How Realistic
 

It has been announced that IHRA plans to continue there bracket program/bracket finals in 2025, with the hope of bringing Pro-Ams and Nitro Jams back in 2026. They also announced division restructuring and Next years team finals dates locations.

Does anyone really believe IHRA will bring back class racing? I am personally very hopeful. Despite never having run an IHRA pro-am event (outside of juniors), I am a huge fan of IHRA and I really wish they would bring it back. I was too young to race Super Rod but it was always my dream to compete in it. It folded up before I turned 16.

I know there will never be another hay-day like there was in the 90s and 2000s, but I think it would be so awesome to bring another real sanctioning body back to compete with NHRA at the grass roots class racing level. Give racers another alternative. At the very least, maybe it could spur NHRA into improving conditions for Sportsman Racers. Maybe it's wishful thinking, but I'd do almost anything to bring back the glory, honor, and prestige there used to be to hoist an iron man.

Re: How Realistic
 

Also, if you are willing to input some helpful ideas on how you'd bring back class racing, by all means share. I'm trying to get in touch with the new president at this time and I would love to bring racer's opinions and ideas to him.

If you brought it back, how would you do it? What would you change? What works and doesn't work from your own experience? How do you get interest from guys that have jumped ship to NHRA and how do you create new class racers from the plethora of bracket racers there are?

Re: How Realistic
 

They need to up the payouts. Of course that is hard to justify with poor car counts but, when you travel 5 or 6 hours and get beat in the 5th round and walk away with 80 bucks ...... well it's tough to take.

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I hate to say but I don't think the old Pro Ams make a return but we sure had some good times. I guess it's possible they could come back with the super classes top dragster and sportsman but I don't see where they could find the tech officials to run Stock and SS. NHRA has enough problems with having knowledgeable officials for our classes right now and they aren't getting any younger. If they wanted to try Stock and SS I would suggest whoever is in charge over there to call Dave Ley and beg him to come over and help them get it going and pay him whatever he wants if they are sincere about making a go of it.

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Well no offense, but that's the easy answer. Nobody on this forum races for the money. Don't get me wrong, winning money is great, but if that's all you cared about, you wouldn't be running STK/SS or drag racing in general. Excellence should be rewarded, and the trip needs to be justified before you go. Payouts and contingency need to be defined and sufficient, but there's an amount of prestige the iron man holds that I believe is great than 4th round loser's round money.

What kind of payout is reasonable to you? Be specific. Entry with expected car count, winner, r-up, semis, quarters, etc.

Re: How Realistic
 

If they could find a way to work with the CCRA...

Re: How Realistic
 

It won't be easy..
I don't know how or what they need to do...
most likely,I would have to pick one or the other...
stock and super stock with class and heads up
good payouts...
In my opinion maybe go for quality over quantity....
at least starting maybe less races but larger event.. it seems to me that
3-4 really good races...would be better than a dozen, not so good races..

Re: How Realistic
 

What Daren said!

Re: How Realistic
 

128 car field,$350entry($44,800.00 split half purse-half to IHRA )IRONMAN and 10K win ,5K RU, 1K semi, Quarters $750 $100per round won starting with 1st round win...

As I said to start... I don't anything about how to do it...
this is just quick math that may or may not be correct LOL

Re: How Realistic
 

I would love to see it,but some of their tracks that would bring a lot of class cars are no longer IHRA sanctioned. But if they clear those hurdles, they could have it as a stock/superstock combo until they can build the car count. Pay decent money honk outside the box and give away products for best losing package etc. They will have to build it from scratch.

Re: How Realistic
 

No, Stock and Super Stock racers do not JUST race for many, the way big money bracket racers do.


However, I come from a time when good racers could finance their racing with their winnings. That hasn't been the case in at least a decade or two. If you compare the SHRINKING purse to the escalating cost of a competitive class operation, it's literally INSULTING. Entry fees have gone up 2-3 times, plus additional costs with the sanctioning bodies, and the purse absolutely has not. Further, the sanctioning bodies drove the contingency sponsors out. I know several sponsors personally, and they way they were treated, and their money was taken, borders on criminal. When you consider the current level of spending required to take a truly competitive car racing, the potential for return on investment is absolutely a slap in the face.


