Is IHRA Going Under?

[jwsamuel]

Originally Posted by Bobby DiDomenico

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.

Why would a college athlete race a grammar school student?

[Jim Wahl]

I would like to thank all of you who posted comments and suggestions on this matter and tell you that I know Scooter has seen this as well as my interview on WheelzUp Radio last Wednesday night. I am in the process of combining your suggestions into an email to send him for reference for future board meetings. Scooter acknowledges that your opinions do matter to him and Mike Dunn.

Once again, thanks to all of you who had opinions and comments and to those of you who have not posted anything but have something to say, please do! We can not afford to lose such a large Drag Racing venue as the IHRA! You can post here or email me. Thanks! Jim


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[Mike Schwartz]

Why is it always assumed that spectators can't understand handicap drag racing? Golf has handicaps. Bowling has handicaps. Those sports aren't lacking for participants and spectators.

Also, any form of racing with a major "show" aspect will draw many times more than "participant" events. NASCAR does not dilute it's race weekends with Hobby Stock or Bomber classes. Perhaps its time that NHRA completely reconfigures the format of national events to reach the modern audience, while still offering a venue for some form of sportsman participation.

[Bruce Fulper]

When I'm announcing everyone understands what's going on. I make it a point to to make it clear, and to make it fun. Spectators are always thanking me so I know I'm doing it right.

[bill dedman]

Handicapped bowling LOOKS exactly the same as bowling without handicaps. Handicapped golf also, looks identical to "scratch" (?) golf.

Handicapped drag racing looks NOTHING like heads-up drag racing.

It LOOKS like one of the drivers wasn't paying attention.

Some folks say it isn't even drag racing.

There's a reason that NO Professional categories feature elapsed time handicaps.and, I believe it has everything to do with visual appeal.

The alternative to what we have now in the Sportsman ranks, is NO "Eliminators," and class-racing only, where everything is heads-up with no competition between different classes of cars, and a much smaller payout (than an Eliminator) for a class win.... That totally-different way of doing things would have to have begun back in the '60s before they started combining different classes for one "prize" winner. The payouts would never have been very large, so the big-money Stockers and Super Stockers with expensive parts and modifications would never have been built (no motive) and the result might have been that, now, almost anyone could afford a race car.

The "Eliminator" money would have been split up and dispensed to the class-winners. There would be NO ...... Eliminator winners.

But, that didn't happen, so, we have what we have; a "hobby," the entry-level of which requires an expenditure that includes $400.00-worth of tires, and a cash layout of at least $15,000.00 for a car and ancillary equipment, and that is for a bare-bones budget.

In this economy, the number of people who are willing to part with that amount of cash for a "hobby", is small, indeed.

It didn't have to be that way... but, it is.

[Mike Schwartz]

I'll have to take a closer look at handicapping in other sports to see if my analogy still stands up.

I'm currently reading "Super Stock: Drag Racing The Family Sedan", which covers the early to mid-60s in great detail. At National Events, Fridays and Saturdays were set aside for class racing, while Sundays featured an eliminator for the top-50 cars regardless of class. Perhaps that would work again.

[Duane Eiskant II]

Here ya go. Got this email from Ihra division director Jon oneal so I'm sharing. Since jims post I've had people tell me they won't go to any Ihra events this year because since there folding up they don't want to lose there membership money.(?) come on your gonna take a $20,000 car and NOT race over $80 bucks? My brother in-law passed away Thursday and for this weekends pro am at capital in Maryland im gonna miss the first Q run sat but will be there to support this event. (the service is sat for my brother in-law) I, like a lot of racers have been sitting at home and they only to better which ever (the I or the N) you chose to run with, you need to support it. Travel safe see the ones who want to race Friday afternoon.

"Mr. Wahl didn't call me. He didn't call Josh or Frank, our other dds. He didn't call Skooter or Baker. He called the generic office line and got our graphic designer (turned receptionist after the mag went away). I won't pretend that I know what was said but here's what I do know and I'll gladly tell or share with anyone:

The powers that be have a plan for the whole of the IHRA that includes the home office living in Florida. That's no big secret and it's been the plan for a long time. It did mean that some of the staff had to make a tough decision. The most important part of the plan to our sportsman racers is that Baker, Skooter and I (because I live in the area I work) will be staying in Norwalk in a small satellite office just like our other Division Directors. I'm not sure how important it is to a message board theorist that we won't be near where we store a years worth of glue, oil dry or park the National Event semis, but it is what it is. Maybe it matters what zip code you call to renew your membership.

