Re: Crate Motor Class
 

Thanks Dave for the kind words. I always said we cant please everyone all of the time but maybe some will be happy some of the time. We made mistakes and we did things right at other times. Cant win them all. As far as the HP factors we had to start someplace back then and we used the factory ratings to start with. Ive been retired for about 8 years from IHRA so I cant help whats happened since then. As far as one association vs the other......they both have thier plus and minus. Ive raced in both and worked for both and I still say the IHRA is a better place for the little guy. The NHRA is more of upsclae deal but not everyone can afford to race on a national tour Kind of like the NFL and the AFL in football. Both have thier place. We should all work together for the betterment of the sportsman racers. Ive had my difference's with certain IHRA personel but I still respect them and think they try to do whats right for the association and the racer. With the economy being what it is we ALL should be glad they have a place to race and a job to pay for our "Habit". Yes.....the bitching should be related to payouts, non paying and slow paying sponsors, schedulimg, pit parking, entry fees, and many etc's that we cant do anything about. May you all win a national event and a championship. Terry

Re: Crate Motor Class
 

I will second on that on seeing Brandon getting in and out of that car. You should have asked santa for a bigger car or door.

Re: Crate Motor Class
 

Beard, Notice I said "work" and not $$$$. You don't necessarily have to spend a fortune... Just my opinion.

Re: Crate Motor Class
 

Brandon,

Don't ever loose that passion for racing... I look forward to meeting you at one of the races.
Your dad and I already know each other and have raced each other several times... I think he has the advantage and seem to be a good guy.. I know he likes Fords & Mustangs...
Thats what I enjoy most about Racing is the people & friends you make its great.. Don't give up that dream on running your car in NHRA, Stock or Super/Stock, you will love it.
Same problems, just different faces & poor payouts.... But its great to have choices where you can go and race.... I have been telling racers that for years and I like the way IHRA treats the little guys... Like it was years ago, when racing was much more Fun...
But like Terry said, with the way things are we are lucky to still have places to Race..

Terry, your comments are dead-on about sportsmen racing & Ego's... Yes, we are so lucky to have a places to Race... But, I think a Racer association is necessary in the future
of Drag-racing ...Thats why I think we need more All Star & East Coast racing associations.
They will be the where the Sportsmen Groups will have something to offer if they can only STICK together as one... We have a lot to offer if its presented right and band as one group... But, I think it will take all of these splinter groups first, then have our own Sportsnational kind of thing... We are beginning to see these groups have $ 5-10 k races and all in only one day of racing. .(saving on expenses)...But, I think its still a ways off, depending on what happens with NHRA & IHRA in the future.... The roundy/roundy guys stuck together many years ago and Nascar is the final outcome ...It will take time & a person with a Vision.
Nice to have a dream , Time will tell..............

Re: Crate Motor Class
 

Too many Mike's...I don't know who is talking to who...lol.

It still amazes me the number of Class Racers who hate using the terms "shoe polish" and "bracket racing". Amazing, because for the majority of us, that's what we do 90% of the times in the eliminator. I'm sure everyone likes being the fastest car in his/her given class. I know myself it's been gratifying to look in copies of Nitro Joe's end-of-year stats and seeing myself in the top spot. And, sure, we all love to win class or a heads-up run or two. But still, it's mainly a, *gasp*, shoe polish bracket race in the eliminator 90% of the time for most of us. Doesn't matter whether it's NHRA, IHRA, Stock, Super Stock, GT, hood scoops, Production, FWD, Pure Stock, whatever. And, we all have our given rules we have to comply with, in regards to chassis, engine, still have to pass teardown, etc. Just because some racers to choose a different route than you, does that make them better, or worse, than you? Certainly not.

And, for the life of me, I still don't know why some want to change the way we do things in Class Racing. Maybe I just don't "get it". If you like to go fast, qualify high, and win class against other fast cars, if that's your bread and butter, you can do that. If you can not either afford, have the knowledge to, or choose to willingly go fast but prefer the skills it takes to cut a light and drive the stripe against some of the best in the world, you can do that also. Some can do both very well. There is something here for everyone, it seems to work for the most part, and I say don't change what isn't broken?

Buff Daddy

Re: Crate Motor Class
 

When? IHRA never tears anyone down. Not in the last 5 years that I seen.

Start tearing some of those things down and watch them slow down.

Re: Crate Motor Class
 

Most of us like the "shoepolish part" mainly because thats the only way to keep racing all these different make's and models against each other in a fair way ..otherwise it could probably be an "all Camaro race" or similar
..some always call this a glorified bracket race. but thats NOT TRUE...I guess.thats mostly guys that dont care or dare to take the challenge "to win thier Class"..
there is nothing really wrong with the way NHRA class is run and what classes we have now..the factors and rating will allways be "the talk in the pits"..part of the fun? New Ford's and Challengers in the breed now..soon something new to "bitch about"
Pomona is filled in S and SS too!

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mark, i think me and santa are going to try and move the back bar back so we can get a little more room............

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I dont care what H R A you run. If your going .5 under or more its expensive and your cheating somewhere period.

Re: Crate Motor Class
 

I retired almost 8 (EIGHT)years ago from my job and the thankless rat race of tech. I tried to inspect at least 5 cars at each national event but there was not always TIME. Same as NHRA. Most of the time it was just me or myself and Duane Eiskant Sr. The other guys in tech wanted to or to lean but most of the time its the same problem as NHRA......NOT ENOUGH MAN POWER to do the job. Tracks complained about all of the extra bodies that IHRA brought in to run the scales, fuel check, tech, and drafted most of us to check the track after each pair of Pros ran, scrape the track, pair cars, clean the s##t house or any other job that the premadonnas didnt want to do. I dont know who all is there now but Danny Waters and Hank Blankenship are dedicated and try to as good a job as they can. Some of the tech crew only want to play and kiss *** with the Pro guys. If I was back there (Im to OLD now and dont see it happening) and had the "say so" a lot would not pass teardown. Im off my soap box now. Have a nice day.