Does IHRA run "class?"

Rob Petrie E395 · 02-28-2015, 07:14 PM

While we are on the subject of IHRA. Why do they race on Friday and Saturday? Instead of sat/sun.

Chris1529 · 03-02-2015, 09:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rob Petrie E395

While we are on the subject of IHRA. Why do they race on Friday and Saturday? Instead of sat/sun.

What are you talking about? I wish they would race Friday and Saturday. I don't enjoy leaving the track at 5 O'clock Sunday evening and face a 6-8 hour drive home.

Ed Wright · 03-02-2015, 09:42 AM

They ran some like that around here. I don't know if they still do. Have not run with them for a while now. Some guys need to realize not every division is run the same, or as well.

Chris1529 · 03-02-2015, 10:24 AM

Its really a shame that only 10-20 or so cars show up at a lot of the races outside of the Carolinas. I guess its just a vicious circle. If IHRA checked fuel more, weighed cars more often (most tracks for the pro-ams use portable scales where you have to start and stop/start twice to get on/off the scales), maybe more people would show up.
But my guess in not in most areas of the country. Unfortunately, in a lot of the country, a lot of the races are far away, and when people are spending over $1000 to get to a race, most die-hards are going to go to an NHRA event. I think that the current ownership of IHRA is trying to do all they can to re-build the brand, but its going to take a long time. When only a handful of cars show up for a pro-am, its hard to get the tracks to keep having them and who would blame them. That's just more of the vicious circle though because if more tracks had points races, then more racers would be entering because the tracks are probably closer to their home. If they start collecting points, they are more likely to travel to other tracks. If there is more competition, it would make sense to check fuel more and scale more............
No one is right or wrong. It is just determined by your personal situation and what you want out of the sport you choose to spend your money on.

Another Friendly Racer · 03-02-2015, 10:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris1529

What are you talking about? I wish they would race Friday and Saturday. I don't enjoy leaving the track at 5 O'clock Sunday evening and face a 6-8 hour drive home.

You're going to be a happy man. IHRA made a good chunk of their races fri/sat events for 2015.

Brett C · 03-02-2015, 12:29 PM

I personally like the timing. Race on Fri, race on Sat, get home on Sun...or another day to race in case of weather issues.

Myron Piatek · 03-02-2015, 12:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rob Petrie E395

While we are on the subject of IHRA. Why do they race on Friday and Saturday? Instead of sat/sun.

It may be marketing. I bet they get more spectators when they have the Nitro Jam cars Fri. & Sat. evening rather than Sunday.

Chris1529 · 03-02-2015, 01:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Myron Piatek

It may be marketing. I bet they get more spectators when they have the Nitro Jam cars Fri. & Sat. evening rather than Sunday.

Sorry...I don't pay much attention to the Nitro Jam Schedules. I was just talking about the regular Pro-Am points races.

Myron Piatek · 03-02-2015, 05:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris1529

Sorry...I don't pay much attention to the Nitro Jam Schedules. I was just talking about the regular Pro-Am points races.

After a quick look at the schedules, it appears that most, if not all, of the double-header Pro-Ams are through Sunday. The single ProAms run in conjunction with the Nitro Jams are through Saturday.

Michael Beard · 03-02-2015, 06:30 PM

Even for the 'single' events like the Nitro Jams, I prefer a Sat-Sun format, but I do know that they do those particular races Fri-Sat for higher spectator attendance.

For Sat-Sun races, only the people that make it to the late rounds on Sunday have to worry much about travel time. For a Fri-Sat race, *everyone* is guaranteed to have to take off Friday, and possibly Thursday too.

Either way, it still beats NHRA's schedule. They typically close tech at 5:00 pm on the button, which drives me insane. Even though I run my own business, I have to blow a day of work even for close races just to get through tech. At least IHRA generally has tech open until 9:00PM so that long-distance travellers can get situated, or folks that live close can work most of the day and still get there in time.

I ran mostly NHRA stuff last year, and never in my life have I had to take so much time off work to make so few runs. I'll still run some this year, but I'm very happy to have IHRA back on my schedule this year where you can actually get some racing done.

02-28-2015, 07:14 PM	#1
Rob Petrie E395 VIP Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Woodlawn IL Posts: 1,092 Likes: 162 Liked 216 Times in 77 Posts	Re: Does IHRA run "class?" While we are on the subject of IHRA. Why do they race on Friday and Saturday? Instead of sat/sun.

03-02-2015, 09:42 AM	#3
Ed Wright Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Sand Springs, OK Posts: 8,132 Likes: 896 Liked 390 Times in 170 Posts	Re: Does IHRA run "class?" They ran some like that around here. I don't know if they still do. Have not run with them for a while now. Some guys need to realize not every division is run the same, or as well. __________________ Ed Wright 4156 SS/JA

03-02-2015, 10:24 AM	#4
Chris1529 VIP Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: West Virginia Posts: 1,366 Likes: 6 Liked 70 Times in 29 Posts	Re: Does IHRA run "class?" Its really a shame that only 10-20 or so cars show up at a lot of the races outside of the Carolinas. I guess its just a vicious circle. If IHRA checked fuel more, weighed cars more often (most tracks for the pro-ams use portable scales where you have to start and stop/start twice to get on/off the scales), maybe more people would show up. But my guess in not in most areas of the country. Unfortunately, in a lot of the country, a lot of the races are far away, and when people are spending over $1000 to get to a race, most die-hards are going to go to an NHRA event. I think that the current ownership of IHRA is trying to do all they can to re-build the brand, but its going to take a long time. When only a handful of cars show up for a pro-am, its hard to get the tracks to keep having them and who would blame them. That's just more of the vicious circle though because if more tracks had points races, then more racers would be entering because the tracks are probably closer to their home. If they start collecting points, they are more likely to travel to other tracks. If there is more competition, it would make sense to check fuel more and scale more............ No one is right or wrong. It is just determined by your personal situation and what you want out of the sport you choose to spend your money on. __________________ Chris Bowman The Mountain State Mustang 1984 Mustang GT350

03-02-2015, 12:29 PM	#6
Brett C VIP Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Thibodaux, LA Posts: 1,194 Likes: 327 Liked 1,018 Times in 217 Posts	Re: Does IHRA run "class?" I personally like the timing. Race on Fri, race on Sat, get home on Sun...or another day to race in case of weather issues. __________________ Brett Candies 4192 Stock/SS God Bless America

03-02-2015, 06:30 PM	#10
Michael Beard VIP Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Columbus, OH Posts: 4,060 Likes: 0 Liked 13 Times in 9 Posts	Re: Does IHRA run "class?" Even for the 'single' events like the Nitro Jams, I prefer a Sat-Sun format, but I do know that they do those particular races Fri-Sat for higher spectator attendance. For Sat-Sun races, only the people that make it to the late rounds on Sunday have to worry much about travel time. For a Fri-Sat race, everyone is guaranteed to have to take off Friday, and possibly Thursday too. Either way, it still beats NHRA's schedule. They typically close tech at 5:00 pm on the button, which drives me insane. Even though I run my own business, I have to blow a day of work even for close races just to get through tech. At least IHRA generally has tech open until 9:00PM so that long-distance travellers can get situated, or folks that live close can work most of the day and still get there in time. I ran mostly NHRA stuff last year, and never in my life have I had to take so much time off work to make so few runs. I'll still run some this year, but I'm very happy to have IHRA back on my schedule this year where you can actually get some racing done. __________________ Michael Beard - NHRA/IHRA 3216 S/SS