Re: IHRA Ends Stock & Super Stock Racing
 

The rumor mill statement was only in the heading for the Facebook post, I couldn't find it in the article so it was probably added for "click bait".

Re: IHRA Ends Stock & Super Stock Racing
 

IHRA racers are welcome to join us in November at Piedmont Dragway to race for $20,000 to win plus TWO $5,000 to win races. We have two events back-to-back. One is a doorcar Box race, and the other is Footbrake only.

Last year, Peter Biondo won the $20K Main Event at the doorcar race, and former crate motor Stock racer Ernie Humes won the Sunday $5K at the Footbrake race. Many Class Racers already compete at Loose Rocker events. Come join them! We'll bring the cookies. :)

Dates, details, and rules are in the Bracket Racing section here on ClassRacer at:
http://classracer.com/classforum/sho...517#post547517

https://scontent-ort2-1.xx.fbcdn.net...e4&oe=5A3E03BC
$20K winner, Peter Biondo (Anthony Bertozzi car)

https://scontent-ort2-1.xx.fbcdn.net...6b&oe=5A7E04F8
Dan Fletcher

https://scontent-ort2-1.xx.fbcdn.net...5d&oe=5A6D0E13
Travis Womble

https://scontent-ort2-1.xx.fbcdn.net...1c&oe=5A745690
Jeff Longhany

https://scontent-ort2-1.xx.fbcdn.net...1a&oe=5A86901F
Tim Sloan

https://scontent-ort2-1.xx.fbcdn.net...72&oe=5A6CF535
Tom Cable (Anthony Bertozzi car)

https://scontent-ort2-1.xx.fbcdn.net...90&oe=5A4026FA
Jeff Longhany

https://scontent-ort2-1.xx.fbcdn.net...e2&oe=5A3E4414
Kevin Locklear

https://scontent-ort2-1.xx.fbcdn.net...39&oe=5A3B2E7F
Ronnie Leonard

Re: IHRA Ends Stock & Super Stock Racing
 

Tracy, if you've gotta take a whuppin' that's the best place to take it!!!!

Re: IHRA Ends Stock & Super Stock Racing
 

Everybody going back and forth with ideas in hindsight and pointing blame all the way back to Billy Meyer 30 years ago for where IHRA is today - No one in this forum is accepting the blame themselves! I started campaigning my own Super Stocker in 2005-2006, back then there were over 900 cars entered at Indy each year (full fields with people waiting) and the IHRA Northern Nationals at 131 had over 620 race cars on the property for the event (Box/No Box bracket was part of the event that year but their field was limited to I believe it was 50 cars each). In 10 years where are all the cars and those racers, where did they go? There are still plenty of S/SS racers out there, in NHRA Div 3 you'll still today draw over 200 S/SS cars to a divisional event. So the cars are still there - in the same region if an NMCA or IHRA event only draws 20-40 total S/SS cars where were the other 150+ cars? Plenty of excuses get thrown around - Having a $100k car but can only afford to race 1 weekend a month probably isn't a valid one.... If we the racers didn't participate in IHRA or NMCA events and they go away (not saying NMCA is but 16 car fields aren't worth their effort either) it's our own damn fault.

The other key problem is the affordability of go fast technology. Back in it's prime Stock/Super Stock racing wasn't easy nor cheap in relative tearms but it was attainable and the smiles per dollar was realistic. Fast forward to today. Based on the rules having to limit their evolution so the legacy participants aren't chased away the rate at which the performance of the cars increased didn't keep up with available technology. The performance most certainly did increase and rules changes we've all beat to death have been made but not proportionate to the investment. We've seen the dime rockets but the majority of the speed junkies don't want to race a 1980 Chevy pickup or Cadillac Deville they want Mustangs, Camaros and Challengers (old or new) so now you have a $100k+ investment. Given current technology that same $100k can get you as much as a couple seconds faster than any Stocker or even most Super Stockers are capable. We know in general our sport is filled with hot rodders with penis envy - what attraction is there to build a Stock / Super Stock car today? Ricky Bobby said it - "I just wanna go fast". For me, my dad raced Super Stock and it's what I grew up wanting to do. Sadly someone who didn't grow up with that predisposition to the grandeur of what class racing used to be and what a class win meant can't appreciate the same investment and way more work to build a car that goes slower than a twin turbo combo is whatever chassis you strap it to. The travel expenses to run just the NHRA races in your division (7-8 races) plus the entry fees far exceed what most local bracket racers spend in a year to race every weekend April to Sept) and the annual maintenance of their car.. It's pretty simple economics if you don't have the specific passion to field a class car that your a fool to do it!

