How do you get (N) racers over to the (I) side

[Richard Grant]

Most racers can only afford to run one series, therefore they chose to run NHRA. Some reasons:
1. More NHRA tracks
2. More of their friends will be at NHRA races.
3. They don't like running 1/8 mile.
4. They aren't members of IHRA.
5. NHRA usually has the better tracks. Not true in Div. 4 I agree.
6. Racers are unfamiliar with IHRA classes so they are not comfortable running crate motor cars, pure stock cars, gt class cars, etc.
7. Even though only a few will ever win or runnerup the payouts are less. They feel right or wrong that the entry fee is excessive compared to the payout.
I don't believe however that reducing classes would increase attendance. Adding a Sunday time trial would increase attendance.
Adding more tracks will increase attendance.
Listening to the needs of racers will increase attendance.
Having seperate classes for the new cars will increase attendance.
If IHRA can attract more racers by treating the racers better or listening better than NHRA, as these racers become more familiar with IHRA, become members, establish friendships, etc. then the attendance will increase.

[Michael Beard]

>> 2. More of their friends will be at NHRA races.

If everybody and their friends all go to the same race, then they will all be at the same race... regardless of what flag is hanging out front.

>> 3. They don't like running 1/8 mile.

Valid argument, and again, racers need to express that to the management, but in all fairness, 1/4 mile races have all suffered in attendance.

>> 4. They aren't members of IHRA.

On a number of occasions, they have extended discounts or even waivers for "crossover racers"

>> 5. NHRA usually has the better tracks. Not true in Div. 4 I agree.

1) I don't think that's true in most cases, and particularly not the case with track prep, and 2) We've seen big car count swings even at the same facility. Remember that there are many tracks that have been with both sanctioning bodies throughout the years... Norwalk, Cordova, VMP, Rockingham, Moroso/Palm Beach, Bradenton, Byron, Mid-Michigan, Quaker City, Montgomery, and many others. The quality of the track does not change with the flag at the gate.

>> 6. Racers are unfamiliar with IHRA classes so they are not comfortable running crate motor cars, pure stock cars, gt class cars, etc.

They're not heads up, and all cars are built to spec per the rulebook, like every other car.

Lots of good posts and discussion here. Keep it up.

[X-TECH MAN]

Originally Posted by Charley Downing

Terry(X 1930’s tech man) when was the last time you raced? What 1968. You are a joke. You don't race you don't build engines for racers, heck when was the last time you went to a class race(2001 class nats)? You act like you run 12 races a year and we should value your views. When you build a car or buy one and show up to a NHRA or IHRA race with a SS or STker we as a group will listen to what you haft to say. Until then stay in 1975.


Facts 80% of NHRA racers will not race IHRA for all kinds of different reasons. This is just the way it is. So the only way you are going to get your car counts up at IHRA is to change the I to a N. It’s not being a smart ***** it’s just being honest Azzhol#.

Sorry Terry for posting before 8AM I know you don’t get up this early.

Just more smart azzed remarks from a young punk who dosent know what he is talking about. I preped cylinder heads from 1969 until last December and for several NHRA and IHRA racers. One was the recent IHRA World Champ ! Several were NHRA record holders, Div. 1 Champs in the 70'and 80' before all the cheating started in the cylinder head dept. I raced stock in the 7 inch tire days and in S/S until around 1980 then got on the boat kick for about 10 years. Went back to work for IHRA in 1990. I dont need to explain ANYTHING to you as you were still swinging from nut to nut in your dads pants when stock was really stock, Have a nice day.

[Ryan Horensky]

It depends on geographics more than anything for alot of people. Many people on here get into this IHRA vs. NHRA thing, but distance is a big factor for people. Especially with fuel prices. I ran some IHRA races when they were within reason to drive to. We used to have alot of tracks of the east coast that had National and Divisional races for IHRA. Currently, I could drive 5 hours to race at Pittsburgh, which isn't even running Stock and Super Stock this year. I could drive 5 hours to Budds Creek, which would be a possibility, but that is probobly the only race I could attend in under a 7 hour drive. So why would I pay the membership to race at one or 2 races? From the NHRA side I am 30 miles from Numidia Dragway, which I race at quite often. 1hr 20mins from Maple Grove, 2hr 30mins from Cecil County, 2hr 30mins from Englishtown, and 3hrs from Atco. There are tracks like Lebanon Valley and Epping that are about a 5 or 6 hour tow from where I live, but the majority of the tracks we race at are within a few hours. That's the big reason I race NHRA. I'm close to many of the tracks.

