BIG Changes for 2010? (3 Viewers)

[Huge]

icing

I would like to comment on some things brought up here:

Jon, you got a fever? feeling a little ill? off the wagon? - twice you agreed with something I posted.

ADRL - the concept failed miserably when the customer had to buy tickets. As a last gasp effort, they gave away tickets, Less than 1/6th of the tickets given away are used. As parking prices rise, the crowd will thin out. You will get them there once, hit them with high parking prices and they will think twice about coming back again.

ADRL - no nitro? why did they push so hard for the injected nitro cars? You don't think they see a need to keep upping the wow factor? Even free tickets will only keep them coming for so long.

Pro Stock has shown loyalty to no one, so why should anyone want to lure them back? Pro mod has to penalize the late model bodies because the pro stockers look the same, just much slower. I think they fit in more with the top sportsman cars.

BIG DAWG and 10.5 is not pro mod. Our local tracks have more cars and spectators for Thurs and Fri night clocks off test and tunes. Many "run what you brung" cars with a lot of "racing" with a lot of money at stake, and not one qualifying run made or time announced. And everyone pays to get in.

IHRA - the national events as a whole have not been a profitable part of the organization since Larry Carrier. They have shown spikes of coming around over the years, but never have they been accross the board consistent successes. This is my opinion only based on my observations, I have no hard facts and may be off base, but I don't think so. Sorry Aaron for speaking about your business without facts.

Sponsorships - For four years we helped Honeywell Products be in the top 5 in sponsor exposure at NHRA national events as tracked by NHRA. Yet we didn't even win a race let alone a championship. And we also provided 6 -8 times the dollar equivelent of exposure outside of the NHRA national event venues. Things like corporate conventions (for Honeywell and their customers), newspaper articles (a full page story in the sports section of the Philadelphia newspaper was equal to the year's sponsorship funding) TV appearances on ESPN, Oxygen, TLC, etc, "B" roll for local news programs, radio interviews, pre event promotions, and on and on. If you want to get and keep a large sponsor, you are going to have to educate yourself in the marketing industry and service that sponsor in many ways, all pointing to the end result of .............. selling their products.

I agree with you one hundred percent Virgil. I do not think that a lot of the fans realize how much hard work and money is spent to service the sponsers between races. When Tim Wilkerson drove for John Costanza we might be on the easy coast and pack up both transporter's after a race and head out to the west coast to set every thing back up and Tim would fly in and do a meet and greet. Then we might pack up and go do a car show at a convention center. That is why they put a $25,000.00 wrap on these rig's. [exsposure for the sponsor's]

 

[Jim]

As parking prices rise, the crowd will thin out. You will get them there once, hit them with high parking prices and they will think twice about coming back again.

I had a conversation a few weeks ago with a track manager about the idea of free tickets. His track never charges for parking. He said he thinks customers feel better when you give them a special admission deal than when you give them a free ticket and then charge them $10 to park. His belief -- which I think is correct -- is that if you tell people they are getting something for free and then charge them $10 to use it, they are going to be annoyed.

Jim

 

[Earl]

I don’t know if everyone has read the “One on One with Aaron Polburn” on DragRaceCentral.com but as a sportsman racer and a fan it does make a lot of sense from several perspectives. First let’s consider the fan. I don’t believe that most fans really care on a local basis, or an IHRA show, who wins Top Fuel/Funny Car. If they did, they would be spending their money at a NHRA National event. Let’s face it, no offense intended, but most of the IHRA fuel competitors don’t have the budget to compete at the NHRA level. This new format will give them a place to compete and earn some money. It will give the Fan a good show. Two rounds of Top Fuel with a Chicago style winner. (Before everyone jumps on that one, the Hot Rod Reunion just
ran the same format). I like the idea of the Fan Fest Nitro Jam Earthquake, all the nitro cars warming at once, with the fans in the pits. Sounds like a Crackle fest to me. Also, I have to agree that a six to eight hour entertainment event is way too much to ask of a Fan. I have been watching the fan attendance for the final rounds of the NHRA all year, and I must say the attendance is not great. A good three or four hour show full of nitro, Top Sportsman, Top Dragster, and a couple other attractions will be a hit with the fans.

