Is IHRA Going Under?

[AJ Laferty]

I drag race occasionally, post infrequently.

I would offer that NHRA/IHRA issues are not new. Further, since they are for profit corporations, they have to chase the money which usually means putting on a show for fans. Mostly, I’m an autocrosser with the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) or local clubs but it is all “class racing.” It isn’t about making money, it’s about covering the costs of running. Autocross is pretty boring to watch, so no spectators are going to pay to watch (kinda like most current sportsman and bracket races) No purse, but a local autocross is usually $35 for three or four runs-best run counts. While there are plenty of issues within SCCA, it is a club that exists for the members, not shareholders. There is a rule making process, not a rule declaration process. I won’t go into the details, but it MAY be a model for consideration in the future. I’m not advocating abandoning drag racing for autocross.

Some time back, there was a string about cost to build a stocker. If memory serves, it went something like $20K after the body price. I cannot imagine anyone spending that kind of money to autocross. Sure, some people show up with new Porsches and Corvettes, but most of them are late model pony cars or economy cars. Under the index for under a grand type builds are normal. See Grassroots Motorsports Magazine 2016 Challenge for details. (build your car for $2016 and drag, autocross and show it for points).

Give some thought to comparing Stock NHRA/IHRA to “Street” class (no longer called stock) in SCCA. Street is more like IHRA pure stock and keeps costs under control. This is racing your commuter car. The rulebook is online at http://www.scca.com/pages/solo-cars-and-rules (unlike NHRA where you have to buy a rulebook).

Tire rules have changed driving the cost of tires for most from $1000 a set, lasting usually a year of autocross only to about $600 a set and you can commute with them and they last about a year. An SCCA “Street Prepared” class car (comparable to an NHRA Stocker but without the internal engine work including cams) will run about $5000 in modifications and are usually trailered because the suspensions are so stiff. Street Prepared use DOT slicks at about $1000 a set. Cars are classified based on level of modification and performance potential. From running a stock economy car to running a formula car, there is a place for just about everything (not necessarily a competitive place, but that is class racing). If you like to build cars, there are builder classes.

Basically street class means 200 treadwear tires, double adjustable shocks and sway bar substitutions. No headers, must have pollution controls and stock SIZE wheels. Most cars that means Koni shocks/struts at about $1K, and a $200 sway bar. I don’t run konis, I run the stock shock. (what you drive isn’t going to get the win, nor will mods. It’s HOW you drive that will get the win.) As with stock drag racing, there is plenty to “adjust” in the suspension that will make an enormous difference.

Now, those of you that are heavily invested both financially and emotionally in the current drag race model will refute considering a change in the way drag racing is run and I respect that. Those of you that see that the current race model has problems may want to consider a different way of doing business. Look around, there are plenty of organizations to observe. On the other hand, bracket racing has been a successful model too.

All the best,
Jeff Laferty

[Jim Wahl]

After a two hour phone conversation with Scooter Peaco I feel that IHRA will do all they can to continue the Sportsman and Class Racing program for 2017. With that said there are many concerns. One concern, and probably the biggest is car count. If the car counts continue the downward spiral then it becomes harder and harder to sell the Pro Am program to track managers.No track owner or manager wants to lose money. They cant stay in business that way. If they can't make a profit they can't justify the payouts. IHRA and NHRA payouts are the same.IHRA is cheaper to race with than NHRA. The overheads are pretty close to the same, so if IHRA doesn't take in as much or more through race fees at their races it's harder for them to continue. Lets face it, no longer does spectator gate fees pay for anything! When was the last time you saw more than a few "butts in the seat" at any race, IHRA or NHRA. Most are family or crew. So the number of racers that show up is even more important. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure this out.

I'd be only speculating if I told you why IRG hired Mike Dunn to head the IHRA. Was it to draw more Pro racers? Was it because of his organizational skills? I don't know. Only Mike and IGA knows what the deal was there. I am convinced now that it wasn't to gut the Association. There is no doubt IHRA has fallen on tough times. We ALL have! But like most of us everybody has a boss. He must follow the wishes of the mother company or hit the road as been done before. This brings up the question of the Drag Review Magazine. IRG has told Dunn that they do not think it is a necessary expense. So it is gone. Neither Peaco or Dunn are happy about it and told me they fought it. They lost! We lost! And no you will not get a refund. Period. It is possible it could come back in digital form only. I said possible. It's a maybe at best. This is wrong! We all know it. Peaco and Dunn agree with that! IRG said NO!