Ryan Horensky
B/SA 1273

[X-TECH MAN]

Originally Posted by Ryan Horensky

It depends on geographics more than anything for alot of people. Many people on here get into this IHRA vs. NHRA thing, but distance is a big factor for people. Especially with fuel prices. I ran some IHRA races when they were within reason to drive to. We used to have alot of tracks of the east coast that had National and Divisional races for IHRA. Currently, I could drive 5 hours to race at Pittsburgh, which isn't even running Stock and Super Stock this year. I could drive 5 hours to Budds Creek, which would be a possibility, but that is probobly the only race I could attend in under a 7 hour drive. So why would I pay the membership to race at one or 2 races? From the NHRA side I am 30 miles from Numidia Dragway, which I race at quite often. 1hr 20mins from Maple Grove, 2hr 30mins from Cecil County, 2hr 30mins from Englishtown, and 3hrs from Atco. There are tracks like Lebanon Valley and Epping that are about a 5 or 6 hour tow from where I live, but the majority of the tracks we race at are within a few hours. That's the big reason I race NHRA. I'm close to many of the tracks.

Ryan Horensky
B/SA 1273

And thats a very good reason with the fuel prices going up. Please tell your dad I said hello and hope to see him this summer/fall at the Grove.

[MontyC]

I used to race SS in NHRA in the early 90's and always enjoyed it. Met a lot of great people and look forward to seeing those that still race when I am able to get to an NHRA event today, if only as a spectator. Well, after the President's Cup came to Maryland it was too close to home not to go to. I did'nt know exactly what to expect because I had never raced IHRA before. Well the race was in the summer and it was very hot and humid as summers are in So. Md. After I made a pass and stopped at the scales an IHRA official reached into a cooler and asked me if I would like a bottle of water. I had never received this hospitality before. I thought only the pros received this treatment. It showed that they treated every racer equally and were thankful that I was there. There are some great people in IHRA and they need the racers and the racers need them. Some of you are not happy with NHRA now. There is no telling what NHRA may do if IHRA goes away and NHRA is the only game in town. It might be for the benifit of all racers to set aside whatever reason they have not to attend an IHRA event and just go race.

Monty Cornwell

[Charley Downing]

Your right Terry I don’t know jack. But at least I race. You haven’t done jack ***** in 25 years well maybe bunch race and Bit*h about how its not the way it was in 1970. Heck I can do a stock Valve job. From what I been told you did not set the world on fire back then either.

[CBS]

Come on Charlie and Terry.......take it easy......Terry has a fair amount of passion for class racing...still left in him.....and that's a good thing.....he obviously can't stand to see how things are unrolling....and he expresses it on this forum....
Charlie is just tired of listening to it....all the negative stuff.....I'm not really sure if the world is ending or not.....but I bet we continue to race in stock and super stock.....We need to get the HP in line and figure out how to make it a little less expensive to race.....


We northerners are trying to recover from the worst economy ever....in Michigan its especially bad....but it is getting better....this is still a working man's sport for the most part so the thought of not getting any cars in West Palm in late January wouldn't even enter into my mind....the effort and money to get our cars back together this early is just not available...we start April 15th....we hope...anytime before that I'd be driving my stuff through snow.....we take our stuff apart in the winter and get it ready for April....

that is why Charlie is tired of listening to Terry's comments....(maybe a few other reasons too...lol)

[Trevor Weiss]

CRAZY IDEA,
Do away with the ET racing part, institute heads up with cic racing at every race. Combine sticks and autos, have heads up class racing then all class winners race off for a champion. 20 points per round of Class and 10 points per round of cic. Pretty basic but it would bring back Class Racing as a performance based competition catagory instead of just being a ET Bracket racing catagory. As I said a "CRAZY IDEA" !!!!!!!!!!!!

[RPM5595]

Originally Posted by Trevor Weiss

CRAZY IDEA,
Do away with the ET racing part, institute heads up with cic racing at every race. Combine sticks and autos, have heads up class racing then all class winners race off for a champion. 20 points per round of Class and 10 points per round of cic. Pretty basic but it would bring back Class Racing as a performance based competition catagory instead of just being a ET Bracket racing catagory. As I said a "CRAZY IDEA" !!!!!!!!!!!!

It would also kill the car counts. Better idea would be to run Class runoffs more often. Truth is, I bet a lot of people would run for "Class" for free anyway. It's almost free now as far as any payout.