How Realistic

[JP1738]

It has been announced that IHRA plans to continue there bracket program/bracket finals in 2025, with the hope of bringing Pro-Ams and Nitro Jams back in 2026. They also announced division restructuring and Next years team finals dates locations.

Does anyone really believe IHRA will bring back class racing? I am personally very hopeful. Despite never having run an IHRA pro-am event (outside of juniors), I am a huge fan of IHRA and I really wish they would bring it back. I was too young to race Super Rod but it was always my dream to compete in it. It folded up before I turned 16.

I know there will never be another hay-day like there was in the 90s and 2000s, but I think it would be so awesome to bring another real sanctioning body back to compete with NHRA at the grass roots class racing level. Give racers another alternative. At the very least, maybe it could spur NHRA into improving conditions for Sportsman Racers. Maybe it's wishful thinking, but I'd do almost anything to bring back the glory, honor, and prestige there used to be to hoist an iron man.

[JP1738]

Also, if you are willing to input some helpful ideas on how you'd bring back class racing, by all means share. I'm trying to get in touch with the new president at this time and I would love to bring racer's opinions and ideas to him.

If you brought it back, how would you do it? What would you change? What works and doesn't work from your own experience? How do you get interest from guys that have jumped ship to NHRA and how do you create new class racers from the plethora of bracket racers there are?

[Hacksaw]

They need to up the payouts. Of course that is hard to justify with poor car counts but, when you travel 5 or 6 hours and get beat in the 5th round and walk away with 80 bucks ...... well it's tough to take.

[HR9121]

I hate to say but I don't think the old Pro Ams make a return but we sure had some good times. I guess it's possible they could come back with the super classes top dragster and sportsman but I don't see where they could find the tech officials to run Stock and SS. NHRA has enough problems with having knowledgeable officials for our classes right now and they aren't getting any younger. If they wanted to try Stock and SS I would suggest whoever is in charge over there to call Dave Ley and beg him to come over and help them get it going and pay him whatever he wants if they are sincere about making a go of it.

[JP1738]

Originally Posted by Hacksaw

They need to up the payouts. Of course that is hard to justify with poor car counts but, when you travel 5 or 6 hours and get beat in the 5th round and walk away with 80 bucks ...... well it's tough to take.

Well no offense, but that's the easy answer. Nobody on this forum races for the money. Don't get me wrong, winning money is great, but if that's all you cared about, you wouldn't be running STK/SS or drag racing in general. Excellence should be rewarded, and the trip needs to be justified before you go. Payouts and contingency need to be defined and sufficient, but there's an amount of prestige the iron man holds that I believe is great than 4th round loser's round money.

What kind of payout is reasonable to you? Be specific. Entry with expected car count, winner, r-up, semis, quarters, etc.

[GUMP]

If they could find a way to work with the CCRA...

[Mike Taylor 3601]

It won't be easy..
I don't know how or what they need to do...
most likely,I would have to pick one or the other...
stock and super stock with class and heads up
good payouts...
In my opinion maybe go for quality over quantity....
at least starting maybe less races but larger event.. it seems to me that
3-4 really good races...would be better than a dozen, not so good races..

[4543]

What Daren said!

[Mike Taylor 3601]

Originally Posted by JP1738

Well no offense, but that's the easy answer. Nobody on this forum races for the money. Don't get me wrong, winning money is great, but if that's all you cared about, you wouldn't be running STK/SS or drag racing in general. Excellence should be rewarded, and the trip needs to be justified before you go. Payouts and contingency need to be defined and sufficient, but there's an amount of prestige the iron man holds that I believe is great than 4th round loser's round money.

What kind of payout is reasonable to you? Be specific. Entry with expected car count, winner, r-up, semis, quarters, etc.

128 car field,$350entry($44,800.00 split half purse-half to IHRA )IRONMAN and 10K win ,5K RU, 1K semi, Quarters $750 $100per round won starting with 1st round win...

As I said to start... I don't anything about how to do it...
this is just quick math that may or may not be correct LOL

[j gardiner]

I would love to see it,but some of their tracks that would bring a lot of class cars are no longer IHRA sanctioned. But if they clear those hurdles, they could have it as a stock/superstock combo until they can build the car count. Pay decent money honk outside the box and give away products for best losing package etc. They will have to build it from scratch.