Double up Races
 

With the high car counts in St Louis is it a sign we would like more double races. With fuel prices rising again and no end in sight I certainly would like to see more races that are double's. What do you racers think. BP

Re: Double up Races
 

We like the double races and will try to attend more.

Re: Double up Races
 

They really help our budget and time off problems!

Re: Double up Races
 

They work for me!

Re: Double up Races
 

We like the double headers, also helps with the attendance at some of the more remote tracks like Acton.

Re: Double up Races
 

Whether you are talking Divisional races or Association combo races good deal. Best bang for the buck, one tow and two races. What's not to like.

Re: Double up Races
 

NHRA are you listening to the people !!!!

Re: Double up Races
 

Double up races have their place but I would not want all of them to be double. Some of us still have to work for a living and taking more days off of work to get there on Wednesday can be an issue at times. Plus if you have a problem with the race car or the tow rig you miss 2 races. Here in D2 we have a regular divisional and the an open on Sunday most every race. That’s a real nice deal here.

Re: Double up Races
 

I bet if you look back at comments when IHRA started doing that, most probably thought it was a bad idea. If you break, you may lose out on runnung two races, have to make changes to your car to run different class the second race if you don't like where you qualified, may have to run the same people two days in a row, etc.

Re: Double up Races
 

Chris, I don't understand your comments. What class does your car run?

J.R.

Re: Double up Races
 

Love the doubles !!!

Re: Double up Races
 

I think the post speaks for itself. IHRA did doubles on its Pro-Am tour for several years for divisionals.
I believe they started around 2007 or 2008 when fuel prices were high then. All I was saying was that alot of regular nhra stock/super stock racers at that time didn't seem to be too keen on that when IHRA started it as nhra kept singles. Now it seems as if more nhra racers are finally coming to the realization it's a pretty good idea.
Not that it should matter, but I raced in IHRA stock for many years.

Re: Double up Races
 

Barry it makes sense to run a double but have been told
It’s too much work for Division 1 workers
Will not happen over here

Re: Double up Races
 

In most cases, it's not "too much work" for our Div.1 workers. It's too much time to take off from their real jobs.

Re: Double up Races
 

Considering our ever diminishing tracks here in D4. We may have our first triple!

Re: Double up Races
 

St Louis had a lot going for it this past weekend

Great weather forecast

Central location

Virginia cancelled

National event weekend before

points implications for some

Spring and fall races are more popular

Add to that the advantages of a double and you see what happened, well over 700 entries.

My opinion is that doubles are great, scheduling and weather are keys to success

Re: Double up Races
 

The St. Louis was a huge success, however, with that may cars needed to get down the track, any kind of rain delay or other issue could have easily caused a postponement or cancellation of the second event. Applause go out to the NHRA D3 crew for a great job.

Re: Double up Races
 

When I was covering races for Drag Race Central, I remember that when the IHRA made the move there was a lot of laughter and scorn. But every double race I worked seemed to go really well.

Fuel prices and everything else back then were a lot cheaper, so maybe it was just a gimmick. Today, it seems to make total sense.

Re: Double up Races
 

Way more attractive as a racer looking to make the jump to Super Stock from bracket racing. Driving 8 hrs each way to a pts meet only possibly make 2 or 3 runs over 3 days if I lose 1st round, is a con. Same sentiment for me if I only had to drive 1 hr to the race. I want to race, not camp at a race track. Possibly the biggest hangup for me personally, on the list of pro's and con's for making the jump.

Re: Double up Races
 

I was told that 2 of the biggest problems with a double race are that with a tight schedule, there is no window for weather.
And the problem for running on Monday I was told, was that most of the division people have real jobs and have to go back to work on Monday. You can't have a race if you don't have officials. Probably work well in the west where it doesn't rain, but in div1 we have rain more often than not except for our drought we had this year.

Re: Double up Races
 

James didn't they say no way roller rockers would ever happen, let alone solid lifters for hydraulics, ect.. About the workers I get it. They need to try and hire more and I know its about money. Not that I want to see an increase in entrance fee's but I'd be willing to pay $10 more entrance fee per race on a double race weekend. I'll save a lot more on fuel than that. Duane you have to deal with weather no matter if it's one race or two. It might make it easier with two because you have more days to fit it all in. I'm sure it would increase car counts and help make it more profitable for the tracks. Maybe don't do it to all the races but at least do most of them. BP

Re: Double up Races
 

Would suspect Famosa will have a big turnout this weekend for their double. Has to be a great deal of pent up demand, especially with the Vegas and Pomona early fills. The doubles make a lot of sense with such long tows and high(er) fuel prices in the West. Was a bit surprised Woodburn didn’t get even more for their double.

Re: Double up Races
 

We haven't raced in Bakersfield for a divisional for years. I need to remember how to get there. With stock class probably Thursday my guess and the double. It should be fun. The weather looks great. Maybe a little warm at peak temps. A lot of point chases going on.

Paul Haszlauer
7019 C/SA

Re: Double up Races
 

I think Woodburn would have gotten more participation if they had announced it as a double right from the beginning. For a lot of people, we set our race/vacation schedules at the beginning of the year. After that, its hard to adjust.

