IHRA CAUSES DIVISIONS
Jok, you are the first person I have talked to that was
personally hit by IHRA's decision. I have some good friends
(Dan Malloy and sons, who race Super Rod) in the old IHRA
Div 5, but have not asked them what they are going to do
yet; figured I would give them a little time to lick their
wounds. I attended the Cedar Falls race in 2004, and saw
a low turnout at what is a very nice track. In Division
4, you would have had 200 plus cars at a facility that nice,
so I was not really surprised at the announcement. Disappointed,
but not surprised.
I do not think that Clear Channel made the decision, I
think it was the track owners (by declining to have a points
race). My reasoning is that IHRA and NHRA are just paid
a flat fee and thus the decision is on the track operator
to have the race.
Bracket racing has seen growth (down here) in the footbrake
category. Yes, I agree, cars are getting faster, but that
is the normal evolution. Heads up door cars draw spectators
(thus is the darling of track owners) down here, my local
track (Sealy) is experimenting with heads up classes with
a breakout (to hopefully keep expenses down and prevent
a few people from dominating). But fast door cars are not
cheap to own and maintain.
I do agree with your assessment on the Sportsnationals.
Joffrion had over 500 cars; we are talking "real money"
for a weekend. A lot of racers think it is great, no pros,
etc. I am much more aligned with your position, not so sure
it is great. I wish everybody would quit looking at NASCAR
as the model. Emulating them would mean competing with them,
and that would kill drag racing. Be smart and chart your
own course.
Finally, like you, I have sat up in the stands with the
"casual fan" and listened to them. The vast majority
do not understand (nor care) what it takes to be competitive,
they want to be entertained. Announcers playing up the strengths
of the classes (closeness of Pro Stock, finish line racing
for sportsmen, sheer power of nitro cars) would probably
keep the fans interested and coming back. And get us sportsmen
to open up to the casual fan by asking us to leave our cars
out on display and letting spectators sit in and around
and get their picture taken, etc. could not hurt. Answer
questions from the spectators, show them what all the buttons
and gadgets are doing, all the safety equipment we wear,
blah, blah.
William D. (Dee) Kruse
A SPORTING SOLUTION
I like the idea of a heads up no break out class for sportsman
racing. It could be a good replacement for the Modified
eliminator that IHRA dropped. The idea of small block single
4-barrel and 2-speed glide is perfect. A combination like
this can produce 7-second times. Top Dragster would be a
good class but not everybody wants to run a nitrous or blown
big block worth 50 to 75 thousand. Sorry that is too expensive.
They say that class racing is too expensive but now I cannot
afford to go bracket racing like that. It would be cheaper
for me to class race. This heads up class could be limited
to 358 inches like NASCAR and would bring back real professional
racing for the sportsman.
Mike Grunte
A/EA 3188
SPORTSMAN COMMENTS
Jok, what a great story; boy, how true. I've been telling
my wife and friends this same thing for years. Please allow
me to make three or four comments.
First, we have pro-chassis Super Gas car. It's fun to race,
but expensive to run at NHRA meets. At one national event,
they asked me to park in a mud-hole, I parked about two
feet out of my little space and they threatened to disqualify
us! Second, why does NHRA not let the Super classes run
the eighth mile, since most of us also bracket on the eighth?
And, the stands empty anyway.
Third, Pro Stock has become boring. Now, let me say that
I respect the teams and they do a fantastic job in making
a 500 ci engine run in the sixes. Why is it boring? I can
go to some local tracks, see guys with low budgets with
the same bodied cars as Pro Stock, and they run in the low-fours
in the eighth. Yes, they have 600 plus ci engines on NOS,
but my point is that these cars look just like the pro-stock
cars.
Fourth, Outlaw heads-up and index racing is on the rise
in the Southeast, and it's more fun to watch than some of
the NHRA stuff.
Thanks for letting me sound off.
Lyman Smith
TV TIMES
(Darr) hit it right on the head in the fifth to the last
paragraph in (his) story. As an avid watcher of NHRA on
ESPN2 I can't tell you how many times I've tuned in to find
(a) another sport being televised...tennis, soccer, whatever,
(b) the time has been moved from what had been advertised
in TV Guide or my newspaper's TV listings or (c) they put
the show on at 11PM or later. Who on the East Coast is going
to stay up to watch two hours of racing when you've got
to go to work in the morning and you can look on the Internet
and see the results? Gimme a regular time to tune in. If
the tennis match runs long say ..."Sorry, we're contractually
obligated to leave this and go to Pomona. Look up the results
on the Internet."
Clear skies.
Lenny Shaffer
