IHRA tournament of Champions

Jason Oldfield · 11-02-2009, 09:03 PM

Damien,

Pugsley is calling you out because you're now saying that you dislike the TOC format, but back when we first had the discussion about it you said you liked it 97.75691%.

As for the IHRA and TOC race, split the money to those that showed up and move on in life. This race is not going to be run in 2009, and the IHRA as we knew it is dead. They're nothing but a glorified monster truck show with drag cars. If you want to support an alternative sanctioning body to NHRA, support the new AHRA which appears will be contesting all of the usual sportsman classes. They can't possibly do any worse of a job that what IHRA management did.

Why they ran the Sportsnationals race on the same weekend is beyond me. If you want to make it lucrative for racers to come down (2 for 1), run the Sportsnationals race AFTER the TOC, and give the winner of that race entry into the 2010 TOC race. Get the important business out of the way, and leave time for the fun race, weather and time permitting.

And you can't go back to figuring out points after the fact. People won their entry to the TOC and stopped going to additional events. So, you can't penalize them because they won early.

If this race is going to be run in 2010, why bother. To crown the 2009 champions? Yeah, congratulations. You get to enjoy being the champ for all of a week until the next Nitro Jam event (they're not called "National Events" anymore, because they're not events, just circus side shows). No awards ceremony or pomp and circumstance for you. Here's your dumb dusty trophy from last year and a check, now get out of our face. You may as well just make it like any other race, and if you want to make it extra special, double the payout. Though I doubt that will happen.

Here's another idea - how about if IHRA does reschedule the race eventually (according to the Mayan's, after 12/21/2012 should be free for everybody), why doesn't IHRA offer up tow money to all the competitors that made the trip the first time? Yeah, I'll hold my breath waiting for that one.

This fiasco doesn't affect me in the least, other than the fact that I'm tired of seeing my sportsman racing brethren getting ***** upon.

And I thought it couldn't get any worse than NHRA's management...

Michael Beard · 11-03-2009, 08:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jason Oldfield

As for the IHRA and TOC race, split the money to those that showed up and move on in life.

Again, why should this be treated different than any other national event? If Pomona rains out, will you expect NHRA to just split the money among the potential championship contenders? Doesn't make any sense. You have to crown World Champions, and you have to RACE for it, in my opinion.

Quote:

Why they ran the Sportsnationals race on the same weekend is beyond me.

1) To give racers one last shot to qualify for the TOC
2) To make the weekend financially viable. Remember, there's no "entry fee" for the TOC. IHRA and the track have to make some money somewhere. Would a track reasonably take on an event where the ONLY income was from spectators/crew? Sportsman payouts are still a sizable nut to crack.

Everything that could go wrong, did go wrong. We were all presented with a worst case scenario. The issue now is how to deal with it. At this point, I would like them to make a decision, period.

Nova4301 · 11-03-2009, 12:33 PM

Well an email or letter has been sent out from IHRA prompting the qualifiers to give some feedback on how to handle this. First of all, I must say that this is the first year for the TOC and it uncovered the fact that it really needs a back up plan in place.

Unlike an NHRA national event that gets rained out and rescheduled and possibly most of the same people show back up because they are travelers and can maybe account work-wise and leave-wise for this situation, this TOC was a one-time deal for 2009 for alot of people so it should be handled a little differently. I just hope it gets decided soon...

TCOONLY · 11-03-2009, 03:27 PM

everyone should have gotten an e mail yestersday. i got mine in the afternoon and expressed my belief that this should be raced to decide the winner and not split up.

JJ3159 · 11-03-2009, 03:54 PM

I too beleive this race needs to be run to determine its champion in each class.

Jason Oldfield · 11-05-2009, 12:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Michael Beard

Again, why should this be treated different than any other national event? If Pomona rains out, will you expect NHRA to just split the money among the potential championship contenders? Doesn't make any sense. You have to crown World Champions, and you have to RACE for it, in my opinion.

Because the NHRA doesn't postpone races indefinitely, or even for 4 months like it looks like this race is going to be postponed. If Pomona rains out, they'll try to run it on consecutive days, and if they get to the point where it is not going to be able to be run during the week, they'll try the very next weekend. Not at the beginning of the following year on the verge of the new season starting. Crowning a 2009 champion 2 months into 2010 completely takes the luster off of it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Michael Beard

1) To give racers one last shot to qualify for the TOC
2) To make the weekend financially viable. Remember, there's no "entry fee" for the TOC. IHRA and the track have to make some money somewhere. Would a track reasonably take on an event where the ONLY income was from spectators/crew? Sportsman payouts are still a sizable nut to crack.

I'll stand by my prior comments that trying to run the Sportsman National event PRIOR to the TOC was just plain stupid. I agree with you...they did it to try to entice racers to come down, and make the weekend financially viable. But, the race should NOT have been used to give somebody one last shot to qualify for the TOC in 2009. It should have been run AFTER the 2009 TOC, with the winner of that race and the TOC automatically gaining a berth in the 2010 TOC.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Michael Beard

Everything that could go wrong, did go wrong. We were all presented with a worst case scenario. The issue now is how to deal with it. At this point, I would like them to make a decision, period.

I certainly don't disagree with you there, and I feel bad for all of you that are / were involved with this. My point of view is that at this point, it's an f'ing disaster. Cut your losses, split the purse, and move on in life with a clean slate in 2010. If you run the race in early 2010 (like it looks like they will, IF they run it), you'll eliminate a good portion of the racers simply because they can't return, and this race will favor those racers down south who have been able to race prior to the TOC. Those up in the Northeast will be going down there cold, and will be at a distinct disadvantage (rather than running at the end of the season where EVERYBODY has a large number of runs to draw off of).

