Takin control of our own destiny.

[ss3845]

Originally Posted by danny waters sr

I know it's not "NHRA " but why don't you guys try a little IHRA. We would be glad to have you. There may be classes you don't like . So be it ,you don't have to run that class. If you don't like something ,all you have to do is e-mail or call someone. I personally cannot change the rules , but i will listen and forward any suggestions or complaints.We are not NHRA, But we are not trying to be. Heck , it is a place to race the classes you like to race and then some.With the cut back on some of the pro classes this coming season , you may even get to make a few more passes or not have as much down time.Try it you may like it . If not give a reason why so we would at least know what turned you away . It may be something we can do to make it better. If you are or not a newby to IHRA,please come by tech and say hello and meet some of the other tech guys. Most of them have been or still are racers.I love class racing and hate to see it going in this direction. We need to support it any way we can to keep it alive. You did not see IHRA cut any sportsman classes for the 09 season. This is how it all got started in the first place . Just another comment from a racer/tech person who does care.!!!! Hope to see you at a few races this year.. PS- thanks for reading this post.

Why do they race 1/8 mile at 1/4 mile tracks? I know some of the tracks are marginal for the faster cars but can't you just have those eliminators run 1/8 mile? There is no reason stock/superstock can't tun 1/4 mile at Thompson and Pittsburgh.

[ssracer3821]

Everyday someone on this site voices the same basic opinion - it is time for a choice. As you know in the last few years my wife and I have traveled coast to coast running National events and are quite frankly tired of the way Sportsman are treated. Greg, you would be a great person to head up something like this and I believe that you will get more support that you think. We all know that Division 3 divisionals get one of the largest turnouts in the organization. Several years ago, Lisa and I actually managed a small local IHRA track for a few years so we have some basic knowledge of track operations that might be helpful. I recently semi-retired and would love to help get something like this off the ground. There are a large number of racers who obviously agree with you and if we could get some sort of unity and direction I think this could actually work. Call me 419-564-2620 Buck

[Nitro Joe Jackson]

Lets do it Buck, you know i know what to do.

[danny waters sr]

I agree on too many classes running .That is why i mentioned the fact of no more Nitro funny cars or Alcohol funny cars. This alone will create more run time at a quicker pace. Remember , we start on Friday instead of Thursday, so we lose a day from the very beginning.The weather has a lot to do with the track surface at Rockingham,. If i could come up with a formula for that surface i would not never have to work anymore! lol. Thanks for your input on my post . Keep em coming and soon the higher -ups will be looking . IHRA classes= H/R ,S/R, Q/R, STOCK, SUPER STOCK, T/S, T/D, That's 7 sportsman classes. Not sure with NHRA, but i think there is more with alky dragsters and alky funnys and comp. Extra day would mean a lot but the economy won't allow that. !! I have been to a few NHRA events and they have a whole lot more help than we do.(that makes a diff too )

[danny waters sr]

ss, Here in NC most of the tracks used to be1/4 mile but speeds have overgrown most of them. You may see some of these tracks test and tune with 1/4 mile ,but a lot of race cars cannot make this length. Mostly street cars are running the 1/4 at these tracks. It has just been adopted to run 1/8 at these tracks in this area . I love 1/4 mile racing ,but in most of these tracks it would be a hardship on a racer that may get in trouble with not enough stopping area ,. Now Rockingham & Darlington could surley run 1/4 mile div races ( in my opinion). When in Pittsburg last year at the triple IHRA race there were issues of stopping at top end on some of the faster classes. One t/s car crashes twice ,the second time not so lucky. Several cars went long . This is more of a safety issue than time and money .Sorry but that is out of my control to change . At least so far IHRA is still running full 1/4 mile National events.

[Michael Beard]

Originally Posted by danny waters sr

The weather has a lot to do with the track surface at Rockingham,. If i could come up with a formula for that surface i would not never have to work anymore! lol.

I used to hate Rockingham, too, but after I moved to NC and raced there a lot, I've figured the place out. At their bracket races, the track is really quite good, but the vast majority of the cars are parked either on the asphalt or up front. When we get into issues is at Nationals where the Sportsman cars are parked in the back 9 where it's very sandy. Racers have to learn to keep their wheel wells and rocker panels clean. You'd be surprised at how many launch photos you see with sand or pebbles pouring out of the rocker panels in front of the slicks, and I'm sure those racers would spin and scream, "This track sucks!" It's not enough for you to keep your own stuff clean. EVERY SINGLE racer has to maintain their stuff every pass. I see VERY few drivers paying attention to that detail in the lanes. Sand is particularly nasty, because it's so small it gets ground into the track rubber & VHT... not as easy as blowing off larger pebbles. I've seen it get ugly there, and just stage WAY outside the groove, and the car would hook like a bear. "The Rock" and I get along now, and I even won the track championship there in '07.


In regards to the original post: yes, I see an opportunity for something beyond local S/SS Combo races, and I don't think it necessarily needs to be run in conjunction with an existing series. See the "What if...?" thread.

[7820]

Not too many IHRA tracks in the west.

[Mark Yacavone]

I was going to make a post on the other thread on this subject, but it looks like Greg touched on my subject matter, so I'll make it here.

What needs to be done ,for now, is support the independent S/SS races and combos throughout the country.
We have a S/SS combo at our nostalgia races twice a year. There are about 40-50 class cars in Az alone. We typically get about 15 of them for our deal . Some of the guys who never show,are usually seen at Boise or Sonoma a few weeks later, pursuing national records or the Wally deal. Only reason I keep having these deals as part of our races,is because I want to, and I get alot of positive compliments from the locals.They never get to see this type of racing locally anymore. I surely don't do it for the profit,b ecause there's not alot there.
I'm afraid that The US Class Nationals was a one shot ,one time deal. It was the Woodstock of class racing. It was the coolest race I've ever been to, and also the hottest!
But you didn't see Alex rushing to put on a second race the following year. He's an enterpreneur and a hustling, hard working guy. If he could make a nice living from these type races, I'm sure he would.

Before we talk about a new series of races,we have to run some numbers. I've got a pretty good deal with Speedworld.We collect $100 lane fee ,which is paid back 100% The track charges $25 for a tech card. I get a smaller % of that ,and they ,of course get the larger.
Now ,the racer is in the gates for $125.slightly less than a divisional race.
Let's say we get 100 cars ,instead of the usual 15. Now we have 10K to pay out.
Nobody wants to race 7 rounds without round money, or a winner takes all situation .
So, realistically ,the winner would get about 4-5 grand. Alot better than a points meet,but nowhere near a Nat'l event payout.
So now you need contingency sponsors tot get where you need to be. Someone has to solicit these awards, collect then ,or see that they get paid out. A fulltime job for someone right there. The promoter has to make it worth his while, in what would be another position in the "association".
We haven't even gotten to tech personnel, rules making people , staff, logistics for all of this.
That brings us to membership fees or dues. Another fulltime job for someone.
As soon as a few people start making a living off this new association, that' s when the complaints and whining will start, ..if not long before that.
I would love to hear some real ideas how to go about all this.
Meanwhile, we need to support the independent races
That's how I see it

[danny waters sr]

I give up. You guys have a great season regardless were you race at and be safe and have fun, Iknow i will .

[Bruce Noland]

Greg,

I agree with you and will help in any way I can.