Now, about next season. As things stand today, the season will go forward as planned. Scooter is starting to work on gathering the tracks together to plan races and dates. But as I stated earlier, everything depends on which tracks want to continue with the Pro Am format. That depends on if he can sell them that program with the low car counts we have been experiencing. Will they take the chance on us? We must show them we want to race! Don't fool yourself. This is no different than NHRA! You want a place to race? You have to show the track owners by showing up! You make your own destiny. If you don't get out and race, you can't sit at home and bitch about it! This goes for IHRA,NHRA and your local S/SS Associations!

The rest of the IHRA season will go on as planned for sure. The people at Summit have a contract to to see to that! Thank you Summit! Hopefully they will be back next year. The World Finals will go on as planned also. Once again Summit will be sure of that.

With all of that said, if you have more questions about IHRA, Scooter has said to feel free to call or email him. (ihra.com)(contact us). He said he will do his best to answer you. If you don't feel comfortable doing that (you shouldn't) feel free to contact me and I will try to help.
Once again, if you don't make an effort to get out and race, you can't bitch! Jim


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[Dave1695]

Pinballer had some valid points, most first time spectators do not grasp the handicap start system, much less the 90 classes with their throttle stops etc. I often thought that the announcers could help in that area, by explaining briefly, the differences between classes or class racing and bracket racing. I'm a poor drag race spectator, mostly because I have been a race for many years. BUT If we can make the sport more understandable for the fans to watch, and they fill the stands every week end as they did years ago, perhaps the current problems at IHRA would not exist! Just my two cents on the subject!

[MikeMoller]

I think the sanctioning bodies and the track operators need to do more to get butts in the seats. I knew a dirt track operator up north who ADVERTISED the races locally - radio and TV - and ran promotions for discounted tickets. The ticket prices charged to see a NHRA/IHRA divisional are way to high, not family friendly. I'd rather have 100 spectators at 5 bucks a head than 10 at 20. How about 25 bucks a carload? As the dirt track operator told me, you can't sell a hot dog to an empty seat.
The NHRA Divisional at Charlotte was not advertised at all, not even on their website. The Charlotte track had no information on schedules, run times or ticket prices.And there were only a few food truck vendors there, no track operated vendors at all.

[HR9121]

If IHRA wants to increase car counts they should start by increasing their contingency program. I mean hardly any of us do this for money but we do weigh it into how far and where we will travel. I think I can earn $400 for a win at a Pro Am, that is rediculous. Somebody needs to get to work on this.

[Dan Fahey]

Originally Posted by MikeMoller

I think the sanctioning bodies and the track operators need to do more to get butts in the seats. I knew a dirt track operator up north who ADVERTISED the races locally - radio and TV - and ran promotions for discounted tickets. The ticket prices charged to see a NHRA/IHRA divisional are way to high, not family friendly. I'd rather have 100 spectators at 5 bucks a head than 10 at 20. How about 25 bucks a carload? As the dirt track operator told me, you can't sell a hot dog to an empty seat.
The NHRA Divisional at Charlotte was not advertised at all, not even on their website. The Charlotte track had no information on schedules, run times or ticket prices.And there were only a few food truck vendors there, no track operated vendors at all.

Good point!
My Daughters will go an buy a nice inexpensive plain looking dress.
Then spend $hundreds assessorizing and they just look outstanding!
Shotgun outstanding

First thing...Good food, maybe invite some of those classy food trucks or local resturants that can cater. Always need clean restrooms, especially for the girls. Then a bit of attractive entertainment, booths with cool things to do, shut down at 10 pm and show a movie. Bring in a local Band. There is a lot of tension at the track especially for racers.
Got to have fun with a bit of down time.
Sure there are some amateur musicians that can bring their instruments for open Mike!
Charge $5 and moderate prices for beverages and food. Have little cute things to buy and some memorabilia give a ways!
If they liked the experience they will be back next year with a friend

Question to ask:
What can be done to bring in the non racer?
First thing people have to know about it.
So proper aggressive advertising.
What kind..? Inexpensive..
Contact local Public Schools and colleges
Local radio and invite the radio station to broadcast.
Has to be a WIIFM concept!
What benefit will they see attending the races?

