Is IHRA Going Under?

Rich Biebel · 07-21-2016, 10:35 AM

In the past a racer could win a purse for an NHRA national event that may have been equal to what he had in his racecar...

I know that to be true because I did win a National event and know what I won...vs what my car was worth...

A points race was also worth probably at least double what it is today....and that was in the 1980's so it really is way more than double with todays costs...

Today that is NOT happening and not even close. Contingency $$$ has been the real problem.....and there are varied reasons why companies dropped out.....

The track operators need to make a profit sure....but as has been written many times the cost to compete has skyrocketed.......in all categories...

Your potential return is pitiful and it is driving the sport into the dirt from everyones point of view......

Class racers like to bash .90 racers or bracket racers it seems sometimes. The sport needs everyone and bracket racers that ran the .90 classes helped drive things up. Car counts.....revenue.....contingency sponsors....

The 1960's left the building folks !!! And the car culture is aging out....

The sport has become too expensive and the people participating has shrunk at most every level...

Look at the number of cars that DO show up and compete at the High $$$ bracket events and some draw very big car counts....ask why do they show up in sellout numbers.....real simple...

PAYOUTS.......giveaways.....free BBQ's and things like that.......that was all part of big events years ago.....by the HRA's.....

Today you're lucky if you get a thanks for coming.....

NHRA has always been the only choice in my area.......except for a few tracks that tried IHRA and even some other sanctions years ago..

I always hoped IHRA could expand in my area and succeed.....competition maybe would make things better for both HRA's.....never happened

07-21-2016, 10:35 AM	#11
Rich Biebel VIP Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Northern New Jersey suburbs Posts: 2,314 Likes: 25 Liked 544 Times in 213 Posts	Re: Is IHRA Going Under? In the past a racer could win a purse for an NHRA national event that may have been equal to what he had in his racecar... I know that to be true because I did win a National event and know what I won...vs what my car was worth... A points race was also worth probably at least double what it is today....and that was in the 1980's so it really is way more than double with todays costs... Today that is NOT happening and not even close. Contingency $$$ has been the real problem.....and there are varied reasons why companies dropped out..... The track operators need to make a profit sure....but as has been written many times the cost to compete has skyrocketed.......in all categories... Your potential return is pitiful and it is driving the sport into the dirt from everyones point of view...... Class racers like to bash .90 racers or bracket racers it seems sometimes. The sport needs everyone and bracket racers that ran the .90 classes helped drive things up. Car counts.....revenue.....contingency sponsors.... The 1960's left the building folks !!! And the car culture is aging out.... The sport has become too expensive and the people participating has shrunk at most every level... Look at the number of cars that DO show up and compete at the High $$$ bracket events and some draw very big car counts....ask why do they show up in sellout numbers.....real simple... PAYOUTS.......giveaways.....free BBQ's and things like that.......that was all part of big events years ago.....by the HRA's..... Today you're lucky if you get a thanks for coming..... NHRA has always been the only choice in my area.......except for a few tracks that tried IHRA and even some other sanctions years ago.. I always hoped IHRA could expand in my area and succeed.....competition maybe would make things better for both HRA's.....never happened __________________ Rich Biebel S/C 1479 Stock 147R Last edited by Rich Biebel; 07-21-2016 at 10:51 AM.