So, how validating is it to be crowned the "champion" when not all the contenders participated, and when a good portion of them are coming in rusty due to inactivity?

Marty Rinehart Jr · 11-05-2009, 12:47 AM

This subject matter should only include those it involves.

danny waters sr · 11-05-2009, 06:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marty Rinehart Jr

This subject matter should only include those it involves.

x 2

442OLDS · 11-05-2009, 08:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marty Rinehart Jr

This subject matter should only include those it involves.

This subject matter ALMOST involved me too.I'm glad I had a late season slump,so it DOES NOT involve me.Therefore,I will refrain from expressing any of my views.I am still curious to see how all of this shakes out.

Michael Lyons · 11-05-2009, 10:52 AM

this wasn't a regular event, I would not have attended this race even if it had a perfect weather forecast. Like some other unfortunate racers I too was lured there because of the two bonus races and the bye run. Since the dramatic increase in travel costs since 2005 I generally don't attend any races more than 300 miles from home due to the costs and the possibility of having a rain out and re run. So this was NOT a normal national event. So please stop comparing it to one.

11-02-2009, 09:03 PM	#1
Jason Oldfield Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Rochester, NY Posts: 619 Likes: 1 Liked 10 Times in 4 Posts	Re: IHRA tournament of Champions Damien, Pugsley is calling you out because you're now saying that you dislike the TOC format, but back when we first had the discussion about it you said you liked it 97.75691%. As for the IHRA and TOC race, split the money to those that showed up and move on in life. This race is not going to be run in 2009, and the IHRA as we knew it is dead. They're nothing but a glorified monster truck show with drag cars. If you want to support an alternative sanctioning body to NHRA, support the new AHRA which appears will be contesting all of the usual sportsman classes. They can't possibly do any worse of a job that what IHRA management did. Why they ran the Sportsnationals race on the same weekend is beyond me. If you want to make it lucrative for racers to come down (2 for 1), run the Sportsnationals race AFTER the TOC, and give the winner of that race entry into the 2010 TOC race. Get the important business out of the way, and leave time for the fun race, weather and time permitting. And you can't go back to figuring out points after the fact. People won their entry to the TOC and stopped going to additional events. So, you can't penalize them because they won early. If this race is going to be run in 2010, why bother. To crown the 2009 champions? Yeah, congratulations. You get to enjoy being the champ for all of a week until the next Nitro Jam event (they're not called "National Events" anymore, because they're not events, just circus side shows). No awards ceremony or pomp and circumstance for you. Here's your dumb dusty trophy from last year and a check, now get out of our face. You may as well just make it like any other race, and if you want to make it extra special, double the payout. Though I doubt that will happen. Here's another idea - how about if IHRA does reschedule the race eventually (according to the Mayan's, after 12/21/2012 should be free for everybody), why doesn't IHRA offer up tow money to all the competitors that made the trip the first time? Yeah, I'll hold my breath waiting for that one. This fiasco doesn't affect me in the least, other than the fact that I'm tired of seeing my sportsman racing brethren getting ***** upon. And I thought it couldn't get any worse than NHRA's management... __________________ Jason Oldfield S/G & S/St 1838

11-03-2009, 12:33 PM	#3
Nova4301 Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Moore, OK Posts: 54 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: IHRA tournament of Champions Well an email or letter has been sent out from IHRA prompting the qualifiers to give some feedback on how to handle this. First of all, I must say that this is the first year for the TOC and it uncovered the fact that it really needs a back up plan in place. Unlike an NHRA national event that gets rained out and rescheduled and possibly most of the same people show back up because they are travelers and can maybe account work-wise and leave-wise for this situation, this TOC was a one-time deal for 2009 for alot of people so it should be handled a little differently. I just hope it gets decided soon... __________________ Tim Wilson HR/SST 4301

11-03-2009, 03:27 PM	#4
TCOONLY Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Buffalo NY Posts: 18 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: IHRA tournament of Champions everyone should have gotten an e mail yestersday. i got mine in the afternoon and expressed my belief that this should be raced to decide the winner and not split up. __________________ Tom Coonly 1211 HR

11-03-2009, 03:54 PM	#5
JJ3159 Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: WEST SENECA N.Y. Posts: 140 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: IHRA tournament of Champions I too beleive this race needs to be run to determine its champion in each class. __________________ jj h/r 1399 s/r 1399 s/g 1399

11-05-2009, 12:47 AM	#7
Marty Rinehart Jr Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Rineharts Performance Race Cars, Thomasville,PA Posts: 492 Likes: 305 Liked 333 Times in 75 Posts	Re: IHRA tournament of Champions This subject matter should only include those it involves. __________________ Marty Rinehart Jr 1125 SS STK SG SC SST

11-05-2009, 10:52 AM	#10
Michael Lyons Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Garden City, MI Posts: 226 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: IHRA tournament of Champions this wasn't a regular event, I would not have attended this race even if it had a perfect weather forecast. Like some other unfortunate racers I too was lured there because of the two bonus races and the bye run. Since the dramatic increase in travel costs since 2005 I generally don't attend any races more than 300 miles from home due to the costs and the possibility of having a rain out and re run. So this was NOT a normal national event. So please stop comparing it to one.