IHRA Division 1 Schedule

[Chris Kilraine]

I don't understand how it wasn't worth the aggravation?!?!... Last year they were plagued with rain...it happens. They did a hell of job in 2012 running a double in one day! There was always spectators....

I personally don't like a D1 schedule with only 6 races, when D1 makes up majority of the racers....

[gbur]

Originally Posted by Chris Kilraine

I don't understand how it wasn't worth the aggravation?!?!... Last year they were plagued with rain...it happens. They did a hell of job in 2012 running a double in one day! There was always spectators....

I personally don't like a D1 schedule with only 6 races, when D1 makes up majority of the racers....

and to be short changed by only 6 , when are allowed 7

[Chris1529]

Maybe they think MIR will be better attended by making it an in division for div 9 as well.

Richmond always did a good job, but trying to have it in the spring made rainouts possible. It needed to be a fall race.

I was hoping a few more tracks might try a divisional again this year in OH or KY to make it a little easier on folks from our part of the country to travel, but unfortunately, I would say most probably have the same thoughts that Richmond has. I think the doubles combined with low turnouts and low draw for a regular bracket race that runs until 2am to make any money is hurting the number of tracks wanting to host a pro-am.

[Adger Smith]

Guys, Remember it is not necessarily IHRA that is the bad guy here.
Remember they "Sell" points races to tracks in each division. As a track owner you have to weigh the profit and loss of the events you are putting on. To some track owners/promoters it just might not be worth the gamble of paying out the money for any (IHRA or NHRA) divisional event. It takes X number of cars to break even and add in spectator head count for profit. As a former track owner I can tell you just having an event doesn't guarantee your bank account will be in the black after the Points Meet weekend. Could it be that there are a bunch of track owners are watching the racers be "no shows" at these events and the dismal car counts put the tracks in the red. So like the guys at Richmond said "it wasn't worth the aggravation". What most class racers fail to remember or don't want to hear is a track can put on a big bucks bracket bash and have better car counts and go to the bank on Monday with money that will keep the track in the black and operational.
Back in the 70's I could have a 16 or 32 car Modified and Gas meet and pack the house with quality cars and fill the stands with spectators.
I didn't need a points meet to make money.
It is up to the tracks what happens at their facilities, not the sanction bodies.
Please don't shoot the messenger. I'm just telling you how a track owner/promoter usually sees the value of events.

[Ed Wright]

Originally Posted by Adger Smith

Guys, Remember it is not necessarily IHRA that is the bad guy here.
Remember they "Sell" points races to tracks in each division. As a track owner you have to weigh the profit and loss of the events you are putting on. To some track owners/promoters it just might not be worth the gamble of paying out the money for any (IHRA or NHRA) divisional event. It takes X number of cars to break even and add in spectator head count for profit. As a former track owner I can tell you just having an event doesn't guarantee your bank account will be in the black after the Points Meet weekend. Could it be that there are a bunch of track owners are watching the racers be "no shows" at these events and the dismal car counts put the tracks in the red. So like the guys at Richmond said "it wasn't worth the aggravation". What most class racers fail to remember or don't want to hear is a track can put on a big bucks bracket bash and have better car counts and go to the bank on Monday with money that will keep the track in the black and operational.
Back in the 70's I could have a 16 or 32 car Modified and Gas meet and pack the house with quality cars and fill the stands with spectators.
I didn't need a points meet to make money.
It is up to the tracks what happens at their facilities, not the sanction bodies.
Please don't shoot the messenger. I'm just telling you how a track owner/promoter usually sees the value of events.

The people with the Tulsa track learned the hard way. Went IHRA one year, had a points race and a national event. Lost their rears big time on both. Went NHRA, first Div 4 points race they said they made more than the whole previous year. Had near no cars at the IHRA races. Good car counts at the NHRA Div 4 races here. I don't know why nobody shows up for IHRA races. About all we had here were based very close around here. Not even all of those. Last IHRA race I went to in Texas had like 9 SS cars. The IHRA officials are very nice people. Treated us really well. Div 4 & 5 NHRA guys do as well. Maybe hard for many to get off work enough to run both?

[Mike Pearson]

The biggest problem I see is the track owners are no longer promoters. The track owner has to figure out some way to sell his show to the paying spectator. If they could get some sort of money coming in the gate besides the racers entry fees and have a better pay back then possibly the car counts would improve. I am a racer not a promoter so I don't have the answer. One thing I do know if the pay back was better I could do more racing. We are racing today for the same or less than we were 20 years ago and the cost has risen exponentially. IHRA also has the issue of some don't like to or wont race 1/8th mile. I do both and like both. Florida has gone almost all IHRA now so we will have plenty of 1/8 mile racing down here.

[Dan Fahey]

My experience of IHRA when I go to the towns that surround the races.
Usually in the evening for Dinner.
Nobody seems to know that IHRA is in town and a big race is going on.

Usually eat at the Bar since it is only me.
Talk to the other patrons and have fun.
Discuss about what drag racing is, what I am doing.
They ask questions and interested.
However few knew that a race was going on.

Like to hear what IHRA is thinking.
Some of us have a lot of sales, solutions and marketing experience.
Got to be a way we can get together and collaborate.

BTW This is a good discussion.

Dan