What would U change @ IHRA

[mcaruso]

Originally Posted by danny waters sr

I was there and working everyday and busting my *****. For one thing ,when we call a class to the lanes you should start your way to the lanes ,instead of waiting to here the first car to go down and then coming to the lanes .if you think about it there is a lot of" waisted" time waiting for some of the laid backs to get to lanes before we start .suppose we start running the first pair and at the same time close the lanes for that class .that would be unfair then because we did not wait for you before we start.i cannot help for down time,that at some point and time is going to happen .you do not understand the other side of running and working an event like this . I will invite any one of you to come and hang with me and other offficials when it is time to pair or run cars at these events .it takes both sides to make this work .some things such as oil downs and breakage we cannot help! I am sorry if you do not agree with me ,but sometimes it is hard to get on this site and read all this complaining and a lot from people or racers that do not even go or were not at certain events.we are more racer friendly than you make it out .you just cannot please everyone .sorry for this long letter.it was meant to be shorter than this .everyone have a great off season.hope to see you next year, thanks to those who understand!!!!!!

DW, Sr.- Great job!

[Michael Beard]

Originally Posted by clutch man

I think bryan is right, of course this chip fellow is gonna brown nose for ihra he was this years champ,

Chip was Rockingham's track champion. He has not been an IHRA Champion since 1988, or 2001 if you want to count Bracket Finals.

sss may have only made 38 runs but on sun it took them 45 min to announce them,

SSS cars on Sunday.... 1st round started at 12:47 and ended at 12:55. 2nd round 2:14 to 2:22. 3rd round 4:16 to 4:18. Looks like a total of 18 minutes total track time for them all day on Sunday. Maybe they talked about them for longer.

and the sad thing is even if it was a 4 day race with no rain they probably still couldn't finish.

We DID finish the race in four days, with all the rain, oildowns, breakage, and cold. Another car had broken a rear end, a Quick Rod car broke, etc... all things you couldn't control.

At the Spring race, the last Sportsman final round was run at 4:10 pm on Sunday, and we had also run the Summit All-Stars (56 cars total) on Saturday, so yes, it most certainly can be done.

We all wish things had gone better, but it didn't work out that way. The hyperbole is unnecessary.

I'd rather plan on getting a race done in 3 days and only have to be gone an extra day under extenuating circumstances, rather then 'have' to take off an extra day for every single event. That costs *everybody* more money -- racers, staff, tracks, and the sanctioning body.

[mcaruso]

Originally Posted by Michael Beard

We all wish things had gone better, but it didn't work out that way.

Ya,especially the part where I gave back the finish line by 3 thou in the 3rd round

[Mike Taylor 3601]

I say cut sportsman classes back to Stk.,S/S,H/R,S/R,Q/R add back a Modified/Comp. type elim.,Take T/S,T/D, ET.out of Natl's why run bracket cars at national event?Anouncers need to be knowledgable of
Stk.,S/S and explain these cars so their people who don't know will learn.I remember the way it was you
class raced if you wanted to go faster you moved up through them stock to T/AD or bracket raced.To many choices takes car counts down in each class.I like change especially when they change it back to the way I liked to start with.
Mike Taylor 3601

[Mike McCandless]

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]

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

[X-TECH MAN]

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]

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

[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))

[Michael Kilduff]

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.