Where were you TEXAS, & D4 racers???

[Harry 6674]

Originally Posted by GarysZ24

I'm asking this because of the shockingly poor turnout that this race had from you guys...especially since Scooter Peaco told me yesterday that Texas has the second largest IHRA membership (second only to North Carolina). I don't get it given I, Matt & Chuck Hawk, as well as Steve Mikus, and Joe Harper, traveled through other states to get here to participate in this race that you guys begged IHRA to offer you?

Well guess what, your poor showing here, just insured that this race won't be back here ever again (per Scooter Peaco, vp of racing operations)! You had the biggest paying race in your categories that any HRA could/would provide, and you didn't show up....I'm waiting to read a collection of reasons why people stayed home, and failed to support this so-called wanted event!!! I read the other website about this thread, and in it I noticed only two racers (so far), had good reasons to not attend...what about the rest of you???

Guess what, North Carolina, you'll be getting this race next year, and given that your state loves IHRA drag racing so much, that you have your own division, Texas's loss will be your gain!!!! I hope you're happy with yourselves Texans, I know the North Carolinans will be!!!

Gary for a guy that whines and crys about the high cost of NHRA races you seem to be able to absorb the high cost of traveling.Just sayin.

[Emmett Mikolajczyk]

Hey--it is sad that there was not a turn out because it cost a lot of money to put on a race, but just because somebody scheduels a race does not mean everyone will come-I live right here and have a BARN FULL of stockers and super stockers and did not attend !! I hope no one holds that against me--I have gone to 2 races in 2 years--unlike some places we have a terriable economy and I hope that the owners of the local race track take this to Heart--I dont think IHRA is to blame but I will agree with R J , the local track cant treat racers like they are cattle and expect them to come back--stock and super stock has had pleanty of reasons not to show up!!--I dont look for it to get any better any time soon and rightfully another track should be rewarded--I think that that was a good venue and should be at a track that draws alot of stockers and super stockers (there are grand total of 7 stock and super stockers that live in our area--for it to be a successful you have to depend on the out of town cars) please dont beat up the Texas racers--It is what it is--Emmett

[Jacob Pitt]

San Antonio Raceway which is a track I like but it does not have a good reputation for being a good hooking track and for good reason. It is the only track that the Volare has ever spun at each time it has ever been there. I ran the car heavy at the Spectacular so I had a better chance of staying hooked during the race. That worked but the starting line was still lacking teeth as in the final of Stock the front tires scooted in the beams with the brake pedal to the floor at 2800rpm. I tried to compensate my light but still missed it with a -.018 red. Not making excuses for my lose just stating facts as to an insight as a possiblity to the low turn out. Brimer was the fastest stocker left in competition in the semi's and he spun against Hawk and then broke his transmission. My no box car was also spinning all weekend with extra weight in the trunk. I dialed it soft all day and then decided to trust the track in the finals and spun more in the final than I had the last three rounds and couldn't catch Hawk. Again not an excuse. Hawk whooped my tail twice and that's that! One last example of the track condition. My uncle was still in competition from the Baton Rouge Pro Am rain out that they finished friday night. He had no issues getting down the track in boggy and hot Baton Rouge but the first hit friday he shook the tires so hard he decided to change tires before eliminations started. I do wish there would have been more cars but I know of more than a few racers that didn't go because they didn't think the track would be good.

[kevintscott44]

Amen emmett!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Jason]

Originally Posted by The Texas Rangers

...We didn"t go cause We didn"t WANT to be there...

Well someone finally came out and said it. That is why many NHRA racers do not attend IHRA races...they just do not want to be there!!!!!!

[GarysZ24]

Originally Posted by The Texas Rangers

att. GARY Z24, I will only say it one time...quit messin with TEXAS!! just sayin'..The Texas Rangers...We didn"t go cause We didn"t WANT to be there...

