NHRA Has a new President
 

Announced at SEMA today:

Glenn Cromwell takes over at President of NHRA as Peter Clifford moves over to the role of CEO.

Re: NHRA Has a new President
 

who?

Re: NHRA Has a new President
 

According to his Linked In Profile he's been Vice President of National Event Sales and Marketing for NHRA for over 20+ years.

Re: NHRA Has a new President
 

Has he ever owned a car or had a drivers license?

Re: NHRA Has a new President
 

Billy, Billy, Billy, not with the details so soon.

Re: NHRA Has a new President
 

Well in the last 20 years it seems that there has been a "downward" trend in manufacturer participation as well as racer participation not to even mention audience attendance at almost every level. Maybe the Peter Principle is taking effect here and the new marketing person will continue to have the same as results Mr Cromwell has had. IMHO !!!!! FED 387

Re: NHRA Has a new President
 

I've seen him behind the scenes and I can tell ya he's a hard worker. Fingers crossed. Good luck to us all.

Re: NHRA Has a new President
 

Great just what we need another accountant type in charge. My question would be how many passes down the strip has he made? How many Divisionals has he entered? Lets hope he can see more that just the numbers.

Re: NHRA Has a new President
 

Has NHRA turned into a big money pit?? How can a new member into the ranks start with the cost of this sport? Is it reserved for the Elite / Wealthy? Help me understand this. :confused:

Re: NHRA Has a new President
 

It sounds like you understand it perfectly!

Re: NHRA Has a new President
 

I don't mean this question in a snotty way, but what does a CEO of a company like NHRA actually do that it's President couldn't do? It sounds like another layer of management that isn't necessary to me.

Re: NHRA Has a new President
 

BINGO !!! Nailed it !!!

Re: NHRA Has a new President
 

Probably should keep this in the .90 area where I belong but, since I'm not shy.....


What!? Another non-racer? For Pete's sake isn't there a racer that could do that job? It just seems odd to me that for all the racers we have in this sport that none of them have the same expertise and background this feller has. Or is this just the buddy system at work?


Granted the guy just promoted has 20 years with NHRA but, what buddy off the street is going to fill the position he just left?

Re: NHRA Has a new President
 

Most companies looking for. New President would do a real search both internal and external for the most qualified individual. I hope this guy does a good job and helps the sport but first impression is just shuffling the chairs in Glendora.

Re: NHRA Has a new President
 

Hopefully he has marketing skills. A campaign that moves right into "Make NHRA Great Again" . MB

Re: NHRA Has a new President
 

Before he started at NHRA 20 years and 8 months ago, he was doing marketing for FELD Entertainment, does that ring a bell to any one? Think about it and then think IHRA I believe ..... LOL

Re: NHRA Has a new President
 

"According to his Linked In Profile he's been Vice President of National Event Sales and Marketing for NHRA for over 20+ years."BKSG1198


Hope he has been saving some for his new gig:)
Mike A114

Re: NHRA Has a new President
 

I believe President *is* a marketing position. Bill Bader, Sr. and Bill Bader, Jr. prove that.

That being said, if this guy's already been in NHRA marketing for 20+ years, what's going to change?

Re: NHRA Has a new President
 

Clifford has accomplished nothing of note and is promoted to CEO, and Cromwell is promoted to President because his marketing acumen has done what for "event sales"?

Someone please enlighten me.

Re: NHRA Has a new President
 

Maybe he will bring back Crate Motor and Pure Stock :D

D

Re: NHRA Has a new President
 

From press release:

"Glen began his career with NHRA as a division director, and was hands-on in running NHRA’s grassroots racing series in the southwestern United States and Hawaii."

Doesn't anyone remember him in this role?

Bill

Re: NHRA Has a new President
 

I have used that term for years.....The Peter Principle.....True....

Now a President and a CEO....Great.....2 big salaries and golden parachutes instead of just one.

Hard to see this in a positive view considering the past few years.

I'd be happy if I was wrong....

Re: NHRA Has a new President
 

Our Division 2 director Rich Schaefer speaks very highly of him so with my experience with Rich, all of which has been positive, I will give the man a chance. On the other hand I don't see what choice we have......

Re: NHRA Has a new President
 

Division 7?

Re: NHRA Has a new President
 

Glen is a good man. As a former division director, he has a better understanding of NHRA Sportsman Racing than most at the executive level. He is the type of NHRA executive that would walk the staging lanes and talk to racers. Listening to racers issues is an important element and I think you will see that with Glen.

Re: NHRA Has a new President
 

I will point out one thing Len, you were the only NHRA guy who reads and comments on this site. I wish you were still at NHRA, I at least felt like you were paying attention to us. Can't say that I got that feeling from anyone else since.

Jim Caughlin
SS 6019

Re: NHRA Has a new President
 

Jim, I am not sure the part about NHRA not looking at this site is true. While its very seldom that anyone responds, I think they do look at it.

My $.02.

Bill

Re: NHRA Has a new President
 

I should add that the NHRA working staff was super helpful and co-operative at the 2 National events I raced at this year. Could not ask for more from them for parking and credentials. The process was very fast and efficient.

I had zero problems really and for me the issues are cost vs potential rewards but at the age I am at like many I am real happy just to be able to participate when I can.

I think NHRA needs to focus on the sponsors that left and make it more attractive for them to return. Sportsman sponsors.....and Pro Sponsors....

