Where were you TEXAS, & D4 racers???
 

I'm asking this because of the shockingly poor turnout that this race had from you guys...especially since Scooter Peaco told me yesterday that Texas has the second largest IHRA membership (second only to North Carolina). I don't get it given I, Matt & Chuck Hawk, as well as Steve Mikus, and Joe Harper, traveled through other states to get here to participate in this race that you guys begged IHRA to offer you?

Well guess what, your poor showing here, just insured that this race won't be back here ever again (per Scooter Peaco, vp of racing operations)! You had the biggest paying race in your categories that any HRA could/would provide, and you didn't show up....I'm waiting to read a collection of reasons why people stayed home, and failed to support this so-called wanted event!!! I read the other website about this thread, and in it I noticed only two racers (so far), had good reasons to not attend...what about the rest of you???

Guess what, North Carolina, you'll be getting this race next year, and given that your state loves IHRA drag racing so much, that you have your own division, Texas's loss will be your gain!!!! I hope you're happy with yourselves Texans, I know the North Carolinans will be!!!

Re: Where were you TEXAS, & D4 racers???
 

NC has the highest membership and we:
Have to drive 600 miles to the nearest Nitro Jam race.
Have to drive 300 miles to the nearest Sportsman Spectacular.
Have to drive 600 miles to the season ending TOC Championship race.
COME ON IHRA. We feel like we have been left out in the cold.
Chip Johnson

Re: Where were you TEXAS, & D4 racers???
 

Chip atleast you don't live down here on the coast, you can add 2 hours to all your tows but the fishing sure is better out here! If they don't get more in line with the membership or atleast me I'll be using my super street # some next year.

Re: Where were you TEXAS, & D4 racers???
 

They have surely opened the doors for the N crowd to swoop in.
Zmax- 2 hours
Bristol- 5hrs
Atlanta- 5 hrs
VMP 3.5hrs
Thats 7 races total right there.
Chip

Re: Where were you TEXAS, & D4 racers???
 

They had a race in San Antonio?????

Most people know that I have been working on getting my car back together after a wreck at Dallas last year. Been slow and the guy doing the work is not too talented. If I had my car together I would have been there. I sold Kirk's car back to Bennie Latham the week after he won the Sunday event at the Nitro Jam. We are also building a new car for next year, so most of our time, energy and money are spoken for.

I was surprised at the lack of entry's, but some things to consider. It has been 95 to 100 degrees for the last two weeks, San Antonio is not the best hooking track around and IHRA does not spend the time or money to make it a decent hooking facility. Did I mention the temperatures during the last two weeks?? If you have a mid to high Class car good luck with getting the car to hook with any consistency.

Hows that for an excuse??

RJ

Re: Where were you TEXAS, & D4 racers???
 

When the heat is 100 degrees in Texas, are there any other tracks in the state that have a good starting line?

Re: Where were you TEXAS, & D4 racers???
 

Sounds like you have 3 options
A) Work on the car so it will work
B) Get a car that will work
C) Stay Home

At Least RJ had a good excuse (building a new car). How about the other several hundred racers in that region. If it was on this side of the Mississippi i would probably have gone.
Chip Johnson

Re: Where were you TEXAS, & D4 racers???
 

My opinion is that most NHRA racers don't have any interest in 1/8th mile racing. I know that I don't. Now me saying that I don't know that it was 1/8th mile, but I know all of the IHRA races around me are, so that is why I don't go.
Chuck

Re: Where were you TEXAS, & D4 racers???
 

It was 1/4 mile

Re: Where were you TEXAS, & D4 racers???
 

RJ, I'll accept the excuse of your car being in the building stages, and the other one not working, but given that I had to race a wheel-standing "Jammin" Jerry Emmons in the first round, he surely didn't appear to have any problems hooking up to the track. Neither did Matt Hawk who doubled up with his 11-12 second Mustang. Oh and there was a '65 Dodge Coronet there that was either a 9sec car, or a 10 sec car, and even he didn't have traction issues, so I'm not so sure about the track prep not being up to par...

