SS field set at Crandall IHRA Event?????

[Michael Beard]

Originally Posted by R J Sledge

Michael you are wrong on your statement of "$80,000.00 crate motor cars". That was 2 years ago, they are now $90,000.00 to over $100,000.00 cars.

Sorry, I said $100K in another thread, and somebody said they built a budget one for $80K. Trying to give them the benefit of the doubt.

IHRA does try hard to please, and I will no doubt attend some more events, but even with the attitude that NHRA has, I must say in all honesty, that they do it better than anybody else. Good and bad.

In all seriousness, what is it that they do better? People *do* listen, and are open to suggestions.

I sent my NHRA membership renewal in at the beginning of August, and haven't gotten anything back yet. I get a new IHRA card in two DAYS when renewing. That, and I've just figured out that the membership and car # are two separate things in NHRA, with different expiration dates... now trying to figure out if I can get my competition number re-upped.

[RJ Sledge]

Michael

Having run a number of IHRA and NHRA events, Nat'l and Div'l, the difference is all economic, IHRA goes about it with less money to spend on personnel than NHRA. I understand that you don't always get the biggest bang for your buck just by spending more money, but NHRA does have 2 to 3 times more people at the races. In my experience with racing both of their events, NHRA just does it better. I am not saying that IHRA does not try, it just does not run as smoothly IMO. I believe thats one of the problems with getting NHRA racers to attend IHRA events. There are others.

Later RJ

[Michael Beard]

Does *what* better?

The Pro-Ams and Nitro Jams I've been have been run incredibly smooth.

[RJ Sledge]

Michael

IMO they run the race better. I don't know how I can be any clearer than that. Everyone has a different opinion,. There are a number of reasons for NHRA Class racers not attending IHRA races and you have my opinion.

I really don't want to get into a pissing contest with anyone, thats why I stated "IMO". But since you ask I will explain based on my experience with IHRA.

Additional membership fee
Weak administrative decisions
Short payouts
Lack of personnel
Lack of experienced personnel
Favoritism to IHRA regulars (experienced it myself at San Antonio Nat'l)
Tear downs for Records (once got pumped and weighed for the Record)
Lack of established IHRA schedule
etc

Michael I know you will probably not agree with me, and I can appreciate your opinion but I also appreciate your loyalty to them, but I ask you now, why don't they have more NHRA Class racers show up at IHRA events???? They just had a race with over 8 million people within 75 miles and you only draw 15 Stockers and 2 Super Stockers. Most of those that entered were from Louisana, what happened to the Texas racers?? Please answer this for me, because I would really like to know.
Was it the locale, the track, the origanization itself, the way they run the races, the weather, the payouts etc. I am not bashing, just asking.

Now let me say this, I would really like to see IHRA succeed and improve, in the mean time I believe they are regulated to be a step brother to NHRA.

You ask me "what" now I ask you "Why".

Do I still get a discount on my next order??

Later R J

[THE LEGEND]

I don't understand why everyone is fussing about the schedule.
I jus attended my first NHRA race.
Friday they gave us an extra run
Saturday They moved first rd up 2 hrs, then Decided not to run first rd and instead had TT#6.
Sunday was supposed to start at 9 and it ended up being 10.

I personally was impressed with how quick NHRA ran the show. In 4 hours friday everyone had 3 runs. Saturday they did 3 runs and were done by 5.
Chip

[Jeff Colvert]

Originally Posted by R J Sledge

Michael you are wrong on your statement of "$80,000.00 crate motor cars". That was 2 years ago, they are now $90,000.00 to over $100,000.00 cars.

IHRA does try hard to please, and I will no doubt attend some more events, but even with the attitude that NHRA has, I must say in all honesty, that they do it better than anybody else. Good and bad.

Marty sorry to hear of your breakage, hope its not too bad.

Later RJ

Jeff you really going to Belle Rose??

Sure would like to RJ. Ran within .05 of the record at Bowling Green @3300 ft bet i could make that up on a bad day at Belle Rose. 9.42 @ 140.83 Probably need to wait for some sub sea level air so I won't have to do it again for a while.

Jeff Colvert SS/G 4456

Sorry about your bad luck Marty

[Michael Beard]

>> IMO they run the race better. I don't know how I can be any clearer than that.

Sorry, I was looking for what you meant by "run the race better". Maybe something's different at the out-west races. The World Finals last year *was* horrible, and everybody admits that. This year, I can't recall a single problem off the top of my head from any Pro-Am or Nitro Jam I attended. I won Rockingham, and was done with winner's circle pics, contingency, loaded up and out the gate by about 1:30 pm that Sunday! Everything has been bing-bang-boom, run cars down the track. Granted, that's just my personal experience... but I've only been to 13 Pro-Ams in four different divisions, four national events and a stand-aone TOC Qualifier. I've been to numerous NHRA Div'l and Nat'l events with no problems as well. I wouldn't rate one higher than the other. I've heard people holler about both sanctioning bodies for their decisions when faced with inclement weather. That's just one of those tossups where you're never going to make everybody happy.

