Random thought about the *HRA

[Ed Wright]

Maybe you weren't racing then? More often than not, I was running off my own record.
We were allowed to run one tenth under, I always could. Somebody over two seconds under? Just leave on time and
push them out. Maybe a little more serious racers back then, and two rounds worth of points for an et record, guys were much more likely to set records then. A two second under guy was no more dangerous than a one tenth under guy, unless it was a heads up. I would not be in a class that low anyway. Would not be a problem for me.

As for IHRA car counts, been to several with 8 to 12 SS cars. Never at an NHRA race.
I don't know how they keep going. This Tulsa track didn't stay with them very long, due to extremely low car & spectator counts. Back to NHRA now.

And, yes, I would park mine rather than run 1/8th mile. Racers have a little say when they stop showing up for 1/8th mile races. I know many that feel the same way.

Originally Posted by Ron Ortiz

Gees Ed why all the doom & gloom. It is not up to us racers to change the distance, it is track operators who will make the change for operational purposes.I'm just looking at all the cars that run 1/4 and the other cars that run the 1/8. Just a way to cross them over to preserve car counts. IHRA car counts are low, yes, but so is some NHRA races down also. Not counting NHRA limiting car count fields.

Here is another question for you Ed, why are tracks converting over to IHRA, what happens when your home track goes to a different distance, will you abandon them and park your car due to your stubbornness.

Running off records was done in the past. But what if the record holder in your class was like a Bob Shaw and his Caddy. Think you can go 2.25 under your index. That will put a stop to your racing.

Here in FL we now have 4 IHRA tracks and 1 NHRA track, where it used to be 4 NHRA and 1 IHRA. I did not have any control over this situation.

Regardless of sanction, we as races better be prepared for what might be coming and voice our opinions, remedies, and concerns to the proper people.

Just a random thought.

Ron Ortiz
U/SA I want to race.

[Ron Ortiz]

I started racing in 1968, so I've seen a lot of changes, right up to where we are now. It was the heads up runs I was referring to with 2 second under cars, not the handicapping.

I've seen low car counts at a lot of places, including NHRA events.

I know you won't run the 1/8 mile races, but what about 1,000 ft, you know, the crossover I'm talking about. Understand that I too really like the 1/4, but with insurance and the likes, and with 1/4 mile tracks running the 1/8 instead, it just made me think of an alternative, that's all.

You can park your car or you can run it, it is your car.

And BTW, who came up with 1/4 to begin with.

Ron Ortiz
U/SA trying to judge distance

[Bob Don]

Origin of quarter mile drag drag racing:

We've even read interviews with CJ Hart, in which he acknowledges the influence of quarter-horse racing. But Leslie Long's recollections from Santa Ana suggest a more random reason. "When they finally started to have standing starts at Santa Ana, the cars had to move away from the fence (where they had previously lined up for rolling starts). The distance that was left was a quarter mile. So it was really an accident there-it just happened to be the length of the runway."

Leslie's version is backed up by an interview with Wally Parks from Westways magazine, published by the Southern California Auto Club (which also sponsors the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum). In that interview, Parks said specifically that the quarter mile was not from horse racing, but from test runs and races at airport runways. That distance allowed room for the cars to accelerate and decelerate without running out of pavement. Publicity in Hot Rod (edited by Parks) and other magazines helped establish the quarter mile as the standard for drag racing.

Full article:

http://www.hotrod.com/features/histo...acing-origins/

[Jim Bailey]

I suppose, if the NFL shuts down, I'll watch Arena Football. Then again, maybe not...
Even the Nitro Cars should be running a quartermile.

[600ci]

my sponsor's like 1/4 mile records helps sell products to the public and
thats what matters to them
3x record holder

[randy wilson]

I think it's what you grew up with. We had 4 1/8th mile tracks within 100 miles of us, so we all raced1/8th mike. Lawrence, Bethany, Eddyville, and Lee County. 1,000' would be a good compromise in my humble opinion.

[Michael Beard]

Originally Posted by Jim Bailey

I suppose, if the NFL shuts down, I'll watch Arena Football. Then again, maybe not...

More than just the size, it's the country club name brand that matters to people. The XFL played on a regular field, offered some really entertaining football played by guys that weren't multi-million dollar prima donnas, and revolutionized the presentation of the game with unique camera work that the NFL later adopted. But nobody cared, because it wasn't "NFL".

[Jim Bailey]

Couldn't agree with you more Michael ! But let's at least have some consistency. If you're gonna have "Nitro Jam" quarter mile events. Then allow every class to run quarter mile. If you're gonna run 1/8 mile at your points meets, then run EVERY points meet, at EVERY track 1/8 mile. Ends any confusion, plus it gives credibility - " This is how we (IHRA) do it. " - If a track can't comply, oh well, then make the necessary adjustments or upgrades. - I'm not bashing IHRA. I ran every IHRA National Event from 1992 through 2001. Had a lot of fun, and made a lot of money. I just think there are subtle changes that could be made that would really add to the professionalism and add much more needed credibility to the IHRA Racer.

[Mike Pearson]

Here in Fla. we don't have any IHRA only racers in Super Stock. All of the guys we race with are regular NHRA racers. There are a few crate motor stockers that run here but not many. So there is no issue with professionalism and credibility here in Fla. The IHRA purse that I won in Immokalee earlier this year was actually more than the NHRA purse at their LODRS events. Probably not as much contingency though. I did get paid by all of the companies for my contingencies with in 2 months except for ATI and that was my fault for not getting the paperwork sent back to them in a timely manner.
As for racing 1000 Ft. that would require a whole new set of indexes and neither sanctioning body will put forth the effort for that. Plus the 1/4 mile only guys wont run 1000 Ft. either.