IHRA and Memphis

[MR DERBY CITY]

275 miles north east of Memphis there was a Saturday and Sunday NHRA combo at Bowling Green, Ky....The previous 2 weeks there was a NHRA points meet in Columbus, Ohio and Indianapolis ,Indiana. 42 cars attended the combo..It was hot as temps exceeded 90 degrees....These 42 racers attended the combo knowing that in a matter of days most would be returning to run the points meet...I think its pretty clear cut any way you slice it....

[Dave1695]

Many good points have been brought up, but one glaring problem is the average age of current stock and super stock racers, and the low number of young ones getting into class racing. Not sure what it will take to entice more young racers over to our side; hope an answer is found before it is too late.

[Stirk18]

IHRA has lost its place in the racing world. Thats mainly why attendance is low. For those who want to class race on the biggest stage and win Prestigious races and Coveted World titles you have the NHRA World Championship . Which also offers moderate purses (subsidized by sticker money)

For those who want to chase a points championship but can only run regionally, you have the Lucas Oil Series. It still offers a sense of prestige to win and also pays moderate purses (again subsidized by sticker money)

For those who want to run locally without large time and money obligations like NHRA tours demand you have local S/SS S/St, S/G, or S/C series, which in most cases pay decent round money and decent - moderately good winners purses for what the entry fee is.

Then you have the current IHRA sportsman system. It unfortunately is not contested on a big stage anymore (like you could argue it did from 2001-2008), It does not offer a regional points option anymore (even when it did it was abit difficult to follow for some). And last it doesnt offer much in sticker money, purse money or a good purse-to-payout ratio.

So back to my point of what do they offer thats any different then the above three options currently dont offer to everyone?

I'm still a big IHRA fan, I think there is a place in the market for them with the right plans in place , but its going to take an ownership and management team that understand the economics of motorsports not just economics to turn this ship around.

Andrew

[Myron Piatek]

Andrew, Your viewpoint is too one-sided. IHRA probably could have done some things a little differently, which may or may not have helped. But it's not easy in this competitive market. NHRA has problems too. But IHRA has had growing pains since the new owners took over. Look at what they HAVE DONE and look at all the concepts that they came up with throughout their history that NHRA copied. -


* Mountain Motor Pro Stock
* Top Sportsman & Top Dragster
* Nitro Harley
* Double-header divisional events which includes lower entry fees and less days off from work.
* Points format was the same as NHRA, so that's not even a valid argument. They have obviously tried other points systems that haven't gotten the desired results.
* Incredible payouts in their Sportsman Spectacular events, bonus Super Rod events and a record sportsman payout this year. But few people came.
* I can't remember the last time IHRA racers complained about a "one lane track".
* There's probably many more.


What comes first, the chicken or the egg. A racing series can only grow if it is supported by the participants and spectators. They have set the "stage" with opportunities to grow, but not enough racers came. IHRA, and others, have gone in the red many times in their attempts to attract racers. The more racers that show up, the more they will be able to pay out, attract more sponsors, etc. Aside from some glitches, the Motor Mania TV and ESPN3 coverage has been great and have gotten a LOT of views online. That's a great way for the "little guy" to provide exposure/impressions for his/her sponsors. If you know what they can do better, offer your ideas. It's easy to find fault. But it's useless criticism if you don't have a better idea. I'm no marketing expert, but I don't know of any more big changes they could have made without going broke.


I don't think that IHRA was trying to compete head-to-head with/against NHRA. Nothing wrong with a "medium" stage. I look at IHRA as a way to compete against racers as good as NHRA has, and many do compete on the IHRA side also (they are the open minded ones), but it's a more affordable level for me. I can't afford to race an NHRA national/divisional schedule and there are a lot more class racers that can't as well. The biggest problem is lack of support for IHRA. I hope I can keep racing with them because it's been a lot of fun and I've met a lot of great people. I wouldn't expect less from the NHRA side, but at least with IHRA I can afford it and the competition isn't any less.

[Stirk18]

Myron, other then your thoughts on my view point being too one sided, I agree with what your saying in regards to what IHRA has done, what NHRA has taken from them and to an extent what IHRA still has to offer racers.