>> Additional membership fee

What "additional" fee? Each sanction has a membership fee. If you race with one, and want to go race with the other, you have to join. Works both ways. And if you want to get down to it, I sent NHRA $69 membership renewal Aug. 11 (which I still haven't gotten back yet), and an additional $50 today to renew my number. Both together are $70 in IHRA. And sometimes they do specials where they waive membership at certain events and honor NHRA licenses to make things easier. This past weekend at the Million Dollar Race, originally to be held at Indy, NHRA wouldn't let anyone compete that did not have an NHRA Membership, License, and Chassis Cert.... at a track-rented bracket race. The promoter ended up moving the race at the last minute (literally) to another facility.

>> Short payouts

Bring cars. Cars = Money. If IHRA guaranteed $20K to win, would guys show up? I mean ACTUALLY show up? Payouts? I have a race purse calculator spreadsheet. Sonoma: NHRA paid back about 45%. Martin, MI: IHRA paid back about 45%. Looks pretty even. Unless you want to count Indy? About 25%.

Yes, contingency money is down considerably, but I've still made good money this year. I'd compare Pro-Ams vs LODRS events, but you can't even find LODRS payouts posted anywhere. I do remember making it to the semis at Cecil County many years ago and I *may* have gotten my entry fee back. 5th rnd loser is more than the entry fee in IHRA.

Want to test n' tune? It was $100 at Atlanta this weekend. IHRA events it's typically $25-$35. In another thread a couple of months ago, I laid out how you could chase both a Divisional and World Championship in IHRA for about half the cost of just chasing Div'l points in NHRA. But to each their own.

>> Lack of personnel

Who are they missing, and what do they need to do? I do remember seeing a bunch of guys at Bowling Green tending bald spots on the starting line, but then again it's literally been years since I've even seen bald spots at an IHRA event. I think their staff does just fine.

>> Favoritism to IHRA regulars (experienced it myself at San Antonio Nat'l)

That shouldn't happen. Don't know what your circumstance was, but if it happened, that's a legitimate gripe. Not something I've seen out this way.

>> Tear downs for Records (once got pumped and weighed for the Record)

That shouldn't happen, but if it happened, that's a legitimate gripe. I've been through teardown a numerous times in IHRA, and they checked everything with the exception of pulling a rod n' piston.

>> Lack of established IHRA schedule

I'm confused on this one. We have an established schedule and a run order. The only time something changes is in extreme circumstances. Atlanta and E-Town made schedule changes this weekend, too. What's different?

>> Michael I know you will probably not agree with me, and I can appreciate your opinion but I also appreciate your loyalty to them,

We can agree to disagree. It's okay! And it's not "loyalty", simply facts and my opinions. When I think they screwed up, I express my opinion to them. I just take a broad view of the sport. I look at the big picture, and try to let people know some of the facts about "racing on the other side" if they haven't already tried it themselves. I think a lot of people just have some weird fear of the unknown. Racin's racin', and the nuts n' bolts really aren't different!

>> but I ask you now, why don't they have more NHRA Class racers show up at IHRA events???? They just had a race with over 8 million people within 75 miles and you only draw 15 Stockers and 2 Super Stockers.

That's a D*MN good question! I think some others had replied elsewhere that they're following the NHRA schedule, so they used this weekend as time off leading into multiple races in a row. It's just my opinion, but it's stupid NOT to go, when there's a low car count -- much easier to make it to the finals and collect sticker money. Yeah, it may not be as much as it used to be, but let me tell you, it adds up!

>> Now let me say this, I would really like to see IHRA succeed and improve, in the mean time I believe they are regulated to be a step brother to NHRA.

Again, what they need is specific suggestions, then. For years, guys said it's "Qualifying & ladders", and they didn't come, then it was "need races in my area" and they didn't come, and so on and so on. For the guys that don't race IHRA, they need to *really* know what is it going to take, and will they *really* show up?

>> Do I still get a discount on my next order??

Sure! Like I said, it's just an exchange of ideas and opinions... it's *not* a pissin' contest. I don't take it personal.

$.02,

[Jeff Teuton]

RJ, I'm going to Belle Rose Friday and make a hit and get on the sheet. Then I have to go home. May be back Sunday if eliminations start then, but probably not.

[X-TECH MAN]

Michael.....The only BALD SPOTS I ever saw at an IHRA race was on the heads of all the old guys still racing.....lol.

[Marty Burke]

Michael,
I would like to see them do a fuel check. I raced three of the four divisionals at Crandall
and nobody did a fuel check. Also during tech inspection the inspectors never looked at my carb or heads to see if they were correct. Now I do understand that they might have
just figured they were correct, but I would feel more comfortable knowing that every car
really got inspected. This would be an easy fix.
I would like to reiterate, that I really believe we must support both sanctioning bodies.

RJ: I believe the motor is hurt real bad. I haven't pulled the head yet, but they are the F5 heads!

Marty