What would U change @ IHRA

Mike McCandless · 10-23-2008, 11:32 AM

I think IHRA should give Piedmont Dragway a million dollars. That would be great for the sport of drag racing. Yes, I'm a bit bias.

Mike Taylor 3601 · 10-23-2008, 11:56 AM

If you want more biased I say sticks only minumum RPM rules.
Mike Taylor 3601

X-TECH MAN · 10-23-2008, 11:57 AM

Before I go and say this you guys should know how much I like Stock and Super Stok classes. I would have to say IHRA and maybe NHRA would drop Stock and Super stock way before they would give up T/S or T/D. Theres no rules to speak of except safety. The same goes for the 90 classes. Less paper work, less keeping track of specs, less tech people involved, etc. Just less headaches (HP factors,records, teardowns,fuel check, weight, etc.). All you need is a LARGE WALLET to race in T/D and T/S (Now Im gonna catch it). Face facts.....a large engine in an SFI certified chassis, a license, and a blower or nitrious are all thats needed. $100,000 minmum is the usual cost of a T/S sitting on the starting line ready to run. The spectators like the fast classes, Pro Stock look alike, and there are NO throttle stops, timers and crap like that so its balls out from the get go. If it wasnt for the number of entries that the 90 classes bring in I dont think they would be around because of spectator interest (which is ZERO). Those classes are a racer class. They are just not interesting to the general public going to a race. This is in no way meant to down play any certian class but to give food for thought. Just because one does or does not like a paticular class dosent mean it will be dropped. Its NUMBERS (car count), spectator interest, and $$$$ that gets the racing association interest. Class cars (specs and rules) are becoming extinct little by little. Its a changing market.Thats all I have to say.
You can beat me up now.

Ed Wright · 10-23-2008, 12:45 PM

As much as I hate it, you are 100% correct.

Angela Macy · 10-23-2008, 05:40 PM

I would first fire whoever created their website and then have one a little more user friendly one created. Grrr!! ((trying to find something and can't))

Michael Kilduff · 10-23-2008, 07:52 PM

I think a start would be more National events in the southeast....I remember when there were nationals at Bristol, Darlington, Rockingham, and I think Richmond in the same year. Or, at least 3 of those 4 locations had IHRA Nat'ls in the same year.

I agree with Angela Macy, create a new and better website! And I think the announcing team could do a better job with generating fan interest in the sportsman eliminators.

X-Techman, you make a good point, but I don't think it is a good idea to drop categories just because they are harder to tech and require more effort and manpower (and cost). About 15 years ago IHRA did in fact drop SS eliminator. Can't remember if they dropped stock.

The only IHRA national events I have been to in the last 3 years have been Budds Creek and Rockingham. It looked like there was alot of spectators at all those events. The Rock last week was half empty because of the weather unfortunately.

If you want to invigorate the fans this would be the recipe-

Delete the .90 classes. I know that alot of racers will get torqued up over that, but I can't tell you how many times I hear fans and buddies of mine that bracket race moan and groan about the timers and such. Personally I like watching the .90 classes at the stripe, some great driving down there. But most fans aren't like me.

I would replace the .90 classes with 2 new categories, which would be much more entertaining for the fans and racers alike.

One would be a 10.5 Outlaw type eliminator. It's no secret that several associations run these cars and the tracks are usually packed with fans. Heads up no breakout.

The other would be a Modified class. The rules would be something like this-

Door cars only, small block engine up to 385 CID, 3200 pounds, manual transmission only. Carb is limited to 750 size or smaller-any production cylinder heads. Body and suspension would be just like traditional SS cars now-factory type front suspension. If using a 1955 to 1972 production car it can weigh 3100. All other rules regarding body, electrical, interior, etc would be like SS. Heads up no breakout.

Maybe even call that class Jr. Modified, and have a big block class called Modified with a 470 CID limit and 850 carb, manual trans,....you get the idea.