It's not that Stock and Super Stock racers race for money, many know that a real win is often not likely in their future. But that fact that a big win would barely pay for the trip is just ridiculous. A racer wants to think that if he managed to actually pull it off, and that's the dream, that the payout would be at least somewhat impressive. These days, winning a national event would be like hitting the powerball and getting $10,000.

Re: How Realistic
 

I don't see any way possible for the IHRA Pro Am races to return with Super Stock and Stock as separate classes.The turnout was usually pretty poor. If they paid $100,000 to win with free entry,it would probably not bring that many more cars out.
I'm just speaking from past experience as I used to attend quite a few IHRA races years ago.They tried all kinds of innovative ideas and nothing seemed to help.

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I don't think any track owner in today's financial situation would agree to split the entry fee and run a race like that with only 22k. By the time they pay knowledgeable track officials to oversee class racing, traction compound and all the other costs associated with running an event, I think they would rather run a no.prep race or a test and tune and clear better money. Racers talked about how NMRA was so great and payouts were great for what the entry fees were and you see where that got them.
As much as people complain on how much we pay at divisionals and how little the payout is, track operators complain it almost isn't worth their time hosting the race. It's not just one track saying that, it's many tracks that say that. I am not sure IHRA is looking to host races and not make any money for the "Good of class racing"

Re: How Realistic
 

I made the disclaimer,, I don't know anything, my math could be off,just a quick rough figure... $ 22,400.00 would be from one class there are seven classes or was...to generate income from,plus series sponsors

Re: How Realistic
 

I like Mike Taylor's idea. The track makes $22400. not counting other categories being run. So track cost is spread out over all racing. Also you have to add on entry fees for crew and family plus concession on those people.Then market your product like any other business, which they don't do for divisionals. Race fan will come if they know, just don't rape them at the gate,you will more than make it at concessions.Also bring in sponsors for event to make more money. Just have to do it.

Re: How Realistic
 

Top Stock was a fan favorite. Pro ladder, quicker car had lane choice, decent money for the winner and the winner got a tear down tech inspection. It was fun until the Fast Burn crate engine was allowed and IHRA was slow to adjust to its performance.

Re: How Realistic
 

All great critiques, thanks for the input. Money talks for sure, you folks make it seem like that's all it boils down to. If so, then that's where we need to put our focus.

I believe we could all agree, at the very least, we'd love for IHRA to bring it's excellent class racing program back and return it to the way it used to be. Figuring out how, or deciding not to, is all that's left.

Re: How Realistic
 

I still have all the Buick stuff that I got to run Top Stock. I could probably be convinced to put it together if the original rules applied. No fiberglass hood, etc.

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I'm sure someone will be along to poo-poo this idea, but cut the IHRA out completely, and have the local associations get together to run their own national championship series.

Have a "central" group responsible for maintaining files/records. Each association submits their results to the central group from each event, these count toward a national total. There would be no actual divisions, but the local series would act as the division. If there were to be 15 'national' events, for example, your best 8-10(?) would qualify toward your final total. Use IHRA Stock/SS Classes and Indexes...Nostalgia Super Stock cars would not be eligible toward a national championship. I don't have an issue with them running, but I think they should be separate. I understand why they were allowed in some organizations.

Kind of like the original IHRA WCS series, no?

Re: How Realistic
 

Dawson, I'm also hopeful! A few things IHRA will need to overcome.
1] As stated elsewhere, the payouts must align with entry fees ie they charge x dollars for entry the win, RU, and round money must be enough for racers to want to travel and chase that coveted Iron Man.
2] !/8 mile racing doesn't appeal to everyone.
3] Rules need to be close to what NHRA runs now to help with car count.
4] World Championship!! For all classes. This is the main reason I didn.t chase NHRA points back in the day. I could running IHRA Hot Rod.

IHRA is planning an announcement during PRI so its going to be a wait and see. What's going to throw a wrench in their plans is the half *** attempt they made last year. Ran one race and cancelled the whole series.

