The New IHRA ???

[BRIAN SEATE]

I like it Beard, a little cash along helps. A really good racer told me once that you need to get something back every week. We will never make any money racing, we all know that. I bracket raced one season and kept up with expenses and money won. I got a little every week, it made a difference. I paid for all my entries, food ,gas, oil, etc. Just my two cents worth.

[Michael Beard]

I like it Beard, a little cash along helps.

Wasn't my idea, it was Doug's.

$5 for a first round win will buy 5 pounds of ice cream at Norwalk!

Currency conversion we can believe in! I like how you think.

[Adger Smith]

Dan hit a nerve with this comment: People come back because they remember a good time.

I think that is just human nature.
There were 5 of us in the shop the other day talking about racing. 3 car owners and 2 crew chiefs. The one common thread that ran through the conversation was that the expense of just going and being there has gone past the "fun factor" or as Dan put it the "good time". Both crew chiefs said they don't even attend the Ennis National Event with their family and sons to watch anymore because of the expense.
I think most of us older guys are still seaking the fun we had with cars when were were younger. That is about all that keeps us involved. After all most of us have not raced for a living. Remember the fun you had as a kid when your grandparents took you to the circus? Now we take our grandkids to the circus hoping they have the fun we did. I don't want to sound gloom & doom, just point out change. It is just a cycle and today the cycles of life are being broken. Why, many reasons, but I think most of all economy and the economy of a persons "time"...

BTY: A long time ago the guys that go around in circles figured out that payouts that went deep into the field were better for participation and racer attendance than the top heavy payouts.

[Dan Fahey]

Originally Posted by Adger Smith

Dan hit a nerve with this comment: People come back because they remember a good time.

I think that is just human nature.
There were 5 of us in the shop the other day talking about racing. 3 car owners and 2 crew chiefs. The one common thread that ran through the conversation was that the expense of just going and being there has gone past the "fun factor" or as Dan put it the "good time". Both crew chiefs said they don't even attend the Ennis National Event with their family and sons to watch anymore because of the expense.
I think most of us older guys are still seaking the fun we had with cars when were were younger. That is about all that keeps us involved. After all most of us have not raced for a living. Remember the fun you had as a kid when your grandparents took you to the circus? Now we take our grandkids to the circus hoping they have the fun we did. I don't want to sound gloom & doom, just point out change. It is just a cycle and today the cycles of life are being broken. Why, many reasons, but I think most of all economy and the economy of a persons "time"...

BTY: A long time ago the guys that go around in circles figured out that payouts that went deep into the field were better for participation and racer attendance than the top heavy payouts.

Wow .. thanks Adger for following up with my comment..
You restated it very well.

IHRA needs to bring the fun factor back.
Getting kids and parents excited about coming and coming back again.
Make it inexpensive for them to come.

Drag Racing and Auto Sports are like a Girls Dress.
They will get a nice but inexpensive Dress from Sears or Walmart.

But the money is spent on the ACCESSORIES !!


Dan

[ALMACK]

Top heavy payouts suck.
Paying $ 135 to enter and going out first round sucks.

There should at least be a consulation race for the first round runner-ups, since that includes half of the entries. ( maybe 200win / 100 r-up)
At least with that, there would be a second chance at winning something after all that tow fuel, time, expense, etc.

As Dan has stated, getting people to and keeping people at the track is important.
And making it family friendly helps breed future racers.

Just my .02c

[Michael Beard]

As Doug and I have been discussing via PM, it's a learning process. Take a suggestion and delve further into the details of it, how it would work, what its effects are, and follow it to its conclusion. It's the same way you make your car better or improve your driving: As Adger taught me years ago: take every part and break down into its components and study that or ask "How do I make THAT piece better?"

There should at least be a consulation race for the first round runner-ups, since that includes half of the entries. ( maybe 200win / 100 r-up)

Good baseline idea. Ok, work through it:
- What would the entry fee be?
- How many cars were in first round?
- What percentage of first round losers will participate in the consi race?
- If payouts starting with 2nd round winners is unacceptable to some racers, would those racers participate in a consi race with only Win/RU payouts?
- If Win/RU pay is not enough, how far back, or what other purse requirements are there, if any?
- What's the total purse based on a given number of cars?
- How long does it take to run the race?
- What is the hourly cost to operate the race?
- What's the consi race net?

[Dan Fahey]

Here some an inexpensive ideas.

Movie Night...bring blankets, chairs, kids, wife, sell Popcorn and Stuff.
Bringing Kids and Wifes means VERY clean and modern restrooms.

Have an Open Mike Night!
Some of us are Basement Musicians.
I play Guitar and some Mandolin.

Got any others??

d

[Michael Beard]

Originally Posted by Michael Beard

As Doug and I have been discussing via PM, it's a learning process. Take a suggestion and delve further into the details of it, how it would work, what its effects are, and follow it to its conclusion. It's the same way you make your car better or improve your driving: As Adger taught me years ago: take every part and break down into its components and study that or ask "How do I make THAT piece better?"



Good baseline idea. Ok, work through it:
- What would the entry fee be?
- How many cars were in first round?
- What percentage of first round losers will participate in the consi race?
- If payouts starting with 2nd round winners is unacceptable to some racers, would those racers participate in a consi race with only Win/RU payouts?
- If Win/RU pay is not enough, how far back, or what other purse requirements are there, if any?
- What's the total purse based on a given number of cars?
- How long does it take to run the race?
- What is the hourly cost to operate the race?
- What's the consi race net?

Well, since nobody will touch it... examples here:

- What would the entry fee be? $40
- How many cars were in first round? 40. (20 1st rnd r/u's)
- What percentage of first round losers will participate in the consi race? Best case scenario: 75% of 20 = 15 entries
- If Win/RU pay is not enough, how far back, or what other purse requirements are there, if any? Win 200 / RU 100 / Semi 50 (3rd Rnd loser with 15 cars)
- What's the total purse based on a given number of cars? $400
- How long does it take to run the race? 1 hour
- What's the consi race net? $200 before expenses

If you did a consi race for each of the 7 classes, that's an additional 7 hours of run time for a potential gross of $1,400, minus operational costs for 7 hours leaving us with a net loss of several thousand dollars. T/S & T/D aren't going to run for $200. Maybe the consi races consist of a Box race and a S/SS Combo. Combining classes, now you're looking at 5 or 6 round races for $200/win, and having to win 3-4 rounds to get your entry fee back, so now we're back to square one, with some people not wanting to race for $200, some people not wanting to race if the payout doesn't go back far enough, and some people don't want to run combos.

Go back to the top, rinse and repeat...