Re: IHRA Ends Stock & Super Stock Racing
 

I'm not sure about that. I remember going to some events when Bill Bader had it and the places were out of control they had so many cars show up.

Re: IHRA Ends Stock & Super Stock Racing
 

[quote=tim kish;547573]everybody going back and forth with ideas in hindsight and pointing blame all the way back to billy meyer 30 years ago for where ihra is today - no one in this forum is accepting the blame themselves! I started campaigning my own super stocker in 2005-2006, back then there were over 900 cars entered at indy each year (full fields with people waiting) and the ihra northern nationals at 131 had over 620 race cars on the property for the event (box/no box bracket was part of the event that year but their field was limited to i believe it was 50 cars each). In 10 years where are all the cars and those racers, where did they go? There are still plenty of s/ss racers out there, in nhra div 3 you'll still today draw over 200 s/ss cars to a divisional event. So the cars are still there - in the same region if an nmca or ihra event only draws 20-40 total s/ss cars where were the other 150+ cars? Plenty of excuses get thrown around - having a $100k car but can only afford to race 1 weekend a month probably isn't a valid one.... If we the racers didn't participate in ihra or nmca events and they go away (not saying nmca is but 16 car fields aren't worth their effort either) it's our own damn fault.

The other key problem is the affordability of go fast technology. Back in it's prime stock/super stock racing wasn't easy nor cheap in relative tearms but it was attainable and the smiles per dollar was realistic. Fast forward to today. Based on the rules having to limit their evolution so the legacy participants aren't chased away the rate at which the performance of the cars increased didn't keep up with available technology. The performance most certainly did increase and rules changes we've all beat to death have been made but not proportionate to the investment. We've seen the dime rockets but the majority of the speed junkies don't want to race a 1980 chevy pickup or cadillac deville they want mustangs, camaros and challengers (old or new) so now you have a $100k+ investment. Given current technology that same $100k can get you as much as a couple seconds faster than any stocker or even most super stockers are capable. We know in general our sport is filled with hot rodders with penis envy - what attraction is there to build a stock / super stock car today? Ricky bobby said it - "i just wanna go fast". For me, my dad raced super stock and it's what i grew up wanting to do. Sadly someone who didn't grow up with that predisposition to the grandeur of what class racing used to be and what a class win meant can't appreciate the same investment and way more work to build a car that goes slower than a twin turbo combo is whatever chassis you strap it to. The travel expenses to run just the nhra races in your division (7-8 races) plus the entry fees far exceed what most local bracket racers spend in a year to race every weekend april to sept) and the annual maintenance of their car.. It's pretty simple economics if you don't have the specific passion to field a class car that your a fool to do it![/quote


LIKE!

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Re: IHRA Ends Stock & Super Stock Racing
 

Absolutely Ron!

Re: IHRA Ends Stock & Super Stock Racing
 

Even if you haven't entered a big footbrake bracket event before, its easy to wrap your head around it, Think of it as an 'Indy'; only with Stock and SS combined into one eliminator, a higher potential payout for the same entry fee, a weekend's worth of runs compressed into a single day, minimum tech worries and all heads up runs have breakout rules enforced.Though there is the possibility of racing the same driver multiple times depending on the event setup. :(

Re: IHRA Ends Stock & Super Stock Racing
 

Why would want a breakout rule in a headsup race? It's racing!

Re: IHRA Ends Stock & Super Stock Racing
 

I'm not even sure the point of this or where you are going with it. 🙄


Look at the bright side of all of this. Now it's not a hard decision on whether to build an NHRA or IHRA class car.

Re: IHRA Ends Stock & Super Stock Racing
 

That was when I quit them for sure.

