IHRA Expands Sportsman Spectacular to 3 weekends in 2012
 

http://www.ihra.com/News/2011/11/15/1/

Looks like San Antonio, Memphis and MIR for 2012

Re: IHRA Expands Sportsman Spectacular to 3 weekends in 2012
 

Not a very good idea in my opinion, most of the division 4 car counts have been low around 20 stockers and 6-10 super stockers. Maybe it will work out for them, time will tell. Hopefully racers in that area will support it, I personally enjoyed the format and think some more would too if they give it a shot. I just believe IHRA would have been better suited to have another one closer to their base area say Pittsburgh. Time will tell.

Re: IHRA Expands Sportsman Spectacular to 3 weekends in 2012
 

I agree 150%.
Pittsburgh
Baton Rouge in the spring
Darlington or Rockingham
All of these are much better choices just because of rheir history with large car counts at Divisional races.

I think memorial day weekend was not a good idea either.
Chip Johnson

Re: IHRA Expands Sportsman Spectacular to 3 weekends in 2012
 

Finally we get some of these great races closer. Nice job.

Re: IHRA Expands Sportsman Spectacular to 3 weekends in 2012
 

Darlington would be an excellent choice and only 3 hours from my house, and alot closer to yours huh? I still don't understand it the more I think about it they had horrible car counts at the Nitro Jam there.

Re: IHRA Expands Sportsman Spectacular to 3 weekends in 2012
 

It would be great to have one a little closer to division 3. I think Pittsburgh is the obvious choice. I went to Budds Creek last year and really liked the format. With the races getting farther away for this season, I doubt you'll see me at one. Be nice to have one here in Ohio if there were any tracks left!

Re: IHRA Expands Sportsman Spectacular to 3 weekends in 2012
 

How much further is Maryland International Raceway than Budds Creek? ;) :p :rolleyes: LOL

Memphis is only 30 min or so further for you than Budds Creek. Couple it with the free entry $10K to win Tournament of Champions, and it looks like a pretty worthwhile trip.

But hey, maybe people don't know about it. DragRacingOnline's Jeff Burk has this epiphany: "What took them so long? The IHRA has just announced a three-race series for sportsman racers that will pay seven Sportsman classes $5,000 to win and is open to every racer that has either an IHRA or an NHRA license. What a great decision on someone’s part at Feld or IHRA! They may have been allowing any racer with a license from either sanctioning body to race, but this is the first I’ve heard of it. Then again the IHRA has always been a little more Sportsman friendly than the NHRA and this decision proves that. " ...despite the reposted announcement on DRO's own site about the races which begins "After a successful debut in 2011..." 'course, this is coming from the same guy that brought us another epiphany in the same editorial: "Are any of the ETs that are recorded for professional classes (Pro Stock Motorcycle excepted) at NHRA events for the actual track distance distance of 1,000 feet or 1320 feet? The answer is no! I was watching the slo-motion camera of the finish line during the big broadcast of theNHRA World Finals and suddenly it hit me. None of the Funny Cars, Pro Stock Cars, Pro Mod, or Top Fuel cars actually receive an ET for the full distance. All of those classes of cars stage with the front tires and then break the timing beam with the bumper or front wing. So the Pro Stock, Pro Mod, and nitro cars are actually racing about 996 or 1316 feet." Nooooo..... really? I just read captions in another magazine referring to GT/GTHA. I'm not sure what class that is.

Sorry this post is all over the map. Just venting.

Sucks that I can't make the one at Budds Creek next year. Same weekend as the World Footbrake Challenge. Can't pass up three $10K's and a $5K! I've been to San Antonio a few times, but we typically have some really good races around here on Memorial Weekend. I don't know what big races are typically done out west on that weekend... with no NHRA/IHRA conflicts, San Antonio *could* be a lot better than you think. Memphis: I'm all in, and looking forward to it. I've been past it a couple times, but have never had the chance to race there.

Re: IHRA Expands Sportsman Spectacular to 3 weekends in 2012
 

I don't know why there weren't more NHRA racers at the big IHRA races last year. For me it was just a little too far. Memphis is a different story and should be a heavily attended race. One thing that bothers me and I think it bothers a lot of stock and super stock racers are the buy backs. I truly believe that the track and IHRA will take in more money by not having them in the form of increased participation. Also class races with trophies or even plaques and some contingency would definitely help with the turnout.

Re: IHRA Expands Sportsman Spectacular to 3 weekends in 2012
 

The $700 it cost me to get there and back is what will keep me away this year. I'm sure it will only cost more this time around. Nothing agaist the race, I loved it . Gotta pay if you wanna play, I just don't wanna play with Mastercard!

Re: IHRA Expands Sportsman Spectacular to 3 weekends in 2012
 

It was brought up in the forums when the Sportsman Spectaculars were originally discussed - to consider having buybacks only if there are less than X amount of cars. IHRA didn't know what to expect from the new format, but the tracks needed some sort of guarantee towards the bottom line. Now that they have a better idea of what to expect and have been recieving feedback, perhaps they can compromise by taking a step towards the possiblity of having buybacks ONLY if the turnout is less than anticipated. If racers compromise in return and take a chance on having enough show up, perhaps buybacks can eventually be eliminated alltogether. A little "give" on both sides and the racers can promote that fact to get more of their friends to attend.

Re: IHRA Expands Sportsman Spectacular to 3 weekends in 2012
 

I'm with you on this, and I'm also excited to look on IHRA's news feed for the announcement that IHRA is creating a Division 7 of their own. Racer feedback will be key on expanding this to stretch out to include us too (given that it's mainly going to focus on the Summit ET Super Series type of layout for starters), but I think this is awesome for those of us looking forward to an alternative venue for our racing dollars!

At this years Nitro Jam race in San Antonio, it was a class race for us Stock racers, and I did get a plaque for my class win (as did all others who attended, since not one of us had a similarly classed car)...just in case anyone scoffs at only getting plaques for a class win, let me remind you of this years less than heartwarming (for individual class cars) format from the Glendora based association (not to mention the nearly non-existent class postings compared to years/decades past)!

I'm glad that one of those Sportsman Spectacular races is closer to us western area racers (it may be 900+ miles away, but for a chance at $5,000 bucks with only a $200 dollar entry, I'm planning for it)!!! Furthermore, Rocky Mountain Raceway will be holding a regular Nitro Jam national event next year, which means NO COMBO RACE THIS TIME, IT'S A REGULAR NATIONAL EVENT FOR 2012!!!

With the Div. 7 NHRA schedule being as it is for us Arizona based sportsman racers next year, I'm glad that a new Div 7 (IHRA), is being created, with future alternatives for those of us who aren't solely fixated on supporting the enhanced Glendora bunch(ONLY), once we get a lucrative option for our racing dollars. I'm looking forward to it, and the new possibilities this will create for us southwestern sportsman racers!

As for the Memorial Day weekend racing, per this years Lucas Oil Divisional schedule, only the Div. 4 race in Belle Rose, was on Memorial Day weekend (remotely close to San Antonio, that is), so it would open the door for southern & western D5 racers, as well as south/east D7 racers, plus any western D4 racers who may not be able to make the tow to La.? By the sounds of the track out there with Pat Joffrion in charge, if I lived in that part of the country, I'd be going to Belle Rose. However, we don't have people like Pat out here in our D7 Az. base (who do for us racers what he's done there), so I'll be going back to the site of "THE ALAMO", to support this race...especially with that kind of money up for grabs! It may be a bit hot there in San Antonio that time of year, but since IHRA left our indexes alone, I'll be competitive even in the summer-like Texas heat!