IHRA Finals/Tourn of Champions

Myron Piatek · 12-06-2008, 12:37 AM

I guess the "no heads-up" deal just at the year end World Finals is to keep anyone with a fast car from positioning themselves in a class where they can outrun the other qualified competitors. The field will be smaller than normal and the attendees will be known in advance. I don't believe the other "shootouts" have heads-up runs either. But one still has to make it through any possible heads-up runs during the course of the regular season to qualify.

As for the firesuits:

"A jacket and pants meeting a minimum of SFI 3.2A-1 are mandatory on all entries going 10.00 to 11.49 1/4 or 6.40 to 7.50 1/8."

I think they should have more specific ET breaks, perhaps based on indexes. With the way it is, a person can theoretically race without fire pants one run and be required to have them on another during the course of an event, or even the same day. What happens if someone runs below the minimum?

donald j raiser · 12-06-2008, 08:35 AM

i love it, no heads up runs.

rb1941 · 12-06-2008, 10:41 AM

you are right D J, you and 95% of all other racers. you can cut their buts not running heads up.of course the only rounds some racers can win is heads up.

donald j raiser · 12-06-2008, 11:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rb1941

you are right d j, you and 95% of all other racers. You can cut their buts not running heads up.of course the only rounds some racers can win is heads up.

don't get me wrong, i really respect the fast guys, i just don't have the skill, or dollars to run fast.

tpoh815 · 12-06-2008, 12:53 PM

I dont have a problem with the"NO HEADS UP' ! How bout we all worry about it anyway! Its the offseason so lets pick on a subject like the end of next year. Now I win the heads up for that.

buzzinhalfdozen · 12-06-2008, 01:06 PM

RB1941 So using that logic only 5% of the class racers are building and racing their cars for the reason the CLASS concept was made? That seems low to me maybe I'm old school, but I remember racing Hot Rod and Super Rod waiting for the day I could aqcuire the skills and $ to run with the CLASS cars. I believe besides trying to turn on the win lite, most of the guys I talk to want to be able to say " i've got the fastest one" it's obvious that there are better driver than others all you have to do is look at the points standing year to year, seems like the same names just in a different order. There seems to be a lack of interest in the performance side of class racing lately, I for one believe if your'e going to race in a performance based class you should want to work towards performance. I'm aware that speed costs money and not every racer is a engine builder or chassis expert which requires even more money if you can't do alot of your own work. Having a fast class car is alot of work and expense and not for everyone.Heck I don't have a fast car yet but I'm working on it. We need to try and bring the CLASS back to Class racing. Just my opinion, Joe

Bill Howell · 12-06-2008, 01:35 PM

This was the same reasoning that IHRA would not let you run a different car when they first started the 8 car points leaders run off for the $5000 winner take all purse they had in the early 90's.
They didn't want someone borrowing a fast car to take advantage of a heads up situation in the shoot outs.
I believe it was 90 or 91 when a racer entered someone else's faster car when he had Cleo Chandler first round in the shoot out and it would have been heads up. Robert Leonard with IHRA made him run his own car. (Cleo beat him first round and won the race! She was in her 70's at the time and had 3 lights .01 or better in eliminations.)

Myron Piatek · 12-06-2008, 01:51 PM

Joe,

I respect and understand your opinion. Unfortunately, I believe there would have been NO class racing a long time ago if the handicap system wasn't put into place. If more emphasis was put on HP and the money to get it, it would just be a different group of the same names in a different order from year-to-year than what we have now. The low budget person still has a good opportunity to be competitive, even if he/she has to "hide" in a different class to get away from any "killer cars". But there is still the compromise of an occasional heads-up race in eliminations and the bragging rights of class eliminations at some events, not to mention qualifying position.

Better rewards for class winners could help. But even that has been getting worse with the economy. Right now I'm really worried that Mopar may not have a contingency program for 2009, especially for IHRA class where it was the best sponsor and the only one I benefitted from.

So basically, for years the economy has been forcing less emphasis on being the fastest in order to keep the car counts and classes alive. As long as people can still be competitive without having to "keep up with the Joneses", there will be some cars built and raced. That helps participation, manufacturers, etc. The interest is there to go fast, just not the money. Personally, it kinda seems like the Pro teams, which obviously are all heads-up, are having more problems than Sportsman racers in keeping their "heads up"

above he water.

Michael Beard · 12-06-2008, 04:31 PM

Order your SFI pants yet, Myron, or are you going to run K this year on a 2bbl?

I wonder who will be paying contingency on them? That will help make my decision on who to buy from.

12-06-2008, 12:37 AM	#1
Myron Piatek VIP Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Florida Posts: 1,542 Likes: 34 Liked 138 Times in 51 Posts	Re: IHRA Finals/Tourn of Champions I guess the "no heads-up" deal just at the year end World Finals is to keep anyone with a fast car from positioning themselves in a class where they can outrun the other qualified competitors. The field will be smaller than normal and the attendees will be known in advance. I don't believe the other "shootouts" have heads-up runs either. But one still has to make it through any possible heads-up runs during the course of the regular season to qualify. As for the firesuits: "A jacket and pants meeting a minimum of SFI 3.2A-1 are mandatory on all entries going 10.00 to 11.49 1/4 or 6.40 to 7.50 1/8." I think they should have more specific ET breaks, perhaps based on indexes. With the way it is, a person can theoretically race without fire pants one run and be required to have them on another during the course of an event, or even the same day. What happens if someone runs below the minimum? __________________ LOCOMOTION Racing

12-06-2008, 08:35 AM	#2
donald j raiser Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 379 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: IHRA Finals/Tourn of Champions i love it, no heads up runs.

