2009 IHRA Championship Format Announced

[Fowler Racing]

Exactly Marc. Don't get me wrong. I am not complaining, I think we needed the change and I like the format. A little tweak here and there will make it even better. I also am looking forward to 2009. It will be less miles for me too.

[CBS]

So go out and win your 1 national and get to the champs race....and if you don't win that one go to another one...and if you don't win that one go to another one....see what their point is...

cbs

[Michael Lyons]

Its kinda a lame format to me but others are way more up at arms about it than me. I just wanna know what happened to the Motor City Nationals and if the divisional races are gone too?

[luckydog]

Bottom line is that this should add car count to events, period. I applaud IHRA for making this change and not just sitting around, content with the way things were, and letting IHRA sportsman racers lose a place to race. I do agree with the statement that there should be a required number of divisionals to attend, and feel this will be addressed. For those stating that they wish IHRA would have gotten more racer input...
R&S Motorsports said "If you notice at the very end of the letter it states that less than a dozen racers contacted IHRA regarding this matter personally I was never notified other than the rumor mill. I feel that they should have contacted the racers for input on this... "
Well, I was contacted a while ago for my input. I was given a copy of the proposed plan to review and offer my comments. Skooter was very open to my opinions and we discussed them on numurous occasions. He even apopted a couple of my suggestions into the final points structure. To say they did this without racer input is not fact.

[sammy christian]

i think chip has the right idea, it can only be better.

as far as having a min number of races, or anything else like that, it's time to get over the fact that this isn't some club for the guys that show up all the time. what are you all afraid of? some killer local bracket guy showing up and kicking your behinds? the idea is to have more participation and competition, not try to exclude people because they can't commit to traveling.

this format will put it all on the level like the legend said- go to as many as you want or can afford, or if you are good- just show up and win one.

as for the divisionals- anything that will get people to go is big help. the track owners have been taking a beating, and the pitiful car counts make it look like a joke. yeah! who cares if you win a div race when there are 9 cars in your class? i don't. fri. night bracket race is alot tougher to win than that.

people have to work, pay bills, etc., this format will make it possible to have a life and still race for something big. get over it and get used to it.

[Jason Oldfield]

Maybe its just me, but I don't see this increasing car counts above and beyond the level that they're already at. I don't think racers are consciously making the decision to not go to IHRA national events because they don't feel that they have a chance to win the world championship. I think its the standard stuff:

1. Too far / travel expenses too high
2. Entry fees too high
3. Conflicts with another race on the schedule
4. Is an NHRA snob (you've met them, the ones that wouldn't even think of possibly lowering themselves so much that they'd actually attend an IHRA race).
5. Are intimidated

Most of the local racers from a particular track usually use #2 and #5 as their reasons. I know plenty of racers in WNY that would never consider spending $150 for car & driver entry, even if the race was at their local track. Then there are all the local racers that have the perfect car for a particular class, but because they don't run it regularly don't enter. That's probably logical thinking, as their chances of winning are going to be pretty small, and though the stakes go up, their chances don't get any better because the stakes are higher.

Only time will tell, but if car counts go up next year, I think it will be more of a reflection of gas prices and the economy, and will have less to do with the new points structure (though you might pull one or two more people out of the woodwork to each race as they play the lottery).

How about we just do it like boxing? You're the champ, until you get beat, then that person's the champ, and so on and so forth...

[luckydog]

Originally Posted by sammy christian

as far as having a min number of races, or anything else like that, it's time to get over the fact that this isn't some club for the guys that show up all the time. what are you all afraid of?
as for the divisionals- anything that will get people to go is big help. the track owners have been taking a beating, and the pitiful car counts make it look like a joke.

Is it just me or is that a contradicting statement. I couldn't care less about a minimum required number of nationals, but in my opinion there should be a minimum required number of divisionals (like 4). I believe a champion should have to show a little support for the sanctioning body. If a racer wins a national event, by having a required number of division races, he now has to attend some divisionals. Maybe I'm just dumb but to me this could not make any more sense.

Originally Posted by GaryGoFast

Epping isnt doable if they keep stacking it on Etown D1 race

This is the thinking that kicks IHRA right in the groin year after year. I have no idea where you live Gary, so maybe it has something to do with mileage and fuel prices. If not, how can you justify attending a NHRA divisional over an IHRA national, especially being a 10.90 racer, and with the new points format? Even if you win the NHRA divisional ($2500), and the division points ($2000), then qualify for the Jegs allstar and win it($4500), your not winning much more than you could win at the IHRA national ($8-$10,000). At the IHRA national you also can qualify for the championship shootout ($10,000 +cont), the summit allstar ($5,000), and the moser axle race ($22,500). I know some poeple are very loyal to NHRA and have made lots of friends there, and I respect that, it just don't add up to me. IHRA goes out of their way to TRY to appeal to the sportsman racer, and the kicks just keep comin!

[John Nechiporchik]

Per my communication w/IHRA, Milan is no longer on the divisional schedule as well as no more MOTOR CITY NATIONALS.......Good thing I renewed the NHRA license........

[GaryGoFast]

"This is the thinking that kicks IHRA right in the groin year after year. I have no idea where you live Gary, so maybe it has something to do with mileage and fuel prices. If not, how can you justify attending a NHRA divisional over an IHRA national, especially being a 10.90 racer, and with the new points format? Even if you win the NHRA divisional ($2500), and the division points ($2000), then qualify for the Jegs allstar and win it($4500), your not winning much more than you could win at the IHRA national ($8-$10,000). At the IHRA national you also can qualify for the championship shootout ($10,000 +cont), the summit allstar ($5,000), and the moser axle race ($22,500). I know some poeple are very loyal to NHRA and have made lots of friends there, and I respect that, it just don't add up to me. IHRA goes out of their way to TRY to appeal to the sportsman racer, and the kicks just keep comin! "

Damien Hazelton
Lucky Dog Racing
2007 IHRA Hot Rod World Champion


Absolutely is the total cost of time & travel, I would rather race against the best at a D1 race which was 2 hrs away than deal with other than Epping at least a 7-12 hr hook. I made the rds this yr putting 10,000 miles on my RV. Of course the year I get the gold card, gas goes thru the roof. But thats over I wanna stay close to home, by the way upstate NY. And what if I said to you its not about the money & I won a National this yr. I'm into easy right now, whats ever easier.

[Jason Oldfield]

Originally Posted by luckydog

but in my opinion there should be a minimum required number of divisionals (like 4). I believe a champion should have to show a little support for the sanctioning body. If a racer wins a national event, by having a required number of division races, he now has to attend some divisionals. Maybe I'm just dumb but to me this could not make any more sense.

Damien, I'm not trying to pick a fight, but that doesn't sound like the 100% support for the new system that IHRA quoted you as saying. Honestly, I'm with you on this one, as I think the WORLD CHAMPION should need to do more than win one national event and the Rockingham shootout. Just like I don't believe the drivers that finish 2nd in division points should be invited to the Rockingham shootout. If they didn't win a national event, and they weren't good enough to be better than their division champion, why should they be eligible for the WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP???

Makes no sense to me. But, the way it stands now, the new points structure benefits me, as it was highly unlikely that I ever would have been world champion with the old format as I was never going to go to 5+ IHRA division events. Now, I just need to win my IHRA national event, and I'm going to Rockingham baby!