Re: NHRA Has a new President
 

I think Rich Shaffer is the worst div 2 director we have had so far. Division 2 is all but dead. The car counts are down to a level we haven't seen before. We have no National opens or sports national type events in div 2. Now the LODRS events are down to a 2 day race. The 3 day events we used to get 3 Q runs on Friday and 2 on Saturday. Then possibly a first round on Saturday afternoon. We will still have to take a day off work. I would rather have the race Saturday and Sunday and not have to burn a vacation day on Friday.

Re: NHRA Has a new President
 

I agree with you on the events going to Friday Saturday races...at least we could come up Saturday and get a few shots in and be ready for eliminations on sunday...now it's gonna be really hard to non existent to run the fri-saturday race with work schedule...it also doesn't hurt to lose atlanta which is 3 hours away....all of these tracks in GA, AL, MS and TN, and not any divisional races....

Re: NHRA Has a new President
 

Mike I don't think we can blame car counts on Rich. I admit I'm not crazy about the Friday-Saturday deal but it does allow Sunday for a makeup day in case of inclement weather or if the schedule runs long. It would be nice to have some Open races for sure but I don't have any answers to why we don't, maybe a lack of funding or sponsorship. Just my opinion but my limited dealings with Rich and his staff have all been pleasant.

Re: NHRA Has a new President
 

I think you guys run into the same thing we do up here in D1 and that is distance for the car counts. We get great car counts at Maple, Atco, E-town & Cecil but, it's lackluster at places like VMP, Epping & LVD because the base of the cars are in the tri-state area of NJ, DE, MD, PA & Lower NY. So someone down in Florida isn't going to drive to Rockingham or Galot if he's doing horrible in points. I think with the influx of tracks now in the Virginia, NC area they could almost form their own Division (Galot, Rock, VMP, Z-Max, Bristol and any other IHRA tracks that might jump ship) and then have (Orlando, G-Ville, SGMP, Atlanta, Silver Dollar). Maybe with IHRA doing away with sportsman we might see an influx in car counts....I know my phone has been ringing off the hook for my association from .90 racers up in this area.

Re: NHRA Has a new President
 

Obviously you don't care for Mr. Shaefer, but to say he is the WORST D 2 division director is stretching it. How could you forget Bill Holt ? GEEZ.....D 2 only has one problem ....there just aren't that many racers there...The only large fields they have are when the snowbirds would come down from the cold weather....and the 2018 schedule sure took care of that.....

Re: NHRA Has a new President
 

Actually I don't have any issue with Rich personally. The div 2 staff are as good of people as you would want to meet. I just don't think he has done anything to improve the division since he has been there. The director is in charge of the division and figuring a way to grow the sport. The car counts are down across the board in all classes not just stock and SS and I will bet there is more racers in Florida than just about anywhere in the country. He does not seem to think out side of the box to improve things for the racers in his division. The div 2 schedule next year is a bit better for the racers in the home division but the track operators won't be happy loosing the "snowbird racers" at the events after the gators. The races are a bit more spread out which helps with spreading the cost. The last few years our season was all but done by the end of march. I don't know if the Gallot race will be 1/8 or 1/4 mile but I do plan to go. I did travel from Tampa to the Rock last weekend. That is a good facility and is one of my favorites right now.

Re: NHRA Has a new President
 

Brian Lohnes has had a lot of good things to say about Mr. Cromwell and I respect Brian a lot. Given Brian's position I would not expect him to criticized the decision but I think he would have kept his mouth shut if he did not think he was a good guy.

That being said I don't expect any huge changes but hope for continued TV rating and track attendance increases.

Bill

Re: NHRA Has a new President
 

You hit the nail on the head, right there.

It was Holt who did massive damage to Division 2, that it is struggling to recover from. Holt wrecked Division 2 for years, to the point where it is near impossible in today's climate for it to recover. Honestly, Division 2 under Holt was a concentration and exaggeration of everything wrong with drag racing in the last 3 decades.

Re: NHRA Has a new President
 

Unfortunately Rob I don't see the demise of IHRA helping the Stock or SS counts down here that much. The .90 classes may benefit somewhat but there were alot of guys running CM cars down here. Unless they take the plunge to get them back to traditional stockers I think most will bracket race or run CCRA.
I joke with my D1 buddies all the time, y'all complain about traveling to the "long haul" races they should spend a year down here! For me Orlando(12 hrs) Gainesville(10) SGMP(10) Silver Dollar(9) Bristol(7) Atlanta(8) Charlotte(4.5) Rockingham(4) Galot(1 45).
Come get some of that lol!

Re: NHRA Has a new President
 

I've had the opportunity to work with Glenn Cromwell in the past, and have found him to be most professional and above board. I, for one congratulate NHRA on this appointment, and remain optimistic for the future.

Re: NHRA Has a new President
 

IHRA dropping Class Racing was a punch in the stomach.

Yet NHRA needs us Class Racers not the other way around.
Huge business and marketing opportunity here.
Adopting IHRA cars will improve falling car counts.
Nothing to invent as the Rules are already written.

If NHRA adds the IHRA cars I expect the Indexes to drop 3 tenths.
I am fine with that. Upgrades are doable to find them.

Talking to PS, GT and CM racers this weekend.
Not hearing many rushing to convert to NHRA.

NHRA hope you are reading this..!
Already approached you about being a Contingency Sponsor.

Re: NHRA Has a new President
 

Dan you obviously don't look at DRC, 126 stockers at Vegas division race this weekend. If these guys don't covert to traditional stockers they can run association races but NHRA will never adopt these classes.