Takin control of our own destiny.

[Alan Roehrich]

Greg,
There is no doubt the idea has a lot of merit. I know a lot of people were already planning to stay close to home more this year when fuel prices got out of control last year. While fuel prices have come down, the economy isn't doing all that well, and it may have much the same effect.

[Terry Cain]

Greg,
I agree. Matter of fact, I was really thinking about running only the combo races and maybe traveling down south for a vacation and race with them once or twice.
Might race a few of the Super Chevy meets also.
I'm really tired of NHRA's bs and they don't have the only playground.

[danny waters sr]

I know it's not "NHRA " but why don't you guys try a little IHRA. We would be glad to have you. There may be classes you don't like . So be it ,you don't have to run that class. If you don't like something ,all you have to do is e-mail or call someone. I personally cannot change the rules , but i will listen and forward any suggestions or complaints.We are not NHRA, But we are not trying to be. Heck , it is a place to race the classes you like to race and then some.With the cut back on some of the pro classes this coming season , you may even get to make a few more passes or not have as much down time.Try it you may like it . If not give a reason why so we would at least know what turned you away . It may be something we can do to make it better. If you are or not a newby to IHRA,please come by tech and say hello and meet some of the other tech guys. Most of them have been or still are racers.I love class racing and hate to see it going in this direction. We need to support it any way we can to keep it alive. You did not see IHRA cut any sportsman classes for the 09 season. This is how it all got started in the first place . Just another comment from a racer/tech person who does care.!!!! Hope to see you at a few races this year.. PS- thanks for reading this post.

[S.E. Buchanan]

Greg:

Call me. 501-767-4777

[Bryan Worner]

Originally Posted by danny waters sr

I know it's not "NHRA " but why don't you guys try a little IHRA. We would be glad to have you. There may be classes you don't like . So be it ,you don't have to run that class. If you don't like something ,all you have to do is e-mail or call someone. I personally cannot change the rules , but i will listen and forward any suggestions or complaints.We are not NHRA, But we are not trying to be. Heck , it is a place to race the classes you like to race and then some.With the cut back on some of the pro classes this coming season , you may even get to make a few more passes or not have as much down time.Try it you may like it . If not give a reason why so we would at least know what turned you away . It may be something we can do to make it better. If you are or not a newby to IHRA,please come by tech and say hello and meet some of the other tech guys. Most of them have been or still are racers.I love class racing and hate to see it going in this direction. We need to support it any way we can to keep it alive. You did not see IHRA cut any sportsman classes for the 09 season. This is how it all got started in the first place . Just another comment from a racer/tech person who does care.!!!! Hope to see you at a few races this year.. PS- thanks for reading this post.

Danny, as a racer who races both IHRA and NHRA I think one thing IHRA needs to do is pay more attention to the racing surface at their events! By this, I mean at both points races and national events! My car never spins the tires, anywhere, but every year I blow them off at least once at Rockingham...at the national event!!

Another is they have way too many eliminators running at national events. I know we've covered that topic before, but it's a fact. You go to a national event and make 2 runs your first day, then won't make another run until possibly the next evening or go into Sunday not even running 1st round!!! Imagine if they got 80-100 cars per eliminator???? They'd be racing till Tuesday!!

That is why a lot of racers don't go to these races......I'm sure their are more! Now their points races are a well-kept secret. 15-20 cars running for about $5 grand......u can't beat that!

[danny waters sr]

I agree on too many classes running .That is why i mentioned the fact of no more Nitro funny cars or Alcohol funny cars. This alone will create more run time at a quicker pace. Remember , we start on Friday instead of Thursday, so we lose a day from the very beginning.The weather has a lot to do with the track surface at Rockingham,. If i could come up with a formula for that surface i would not never have to work anymore! lol. Thanks for your input on my post . Keep em coming and soon the higher -ups will be looking . IHRA classes= H/R ,S/R, Q/R, STOCK, SUPER STOCK, T/S, T/D, That's 7 sportsman classes. Not sure with NHRA, but i think there is more with alky dragsters and alky funnys and comp. Extra day would mean a lot but the economy won't allow that. !! I have been to a few NHRA events and they have a whole lot more help than we do.(that makes a diff too )

[danny waters sr]

ss, Here in NC most of the tracks used to be1/4 mile but speeds have overgrown most of them. You may see some of these tracks test and tune with 1/4 mile ,but a lot of race cars cannot make this length. Mostly street cars are running the 1/4 at these tracks. It has just been adopted to run 1/8 at these tracks in this area . I love 1/4 mile racing ,but in most of these tracks it would be a hardship on a racer that may get in trouble with not enough stopping area ,. Now Rockingham & Darlington could surley run 1/4 mile div races ( in my opinion). When in Pittsburg last year at the triple IHRA race there were issues of stopping at top end on some of the faster classes. One t/s car crashes twice ,the second time not so lucky. Several cars went long . This is more of a safety issue than time and money .Sorry but that is out of my control to change . At least so far IHRA is still running full 1/4 mile National events.

[Michael Beard]

Originally Posted by danny waters sr

The weather has a lot to do with the track surface at Rockingham,. If i could come up with a formula for that surface i would not never have to work anymore! lol.

I used to hate Rockingham, too, but after I moved to NC and raced there a lot, I've figured the place out. At their bracket races, the track is really quite good, but the vast majority of the cars are parked either on the asphalt or up front. When we get into issues is at Nationals where the Sportsman cars are parked in the back 9 where it's very sandy. Racers have to learn to keep their wheel wells and rocker panels clean. You'd be surprised at how many launch photos you see with sand or pebbles pouring out of the rocker panels in front of the slicks, and I'm sure those racers would spin and scream, "This track sucks!" It's not enough for you to keep your own stuff clean. EVERY SINGLE racer has to maintain their stuff every pass. I see VERY few drivers paying attention to that detail in the lanes. Sand is particularly nasty, because it's so small it gets ground into the track rubber & VHT... not as easy as blowing off larger pebbles. I've seen it get ugly there, and just stage WAY outside the groove, and the car would hook like a bear. "The Rock" and I get along now, and I even won the track championship there in '07.


In regards to the original post: yes, I see an opportunity for something beyond local S/SS Combo races, and I don't think it necessarily needs to be run in conjunction with an existing series. See the "What if...?" thread.

[7820]

Not too many IHRA tracks in the west.

[ss3845]

Originally Posted by danny waters sr

I know it's not "NHRA " but why don't you guys try a little IHRA. We would be glad to have you. There may be classes you don't like . So be it ,you don't have to run that class. If you don't like something ,all you have to do is e-mail or call someone. I personally cannot change the rules , but i will listen and forward any suggestions or complaints.We are not NHRA, But we are not trying to be. Heck , it is a place to race the classes you like to race and then some.With the cut back on some of the pro classes this coming season , you may even get to make a few more passes or not have as much down time.Try it you may like it . If not give a reason why so we would at least know what turned you away . It may be something we can do to make it better. If you are or not a newby to IHRA,please come by tech and say hello and meet some of the other tech guys. Most of them have been or still are racers.I love class racing and hate to see it going in this direction. We need to support it any way we can to keep it alive. You did not see IHRA cut any sportsman classes for the 09 season. This is how it all got started in the first place . Just another comment from a racer/tech person who does care.!!!! Hope to see you at a few races this year.. PS- thanks for reading this post.

Why do they race 1/8 mile at 1/4 mile tracks? I know some of the tracks are marginal for the faster cars but can't you just have those eliminators run 1/8 mile? There is no reason stock/superstock can't tun 1/4 mile at Thompson and Pittsburgh.