How do you get (N) racers over to the (I) side

[Jason Oldfield]

Originally Posted by Michael Beard

Uh, what tracks and what standards are we talking about?

-- Snip --

There aren't too many tracks that can withstand that kind of rain without issues.

I've been to over 60 tracks. Some are fancier than others, but the era of considering IHRA tracks as a whole second rate is LONG gone. In fact, I've been to some NHRA tracks that racers fawn over, and seen bald spots, built-up rubber and other traction issues (something I VERY rarely see or here about at IHRA events). One in particular was disorganized, had a PA system that you couldn't hear, and a garbled radio broadcast on top of that. When to a hole-in-the-wall track the very next day that featured super friendly, informative staff, clear PA and radio broadcast, and killer traction. That being said, I don't think any one track is a reflection upon an entire sanctioning body, on one side or the other. You have to take them case by case.

$.02,

I completely agree Michael. A torrential downpour will make any track crappy. And I'm not talking about the racing surface, as I agree with whoever else said it that with both tracks prepped in decent weather, I can't tell the difference between one track and another (maybe the guys with 1000 hp can, but not me).

And you've raced at MANY more tracks than I have, so you obviously have a better cross section than I do, but since we're on the topic, here's what I'm comparing (I'll list the tracks as to their sanctioning body affiliation at the time I went there, as a few have changed recently):

NHRA
Maple Grove
Columbus
Englishtown
Atco
Indy
Route 66
Cecil County
Lebanon Valley
Pomona
Phoenix
Houston
Sonoma
Charlotte
Gainesville
Atlanta
Numidia
Delmar

IHRA
Grand Bend
Norwalk
Epping
Milan
Budds Creek
Toronto Motorsports Park
Empire Dragway (was NYIRP)
Dunn Tire Raceway Park (was Lancaster)

I'm sure I'm forgetting a few as I know I was at Thompson and/or Dragway 42 once or twice, but I can't remember which or anything really about them (I know one of them you do a burnout uphill), and I know I was at an IHRA track near Cincinnati, but I can't remember what that track is either. But, at least you can see what I'm comparing.

Obviously, not all of the NHRA tracks are great, and maybe my cross section of IHRA tracks isn't large enough to make any blanket statements. But, I don't think there's any real arguing that the "average" NHRA track that I've been to is much nicer than the "average" IHRA track that I've been to (I'm not going to rate each one as I'm not looking to insult anyone, but it is generally well known which of these tracks are "nice" and which aren't.)

So, what's that worth? Well, this and $2 will buy you a cup of coffee (I think, unless coffee has gone up, in which case you'll have to shell out more money because my comparison probably won't be accepted as an alternative for cash.)