What I don't get is why there was 21 Stockers there in March, and only 7 (maybe less) of those racers were here for this one? NHRA doesn't pay a non-contingency purse that's even half of what IHRA posted for this event, and for only $200 bucks!!! I've been in this sport for 37yrs, and racing Stock Eliminator for the last 17 of them, and I've never seen anything like this....I'm sorry but I wasn't about to be silent here because that was the best damn tasting water that any HRA has offered to all sportsman classes (including the newest pair, Top Dragster, and Top Sportsman), without contingency money falling into play. Why don't you Texans go ask Pete Peery why he's glad he showed up for that race? Thanks to his win, he not only went home with well over the posted $5,000 bucks, but now he (if he's an IHRA member), qualified for the upcoming Tournament of Champions race, where he'll have the chance to be a world champion in Super Stock W/O having to traverse much of the country to earn a bunch of points to out-point Peter Biondo, Dan Fletcher, Jody Lang, et.al....I hope he is, because it'll come down to who's game is best on World Finals Day (like it used to be long before I got into this category) :( !!!

I just don't get it....well I know one thing for sure, you all who could've showed up (and didn't), just proved one thing to be not completely true...everything is bigger in Texas. That may have been true and many things, but with this field size (especially in Stock and Super Stock), it definitely WAS NOT BIGGER IN TEXAS, & THAT'S TEXAS SIZE SAD!!!! :(

Oh, and one more thing, this website even carried the thread about the race at the top of the list of threads, so that everyone who browses this website would've seen the advertisement for the race, and they did this way back in March (if not earlier), so it's not as though no notice was given about the race...plus that when IHRA posted their 2012 schedule, it was in their first Drag Review Magazine, and I believe the notice was made about this race as far back as December, so that's one excuse I won't accept from any of you who had better/faster cars and more money to spend to go racing than I do (it would be harder to find those who have less than I do than more, but I still came)!!!

Re: Where were you TEXAS, & D4 racers???
 

Gary

If makes a difference if you put an extra150 lbs in the trunk, which several people do when running at San Antonio. Track prep is virtually non- exsistent after initial "morning" prep. San Antonio is my home track and I have made a pass or two down it. Hawk is to be congradulated for the win, but he was running 12.60's, not exactly a high HP combo, good thinking on his part to not risk spinning a tire. Didn't see any 65 Cornet running Stock/Superstock, big tires/glides do make a difference.

Maybe if IHRA would spend the extra $200.00 (?) and spray/dust/drag the track every now and then, people would be saying and remembering how "great" the starting line was and want to return?? A one time track prep at 7 am will not hold up with the weather conditions we have here during the hot Summer months.

And you ask why there were only a handfull of people at the race!!! Here are some questions and answers you should remember. Most people down here with Fast Stockers know from bad experiences about the lack of track prep by IHRA, its Summer Time and its Hot, high HP cars running 9" slicks have a real problem, why would IHRA schedule a race in San Antonio this time of the year, duh!! and why don't they take a few lessons from NHRA Div 4 starting line personnel about how to prep one. I have been in Houston for a Div 4 race and temperature around 100 degrees and never had a problem, the difference is the people in charge of the starting line and the powers that control them. Its all about money and really not caring about the racers who depend on a consistent starting line and being limited by Class to a 9" tire. Run the Race in the Spring or Fall and it would be competely different, you would have thought that somebody in charge would realize that.

So you really answered your own question about the lack of turn out.
How many times have you had a unpleasant experience while spending your own dime and wanted to repeat it.

An extra $200 spent on starting line prep and it would have been different. Too bad they did not start doing it a few years ago when it would have made a difference.......then and especially now.

RJ

Re: Where were you TEXAS, & D4 racers???
 

I may have missed somthing in this rant but, IT WAS MEMORIAL DAY IN TEXAS. Alot of people spend it enjoying their familys and friends relaxing and remembering why were able to do that.Sorry but i bit my finger as long as i could. Maybe they ( IHRA) should consider that alot of people will celebrate the holiday away from the races.

Re: Where were you TEXAS, & D4 racers???
 

Just a couple of things from my point of view......

