NHRA LODRS Divisional payout info?

[Mike Carr]

Originally Posted by Michael Beard

Wow. That was a pretty optimistic comparison. And the last IHRA Pro-Am that drew 441 cars was....?



If you recall, IHRA payouts used to start a round earlier, a practice which was discontinued when the car counts no longer sustained such payouts.

Please tell us what the car count would be in each class if the round money were doubled.

It's really easy to spend other people's money. Go rent a track, petition for a Pro-Am event, guarantee a significantly increased purse with no risk to IHRA or the track, and you can reap the rewards from the massive amount of racers that beat down your door.

Again, please offer suggestions for an entry fee/payout schedule that achieves the same bottom line.

That would depend on a few things.

1) Does IHRA, the host track, or both have a set price of profit they need to make? "I need to make $_,___ profit to make it worthwhile for me (track) to host an Pro-AM, and/or for us (IHRA) to give said track a Pro-Am?" What is the 'bottom line' needed for IHRA Div'ls, for both parties?

2) When I started racing IHRA in 2002, a Pro-Am was $100 entry, single race weekend. I believe it was $80 2nd round loser, and $40 for each additional round won. $120 3rd round, 160 4th round, etc. Now, ten years later, a Pro-Am costs $35 more to enter, with reduced payouts/round money. Again, not a lot of racers are going to be pushing and shoving to get to the front of that line.

3) With the current entry/payouts, I would be willing to bet you'll NEVER see 441 cars at an IHRA Pro-Am. 300, tops, 'maybe'. If payouts doubled, as you asked, car counts would definately increase. Though, Michael, you know as well as I do, some racers would not support IHRA no matter what. Same with NHRA, some IHRA racers will not cross over to the 'dark side'.

To address your other question

Current IHRA entry/payout, for 40 cars, in Stock
40 cars x $135 = $5,400 taken in, in car entry
-Five 3rd round loser @ $80 = 400
-Two 4th round loser @ 120 = 240
-One 5th round loser @ 160 = 160
-Win 1,000 and R/U 400 = 1,400
*Total payout, $2,200. IHRA/Track keeps $3,200*

Maybe a better scenario
40 x 125 (lower entry) = $5,000 taken in, in car entry
-Five 3rd round losers @ 125 = 625
-Two 4th round losers @ 175 = 350
-One 5th round loser @ 225 = 225
-Win 1,000 and R/U 400 = 1,400
*Total payout = 2,600. IHRA/Track keeps 2,400* It could be adjusted to be a 50/50 split of payout, and what the hosts (IHRA and track) keep. Again, I don't know what an acceptable number is to their 'bottom line'.

IHRA and the Track still make some money, and the entry vs payouts are bit more fair.

[442OLDS]

Originally Posted by Mike Carr

I think if IHRA were to increase the round money, or lower the entry fee a bit (getting to the third round gets you your entry fee back) would be a plus to perhaps draw more cars to compete.

Yesterday,there were 8 cars in Super Stock.IF you got to the third round,you would have been in the final.I'm sure the winner still made about $2000 with contingency.Not too many places where the return is that good in Sportsman racing.There were NO buybacks either.