The great news in my eyes and what I'm genuinely excited about is that it leaves us without the burden of spending too much time in the D1 (moniker for the new top fuel and professional program) series. It lets us go back to spending a majority of our time on the Summit ProAm Tour and Summit SuperSeries. Know that everyone above my paygrade that I've dealt with in the organization, personally in one-on-one conversations and in meetings, including Mike Dunn and even the CEO that hired Mike understand that we're doing good things with sportsman and don't want to mess with it. They see the value in the hard work and the history. They want to see it grow as much as we do.

As far as next year, we're in the same exact place we would be in any other season at this time. We have every intention of not only continuing but growing the series just like every year. Do we have commitments from tracks and sponsors... some. I'd bet we have approximately the same numbers we did in July last year. We plan to release the schedule around the same time as last year after careful deliberation of placement and format. More importantly, right now, we're invested in the races we are currently operating and doing everything we can to make those smooth, fun and successful for the racers and track operators. If someone doesn't want to partake in that due to a forum post it will break my heart.

We are invested in this as individuals. You know better than most that we have to love this industry to commit our lives to it. We will do everything in our power to grow this thing. The sportsman racers are our customers and every decision we make revolves around them. Could someone say "enough is enough" and turn the lights off... sure. But that possibility has always been there. Through the 5 owners I've seen it's always been in the back of racers minds. But know than I'm genuinely excited to simply be an asset to the pro program with Baker and Skooter as opposed to being heavily involved in it. We'll have the ability to spend a larger majority of our time on the programs that will carry class racing into a better light. It's honestly heartbreaking that someone would consider airing their unconfirmed theory in such a derogatory manner and labeling it a call to action for support. That's exactly the maneuver that's caused the fear in the minds of racers. Those racers decide the babble has backing and don't show and it's a self fulfilling prophecy. I appreciate your ability to contact someone who may have some actual knowledge on the matter at hand.

Please feel free to let people know your new "inside info" and let them know they can always call us and ask anything they'd like. Just ask them to try and use a little forethought as to which questions they direct to which people. That's what your Division Director is for.

As always, feel free to let me know if there's anything I can do. "

[Ok stocker]

I am in Oklahoma and we need more race tracks close to us and more events. When I bought my stoker it was more for ihra than NHRA . I don't have the budget for both.

[jwsamuel]

Originally Posted by Mike Schwartz

Why is it always assumed that spectators can't understand handicap drag racing? Golf has handicaps. Bowling has handicaps. Those sports aren't lacking for participants and spectators.
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It is breakouts that are the problem. They understand one racer getting a head start. They have trouble when's car crosses the finish line first and loses.

[SStockDart]

I am a class racers since 1966. (Less Army time and raising a family). Many ideas have been tried by NHRA to keep our sport moving forward. Countless times on this forum, we have criticized the fuel cars..me included. But, let's face the reality, spectators don't go to races to watch us. We can wheel stand to half track and to spectators "it is cool " but we don't go 300 MPH.

NASCAR has had spectator issues lately, but still draw countless thousands of spectators.....we don't. A NASCAR car probably costs less than some of our Super Stock cars (arguably )......and they make thousands just for qualifying, Spectators go to NASCAR races to see "their man". In our sport our man is John Force....like it or not.

When we, as sportsman racers, go racing....frequently family and friends go to watch. Only to watch us run early in the morning then late in the afternoon. How boring is that for a spectator?

This is what I recommend trying. Call it what you want, but for the sake of conversation, I'll call it endurance race. Our class cars will not work well but our cars with cheaper engines would........first endurance class needs to dial less than 10.50. Qualify to 10.00. Full body cars, no tube cars....No throttle stops or electronics. Double elimination. Return directly to the staging area, round robin. Probably on 3 minutes between rounds. Tire pressure and coolant change only.....in front of the grand stands.

Would probably take 10 to 12 rounds and keep their man and car in front of spectators. Do the same for faster than 9.00,, including dragsters..... best 2 of 3 for finals....10k to win. Am I stupid?

If this is redundant, I am sorry. Never heard it suggested before.