Mike Taylor 3601 · 10-23-2008, 08:51 PM

I haven't forgotten 1988 or 9-11,Billy Meyer was disliked as much as Bin Laden by IHRA class racers That's probaly why he had to move IHRA to Waco ,Tx. cause Bristol probaly was'nt a safe place for him to be.Billy Meyer dropped stk.,S/S and Modified in 1988, replaced w/.90 classes 7.90-12.90 was bad move.I remember back then alot of guys were diehard IHRA and wouldn't even consider racing NHRA so, SCRA was started had Moroso,I remember as one sponsor,Had race@MT Park ClayCity,Ky. Meyer got out I think had a group racers/investors?Carlton Phillips,Jim Ruth,Sonny Leonard,Ted Jones maybe? bought it moved back
to bristol put all back like it was then no class cars were showing up all were mad &racing with SCRA
(sportsman class racers association). Ted Jones was one of owners ,I think, but he made deal to buy
SCRA and "merge" with IHRA , no one has seen it since.
10.5 class put in modified, Have traditional mod/comp type classes maybe add some of "fastest street
car classes" but this goes against my traditional class racing beliefs.
Mike Taylor 3601
I keep hear NHRA&IHRA say class car counts are strong I know we could be dinosaurs Knowledge of class racing has fell severe last 20 years average racers/fans don't even know we exist.Went to IHRA pro am @MT.Park 3-5 tech guys, Hank Blakenship was only one there I know has any class knowledge,others I don't know if they even knew whatStk.S/S was not being negative towards them I just felt they didn't know class,they looked @safety stuff that was it.

THE LEGEND · 10-23-2008, 10:01 PM

Ya'll keep asking for a mod or a 10.5 class. They will never work because of CUBIC DOLLARS. You will have 1 or 2 dominate and run everyone off.

T/S and T/D are here to stay even NHRA is running them now.
Fans like them because they are fast.

Chip

Ed Wright · 10-24-2008, 04:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Angela Macy

I would first fire whoever created their website and then have one a little more user friendly one created. Grrr!! ((trying to find something and can't))

Ditto, must have been a ten year old kid. It's a mess. Website Jam, I guess.

Angela Macy · 10-24-2008, 05:46 PM

I would like to applaud myself for finding a creative way to say what I wanted to say without really saying it - like one of those read in between the lines type things

Some of you know what I'm talking about - ha ha.

10-23-2008, 11:32 AM	#1
Mike McCandless Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 121 Likes: 3 Liked 320 Times in 35 Posts	Re: What would U change @ IHRA I think IHRA should give Piedmont Dragway a million dollars. That would be great for the sport of drag racing. Yes, I'm a bit bias.

10-23-2008, 11:56 AM	#2
Mike Taylor 3601 VIP Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Somerset,Ky Posts: 1,369 Likes: 348 Liked 293 Times in 101 Posts	Re: What would U change @ IHRA If you want more biased I say sticks only minumum RPM rules. Mike Taylor 3601

10-23-2008, 11:57 AM	#3
X-TECH MAN Banned Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Lake Placid, Florida Posts: 3,203 Likes: 1,047 Liked 235 Times in 110 Posts	Re: What would U change @ IHRA Before I go and say this you guys should know how much I like Stock and Super Stok classes. I would have to say IHRA and maybe NHRA would drop Stock and Super stock way before they would give up T/S or T/D. Theres no rules to speak of except safety. The same goes for the 90 classes. Less paper work, less keeping track of specs, less tech people involved, etc. Just less headaches (HP factors,records, teardowns,fuel check, weight, etc.). All you need is a LARGE WALLET to race in T/D and T/S (Now Im gonna catch it). Face facts.....a large engine in an SFI certified chassis, a license, and a blower or nitrious are all thats needed. $100,000 minmum is the usual cost of a T/S sitting on the starting line ready to run. The spectators like the fast classes, Pro Stock look alike, and there are NO throttle stops, timers and crap like that so its balls out from the get go. If it wasnt for the number of entries that the 90 classes bring in I dont think they would be around because of spectator interest (which is ZERO). Those classes are a racer class. They are just not interesting to the general public going to a race. This is in no way meant to down play any certian class but to give food for thought. Just because one does or does not like a paticular class dosent mean it will be dropped. Its NUMBERS (car count), spectator interest, and $$$$ that gets the racing association interest. Class cars (specs and rules) are becoming extinct little by little. Its a changing market.Thats all I have to say. You can beat me up now. Last edited by X-TECH MAN; 10-23-2008 at 02:31 PM.

