Question for the Super Stock Racer's

[Mike Carr]

The easy answer is--some racers will NOT go to any race that is not an NHRA race. Period.

I have seen this for many years now. They will skip non-NHRA races that are an hour or two from them to drive 300, 400, or more miles to go try and win a Wally.

It never mattered to me what race it was. NHRA. IHRA. S/SS combo. Bracket race. If there was a race, and that day ended in Y, I was there, I am in the very small minority it appears. 2003, I was gone eighteen weekends that year. Seven IHRA races, seven NHRA LODRS or Opens, US Nationals, two S/SS races in Maryland, a weekend bracket race at my home track (a much better deal than going to Columbus that same weekend), not counting other local one day races. I can count on one hand the racers that would run a similar schedule, and not be beholden to a particular 'flag'.

Let's be honest--many of you, a non-NHRA race could have a free entry race, paying five grand or more to win, and be in your hometown, and you still wouldn't go.

[Adger Smith]

Well said Mike.
It probably goes back to that "Thing" that we all have imprinted on us by family from birth. It's what you grew up with or what you have always done.
I get a real kick out of one recent Truck commercial that plays on that. The whole family, Uncles, Grandfathers and Dad, are Brand X truck users and the young man buys brand Y because he is thinking for himself and researched what was the best buy for him.
That is one of the hardest things advertisers can sell against.
IHRA hasn't seen the light as to "How to sell their product", even when NHRA is not working to make racing with them a happy experience. I actually think both organizations are short on marketing themselves to their racers. It seems to be a case of here it is like it or not come race, if you want to race.

[Michael Beard]

Originally Posted by Ed Wright

Crate motors, pure stock, etc.

I don't care, but I have heard some talk about them.

You would think those people would *rather* run IHRA, where they don't have to run heads-up against the new factory race cars. They also don't run heads-up against those "other" classes, either. It's also worth pointing out that there are 0 Pure Stockers in Div. 4, and only a couple of Crate Motor cars. It stands to reason that it's not the cars that are bogus, but the argument.

I used to work for IHRA back in the day, and all we heard was, "We'll come race with you if you change such-n-such." If that got changed, they still didn't come, and they came up with another excuse. The bottom line is that they simply didn't want to. Not enough people supported them when they were at their strongest, so now they're having to rebuild from a weaker position. NHRA *needs* competition to make them better.

[buzzinhalfdozen]

Originally Posted by Michael Beard

You would think those people would *rather* run IHRA, where they don't have to run heads-up against the new factory race cars. They also don't run heads-up against those "other" classes, either. It's also worth pointing out that there are 0 Pure Stockers in Div. 4, and only a couple of Crate Motor cars. It stands to reason that it's not the cars that are bogus, but the argument.

I used to work for IHRA back in the day, and all we heard was, "We'll come race with you if you change such-n-such." If that got changed, they still didn't come, and they came up with another excuse. The bottom line is that they simply didn't want to. Not enough people supported them when they were at their strongest, so now they're having to rebuild from a weaker position. NHRA *needs* competition to make them better.

Michael, you're saying IHRA didn't have enough racer support when they were at their peak? Maybe I'm misremembering but I seem to recall a lot of races rigs crammed in pretty tight, heck I think it was the last "world nationals" some racers were pitted in Linders lot. If that's not racer support I'm not sure what it is. Again at least in my mind IHRA has changed dramatically...and not in a good way.

[Michael Beard]

Originally Posted by buzzinhalfdozen

Michael, you're saying IHRA didn't have enough racer support when they were at their peak? Maybe I'm misremembering but I seem to recall a lot of races rigs crammed in pretty tight, heck I think it was the last "world nationals" some racers were pitted in Linders lot. If that's not racer support I'm not sure what it is. Again at least in my mind IHRA has changed dramatically...and not in a good way.

Yeah, that was Norwalk. There were a couple of other races in Div. 3 and Div. 9 that did well for a few years. Other areas, not nearly so much. But I do agree that they made some decisions that moved them in the wrong direction.

If you want to make a legend of yourself (or at least get a reputation), you need to win in the NHRA. I think this is a prevalent, underlying factor to many racers... even though nobody will admit it. It's tougher to get that reputation in the IHRA.

True, but only because of perception creating that reality. Anthony Bertozzi, Mark Nowicki, Pete D'agnolo, Jimmy Hidalgo, Brent Darroch, Scotty Stillings, Monty Bogan... and the list goes on. It doesn't matter what flag is hanging at the gate. Guys like these are always a threat to win.


Let's turn this around and make something positive out of this thread: what can they do to rebuild?