Re: How Realistic
 

I'm hopefull.. I was in college back in the good days.. and couldnt really afford or have the time, but did attend a ton of them.. Time to not say.. but its time to do. I feel like most people are letting it go in one ear and out the other sadly.. I think this is the 3rd or 4th time in 10 yrs they have announced real racing coming back.. They can say they tried last year but that isnt true.. They announced it in june of 2023, not another word mentioned. when nothing big was announced that year at pri.. you pretty much knew it was a flop.. I think people started hounding them after that and they were forced to put out a "schedule".. you cant say no one shows up when you literally had no social media posts, or anything of that nature.. Was doomed before it started.. I can say if it came back with some backing, and some thought put behind it to be a legit go at it.. I would make it my priority.. I know some former ihra pts racers locally that feel the same way..

sf fingers crossed

Re: How Realistic
 

With the NMCA going away, would it be a possibility that IHRA could run something similar to their format. I'm not aware of the facts regarding NMCA demise, but I've heard plenty about how racers loved to race with them. I'm sure sponsorship money has/had something to do with it. With the popularity of the NHRA divisional races and the CCRA in our area, along with what I assume, (based on what I read) of other class based organizations in other regions, it seems to me that there is a reasonable demand for events based on class racing.

Re: How Realistic
 

The best part of the NMCA was not the great competition but it was the excellent track prep that allowed the great competition. Win loose or draw the track prep was excellent.

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I have very fond memories of racing in the IHRA even when most racers seemed to dismiss it as minor league. Pro Stock was way different but just as competitive. Comp was the same or more.

But like I said in a post a while ago, when the NHRA locked up the showplace tracks into restrictive long term contracts they sealed the deal against any competition.

It's been a while, and things have changed. IHRA had a lot of small but very good tracks, but I also raced at places like Norwalk and Bristol. And believe it or not, the best surface I ever had to deal with was at Darlington one year. It was the only time I simply couldn't get enough clutch into an A/A.

But it wasn't all sunshine, as the stk and ss entry numbers were much lower. And if you doubt racer skill, look how many became legends when they came over to 'the big leagues". I'm not sure why there were less class cars, other than a hunch that the regions that IHRA was strongest in had racers more interested in building really fast stuff. Think where things like Pro Mod and Top Sportsman originally came from.

In today's world, the cost of entry to a lot of businesses is staggering. Lots of the good smaller tracks have either closed or have not been kept up.

As much as I'd like to see some serious grassroots competion thrive, I just can't see it happening. No insult to the track owners, but take a look at the tracks on their 2025 schedule. Most of them wouldn't be able to handle an NHRA divisional.

And notice I didn't even mention where the funding was going to come from. I just don't see a path to success.

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They tried paying more than nhra and still nobody showed up to support. And what tracks are available to run the event? The feud between ihra and wdra has split track accessibility. Former ihra management has made this endeavor much harder for new management.

I would love an alternative to nhra but not sure i will live to see it. Maybe ihra should hire an excited young enthusiastic person say in their mid 20?s to work on this project. Someone who will work with corporate sponsors, develop relationships, and build it from the ground up. There is the answer to getting this going. But who is willing to put forth the time and effort with the chance of failing. Dawson maybe? This would be his dream job.

ep

Re: How Realistic
 

Back in 1998 and 1999 then in 2001- 2003 I ran IHRA Modified. I really enjoyed it. I esp liked that it was a 32 car qualified field and then dial in's for eleminations.
It didn't matter to me if it was 1/8 mile or 1/4 mile races. I was there to race and support the Modified class.
The pay down the ladder was good enough to make it pay some expenses.
There were times when we had 40+ cars trying for the 32 car field.
I thought it was a pretty good show at most every track. I can't remember a time it wasn't a full field..(I hope my memory hasn't faded too much)
Might be interesting to see it make a comeback.

Re: How Realistic
 

I ran in Modified as well until we got thrown out of the family. The World Finals at Norwalk was always the best turn out with plenty of Indy Nats. racers testing / racing.

Re: How Realistic
 

IHRA is losing tracks by the minute, 3 big tracks in the Carolinas in the last couple of weeks. Is there anyone associated with them that has any interest/experience with class racing? The new guy has a storied past with Pro-Mod and the owner is more of a fast car guy. Where would they come up with a staff to do tech, not that racers would cheat? I'd say their best chance of putting on some kind of show would be to start with the .90 classes but that's not going to attract spectators.

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Jim Bailey would be my vote

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I love where you're head is at. I've been firing off resumes and emails to Kenny Nowling and IHRA for a couple weeks now and finally heard back last night. Going to get on the phone with them today. Evidently if you want change to happen, you have to do it yourself. We'll see how it goes!

Re: How Realistic
 

I like your enthusiasm my son.

Or is it, brave on cat ch1t, somebody will cover you up.

Either way your passion for this sport is admirable. Chase dreams, you never know where you might end up.

ep