Combo Races
 

If a track were to host combo races, say $5K and/or $10K to win, what would you like to see?

It could be done as a two day combo with $5K to win on Saturday and $10K to win on Sunday, a two day combo with two $5K to win races on Saturday and a $5K to win on Sunday, or a three day combo, with $5K to win on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

It may be possible to open the gates for parking at noon the day before, or possibly even earlier, for parking, test and tune, and tech.

How far would you drive, and how many days would you stay, to race for $5K to $10K per day, on a good track, and be treated like valued customers by a friendly staff?


We have a lot good combo races going on, and the class racers really need to support these track owners who are paying a guaranteed $1K to win purse for a paltry $50 entry fee and one day/night of your time.

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We talking 1/4 mile with heads-ups?

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Absolutely.

Although we have a nice 1/8 mile facility that could host an event, with heads up racing, of course.



NHRA classes, heads up racing, and guaranteed purses.


By the way, please tell us how far you'd be willing to drive. It would be very helpful.

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I wish I lived closer to your area, because you have more tracks to choose from there. However, I'd be willing to travel up to 1,000 miles to partake in such a race (as long as the date didn't occur during a wknd I couldn't get time off for), and that's coming from one of the least wealthy of us stock/super stock racers. I wish they had races like that around my part of the country?

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1000 miles and 3 days for sure

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Memphis is not a bad drive from Tulsa, but I don't know what tracks you guys use.

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Memphis is not open. Yet.

We ran at Jackson last night. They want to run a combo every month.

We run at Bowling Green regularly. Some one day races, some two race weekends.

We may use other tracks.

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Any special reason for just NHRA classes ?

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Yes, Danny. It's what 99% of the racers who have been participating requested.

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Ok ,Thanks,
I don't think i need to vote as it would not be fair as i run 99% IHRA.
Not trying to be smart here ,just honest..

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Alan,
Where's Jackson?

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Danny, you should vote, you can run NHRA classes. Honestly, if you can run NHRA classes, why not come to a combo that runs NHRA classes?

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Jackson Tennessee is about 70 miles or so east of Memphis.



Guys, why isn't anyone telling us how far they'd drive? We've got quite a few voting, but we need to know how far you'd drive. Tell us how far you're willing to travel for a weekend of good racing for good money.

Also, it wouldn't hurt to know if you'd run 1/8 mile.

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Don't like running against fi cars with a 66, 283 and a 3 tenths index hit would not be good for me either.I may could run 5 tenths under if (depends on location )..
Just don't think i would be competitive with the BIG boys....You know big fish eat little fish and my wallet won't let me be a big fish ..lol

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Danny, while heads up races are possible, and we want it that way in these combo races, they are not very common. It's the fact that they can and do happen that makes things as they should be in class racing. You guys could bring both cars and odds are you won't have a heads up race.

If you either eliminate heads up races, or you allow everyone to avoid them by using "alphabet soup" classes, is it really class racing at all? The point of a Stock and Super Stock combo is to have actual class racing, with heads up races being possible. I think combining Stock and Super Stock yields enough classes in a 64 car field, or larger, to make heads up races rare enough.

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8hrs without hesitation, but have driven 16+ for the right race.

Both of my cars are NHRA legal now. Still have no problem with IHRA combinations. I don't think there were a staggering amount of CM or Production cars at the Combo in the Hills.

Prefer the "old" indexes.

1/8th, 1/4, 1000'... it's all good.

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I think there were only 5 or six at the Combo in the hills and I believe they mostly were beaten in the first round and the NHRA races didnt catch a any thing from them when there. Its to bad they get treated like "Red Headed Step children". Entries are entries and thats more money for the combo and track. Another NHRA mentality thing among those who look down on them?????????

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Michael, excellent post, thank you, the distance is something we need to know.


Terry, it has nothing to do with looking down on anyone. Enough of that crap, if you don't have anything else to say, just don't say anything. Or organize some combo races your way. I like you, I respect you, but really, enough of the "NHRA races look down on everyone else" crap. You're not helping anything.

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Great show this past weekend at Jackson, TN. I know if some of you guys would come down, you wont be disappointed. My car at "M" weight was going 1.51 60" on about every run. I ran 3 7.51's in a row. The track prep was fantastic and I was told AT LEAST 6 times that they appreciated me and my family being there.

I agree with AR, we need to support these local guys who are making an effort.

I raced a BG Combo last year and had alot of fun also. Its a 4 hour drive for me.

I raced the Nitro-Plate sponsored race at BG this year. 98 cars entered and I couldnt believe that every S/SS on the grounds wouldnt enter. $100 for a chance at $5000 is a pretty good payday.....

4-5 hour drive, 2 or 3 day race for a shot at any kind of money is worthwhile for us.