The ProAm should be the dress!
Then assessorize!

D

[jwsamuel]

Originally Posted by Dave1695

Pinballer had some valid points, most first time spectators do not grasp the handicap start system, much less the 90 classes with their throttle stops etc.

Try explaining to a first-time spectator how a driver left the starting line first and got to the finish line first ended up losing the race.

[Chris1529]

IHRA needs to do something to help out the tracks that have pro-am's and also do something to try to get a few more to have them.

I have a few ideas:

1.)How about having a database of racers that spectators or prospective spectators could access from an app, track website, or through IHRA or motormania that has a little bio about the racers and the cars. You could give history of your car, a little about your self, what it took to get where you are at, how far you came to race at the track, etc. I am not talking about sharing any real PII, just some notes so the fans know about you and your car. Any new or prospective fans are going to be tech savy now and they need to be able to play on their phones during the race.
You can't expect announcers to know a lot about every car. They know the ones they see all the time, but not from all racers.

2.a) Let tracks still have bracket races the weekends of their points meets, but do it in a manner that doesn't make track officials and operators work from 7am to 2am to get tech and a race finished.
Consider a pre-entered and pre-paid 32 car field in box and no box. It can be locals, or pro-am guys too if they wish to commit. Tracks could also offer it to the top 16 or 32 in their local points system as sort of a bonus

2.b.) for the tracks that run the doubles, why not see if there is interest in running 1 time trial then racing the first pro-am Friday evening. Start at 3 or 4 pm. Most people are there anyway. Have the 2nd race on Saturday. Have the above bracket race from idea 2a above on Saturday too. That would leave Sunday for rain make up or a travel home day.

2.c.) If 2b is adopted, then the track could have a regular race day for them or street cars, or something like that on Sunday. This way, they are still having something for their local folks in addition to the Pro-Am racers.

3.) How about IHRA having a BBQ or something on Saturday night. There are caterers or folks with food trucks, or portable cookers most everywhere that could come in. Some folks I work with that have horses do this about once a month in the summer when they ride. They have all their horse trailers in a field, and after a day riding, they bring in a person to have a big BBQ.
If IHRA can't get any businesses to sponsor it, just ask for $5 donations from racers to help pay for it. Most racers at pro-ams either stay at the track, or wouldn't mind staying for a dinner if it was available. Offer it to any fans as well.

4.) track operators also have to put a little effort in to get at least a few people in the stands. They aren't all going to be Bill Bader types, but they at least need to make an effort to get some people in the stands. Offer free or cheap admission to local first responders and their families, car clubs, boy scouts, girl scouts, 4H, do at least minimal advertising on radio or at local "hangouts" ( McDonald's, Ice Cream shops, etc.)

[Bobby DiDomenico]

Originally Posted by jwsamuel

Try explaining to a first-time spectator how a driver left the starting line first and got to the finish line first ended up losing the race.

We find that pretty easy to do, just tell them if you had a college athlete running a foot race against a grammar school student, the grammar school student is going to get a head start based upon the times both claim they can run the race in. To keep them both honest they can't run quicker than they claimed. If one runs quicker than they claimed they lose. If both run the race quicker than they claimed, the individual who ran quicker by the largest margins looses.

The delay box concept is understood so quickly they ask if people cheat with it in classes where it is illegal.
Throttle stops? Even car guys who attend don't understand the concept of the throttle stop!

[Keith 944]

Originally Posted by HR9121

If IHRA wants to increase car counts they should start by increasing their contingency program. I mean hardly any of us do this for money but we do weigh it into how far and where we will travel. I think I can earn $400 for a win at a Pro Am, that is rediculous. Somebody needs to get to work on this.

This is what I have been stressing for years! Where is that rabbit loving blowhard to tell us we are all wrong and everything is peachy keen?
We all miss Bill Bader....