Re: What would U change @ IHRA
 

Go back to a Sunday morning time trial at single races. I know Beard doesn't need any time trials but the rest of us do.(LOL). Mike

P.S. See you DUCK at THE ROCK!

Mike Galuk
JOE COOL RACING

Re: What would U change @ IHRA
 

Make their own rules/factors etc. Try to get CLOSE on factors based on real world (every pass) performance. Basically run it as an entirely new sanctioning body and recruit your own members based on your services. ..............Wait: sorry for rambling........that kind of an idea might make money and kill the tax write off.

Treat your member tracks like they are part of your business and not a necessary evil. This also might help raise the "fun factor" at certain races.

Re-designate the divisions so that you don't have as many 8-10 hr. one way divisionals.

Re: What would U change @ IHRA
 

Make more time in the schedule for more tear downs (inspections) with a competent tech crew. Weed out the bogus crap. Start fresh with a new tech crew starting at the top.....lol.

Re: What would U change @ IHRA
 

Jeff,
You can have Sunday for a rain date or travel day so you can work Monday. It's easier for me to take off Friday than Monday.
I agree with more sportsnationals I was told once that it cost $50,000 to put on one of those races and without sponsors it could'nt happen.


Mike,
I agree with your post thats why I like the doubles, you get a run on Sunday. Whats not fair is some races you get a run on Sunday and some you don't. Some divisions you have 8 races and some only 5.
I think the divisions need to be more uniform. Some divisions have a bigger advantage when going for a World Championship. We are rethinking our schedule for next year.
RACE SMARTER NOT HARDER.
Chip

Re: What would U change @ IHRA
 

at the doubles, they get in too big a hurry on Sunday. They rush through the time trials and race because everyone is thinking about getting home and what they have to do for the week.

By having the races on Fri/Sat, you spend all week getting pumped up about the races and are really ready to go. Then you can have the option to head home sat night, or stay till sun morning and get and take a relaxed trip home. Like Chip said, it also leaves you a rain date. The track could also have a free or low cost bracket race for those that choose to stay on Sunday as well as for the locals if they want to bring their cars.

At the single races, they do need a time trial Sunday, but that goes back to my original arguement about getting in a hurry on Sunday.

I think they also have an emerging market at Pittsburgh Raceway Park, but I would like to see that divisional or sportsnational moved to October. The weekend before the Dutch Classis would seem to be ideal. They need to get the Pittsburgh races away from the heat of the summer. They could then market the race to racers heading east to the Dutch.

IHRA also needs to find an inroad into the northeast. I don't know about you guys, but Epping NH is a bit far for the majority of IHRA racers. The same could be said for Tulsa and Alberta.

I also think they need to publish the s/ss factors they use. That may encourage some more NHRA racers to come to some of the events, but they may not if they can't readily find what hp their car is rated at and what weight they have to race at. I know someone else said IHRA needs their own classes, but we must also realize that there are a limited number of class cars out there especially in some areas.

Re: What would U change @ IHRA
 

If I were employed by Feld:

I would crosspromote the IHRA at all the other Feld events.....Monster Jam, rodeo, arena, even the shows and disney on ice......I would also improve the gate draw at the national, and maybe pro-am events would be even better with exibitions from monster trucks, arena, rodeo, etc.......

I don't know about you, but anything that puts more seats in the stands will be good for all. Not all fans will invest their time and money for just drag racing. I wouldn't mind watching Gravedigger do a jump or two either. Perfect fan retainer during track prep, and oildown etc.

Yes more of a circus, but a what a entertainment bang for your buck!

And you would only be able to find it at the IHRA....

Since I would have more money coming in, I would entice the Sportsman crowd by doubling all the payoffs, at both national and pro-am events. Make it easier to choose the IHRA event over the NHRA if scheduling conflicts arise. I would give a discount to racers who make multiple events..maybe $10 per.and I would also discount the fee that racers who pay for all the national events pre-season....

I would bring back online registration.

I would move heaven and earth to not schedule events on the same weekends as the NHRA.

On the racing specific side:

second the quoting of the #'s. I don't know how much effort it would take to mimic what the NHRA does online , but it certainly would greatly cut down on phone calls, and assist guys building cars for specific classes.

I miss the paper rulebook. If asked I would pay extra for the hardcopy. Its nice to have it online, and on cd, but its even better in paper.

Eric Merryfield

Re: What would U change @ IHRA
 

I second THAT

Re: What would U change @ IHRA
 

How about some tracks out west.

Re: What would U change @ IHRA
 

Lets all face it we need the Baders back BAD

Re: What would U change @ IHRA
 

I'm not going to quote everything I agree or don't agree with in thei post. But I will say that as racers all these things are great you are asking for. But I can tell you that a time run on Sunday in Division 9 takes 2.5 hours. I have a curfew on Sunday from noon to 7pm. I cant give a time run and get the race in by 7pm. And with 200+ cars you cant be rushed for the first 3 rounds, its to many cars. Tracks are having trouble making money at a single pro am race, a double is even harder. If something doesnt happen some tracks will not host an IHRA event next year because of something real simple, is it smart to work your *** off for 3 days and not make any money.

As our first year in the track ownership business we were open to everything possible now for 2009 we have to run this like a business. We have to cut the PORK as the commercials say right now and I can tell you if we up the purses at the PRO AM's over 1/2 the tracks will lose money having them.

I agree with Chip in that we need and equal number of races in each Division and the doubles in SC do hurt the NC races some. But then again I'm in favor of doubles as a racer just not as a track operator. Its a fine line and most racers dont realize how bad the state of the ecomoney is in racing right now and the next 2 years you will see some tracks fall by the wayside. We lost money on our Saturday night combo races BIG TIME, because I only had 108 entries, I had over 220 cars on the property, the sad part is next year we will do no Combo races but rather a Bracket Race one class not 7. Its not the guys fault that raced it or like 4 racers did they entered 2 classes int he combo races. We have to make the right business decision. I'm not argueing the point here just stating facts and not every track can lose money year after year and expect to be around. If I take my 14 worst money weekends this year and replace them with a 10.00 to enter TNT program, I add 100k a year to my bottom line. Thats replacing a race with TNT.....That doesnt mean I make that much on TNT but I never lose on one.

After saying this my brother will be running F/SA next year and my 2 kids will be running the JR Program in Division 9, so I'm on both sides of the fence here. So I go to a division 9 race with 3 cars drop 250 at the gate, the young one has a gold card, its a 500 min weekend for us but then we love it so I dont care what it cost. The problem is more and more cant afford it and its not the entry fee, its not the gas, its not the 30k motors, its not the 200k toters and stackers....its all of the above.

Herb Jr
Track Operator
Piedmont Dragway