Re: Double up Races
 

Barry, I'm not opposed to doubles, I'm just telling you what some of us have been told can be a problem of running doubles. Hiring more staff sounds like a great idea, but unless you hire people full time or those who are retired, Those with full time jobs may not be able to take off from their full time jobs to work extra days. I also wonder if test and tunes prior to each event would be possible for those same reasons. I dont see Div1 turning into a double divisional format, but that may be a question to whoever may be the new div director for those who want it.

Re: Double up Races
 

Double Divisionals, especially with large car counts, are difficult (almost impossible) to complete in 4-days.

As a racer, you better plan to arrive by Wednesday and be committed to stay until Monday.

If 4-day doubles become the norm, I think both races need to be one (1) qualifying run and race in order to complete the races in a reasonable timeframe.

Nick

Re: Double up Races
 

If we are going to only have one run and into eliminations, the test and
tune days will be very populated. Given that, they should be reduced
to 50.00, instead of 100.00, as we won't get many runs as a result.

J.R.

Re: Double up Races
 

I think every race should have two Qualifying runs. If you have a problem on Q1 and don’t get in the field one more chance is still available. Sunday’s St Louis race was one and done for qualifying and some good teams had a problem and did not get to race.
The only way we got to race on Sunday was to switch from Stock to Super Stock. We could not run fast enough to qualify in the top 128 in Stock.

The cool track temps in the night may have contributed to the accidents on the track that caused a stoppage of racing.

We had a good time seeing our friends and racing. Let’s do it again

Re: Double up Races
 

Barry pay more $$$. Really
Larry you want 2 Guaranteed time runs
Since you have been racing dumbo you have traction issues
Maybe it’s the car
And I want to live as a millionaire
But we live in Nhra world and there trying the best they can
Thank goodness for East Coast stock super stock that’s when I have the most fun
Racing No BS. Full pay back

Re: Double up Races
 

I like double headers. Tow once race twice.

Re: Double up Races
 

Larry,
What would be your proposed schedule for a double divisional with over 600 cars in competition? It took approximately 5-hours to run one session last weekend.

If everyone gets two (2) guaranteed time runs, then looks like we’ll need 6 days to run a double divisional.

Overall, I think the powers that be did a good job in St. Louis given all of the circumstances. The race was completed late Sunday, I’m sure many people opted to remain overnight and leave Monday as a result. Additionally, one could probably question did we run a little too late a couple of nights.

For race 2, I was hoping there would be no time trials for the super classes and that stock / ss would be random pair round 1 in order to complete the race timely and in optimal conditions.

Re: Double up Races
 

This is kind of what I was expecting as well. And for those that didn't qualify because they spun on the qualifying run,they would have spun in the first round and lost anyways.

Re: Double up Races
 

I would have been fine with that, but if that happened, I can only imagine the complaints about the little working man getting screwed again who could only attend the second "weekend" event.

Re: Double up Races
 

To clarify, I do think “new entries” (people who had not been down the track) should have gotten one (1) run. I bet there were very few that this would apply to.

The working man is really getting screwed if we need 6 days to run a double.

Re: Double up Races
 

James I think you are correct in that we have some problems with the car. Test and tune 60’s unloaded with 1.387 made a slight adjustment and went;
1.308, 1.322 in Q1,1.336 in Q2 for Stock in race one. Sunday Super Stock Q1 1.310 made a another slight change and for round 1 of Super Stock went1.267 in 60’. Round 2 no track prep after S/C and go 2.345 in 60’.

I’m optimistic I think we will get it figured out. We get a little closer each pass.

Good track prep covers up poor preparation of the car.

Re: Double up Races
 

Dumbo got hurt in round two of Super Stock. For me it would have been cost effective, if I could have paid for proper track prep in place of disassembling the engine to replace damage parts.

I really would like to take a deep breath, for I have a lot to say, but I would only be wasting my breath! On the bright side the track folks saved a few dollar$, and I will not be going to Indy for the open or Belle Rose in November for the D4 open. I wonder how much money the starting crew really saved the company?

Re: Double up Races
 

Larry,

You were one of three cars in that round that appeared to have a significant traction issue. You were in a new car in phenomenal air, and were in the middle of the round.

I've spun in big rounds and yes, it sucks, but there is no evidence to support a claim that the starting line staff was being negligent or cheap.

Re: Double up Races
 

After S/C no track prep.

Re: Double up Races
 

Larry,
What changed on your car between St. Louis and the Indy NMCA race. It appears you ran 9.528 in F/SD trim at the NMCA race; however, you went 9.76 in F/SC at St. Louis.

Is there a weight difference between the two classes?

I can’t figure out why you couldn’t qualify at St. Louis based on your performance at Indy. What is the index in F/SD in NHRA?

Re: Double up Races
 

I love doubles! For a fan and a photographer, you get so many more chances for great pics! I miss the 4 day nationals. Thursday & Friday, I got great footage and didn't have to stick around for the stuff I had zero interest in!