2/7/03

isten. Listen carefully. If you're very, very quiet you may still be able to hear the sigh of relief that came from Norwalk, Ohio Jan. 24, when IHRA prez Bill Bader and friends learned Team Werner/Lehman Racing would be returning in 2003 to defend its Top Fuel championship. You know it just had to be welcome news, especially coming as it did, just one day after IHRA officially threw in the towel on its popular Nitro Harley class. It would've been a shame for IHRA to lose Team Werner too, considering the media and fan attention that driver Clay Millican commands. Since joining the class three years ago, he's rewritten the record books and developed into a bona fide racing star.

IHRA nitro fans received cause for celebration just a f ew days earlier when the sanctioning body reversed its original position and announced it would realign its Top Fuel engine rules with NHRA's this year. This opens up the field to a whole slew of new competitors from the NHRA side of things and makes it much easier for IHRA teams to test the water boxes over there, too. So far, though, only Hartman Motorsports, with drivers Rhonda Hartman-Smith and John Smith, have announced firm plans to enter their NHRA operation in the IHRA season-opener at San Antonio (TX) Raceway.

At first I thought that was a little disappointing, since the IHRA race date (Feb. 28-Mar.2) falls immediately after the NHRA's Phoenix race and a week before the Gatornationals in Florida. I figured San Antonio would be a relatively easy side trip along the way, so we might see considerable NHRA T/F team participation to spice up the IHRA recipe a little. But then I got to thinking about why there hasn't been a rush of announced entries (admittedly, there may be more to come; let's hope so), and as usual it all comes down to the Benjamins. After all, the address of most Top Fuel teams is at the corner of Money and More Money.

As mentioned in this space before, I just don't think the Dixons, Schumachers, and Bernsteins of this world are going to be visiting Budd's Creek any time soon. It would be like Jeff Gordon entering an ARCA race, or -- heaven forbid -- Formula 1 ace Michael Schumacher deigning to show up for an IRL event. It just ain't gonna happen! These are elite teams and drivers who are paid to compete only at the highest levels of their sports. Their sponsors put up the cash to go after top-level championships and most don't want to risk equipment or their drivers' health or lives in entering non-essential events.

On the other end of the scale, low-buck NHRA teams may be more inclined to enter an IHRA race, especially if they perceive it as an easier way to pick up first-round qualifying money. But while most of last year's IHRA T/F fields did appear relatively easy to crack, this season it looks like it may be a little tougher. Remember, it's only an eight-car field and in addition to Millican, there's IHRA regulars Bruce Litton, Jack Ostrander, and Louie Allison to contend with, as well as returning class veteran Danny Dunn and the always-improving teenager Josh Starcher. Also, with the exception of the inaugural race at San Antonio, all of these guys -- and their crew chiefs -- have valuable experience on the IHRA tracks that simply can't be matched after a couple of qualifying rounds. In other words, qualifying at an IHRA event will be far from guaranteed for any NHRA interlopers. And again, they'll be risking equipment that may be needed later on their main circuit. It's definitely a cost-versus-benefit question.

Perhaps most importantly, I think IHRA's insistence on charging entry fees to professional teams will have a chilling effect on NHRA entries. With no entry fees for pros at NHRA nationals, it's going to be a matter of principle for many team owners not to want to pay to play. Beyond wondering why they would want to increase their race weekend costs, their reasoning will be that they already have enough invested in car, parts, truck, salaries, accommodations, and travel -- not to mention that they ARE the show -- to be asked to help fill IHRA's coffers, too. This very well may be the deal breaker for many NHRA teams flirting with the idea of trying out the IHRA experience. In an effort to counter this Bader has increased the qualifying money for Top Fuel by another $500. That sum is about what it costs the average T/F team to get through the back gate.

It's too bad, too, because it'll also undoubtedly keep IHRA fans from perhaps seeing Shirley Muldowney in what's supposed to be her final season (we'll see), or maybe "Big Daddy" in one of his four outings this year. Muldowney has stated in the past that IHRA's previously unique blower rules simply put too much strain on her limited budget, but with that obstacle removed, who knows? Maybe she would've entered a race or two just to say goodbye. But I know that as old-time racers, both Muldowney and Garlits have always been opposed to paying to race, so I doubt it'll ever happen as long as those IHRA entry fees are in place for pro teams. Like I said, "too bad."

Finally, on an unrelated note, I want to congratulate fellow Canuck and longtime drag racer Barry Paton for being chosen as an inductee to the Canadian Motorsports Hall of Fame. I've known Barry and his sons Todd and Tony since 1996, and every time I've seen them -- win, lose, or worse -- they've always been receptive, friendly, and professional in response to my queries. With two IHRA Alcohol Funny Car championships (1993, 1995) to his credit and now competing in the NHRA Fuel Coupe ranks, Barry has more than proven himself as a racer and team owner. But I think his success in raising such a cordial family also contributes to his deserving Hall of Fame status.

Race safe,

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