Re: IHRA Ends Stock & Super Stock Racing
 

Its just how I would try to explain a big-bucks footbrake race to an imaginary driver who's only racing experience was in SS or Stock at NHRA National Events. Its all factual.

Re: IHRA Ends Stock & Super Stock Racing
 

I see. I was talking to a good friend tonight that was at the Numidia big money race today. He lost with a .004 and .008. One of
The races he took .004 stripe. Anybody that shows up at one of those races with a stocker or super stocker racing against foot brake cars on alcohol running 9's is going to have an uphill battle. At least in the northeast. The common person that shows up
at one of those races is a donater. Better off building a stocker and running a division race or one of the many fine S/SS associations. Going from class racing to big money racing is not a comparison. 2 different type of cars for each type of racing. Take your IHRA car and convert it to NHRA or run NMCA.

Re: IHRA Ends Stock & Super Stock Racing
 

The car has little to do with it, in terms of "bracket car" vs "S/SS car". I drove my Stocker (and later as a Super Stocker) to a track championship, a Bracket Finals win (Actually, the main event plus two gamblers wins in the same week), two World Footbrake Challenge wins (The first time, I ran myself in the finals), and footbraked to a Box class win... just as a couple of examples.

A good package is a good package, and a good combination is a good combination. H*ll, I'd put my DF/S Turismo up against my Duster bracket car any day. I haven't even raced the Duster in years because the Volare was always light years better. Yes, the level of competition is very high. Step up.

Re: IHRA Ends Stock & Super Stock Racing
 

Now that IHRA has gone all bracket racing don't be surprised if NHRA is watching how that works out.

Re: IHRA Ends Stock & Super Stock Racing
 

Mike your the extra extraordinary driver. You are also a race promoter. You want and need people at your races. I would expect you to toe the company line. Most stockers and Super stockers don't repeat like today's pro footbrake cars. Some vary .02 to .04 all weekend day and night. Your class cars were more like bracket cars anyway.
Take your class car and run the big money races. Good luck and have fun. That's what it is all about.

Re: IHRA Ends Stock & Super Stock Racing
 

Does anyone have a copy of this? It seems to be taken down from the DRO site. Google does not have a cached copy of it although they do show the first two lines of it in their link to it, and I can't get it to load from the Wayback Machine.

Thanks
Doug

Re: IHRA Ends Stock & Super Stock Racing
 

They appear to have revamped their site, and the page has moved. Here's the new link:

http://www.dragracingonline.com/2017...innerview.html

Re: IHRA Ends Stock & Super Stock Racing
 

THANK-YOU Michael!

Re: IHRA Ends Stock & Super Stock Racing
 

I did email NMCA over a week ago and they responded immediately. They will be recognizing IHRA stock/super stock/pure stock indexes.


For guys like me coming from MI it is a nice opportunity as many events are close and my daughters G/PS Mustang GT stick is not in need of an update to a full NHRA stocker yet. And as she is 16, she is just getting a start and a PS car was a perfect fit, glad it is still usable as is.


GLSSA will welcome your IHRA cars still also as they too were happy to reply and keep IHRA cars alive.


Thank you NMCA and GLSSA!

Re: IHRA Ends Stock & Super Stock Racing
 

The IHRA going to a bracket race format may indeed increase car count for their events. Here is my thought. There are probably quite a few cars out there, that are good cars but, cannot run on or near 1 second under their respective index. I would think there a lot of guys that don't show up to an event that has class eliminations because they know they don't have a chance to make it past the first round running a heads up race. I think a lot of those racers pick and choose the events they have a chance of winning.

Also, todays Stockers are very sophisticated and cost a bundle of $$ to build and maintain on top of expensive entry fees. Some guys won't go to an event they don't have a chance of winning.

I can remember at the old Detroit Dragway in the 60's, the majority of class cars were daily drivers with the exception of some bolt on modifications and a set of slicks. They would have a huge car turn out.
Maybe a bracket racing format will level the playing field.

Time will tell.

Re: IHRA Ends Stock & Super Stock Racing
 

Hey Mark
Send a picture of your G/PS Mustang.
If you have a picture of all of you send that along too.
Will post in the Photo Gallery.

D