I have no problem with IHRA. I used to race at their races....But my time is so short, I cannot chase points at 2 sanctioning bodies. My crew likes to chase points... And yes, I do want to beat Peter and Dan and Iggie and Tommy and Sherman and Dave and the rest.......otherwise I wouldn't have beaten the best....(not that anybody in IHRA isn't tough)...I cherish my weekends off and really have only Martin and Grand Bend close by. Plus in Division 3 it's VHT and Compulink across the board....at all divisionals....

But basically I just don't have the time...

Rock Haas

Re: Where were you TEXAS, & D4 racers???
 

Tommy who? There is someone named Tommy that's one of the best? lol
Chuck

Re: Where were you TEXAS, & D4 racers???
 

Rock,
Good post.
Chip

Re: Where were you TEXAS, & D4 racers???
 

I would have loved to be there... guess I really do not have a good excuse, other than family commitments on a holiday weekend, and working for a living.

Those of you who have known me for a few years know that I spent several years racing at least once a week, if not more. Was living in NC, and tracks everywhere. Chased points in HR and stock, and ran both N and I.... lot of I.

Memorial day weekend was not the best situation for a family with two small children. On top of that, I have to work for a living, and my traveling racing has gotten in the way of my traveling with work... Since I am not good enough to make a living racing, guess which wins.

I had the car ready and loaded to run the Sunday day of the Crandall race, after getting back into town from work on Sat. Only they ran both on one day... I understand why, but that cost me a chance to race, and a chance to support IHRA.

On top of that, IHRA has not made the division 4 schedule very easy to run this year, but then again, guess I was spoiled from the years in NC. Memphis and B Rouge is quite a haul from Dallas. Yes, I know that others in other parts of the country have to travel a lot more... sorry for them.

I will continue to try to support IHRA, especially since my crate motor engine is not N legal, but I will also continue to have to balance this with work and with my two young boys and wife. My 12 yr old is not crazy about it... 5 year old is, so we will see in a few years if that gets me some added race time. We all must balance family life, or we wont have family life...

I will continue to support when I can, all I can. Will continue to bracket race a little when I can also. REALLY sorry there was not more support, but I will not bash anyone either... Again, holiday weekend is not the best weekends for races, for all of us.

Ken Graham

Re: Where were you TEXAS, & D4 racers???
 

Ken,
You said that B word: Bad dog no biscuit.

Re: Where were you TEXAS, & D4 racers???
 

I hurt my 283 that's why I wasn't there. I HATE racing in the heat. The past several years I only raced in the early spring and late fall races. I just can't do the summer events. I have sent several letters to both IHRA/NHRA D4 suggesting only running Texas races into early May and then after mid September. If they do it again I would suggest a early April race. San Antonio was,is and will never be a fast race track no matter when you race there. IMO

Re: Where were you TEXAS, & D4 racers???
 

Stalba and Phillips...lol

Re: Where were you TEXAS, & D4 racers???
 

As long as you weren't talking about that short guy from joysee. Lol
Chuck

Re: Where were you TEXAS, & D4 racers???
 

The '65 Dodge Coronet was in the Box ET category, and was a 9.6sec runner...oh btw, I never said it was a Stock or Super Stock car, because I knew that when I saw it cruising by my pit area, just by looking at the hood. Funny how you didn't mention Jerry Emmons car, because in Stock Eliminator, his car is in the faster half of all the classes Stock has, and again he didn't have any traction issues. Furthermore, Pete Peery and Jerry Miller had the two quickest Super Stockers out there, and I hung out with them and Jammin' Jerry, and don't recall any of them having any issues with the track that day (they were 9.97 & 10.05 in final qualifying too, with high powered race cars), sorry but I don't recall cars running GT/FA, or SS/FA being low hp class cars, so try again man because all three of those guys had fast half Super Stock, or Stock cars, and look who won...the quickest and fastest of all the class cars out there....bad track? Maybe in the past, but this race was not like those races were, and neither of these cars would've ran worth a darn if they had traction issues, because of the heat.

As for the holiday comment, I recall when the "Cajun Nationals" were run around this same time of year, in Louisiana, and was frequently run on Memorial Day weekend (or the weekend nearest to Memorial Day....fact(s) of the matter, are:

1. Yes Memorial Day Weekend is the time to remember those who gave the ultimate sacrifice for us to be able to enjoy our freedoms, our families, AND RACING!!!

