>> IMO they run the race better. I don't know how I can be any clearer than that.
Sorry, I was looking for what you meant by "run the race better". Maybe something's different at the out-west races. The World Finals last year *was* horrible, and everybody admits that. This year, I can't recall a single problem off the top of my head from any Pro-Am or Nitro Jam I attended. I won Rockingham, and was done with winner's circle pics, contingency, loaded up and out the gate by about 1:30 pm that Sunday! Everything has been bing-bang-boom, run cars down the track. Granted, that's just my personal experience... but I've only been to 13 Pro-Ams in four different divisions, four national events and a stand-aone TOC Qualifier.
I've been to numerous NHRA Div'l and Nat'l events with no problems as well. I wouldn't rate one higher than the other. I've heard people holler about both sanctioning bodies for their decisions when faced with inclement weather. That's just one of those tossups where you're never going to make everybody happy.
>> Additional membership fee
What "additional" fee? Each sanction has a membership fee. If you race with one, and want to go race with the other, you have to join. Works both ways. And if you want to get down to it, I sent NHRA $69 membership renewal Aug. 11 (which I still haven't gotten back yet), and an additional $50 today to renew my number. Both together are $70 in IHRA. And sometimes they do specials where they waive membership at certain events and honor NHRA licenses to make things easier. This past weekend at the Million Dollar Race, originally to be held at Indy, NHRA wouldn't let anyone compete that did not have an NHRA Membership, License, and Chassis Cert.... at a track-rented bracket race. The promoter ended up moving the race at the last minute (literally) to another facility.
>> Short payouts
Bring cars. Cars = Money. If IHRA guaranteed $20K to win, would guys show up? I mean ACTUALLY show up? Payouts? I have a race purse calculator spreadsheet. Sonoma: NHRA paid back about 45%. Martin, MI: IHRA paid back about 45%. Looks pretty even. Unless you want to count Indy? About 25%.
Yes, contingency money is down considerably, but I've still made good money this year. I'd compare Pro-Ams vs LODRS events, but you can't even find LODRS payouts posted anywhere. I do remember making it to the semis at Cecil County many years ago and I *may* have gotten my entry fee back. 5th rnd loser is more than the entry fee in IHRA.
Want to test n' tune? It was $100 at Atlanta this weekend. IHRA events it's typically $25-$35. In another thread a couple of months ago, I laid out how you could chase both a Divisional and World Championship in IHRA for about half the cost of just chasing Div'l points in NHRA. But to each their own.
>> Lack of personnel
Who are they missing, and what do they need to do? I do remember seeing a bunch of guys at Bowling Green tending bald spots on the starting line, but then again it's literally been years since I've even seen bald spots at an IHRA event. I think their staff does just fine.
>> Favoritism to IHRA regulars (experienced it myself at San Antonio Nat'l)
That shouldn't happen. Don't know what your circumstance was, but if it happened, that's a legitimate gripe. Not something I've seen out this way.
>> Tear downs for Records (once got pumped and weighed for the Record)
That shouldn't happen, but if it happened, that's a legitimate gripe. I've been through teardown a numerous times in IHRA, and they checked everything with the exception of pulling a rod n' piston.
>> Lack of established IHRA schedule
I'm confused on this one. We have an established schedule and a run order. The only time something changes is in extreme circumstances. Atlanta and E-Town made schedule changes this weekend, too. What's different?
>> Michael I know you will probably not agree with me, and I can appreciate your opinion but I also appreciate your loyalty to them,
We can agree to disagree. It's okay! And it's not "loyalty", simply facts and my opinions. When I think they screwed up, I express my opinion to them. I just take a broad view of the sport. I look at the big picture, and try to let people know some of the facts about "racing on the other side" if they haven't already tried it themselves. I think a lot of people just have some weird fear of the unknown. Racin's racin', and the nuts n' bolts really aren't different!
>> but I ask you now, why don't they have more NHRA Class racers show up at IHRA events???? They just had a race with over 8 million people within 75 miles and you only draw 15 Stockers and 2 Super Stockers.
That's a D*MN good question! I think some others had replied elsewhere that they're following the NHRA schedule, so they used this weekend as time off leading into multiple races in a row. It's just my opinion, but it's stupid NOT to go, when there's a low car count -- much easier to make it to the finals and collect sticker money. Yeah, it may not be as much as it used to be, but let me tell you, it adds up!
>> Now let me say this, I would really like to see IHRA succeed and improve, in the mean time I believe they are regulated to be a step brother to NHRA.
Again, what they need is specific suggestions, then. For years, guys said it's "Qualifying & ladders", and they didn't come, then it was "need races in my area" and they didn't come, and so on and so on. For the guys that don't race IHRA, they need to *really* know what is it going to take, and will they *really* show up?
>> Do I still get a discount on my next order??
Sure! Like I said, it's just an exchange of ideas and opinions... it's *not* a pissin' contest. I don't take it personal.
$.02,