Wade O

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As you know I am in favor of the combo races like this.:)

What I think could add a real cool element as well as a drawing card for spectators
would be a heads up class run-off with a cash payout on the spot!!!
NO INSTANT FACTOR !!
JUST RUN YOUR CAR WIDE OPEN!!!! (With in the rules of course)

(I think it would be a fun thing to sponsor,for myself as well as others!)

I think if WE as a group: (S/SS racers), stick together we will gain support
and our own following of fans with the combo races.

At Brainerd we have had good car count for a 1 day (Sat.) event.

(If we could have a 2 day it would be better)
But for now we are doing OK with it.
I think next year we may try to have a 2 day deal.

IMO
Glen DeMenge

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I would be in, anywhere within 6 hours from southern Indiana.

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I drove 600 miles one way to attend the BG National Open and Nitroplate 5K and this is about my limit. I'm with Michael, 1/8, 1/4, 1000; it's all good.

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In some cases, such as a 2 or 3 day event, other races/classes are necessary. For the one day races, they are usually held in conjunction with some sort of regular program for the track.

It would be nice to have some sort of heads up off the index first one to the finish line wins racing as well, but that is hard to do, given those same cars will be in the combo, where the money is.

More likely is some sort of companion race, such as a S/G race, or possibly T/D or T/S. And we need to welcome such a companion race, it helps the track fill the stands and turn a profit, which they must do in order to remain in business.

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I would not support a combo that was not open to ALL legal xHRA cars.

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I guess really and truly that is the way i feel also. Sorry ..Still wish you luck and success.




All our combo races around here allow both HRA's and they all seem to like it.
Just wish we could have scales and fuel check for heads up around here .Maybe if it grows enough we can.

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Mike and Danny, it's too bad you feel that way. The Bowling Green combo series is run that way, and consistently draws 50 cars or more for a $50 entry fee and a guaranteed purse. They hold 5 or more races a year with excellent attendance.

Bowling Green does have scales and heads up racing. I'd say for the bigger money races we might even be able to get fuel checks and more exhaustive tech.

I myself am not anti IHRA, and I'm not terribly hung up on excluding IHRA classes. However, several regular attendees did complain that they felt some racers were using soft factors and soft indexes from IHRA to avoid possible heads up races and gain qualifying advantages. Given that Bowling Green is an NHRA track, the decision was made, with the support of the vast majority of racers, to run NHRA classes only. There had only been a couple of cars there that did not fit an NHRA class to begin with.

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I am not anti either and you make a good point if you are in NHRA country with close sanctioned tracks.
Likewise i am in the hot bed of IHRA sanction tracks and may be why i am comfortable as you are in your area.
Not really softer indexes til NHRA took away their 3 tenths......
Who knows i may go to a race out your way one of these days....Looks like a 8 hour and more drive for me....

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Alan, Andrew and I would come to Jackson for a two or three race deal but it's just too far for a regular combo. From my shop in Jeffersonville it's probably 340-350 miles. We would also like Memphis for a bigger money deal.

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I would drive at least eight hours for that kind of payout.....Maybe farther. I am in Ark, so unless its way up north it shouldnt be too bad for me. If its anywhere in the midwest or south I will go.

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Alan with fuel prices what they are and working around our jobs a 2 day race with a maximun of 300 miles would make sense, now about the heads up and IHRA class cars, why don't we forget about heads up runs and let everyone run off their own dial in. The only stipulation would be that the cars are stock or super stock in their own sanctioning bodies. My $.02.

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Greg, I can understand and respect that. Although the Jackson deal pays $1K to win, almost as much as an LODRS race, for what is likely to be a 32 car or smaller field, in one day, being treated like a valued customer, with only a $50 entry fee. But you're right, it is twice the distance for you compared to the distance for us, making it a 6-7 hour tow. I do completely understand your reluctance to make the trip.


I cannot speak for what will happen at Memphis, I want to be VERY clear on that. I did hear that it would open in July some time. That is ALL I know.

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Mark, again, it is the overwhelming majority of the currently participating racers in our area that expressed their desire to have heads up races (I agree with this, and heads up races are rare, we've seen maybe 2-3 in the last 2 years at Bowling Green) and to run an NHRA class program. Thank you for the time/distance input as well, it is a big help.

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I thought the people complaining about IHRA cars were not complaining about Crate Motor, Pure Stock, or any other IHRA only classes but rather legal NHRA cars running off IHRA indexes that are .3 softer than NHRA's and HP ratings that are a lot less in IHRA. I was one who asked why people were allowed to do this, but I have no problem with actual IHRA only cars.

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Alan, why not compromise and run off the "old" nhra indexes (current ihra indexes) but run nhra classes only. Sounds like that might help Danny and bring in some ihra cars that can't currently hit the nhra index (myself included). In the current cost-cutting economy, run 1/8th mile even at beech bend (less fuel and wear and tear). Lastly, 5-6 hour tow from So. In. would be my limit.