2. Memorial Day Weekend has always been the biggest weekend for racing throughout the land...The Indy 500, and The Coca Cola 600, as well as the now defunct Cajun Nationals, were proof of that.....sorry US Nationals, but your race and a Nascar race don't upstage what Memorial Day means for followers of the Indy 5 and the CC 6!

Regardless of the weather, this race deserved better than it got, and now North Carolina will get it, and even if at the same date, I bet they'll get double the car count!!!

Re: Where were you TEXAS, & D4 racers???
 

Gary

Glad you got to race and hang out with your buds, hope you enjoy the race next year in North Carolina.

Just living a dream here in Texas

RJ

Re: Where were you TEXAS, & D4 racers???
 

Look what I got in my e-mail tonight. Do you thank the other H.R.A. would have done this.

Alan,


I noticed that you were not in San Antonio this past weekend for the Summit Sportsman Spectacular but was there for the Nitro Jam event in March and was wondering if you could share with me your reason for not coming. We are always looking to improve and any input you would give would be greatly appreciated.


thanks,


Frank Kohutek | Division Director 4&7 / Feld Motor Sports, Inc / IHRA Motorsports
972.285.3333 office / 419.706.6610 cell / 972.289.1233 fax
ihrasouth@att.net / fkohutek@feldinc.com
1001 Barclay dr, | Mesquite , Texas , USA | 75149

Re: Where were you TEXAS, & D4 racers???
 

When a track gets a bad reputation such as a slick starting line, it takes a long time to live it down.

Re: Where were you TEXAS, & D4 racers???
 

I would bet they could have this race anywhere east on Christmas day and have more cars.
Just Saying.

Re: Where were you TEXAS, & D4 racers???
 

Dear Gary!

I am a Texas racer and support both IHRA and NHRA. But with the way the economy is and especially with my job as a paramedic it is hard to get time off like I use to. Lot's of racers here do there best to get out there when we can. Anytime you wanna pay my way and freshen up my engine for me I will be more then happy to let ya!. Unfortunately I am having to pull my engine and send it off to get freshened up. I had planned to go to San Antonio and support this race. Hope you have fun in where ever you race

Re: Where were you TEXAS, & D4 racers???
 

Gary for a guy that whines and crys about the high cost of NHRA races you seem to be able to absorb the high cost of traveling.Just sayin.

Re: Where were you TEXAS, & D4 racers???
 

Hey--it is sad that there was not a turn out because it cost a lot of money to put on a race, but just because somebody scheduels a race does not mean everyone will come-I live right here and have a BARN FULL of stockers and super stockers and did not attend !! I hope no one holds that against me--I have gone to 2 races in 2 years--unlike some places we have a terriable economy and I hope that the owners of the local race track take this to Heart--I dont think IHRA is to blame but I will agree with R J , the local track cant treat racers like they are cattle and expect them to come back--stock and super stock has had pleanty of reasons not to show up!!--I dont look for it to get any better any time soon and rightfully another track should be rewarded--I think that that was a good venue and should be at a track that draws alot of stockers and super stockers (there are grand total of 7 stock and super stockers that live in our area--for it to be a successful you have to depend on the out of town cars) please dont beat up the Texas racers--It is what it is--Emmett

Re: Where were you TEXAS, & D4 racers???
 

San Antonio Raceway which is a track I like but it does not have a good reputation for being a good hooking track and for good reason. It is the only track that the Volare has ever spun at each time it has ever been there. I ran the car heavy at the Spectacular so I had a better chance of staying hooked during the race. That worked but the starting line was still lacking teeth as in the final of Stock the front tires scooted in the beams with the brake pedal to the floor at 2800rpm. I tried to compensate my light but still missed it with a -.018 red. Not making excuses for my lose just stating facts as to an insight as a possiblity to the low turn out. Brimer was the fastest stocker left in competition in the semi's and he spun against Hawk and then broke his transmission. My no box car was also spinning all weekend with extra weight in the trunk. I dialed it soft all day and then decided to trust the track in the finals and spun more in the final than I had the last three rounds and couldn't catch Hawk. Again not an excuse. Hawk whooped my tail twice and that's that! One last example of the track condition. My uncle was still in competition from the Baton Rouge Pro Am rain out that they finished friday night. He had no issues getting down the track in boggy and hot Baton Rouge but the first hit friday he shook the tires so hard he decided to change tires before eliminations started. I do wish there would have been more cars but I know of more than a few racers that didn't go because they didn't think the track would be good.

