a local series. I also raced a Great Lakes Stock/Super Stock race at Milan this year. They, too, are continuing to grow. I know other similar associations exist all over the United States and Canada.
I suggest that we build on the strength of these independent, smaller associations by bringing them loosely together under the umbrella of the IHRA or NMCA, or whatever sanctioning body can make use of this idea. This could happen by allowing each regional association to have one or two sanctioned events, using the sanctioning body's points system to accumulate points towards one national champion at the end of the season. For example, in Division 3, include two races for the Buckeye Series, two races for the GLSSSA and two for the Can-Am S/SS Series,as part of each association's regular schedule. From these races, a Division Champion could be crowned wherever the sanctioning body holds its finals.
This idea wouldn't cost a sanctioning body any major money, but would strengthen both sides of the relationship.

Doug Box

Re: IHRA Ends Stock & Super Stock Racing
 

Well said!
D

Re: IHRA Ends Stock & Super Stock Racing
 

When did this bet go into effect? ;)

Re: IHRA Ends Stock & Super Stock Racing
 

Unfortunately I can see NHRA follow in the near future, their accountants can count and NHRA bulk of members are bracket racers after all.maybe another two years before they make changes.I hope it doesn't happen but they have to do something maybe 10.5 or compacts.

Re: IHRA Ends Stock & Super Stock Racing
 

Fortunately last week during the Crate Moter conversations!

So the Crate Motor vs Pure Stocker challenge is on ?

d

Re: IHRA Ends Stock & Super Stock Racing
 

A bit more expensive than the NAPA kit, for sure. Frito, remember when you went to NAPA and bought a rebuilt starter for on them? Nobody wishes it was still 1969 any more than I do, but the fact is that it's not. Sad but true.

Re: IHRA Ends Stock & Super Stock Racing
 

Sure. Hopefully we can find a time and venue where it would be possible.

Re: IHRA Ends Stock & Super Stock Racing
 

You guys know that NHRA watches everything IHRA does and if it is successful, they adopt it. Where did Pro Mod, T/D and T/S come from? Over on the I side. So you can bet your boots that if IHRA is succesful with this move NHRA will follow. They're already screaming that they aren't making money and getting rid of tech people.

No one has mentioned the PDRA. If you look at their schedule they race on good tracks... They're racing on better tracks than IHRA has. I've had some communication with Bob Harris and he's open to the idea of running Stock and Super Stock but everyone needs to show him there is an interest and that you would support the PDRA if they will run the class. Here's his contact info. Hit him up!

PDRA Race Director
Bob Harris (919) 880-4962
E-mail: bob@pdra660.com

Re: IHRA Ends Stock & Super Stock Racing
 

PDRA are some great folks.

Re: IHRA Ends Stock & Super Stock Racing
 

Im a little lost, during the crate motor discussion, it was brought up that at IHRA races, less than 20 SS and Stockers show up at races, so though it sucks that IHRA got rid of class racing, someone said the writing was on the wall due to low car counts. In div1 NHRA divisionals, we get close to 100 Stockers, and 75 or so Super Stockers. At the Dutch Classic, we had 124 Stockers, at 170 per entry, that's over 27,000 in entries, to pay 2000 to the winner ( Gold Rush and ATI put up money also)
I'm not sure where the bean counters are gonna say thats a money loser. I dont know any bracket racer that would pay a 170.00 entry fee to win 2000.00. I'm sorry for you IHRA guys, but with the field size, and filling quotas fast at National events, no-one can say that the lack of participants will kill NHRA class racing as was said about IHRA class racing last week prior to the bad news

Re: IHRA Ends Stock & Super Stock Racing
 

Ditto! IHRA didn't quit having class racing while making money, they were looking their ***! NHRA is not going to stop having class racing as long as 100+ cars per class are showing up.

Re: IHRA Ends Stock & Super Stock Racing
 

Just for information and possible planning I used my home town of Texarkana, USA (Ar/TX) as a base of Operations to attend all 6 of the NMCA races.
Total round trip mileage = 9618
Total travel time round trip = 140 hrs and 47 min
Approx. fuel used = 962 gal
Approx. cost of fuel @ $3.00 per gal = $2886.00
Entry fees = $1,100
Expense per Month/Race $ 665.00