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Good point.
There are 2 NHRA tracks around me that run combo races.

The 1/8th mile track allows all class racers from both sanctioning bodies.

The 1/4 mile track will not allow IHRA Pure Stockers, CM, or Stock GT cars.

I would love to run 1/4 with my PS....otherwise I will have to build an NHRA Stocker to run 1/4.....

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A lot of reason why IHRA hp factors are in some cases softer is because IHRA will not change a hp factor to match the NHRA hp.This is because some of these cars did not run fast enough at IHRA races to get hp. Now if they do ,they will get hp per the factor, but not bases on NHRA performance...You come to IHRA and run enough under you will get factored.......Example my 283 is factored at 210 in IHRA and can run j,k,&L. (still not stupid fast even @ 210 hp)
In NHRA i have to run I,J,& K along with a 3 tenths index hit before i even leave home... I know ,"i need to work on my $h*t" Anybody wants to chip in the cash (mine is GONE )i'll work on it. Just racing on a budget right now in hopes of things getting better......

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It is not up to me to make such decisions.

Currently, the Bowling Green races are 1/4 mile, and they are likely to stay that way, simply because whether we like it or not, the cars are built for LODRS races and national events, which are 1/4 mile, as such, racers tend to use any race to improve their 1/4 mile program.

Now, the Jackson track we raced at Saturday is an 1/8 mile track. I do realize that the distance there is a problem for you.

Again, thank you to all who have voted, and thank you to those who have given time/distance limits, the input is very helpful and appreciated.

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Alan, I wasn't meaning so much the softer Indexes/factors. I was referring to the IHRA-only classes (SS/Production, Stock/GT, Pure Stock and C/M Stock specifically--you could combine the Truck and EFI classes into regular Stock, ala NHRA). We have several of those that compete in our races. Last year at Hagerstown MD in November, we had fifty-five cars for the weekend. Nine of those were in the above mentioned IHRA sub-classes. I feel allowing any legal car that can compete in Stock or Super Stock, at an NHRA or IHRA event, should be welcomed at any events such as these. We don't have heads-ups in our series, but few, if any, would be switching classes just to avoid such a run. The SS/Production cars, I suppose, could cross over into SS/AS, SS/BS, etc (at a rules disadvantage). But the other sub-classes would be left out, which should not be the case for a good S/SS race for good money (Hagerstown is a $100 entry, $2,000 guaranteed race).

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Mike, I appreciate the input. Again, I am not in any position to make such a decision, and the decision was made previously with the input and blessing of what I saw from the outside to be a pretty large majority of the regular participating racers.

Again, we DO have heads up racing, at the request of the racers, and this I agree with completely. So yes, it does make a difference when people use softer indexes and such to avoid heads up races. I agree with the racers who feel that with out any possibility of heads up racing, we're bracket racing, it isn't a class racing combo.

When you have a regular field of 50 plus cars, it's sort of difficult and risky to demand they accept change to accommodate a few cars that may or may not show up. What I'm saying is that in the past I think I saw maybe 3-4 cars total, and only 1-2 at any one race, that would not fit an NHRA class. I can't say I'd be willing to go tell Dallas or Clay they HAD to accept IHRA classes for those 3-4 cars when the majority of their paying customers were opposed to adding classes.

This has nothing to do with MY preferences, or what I agree with, I have zero control over this decision.

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I understand that, Alan. If it were me, I'd make the rule that any car that CAN fit an NHRA class must do so, at the NHRA horsepower/index. Example, a '93-'97 Camaro in SS/IA in NHRA is rated 279, on a 10.70 Index. In IHRA, it's rated 275, Index 11.00. At a super-combo, they would have to run at 279 HP, 10.70 Index. Same with Trucks, FI Stockers, etc. (C/SA instead of B/FIA, M/SA instead of FT/SA, etc). No claiming the IHRA hp/Index/Class to avoid a heads-up. Other than SS/Production, the IHRA S/S are the same (though IHRA still has the old SS/Modified Compact classes, the change would be pretty simple, example, a SS/EC in IHRA is a SS/GS now in NHRA, so a racer would use SS/GS at a race like this).

The IHRA-only classes would compete at their hp/index, since there is no comparable NHRA class(es) for Stock/GT, Crate Motor and Pure Stock. FWD Stocker classes are WAY different between the two HRA's, so how that would be handled could be debated (many good HF/SA cars will never be competitive as an EF/S).

As for our races here locally, we'd lose a good number of cars at certain races by using NHRA-only cars. Since the purse is car count-based (except for the guaranteed $2K to win in H-town each November), I can't afford to lose cars.