Re: Where were you TEXAS, & D4 racers???
 

Amen emmett!!!!!!!!!!!!

Re: Where were you TEXAS, & D4 racers???
 

Don't mess with Gary...he'll put you on the trailer! :D

http://static.dragracecentral.com/st..._12/sant16.jpg

Re: Where were you TEXAS, & D4 racers???
 

Well someone finally came out and said it. That is why many NHRA racers do not attend IHRA races...they just do not want to be there!!!!!!

Re: Where were you TEXAS, & D4 racers???
 

I'd prefer it be in Texas, so I wouldn't have to travel 2,000 miles to participate in it (1,000 miles was hard enough...ONE WAY), but thanks to the state/div. that begged IHRA for this race, and then didn't support it, well I guess I'll have to hope that Salt Lake City will get one (if IHRA chooses to create a forth race like this), and I'm certain that Divisions 5, 6, & even 7 will support it better than those of you who ran the Nitro Jam race, but chose to stay home for this one did!!! :(

Ed Carpenter, I'm sorry to hear about your engine, and thus you have a more than credible reason for not being there. The weather wasn't that bad, and it was cool compared to my cities weather today, and I'm sure there racing at all of the Az. tracks tonight, and the coolest of them is Tucson (only because they're more than 2,000ft elevation), but it's hotter here in Phoenix now (7:50pm pst), than it was at 1pm cst there last Saturday...just saying....

Re: Where were you TEXAS, & D4 racers???
 

I would double your bet, especially in North Carolina!!!

Re: Where were you TEXAS, & D4 racers???
 

I don't whine and cry Harry, I just don't accept the status quo when it screws with the racing I care about most (especially when those who get to enter races for free, get most of the tv coverage, color photos in dragster, and get the best pit spaces anywhere they go...go enter the Mopar Mile High Nationals, and I hope they place your rump in the North 40, and then you let me know how you liked being somewhere isolated from most of the fans, the track, and most all of the action there)!

This wasn't any old race...it was the highest paying race west of the Mississippi, and we had a great chance to support it, and it wasn't!!!

Re: Where were you TEXAS, & D4 racers???
 

Gary, my friend, I believe you towed about 2,400 miles for the IHRA race. You seem to be upset with NHRA for the payout and entry costs?????? Gary, you are making no sense, you could go to Speed World (here in Phoenix and 10 miles from me) and bracket race and make more money. How much did you win by making your trek to San Antonio???? You do what you want, its your money....it just doesn't make sense to me (but I'm none to smart).

Re: Where were you TEXAS, & D4 racers???
 

Harry, you're starting to remind me of someone back east who's retiring from our sport? I surely hope not....fyi, this is only my third race so far of the year, and my first Stock Eliminator type of race. I work my butt off during the non-racing weeks, so as to build up the funds for a race like this.....I put so much effort into this race, because I want IHRA to establish itself here in the west as they have in the east for so long. Obviously there are those here who scoff at what the IHRA doesn't do right, and to them let me ask, what about what the NHRA doesn't do right? Was it right for them to raise our entry fees in the mid-'00's when our economy was going down? NO! Was it right for them to raise our competition number, license, and membership fees during the same time, and reason? NO!! Was it right for them to lower our indexes by .30 seconds, and change our altitude correction factors to Super Class levels (now making it impossible for once competitive lower budget cars like mine, to now not be able to even run the index anymore)? HELL NO!!!

