The New IHRA ???

[Michael Beard]

Does IHRA even have enough first rate 1/4 mile tracks to hold National type events for Pro cars?

Yes. I've personally competed at most of the national event hosting facilities since 2003, and been to over 70 tracks, so there's a basis for comparison.

[Jim Wahl]

Palm Beach for one is first class and can handle anything you want to throw at it! The track hooks and it is smooth as glass. Plenty of stopping room. I'm sure there are many more around the country. Jim


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[GarysZ24]

Originally Posted by Jim Wahl

Palm Beach for one is first class and can handle anything you want to throw at it! The track hooks and it is smooth as glass. Plenty of stopping room. I'm sure there are many more around the country. Jim


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I'm with you on this one Jim, and one of the (many) others is here in my state...Southwestern International Raceway, in Tucson, Az.

[Joe Toller]

How about a divisional event in Montana? YDS in Acton is a perfect locale, otheriwse I'm stuck going to Canada for a Pro-Am or big event!

[BRIAN SEATE]

Bingo....Pro Mod started here with Charles Carpenter. In the Southeast we like door cars. Rockingham with no Pro Mod/ Pro Stock is a crime. Nitro makes noise, the fans like it although I could live without it,IMO.

[HR9121]

Originally Posted by Michael Beard

Yes. I've personally competed at most of the national event hosting facilities since 2003, and been to over 70 tracks, so there's a basis for comparison.

Palm Beach
Budds Creek
Pittsburgh
Rockingham
Memphis
San Antonio
State Capitol
US 131
Possibly the new Old Dominion.
Did I leave any out Michael?

[House of Darts]

Now is the time to think about" PINKS". It is not about the types of cars that came out, but how they got the seats filled, the racers excited, TV coverage and a payout that makes sportsman classes look like freebies.How many divisionals fill the seat to 25%? How many divisionals get 350+ cars? Look at the number of cars that come out to race on Mopar Ford and GM events.Mopar nostalgia SS events. It is all hard racing.It is all exciting . Lots of factory loyalty. And it is not about the $. It's on the wall that NHRA is having $ problems. Their business plan does not work. There are plenty of new Mopar GM and Ford factory hot rods that can race and continue this tradition. You just need the get higher car counts and fans in the stands. I can't answer these questions but the new owner have the resources to do it.

[Dan Fahey]

Originally Posted by House of Darts

Now is the time to think about" PINKS". It is not about the types of cars that came out, but how they got the seats filled, the racers excited, TV coverage and a payout that makes sportsman classes look like freebies.How many divisionals fill the seat to 25%? How many divisionals get 350+ cars? Look at the number of cars that come out to race on Mopar Ford and GM events.Mopar nostalgia SS events. It is all hard racing.It is all exciting . Lots of factory loyalty. And it is not about the $. It's on the wall that NHRA is having $ problems. Their business plan does not work. There are plenty of new Mopar GM and Ford factory hot rods that can race and continue this tradition. You just need the get higher car counts and fans in the stands. I can't answer these questions but the new owner have the resources to do it.

You make a great point...
IHRA should video tape their events and show them on Speed like PINKS all Out does.
Add some drama with a good team of announcers and history.
It is interesting watching old Videos of races in the 70's.
There were exciting to watch.

Bringing PRO Classes back is a good idea.
Do it the IHRA way and does not have to do what NHRA does.

Drag Racing needs to attract a wide and more affordable level racing.
Fixing up the Pit Area to accommodate Large Trailers and Driven Cars.
Add electrical connections and other facilities to quiet the Generator noise.
Make easy to get in and out of parking spaces for drive cars.
Smaller spaces for towed car trailers.

FIX up the Rest Rooms. Most are modified outhouses and the better ones ones step up from a Prison.
Hell, I cannot get my wife and daughters out because they are so disgusting.
AND women are the other half of participants rarely considered.
Appealing to women's needs, who may have kids following along would bring a lot of additional participants.

On the larger racing meets create a play area for the kids.
Making Drag Racing more Family friendly will bring in paid participants.

Dining and Food:
The food is barely edible, not tasty and over priced at the tracks.
Get a few Chefs in there, fix up and entertainment and make a nice eating and viewing area.
Have BBQ and Roasted Chicken and decent Pasta.
Invite local restaurants to bring in their Food Coach's.
You entertain the public they will come.
How about a tasty New England Lobster sandwich?
or English Fish and Chips

Consider adding the Local Bracket Racing Point programs to compete at Divisional and National Meets.

Go back to more 1/4 racing and less 1/8 mile racing.

Top Fuel & Funny Car and Alcohol
Limit Supercharger size dramatically.
Will reduce breakage, create reliability and lower organization costs.
Engines may last an entire meet without a full rebuild.
Noise and speed are still there, but lower ET, Mph and insurance costs and operate 1/4 tracks safely.

Pro Stock..needs to take a step back and get back to Stock Bodied vehicles instead of the Pro Stock style Bodies.

Regarding Pinks..there are a lot of cars running in the 9, 10, 11 Second Range, most in the 10's.
Good time to recreate Modified Production by standardizing engines and power adders.
Yeah this will require a lot of jiggling.
But we have lots of Engine power Models work with.

Just a suggestion: Limit RPM with Valve Spring, look at all the Master Engine Builder Rules, limiting Induction, cam size, piston configuration.
AND NO HOOD SCOOPS ! Except maybe little ones.

Create a 16 MP Classes and run them for champ bracket style.

Got to start attracting the foreign made cars.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This alone will drive a whole new generation of racers to IHRA.
Something that NHRA is not doing.

Stock and Super Stock are still hot items.
Pure Stock, Jr Stock, Nostalgia, Pure Stock Drags all need to be promoted.
Especially if you add foreign makes like BMW, Mercedes, Audi, Nissan, Toyota...

Bigger is better if done in the right way.

my 2 cents again

D

[GarysZ24]

I'm with you on your thoughts Dan....especially the import racing thoughts. Less we also be aware that just like those domestic specialty events are contested in frequent contests nationwide, so is a series called "Import Face Off". They run in the same format as "Super Chevy Show", as well as the other shows, and they get spectators out for them nationwide. How about it IHRA? I'm not a fan of imports, and I love racing against them, but they are getting the following, so they're worth looking at too...their racing is much less expensive also...how does $30 bucks to race for $2k in their top classes sound to ya???

[ALMACK]

Originally Posted by Dan Fahey

You make a great point...
IHRA should video tape their events and show them on Speed like PINKS all Out does.
Add some drama with a good team of announcers and history.
It is interesting watching old Videos of races in the 70's.
There were exciting to watch.

Bringing PRO Classes back is a good idea.
Do it the IHRA way and does not have to do what NHRA does.

Drag Racing needs to attract a wide and more affordable level racing.
Fixing up the Pit Area to accommodate Large Trailers and Driven Cars.
Add electrical connections and other facilities to quiet the Generator noise.
Make easy to get in and out of parking spaces for drive cars.
Smaller spaces for towed car trailers....

I have often wondered why tracks do not offer spaces with 30 amp hookups.
Seems like a good money maker to me. Must be a liability issue.

I would pay 30 bucks a day to be able to hook up to that instead of burning 4 bucks a gallon gas running a noisy generator.