10-23-2008, 12:45 PM	#4
Ed Wright Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Sand Springs, OK Posts: 8,132 Likes: 896 Liked 390 Times in 170 Posts	Re: What would U change @ IHRA As much as I hate it, you are 100% correct. __________________ Ed Wright 4156 SS/JA

10-23-2008, 05:40 PM	#5
Angela Macy Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Randleman, NC Posts: 301 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: What would U change @ IHRA I would first fire whoever created their website and then have one a little more user friendly one created. Grrr!! ((trying to find something and can't))

10-23-2008, 07:52 PM	#6
Michael Kilduff Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Carolina Beach, NC Posts: 281 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: What would U change @ IHRA I think a start would be more National events in the southeast....I remember when there were nationals at Bristol, Darlington, Rockingham, and I think Richmond in the same year. Or, at least 3 of those 4 locations had IHRA Nat'ls in the same year. I agree with Angela Macy, create a new and better website! And I think the announcing team could do a better job with generating fan interest in the sportsman eliminators. X-Techman, you make a good point, but I don't think it is a good idea to drop categories just because they are harder to tech and require more effort and manpower (and cost). About 15 years ago IHRA did in fact drop SS eliminator. Can't remember if they dropped stock. The only IHRA national events I have been to in the last 3 years have been Budds Creek and Rockingham. It looked like there was alot of spectators at all those events. The Rock last week was half empty because of the weather unfortunately. If you want to invigorate the fans this would be the recipe- Delete the .90 classes. I know that alot of racers will get torqued up over that, but I can't tell you how many times I hear fans and buddies of mine that bracket race moan and groan about the timers and such. Personally I like watching the .90 classes at the stripe, some great driving down there. But most fans aren't like me. I would replace the .90 classes with 2 new categories, which would be much more entertaining for the fans and racers alike. One would be a 10.5 Outlaw type eliminator. It's no secret that several associations run these cars and the tracks are usually packed with fans. Heads up no breakout. The other would be a Modified class. The rules would be something like this- Door cars only, small block engine up to 385 CID, 3200 pounds, manual transmission only. Carb is limited to 750 size or smaller-any production cylinder heads. Body and suspension would be just like traditional SS cars now-factory type front suspension. If using a 1955 to 1972 production car it can weigh 3100. All other rules regarding body, electrical, interior, etc would be like SS. Heads up no breakout. Maybe even call that class Jr. Modified, and have a big block class called Modified with a 470 CID limit and 850 carb, manual trans,....you get the idea.

10-23-2008, 08:51 PM	#7
Mike Taylor 3601 VIP Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Somerset,Ky Posts: 1,369 Likes: 348 Liked 293 Times in 101 Posts	Re: What would U change @ IHRA I haven't forgotten 1988 or 9-11,Billy Meyer was disliked as much as Bin Laden by IHRA class racers That's probaly why he had to move IHRA to Waco ,Tx. cause Bristol probaly was'nt a safe place for him to be.Billy Meyer dropped stk.,S/S and Modified in 1988, replaced w/.90 classes 7.90-12.90 was bad move.I remember back then alot of guys were diehard IHRA and wouldn't even consider racing NHRA so, SCRA was started had Moroso,I remember as one sponsor,Had race@MT Park ClayCity,Ky. Meyer got out I think had a group racers/investors?Carlton Phillips,Jim Ruth,Sonny Leonard,Ted Jones maybe? bought it moved back to bristol put all back like it was then no class cars were showing up all were mad &racing with SCRA (sportsman class racers association). Ted Jones was one of owners ,I think, but he made deal to buy SCRA and "merge" with IHRA , no one has seen it since. 10.5 class put in modified, Have traditional mod/comp type classes maybe add some of "fastest street car classes" but this goes against my traditional class racing beliefs. Mike Taylor 3601 I keep hear NHRA&IHRA say class car counts are strong I know we could be dinosaurs Knowledge of class racing has fell severe last 20 years average racers/fans don't even know we exist.Went to IHRA pro am @MT.Park 3-5 tech guys, Hank Blakenship was only one there I know has any class knowledge,others I don't know if they even knew whatStk.S/S was not being negative towards them I just felt they didn't know class,they looked @safety stuff that was it. Last edited by Mike Taylor 3601; 10-23-2008 at 09:09 PM.

10-23-2008, 10:01 PM	#8
THE LEGEND VIP Member Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Fayetteville, n.c. Posts: 1,411 Likes: 0 Liked 1 Time in 1 Post	Re: What would U change @ IHRA Ya'll keep asking for a mod or a 10.5 class. They will never work because of CUBIC DOLLARS. You will have 1 or 2 dominate and run everyone off. T/S and T/D are here to stay even NHRA is running them now. Fans like them because they are fast. Chip

10-24-2008, 05:46 PM	#10
Angela Macy Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Randleman, NC Posts: 301 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: What would U change @ IHRA I would like to applaud myself for finding a creative way to say what I wanted to say without really saying it - like one of those read in between the lines type things Some of you know what I'm talking about - ha ha.