To expand on my thoughts alittle I feel there are 5 slices (choices ) to the Class racing Pie, 1) NHRA Nat Circuit 2)NHRA Divisional circuit 3) IHRA Circuit 4) Local Class Racing Associations 5)Bracket Racing and or parked/not racing

Somewhere in there IHRA has lost a chunk of their slice to one or more of the other slices and they need to find a way to re-engage them. An example would be a few weeks ago, Grand Bend hosted their IHRA-less Mopar Nationals. They brought in the Can-Am Stock Super Stock series which had roughly 30 cars running in it in two races in two days (Average race attendance I believe is 38 cars for them normally)

Fast forward to Empire this past weekend there were 34-35 cars combined between Stock and Super Stock. Of the 34-35 only 8 were regular Can-Am S/SS racers.

What I take from this is that IHRA lost a percentage of their pie slice to the Local S/SS option because racers felt it was the better choice to make in their racing/scheduling plan. I feel its safe to say 10 years ago many of those racers would have circled the Empire event as a must attend, just like Grand Bend, TMP, US 131, Rockingham and Norwalk would have been. and they would have filled in the calendar with S/SS combo dates.... Now (around here it seems atleast) its the opposite.

"If you know what they can do better, offer your ideas. It's easy to find fault. But it's useless criticism if you don't have a better idea."

Here is my overall better idea, Stop trying to be everything to everyone, put a 3 year plan together and stick with it and find some consistency within the organization starting with the CEO/President.

No one is going to board your ship if they they think its going to be the next Titanic...

Andrew

[Dan Fahey]

Just an observation.
One key past conversation was that IHRA runs a lot of 1/8th mile races.
I have learned to like them but prefer 1/4 mile.

Have are a few ideas to bring in a few more racers.
Some meets make the Sunday race a Double Point event.

Another idea. Saturday 1/8th mile, Sunday 1/4 mile.
Another idea. Have one Triple race weekend
Another idea. Bring back Modified Production
Another idea. Points for setting National Record.
Another idea. 10 extra points for racing in both weekend races

Btw...daughter just announced I will becoming a grandad.
Wow...
D

[340Cuda]

Originally Posted by Dan Fahey

Another idea. Bring back Modified Production

Btw...daughter just announced I will becoming a grandad.
Wow...
D

Dan,
Did you mean bring back Modified Eliminator? Now that would be cool if people would participate.

Congratulations on your future grandchild. I assume its your first, we have a 3 /12 year old grandson and I highly recommend being a grandparent!

Bill

[Nmbr1GMfan]

Originally Posted by Dave1695

Many good points have been brought up, but one glaring problem is the average age of current stock and super stock racers, and the low number of young ones getting into class racing. Not sure what it will take to entice more young racers over to our side; hope an answer is found before it is too late.

Exactly.

[Dan Fahey]

Originally Posted by Nmbr1GMfan

Exactly.

Suggested this before.
The new Cars from US and Foreign manufacturers are the cars that people are buying and racing them.
If you want Stock to be populated by a younger generation.
Got to create a path to consider Stock and Super Stock
Which includes migrating them through a Pure Stock Class to allow them to compete.
IHRA limits to 2005 and NHRA ignores them completely.

The car racing market will invent itself around the large sanctioning bodies.
Hence the success of NMCA and other more flexible organizations.
If you want a younger set you have to go after them.
NMCA is packing them in.

NHRA and IHRA to survive in todays market are going to have to invite foreign models to compete.
BMW, Mercedes, Toyota, Nissan and so on.

There is such resistance to these cars that it is killing potential growth.
But that IMHO is where the market is growing.

My 1995 Impala SS is more than 20 years old.
But one of the newer cars compared to the old stalwart racers from the 60's.

Factory Stock is popular but for the rest of Stock you got to grab the lower HP cars.

D






D

[Sam Capizzi Jr]

Here's a different point of view from someone that's been doing this for a few years now and under the age of 40.

Stock is crazy expensive even with a dime (not so)rocket. Demands all of your spare time just getting to the track. Travel expenses have increased. Entry fees increased. Ihra you need to have 2-3 days off and Nhra 3-4 days off work. I can go on and on. Now how many people under the age of 40 can afford to work 4 days a week, spend $300 plus travel expenses, start a family, buy a house etc.

When ihra had divisions it was something to try and win. 2-3 good weekends and you could win the division but now youre committed to 5 weekends and 2 of those aren't even close for anyone in Ontario Canada/New York. So what's the point for us to travel 8-10 hours to Maryland or Virginia especially once someone wins everything in the south.

Ihra/Empire put on a great weekend but their business model sucks.


On a side note Empire has 1000 to win races every weekend for $50. Sometimes double headers so why even travel.