12-06-2008, 10:41 AM	#3
rb1941 Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 10 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: IHRA Finals/Tourn of Champions you are right D J, you and 95% of all other racers. you can cut their buts not running heads up.of course the only rounds some racers can win is heads up.

12-06-2008, 12:53 PM	#5
tpoh815 Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: West Seneca Posts: 537 Likes: 62 Liked 28 Times in 11 Posts	Re: IHRA Finals/Tourn of Champions I dont have a problem with the"NO HEADS UP' ! How bout we all worry about it anyway! Its the offseason so lets pick on a subject like the end of next year. Now I win the heads up for that. __________________ EX 5-Doorstocker Last edited by tpoh815; 12-07-2008 at 12:27 PM.

12-06-2008, 01:06 PM	#6
buzzinhalfdozen Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Bellevue Ohio Posts: 984 Likes: 0 Liked 11 Times in 8 Posts	Re: IHRA Finals/Tourn of Champions RB1941 So using that logic only 5% of the class racers are building and racing their cars for the reason the CLASS concept was made? That seems low to me maybe I'm old school, but I remember racing Hot Rod and Super Rod waiting for the day I could aqcuire the skills and $ to run with the CLASS cars. I believe besides trying to turn on the win lite, most of the guys I talk to want to be able to say " i've got the fastest one" it's obvious that there are better driver than others all you have to do is look at the points standing year to year, seems like the same names just in a different order. There seems to be a lack of interest in the performance side of class racing lately, I for one believe if your'e going to race in a performance based class you should want to work towards performance. I'm aware that speed costs money and not every racer is a engine builder or chassis expert which requires even more money if you can't do alot of your own work. Having a fast class car is alot of work and expense and not for everyone.Heck I don't have a fast car yet but I'm working on it. We need to try and bring the CLASS back to Class racing. Just my opinion, Joe __________________ Joe Buchanan SS/BX 3117

12-06-2008, 01:35 PM	#7
Bill Howell Sponsor Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Aiken, SC Posts: 315 Likes: 28 Liked 218 Times in 61 Posts	Re: IHRA Finals/Tourn of Champions This was the same reasoning that IHRA would not let you run a different car when they first started the 8 car points leaders run off for the $5000 winner take all purse they had in the early 90's. They didn't want someone borrowing a fast car to take advantage of a heads up situation in the shoot outs. I believe it was 90 or 91 when a racer entered someone else's faster car when he had Cleo Chandler first round in the shoot out and it would have been heads up. Robert Leonard with IHRA made him run his own car. (Cleo beat him first round and won the race! She was in her 70's at the time and had 3 lights .01 or better in eliminations.)

12-06-2008, 01:51 PM	#8
Myron Piatek VIP Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Florida Posts: 1,542 Likes: 34 Liked 138 Times in 51 Posts	Re: IHRA Finals/Tourn of Champions Joe, I respect and understand your opinion. Unfortunately, I believe there would have been NO class racing a long time ago if the handicap system wasn't put into place. If more emphasis was put on HP and the money to get it, it would just be a different group of the same names in a different order from year-to-year than what we have now. The low budget person still has a good opportunity to be competitive, even if he/she has to "hide" in a different class to get away from any "killer cars". But there is still the compromise of an occasional heads-up race in eliminations and the bragging rights of class eliminations at some events, not to mention qualifying position. Better rewards for class winners could help. But even that has been getting worse with the economy. Right now I'm really worried that Mopar may not have a contingency program for 2009, especially for IHRA class where it was the best sponsor and the only one I benefitted from. So basically, for years the economy has been forcing less emphasis on being the fastest in order to keep the car counts and classes alive. As long as people can still be competitive without having to "keep up with the Joneses", there will be some cars built and raced. That helps participation, manufacturers, etc. The interest is there to go fast, just not the money. Personally, it kinda seems like the Pro teams, which obviously are all heads-up, are having more problems than Sportsman racers in keeping their "heads up" above he water. __________________ LOCOMOTION Racing Last edited by Myron Piatek; 12-06-2008 at 02:00 PM.

12-06-2008, 04:31 PM	#9
Michael Beard VIP Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Columbus, OH Posts: 4,060 Likes: 0 Liked 13 Times in 9 Posts	Re: IHRA Finals/Tourn of Champions Order your SFI pants yet, Myron, or are you going to run K this year on a 2bbl? I wonder who will be paying contingency on them? That will help make my decision on who to buy from. __________________ Michael Beard - NHRA/IHRA 3216 S/SS Last edited by Michael Beard; 12-06-2008 at 04:50 PM.