[Adger Smith]

I was involved in IHRA modified at the time it started going away. I was told that IHRA management & Tech Dept thought that Modified was an "Elitist" class(that seemed to be pushed by one individual) & IHRA had too many diferent classes. So, it seems a campaign to deminish car count was started & the class died slowly. Ultimately it was then dropped. I don't think any Poll, intervention by racers or even finding a better sponsor could have saved the class. A little side note about the IHRA mindset: I was told(by Bader himself) that the dragsters could & would change to Top Dragster & the others run .90 classes. The door cars would switch to Top Sportsman or a .90 class. Well it's been quite a few years & I have noticed that,for the most part, didn't take place. Some of the racers just quit. I have never seen them at IHRA or NHRA Nationals or Divisionals. (could be racing local brackets) A large number went with NHRA. A couple moved on to Comp & have done well there. Some are now cross back & forth. So, their plan didn't work, at least the part about where the racers would go. The other part was a great success, IHRA had one less class to mess with. I had bad feelings about the loss of value in my racing program. I'm sure there are some people like me. That was the second time I was involved in being dropped from IHRA. (old Stock Optional classes was the other) I have also had 2 hits by NHRA!! Modified/Altered/ Gassers broken up into comp & Super Stock & the 5.5 lb per cu in A/SR class going away. Those experiences taught me not to get hung up in blind support for any organization. Regardless of how we are polled, questioned, stroked or have garbage dumped on us (or we dump on them) we are still just at the mercy of the organizations. In some way shape or form it all just boils down to money. What is a Class worth.