It may not keep people like you from patronizing them, but now that I have an option for my meager racing dollar, I'm trying to make the most of it, and I thank Frank Kohutek, Scooter Peaco, and all of IHRA for there even wanting to break the NHRA monopoly out west. You've got a bit of nerve telling me that I whine and cry...that's what some of you did to convince IHRA to bring this race here to your state, and why? So they could take a high dollar bath? How would you like it if you have a business and some of your customers did to you what those of you who raced S.A.R. in March, but wouldn't (if your cars were intact and race ready), and didn't (without credible reasons, like family matters, or work committments), attend the biggest paying race your state will have for seven different categories this year? I wanted your Texas race to thrive, and especially a race of this magnatude, but who the hell am I? I'm just a racer who gives a damn about a special race at a great price....far more than I can say for NHRA!!!

Re: Where were you TEXAS, & D4 racers???
 

Not just that Gary, how easily you forget that NHRA:

1. Lowered our indexes by .3 seconds...not very good for meager budget racers like myself, who had competitive race cars, but now not so much...especially at altitude tracks.

2. Speaking of altitude tracks, changing our correction factors to Super Class figures, instead of our own traditional factors that were more fair and jest for the higher up tracks like 'Vegas, and Bandimere Speedway.

3. Not just the entry costs, and payouts, but the competition and membership costs, they didn't have to raise them, but thanks to the former "Governator", he's why they did!

I've always had an issue with Speedworld and their too long burnout patches. They always want you to pull forward of the water, but since my car is fwd and I need my rear tires to be on dry ground so my parking brake can do for me what your line lock does for your car, I need to be back there, and they won't let me...nor will they shorten their burnout patches, so no me! Their entry fee for Sportsman is 1/4th of what this race cost me, yet their winners purse was/is no more than $400-$500 bucks, while I could race for much more money at that event....but not anymore thanks to D4 and Texas' racers!

Re: Where were you TEXAS, & D4 racers???
 

If you attended the Nitro Jam race, and didn't go to this one, then I'm the least of your concerns....as Alan showed, all of you who attended that race, but didn't attend this one will be asked why you didn't show up for it, by them??? Don't worry I'll quit messing with TEXAS, but I'm going to shake my head in dismay because you all asked for this race, got it, but didn't support it even to the level that your Nitro Jam race was supported. I thus have no problem blessing the North Carolinians who're going to get this race next year, to start getting ready for it. Now that I know how well you TEXAN'S gave a damn about this race, I wish they would've gotten it this year...it would've given me more funds for the Salt Lake City race coming up the end of this month! Heck, I'll bet the turnout will be better for that race, than San Antonio had to endure for their race. I tell you one thing, should IHRA try this again, I hope they send it to Salt Lake City, because I'll bet they get more cars there, for it than this race received....Frank, what do you think about a "Rocky Mountain Raceway" "Summit Sportsman Spectacular"???? I like the idea!!!!! :)

On the behalf of Scooter Peaco, Frank Kohutek, and especially the San Antonio promoter "Freddie Cruz", I'm disheartened, to see that the second largest state and division of eligible racers, produced the weakest turnout of semi-pro class racers to any big-time event ever held, in recent history of any HRA!!!!

As I said before, enjoy it North Carolina, because it's coming to your track, and although you're too far for me to enjoy racing with you all, I'll surely be on Drag Race Central, and looking forward to my Drag Review magazine to read up on the results....I guess Tar Heels are more worthy than Longhorns afterall! I didn't want to believe that, but after last weekend, I don't have a choice, and next year when they get this race, that statement will be proven.

Big 12 states, you could've helped them out, I'm from a Pac 12 state, and I reduced my quantity of racing events, so I could support your effort to show yourselves worthy of this special race. Terry Emmons even told Jerry he should've brought his car there, but that's just one more entrant, this race deserved a full pit area, and barely filled half of it, and that's mainly due to the Box, No Box, and Junior Dragster racers who showed up to make the race look better....... :(

Re: Where were you TEXAS, & D4 racers???
 

That's a nice picture, I hope I can add it to my profile, because the 2nd round was the quarter finals, so I won my entry fee back, and I avenged my loss last year to George McMillen, this time he endured the thousandts of a sec. loss like I did then. Hemi Moose, I like the Hemi part of your nickname, because if money were no object, I'd be racing an old school hemi in either a Dart, Savoy, or Coronet!!! However, I believe in this car and know what it's capable of when the owner/driver/tuner gets his stuff together, and I won my first race this year against some imports to prove it!!!