If you attended the Nitro Jam race, and didn't go to this one, then I'm the least of your concerns....as Alan showed, all of you who attended that race, but didn't attend this one will be asked why you didn't show up for it, by them??? Don't worry I'll quit messing with TEXAS, but I'm going to shake my head in dismay because you all asked for this race, got it, but didn't support it even to the level that your Nitro Jam race was supported. I thus have no problem blessing the North Carolinians who're going to get this race next year, to start getting ready for it. Now that I know how well you TEXAN'S gave a damn about this race, I wish they would've gotten it this year...it would've given me more funds for the Salt Lake City race coming up the end of this month! Heck, I'll bet the turnout will be better for that race, than San Antonio had to endure for their race. I tell you one thing, should IHRA try this again, I hope they send it to Salt Lake City, because I'll bet they get more cars there, for it than this race received....Frank, what do you think about a "Rocky Mountain Raceway" "Summit Sportsman Spectacular"???? I like the idea!!!!!

On the behalf of Scooter Peaco, Frank Kohutek, and especially the San Antonio promoter "Freddie Cruz", I'm disheartened, to see that the second largest state and division of eligible racers, produced the weakest turnout of semi-pro class racers to any big-time event ever held, in recent history of any HRA!!!!

As I said before, enjoy it North Carolina, because it's coming to your track, and although you're too far for me to enjoy racing with you all, I'll surely be on Drag Race Central, and looking forward to my Drag Review magazine to read up on the results....I guess Tar Heels are more worthy than Longhorns afterall! I didn't want to believe that, but after last weekend, I don't have a choice, and next year when they get this race, that statement will be proven.

Big 12 states, you could've helped them out, I'm from a Pac 12 state, and I reduced my quantity of racing events, so I could support your effort to show yourselves worthy of this special race. Terry Emmons even told Jerry he should've brought his car there, but that's just one more entrant, this race deserved a full pit area, and barely filled half of it, and that's mainly due to the Box, No Box, and Junior Dragster racers who showed up to make the race look better.......

[GarysZ24]

Originally Posted by Harry 6674

Gary for a guy that whines and crys about the high cost of NHRA races you seem to be able to absorb the high cost of traveling.Just sayin.

I don't whine and cry Harry, I just don't accept the status quo when it screws with the racing I care about most (especially when those who get to enter races for free, get most of the tv coverage, color photos in dragster, and get the best pit spaces anywhere they go...go enter the Mopar Mile High Nationals, and I hope they place your rump in the North 40, and then you let me know how you liked being somewhere isolated from most of the fans, the track, and most all of the action there)!

This wasn't any old race...it was the highest paying race west of the Mississippi, and we had a great chance to support it, and it wasn't!!!

[GarysZ24]

Originally Posted by Harry 6674

Gary for a guy that whines and crys about the high cost of NHRA races you seem to be able to absorb the high cost of traveling.Just sayin.

Harry, you're starting to remind me of someone back east who's retiring from our sport? I surely hope not....fyi, this is only my third race so far of the year, and my first Stock Eliminator type of race. I work my butt off during the non-racing weeks, so as to build up the funds for a race like this.....I put so much effort into this race, because I want IHRA to establish itself here in the west as they have in the east for so long. Obviously there are those here who scoff at what the IHRA doesn't do right, and to them let me ask, what about what the NHRA doesn't do right? Was it right for them to raise our entry fees in the mid-'00's when our economy was going down? NO! Was it right for them to raise our competition number, license, and membership fees during the same time, and reason? NO!! Was it right for them to lower our indexes by .30 seconds, and change our altitude correction factors to Super Class levels (now making it impossible for once competitive lower budget cars like mine, to now not be able to even run the index anymore)? HELL NO!!!

It may not keep people like you from patronizing them, but now that I have an option for my meager racing dollar, I'm trying to make the most of it, and I thank Frank Kohutek, Scooter Peaco, and all of IHRA for there even wanting to break the NHRA monopoly out west. You've got a bit of nerve telling me that I whine and cry...that's what some of you did to convince IHRA to bring this race here to your state, and why? So they could take a high dollar bath? How would you like it if you have a business and some of your customers did to you what those of you who raced S.A.R. in March, but wouldn't (if your cars were intact and race ready), and didn't (without credible reasons, like family matters, or work committments), attend the biggest paying race your state will have for seven different categories this year? I wanted your Texas race to thrive, and especially a race of this magnatude, but who the hell am I? I'm just a racer who gives a damn about a special race at a great price....far more than I can say for NHRA!!!