NHRA Has a new President

[HR9121]

Mike I don't think we can blame car counts on Rich. I admit I'm not crazy about the Friday-Saturday deal but it does allow Sunday for a makeup day in case of inclement weather or if the schedule runs long. It would be nice to have some Open races for sure but I don't have any answers to why we don't, maybe a lack of funding or sponsorship. Just my opinion but my limited dealings with Rich and his staff have all been pleasant.

[BKSG1198]

I think you guys run into the same thing we do up here in D1 and that is distance for the car counts. We get great car counts at Maple, Atco, E-town & Cecil but, it's lackluster at places like VMP, Epping & LVD because the base of the cars are in the tri-state area of NJ, DE, MD, PA & Lower NY. So someone down in Florida isn't going to drive to Rockingham or Galot if he's doing horrible in points. I think with the influx of tracks now in the Virginia, NC area they could almost form their own Division (Galot, Rock, VMP, Z-Max, Bristol and any other IHRA tracks that might jump ship) and then have (Orlando, G-Ville, SGMP, Atlanta, Silver Dollar). Maybe with IHRA doing away with sportsman we might see an influx in car counts....I know my phone has been ringing off the hook for my association from .90 racers up in this area.

[MR DERBY CITY]

Originally Posted by Mike Pearson

I think Rich Shaffer is the worst div 2 director we have had so far. Division 2 is all but dead. The car counts are down to a level we haven't seen before. We have no National opens or sports national type events in div 2. Now the LODRS events are down to a 2 day race. The 3 day events we used to get 3 Q runs on Friday and 2 on Saturday. Then possibly a first round on Saturday afternoon. We will still have to take a day off work. I would rather have the race Saturday and Sunday and not have to burn a vacation day on Friday.

Obviously you don't care for Mr. Shaefer, but to say he is the WORST D 2 division director is stretching it. How could you forget Bill Holt ? GEEZ.....D 2 only has one problem ....there just aren't that many racers there...The only large fields they have are when the snowbirds would come down from the cold weather....and the 2018 schedule sure took care of that.....

[Mike Pearson]

Originally Posted by MR DERBY CITY

Obviously you don't care for Mr. Shaefer, but to say he is the WORST D 2 division director is stretching it. How could you forget Bill Holt ? GEEZ.....D 2 only has one problem ....there just aren't that many racers there...The only large fields they have are when the snowbirds would come down from the cold weather....and the 2018 schedule sure took care of that.....

Actually I don't have any issue with Rich personally. The div 2 staff are as good of people as you would want to meet. I just don't think he has done anything to improve the division since he has been there. The director is in charge of the division and figuring a way to grow the sport. The car counts are down across the board in all classes not just stock and SS and I will bet there is more racers in Florida than just about anywhere in the country. He does not seem to think out side of the box to improve things for the racers in his division. The div 2 schedule next year is a bit better for the racers in the home division but the track operators won't be happy loosing the "snowbird racers" at the events after the gators. The races are a bit more spread out which helps with spreading the cost. The last few years our season was all but done by the end of march. I don't know if the Gallot race will be 1/8 or 1/4 mile but I do plan to go. I did travel from Tampa to the Rock last weekend. That is a good facility and is one of my favorites right now.

[340Cuda]

Brian Lohnes has had a lot of good things to say about Mr. Cromwell and I respect Brian a lot. Given Brian's position I would not expect him to criticized the decision but I think he would have kept his mouth shut if he did not think he was a good guy.

That being said I don't expect any huge changes but hope for continued TV rating and track attendance increases.

Bill

[Alan Roehrich]

Originally Posted by MR DERBY CITY

Obviously you don't care for Mr. Shaefer, but to say he is the WORST D 2 division director is stretching it. How could you forget Bill Holt ? GEEZ.....D 2 only has one problem ....there just aren't that many racers there...The only large fields they have are when the snowbirds would come down from the cold weather....and the 2018 schedule sure took care of that.....

You hit the nail on the head, right there.

It was Holt who did massive damage to Division 2, that it is struggling to recover from. Holt wrecked Division 2 for years, to the point where it is near impossible in today's climate for it to recover. Honestly, Division 2 under Holt was a concentration and exaggeration of everything wrong with drag racing in the last 3 decades.

[HR9121]

Originally Posted by BKSG1198

I think you guys run into the same thing we do up here in D1 and that is distance for the car counts. We get great car counts at Maple, Atco, E-town & Cecil but, it's lackluster at places like VMP, Epping & LVD because the base of the cars are in the tri-state area of NJ, DE, MD, PA & Lower NY. So someone down in Florida isn't going to drive to Rockingham or Galot if he's doing horrible in points. I think with the influx of tracks now in the Virginia, NC area they could almost form their own Division (Galot, Rock, VMP, Z-Max, Bristol and any other IHRA tracks that might jump ship) and then have (Orlando, G-Ville, SGMP, Atlanta, Silver Dollar). Maybe with IHRA doing away with sportsman we might see an influx in car counts....I know my phone has been ringing off the hook for my association from .90 racers up in this area.

Unfortunately Rob I don't see the demise of IHRA helping the Stock or SS counts down here that much. The .90 classes may benefit somewhat but there were alot of guys running CM cars down here. Unless they take the plunge to get them back to traditional stockers I think most will bracket race or run CCRA.
I joke with my D1 buddies all the time, y'all complain about traveling to the "long haul" races they should spend a year down here! For me Orlando(12 hrs) Gainesville(10) SGMP(10) Silver Dollar(9) Bristol(7) Atlanta(8) Charlotte(4.5) Rockingham(4) Galot(1 45).
Come get some of that lol!

[BRINK]

Originally Posted by BKSG1198

Announced at SEMA today:

Glenn Cromwell takes over at President of NHRA as Peter Clifford moves over to the role of CEO.

I've had the opportunity to work with Glenn Cromwell in the past, and have found him to be most professional and above board. I, for one congratulate NHRA on this appointment, and remain optimistic for the future.

[Dan Fahey]

IHRA dropping Class Racing was a punch in the stomach.

Yet NHRA needs us Class Racers not the other way around.
Huge business and marketing opportunity here.
Adopting IHRA cars will improve falling car counts.
Nothing to invent as the Rules are already written.

If NHRA adds the IHRA cars I expect the Indexes to drop 3 tenths.
I am fine with that. Upgrades are doable to find them.

Talking to PS, GT and CM racers this weekend.
Not hearing many rushing to convert to NHRA.

NHRA hope you are reading this..!
Already approached you about being a Contingency Sponsor.

[HR9121]

Dan you obviously don't look at DRC, 126 stockers at Vegas division race this weekend. If these guys don't covert to traditional stockers they can run association races but NHRA will never adopt these classes.