As a sportsman racer, I like his proposed format for us. We start racing in the morning, as usual, we get all our rounds in before the big show, then get to watch. Nothing I hate worse than sitting in the lanes, or in the trailer waiting for a track to get Pro qualifying off because of a messed up schedule due to a wreck, or oil downs ect. I would love to see two jet trucks run side by side. Why you ask? Well because I am done racing, and don’t have to dial on a track full of unburned diesel. This could be a better experience for both the fans and the racers.

Let’s face it; the NHRA has a lock on big time Pro racing. It just does not make sense for the IHRA to try to compete in the same arena. Yea it is not like the drag racing of old, but I think we have to give them credit for trying something new and finding their own space in the market place. I think change is a good thing. If you are in business today, and you don’t understand you have to change to meet the requirement of the current market place, you won’t be in business long. Not that the NHRA is doing a bang up job. Lots of people aren’t happy with all the changes they have made this year. I am one. Our local track (Salt Lake City) switched to IHRA this year. So if I want to race at Vegas or Boise I have to keep current with both. Well I am not going to renew my SC and SG numbers this year because of cost. I will keep the ET, but the NHRA is pricing themselves out of my budget.

I also understand everyone getting upset about classes not being included. One bad thing about change is there is always collateral damage. But change is inevitable. Adapt and survive, fight change and die. Everyone has been predicting the demise of the IHRA for awhile now. I think if they keep going the way they were, they would die, so I see this change as a good thing. Yea it will be different, but so will the rest of the world when the sun comes up tomorrow. I think we should all give them a chance. I know I am going to.

Earl

 

[the zone]

Which class at the CHHR had a chicago style format. All the main classes had two or three qualifiers and then eliminations.

 

[NYNitro86]

Who can't forget the 32 Funny Car Races when the Wheelstanders were in front, all the Nitro & Alky cars behind them and the Jets doin the fire show in the back,

Like the Late Great RP Announcer Sean Leary would say; "Sound and Thunder I Like It I Like It!"

 

[luxexpress]

May be hope yet for Mountain Motored Pro Stock ...... stay tuned for details.

 

[Tony]

Looks as though IHRA and the Mountain Motor Pro Stock Association came to an agreement for 16 car fields to race in the 2 day format. Hats off to the people at IHRA and the Pro Stock racers for putting this plan in to motion.

Tony

 

[luxexpress]

Here is the details PRO STOCK WILL TO REMAIN IN IHRA FOR AT LEAST THREE SEASONS

 

[Treeshaker]

I applaud both sides for coming to an agreement so that the Mountain Motor Pro Stock class can continue to have a venue to compete.

It is also a sad commentary on our sport that another group will be providing a professional show for the tracks and sanctioning body for free. I see no reason why the track operators would not want this program at that price. I hope the Mountain Motor Pro Stock Assoc is successful in marketing the program and everyone succeeds.

How many more groups will make the same type of deal to be able to compete on a "national event" level?

On another note, many things took place at Rockingham that has shaken my faith in the likelyhood that the IHRA will succeed. I have always been a staunch supporter of the IHRA program, but there was a struggle between different factions within and a lack of effort put out by many at the end of this season. Hopefully it can be fixed.

And these are just my opinions based upon actions that I hear about and observe.

 

[Dougster]

Here is the details PRO STOCK WILL TO REMAIN IN IHRA FOR AT LEAST THREE SEASONS

... except for Edmonton. Or is part of the "deal" an agreement to come out here?

 

[luxexpress]

... except for Edmonton. Or is part of the "deal" an agreement to come out here?

Don't know for sure, but I'd bet Edmonton and Utah won't have the Pro Stocks. However, I'm sure both will have Pro Mod and Alcohol Funny Car fields, even if they aren't open.

 

[Dougster]

Yup - you're right as far as Edmonton. Just checked Castrol Raceway's website and there won't be Pro Stock but there will be:

Top Fuel
Pro Mod
Nostalgia Nitro FC
Alcohol FC
Nostalgia Alcohol FC
Nitro Bikes
Nitro Injected Dragsters

8 car fields in all classes. Previously the Rockies had 16 car PM fields, but this year was a pretty short field composed mostly of West Coast Pro Mod Association entries (plus Lang and Hoover). So it probably makes sense to scale back to 8 cars. I wonder how many "NID's" are going to show up - it'd be great to see them again.

 

[NYNitro86]

well the I should also sanction Jet Car Competition as well Ala the old ProJet style. BTW Whatever happened to the ProJet Association?

 

[luxexpress]

Well, although I am still not the biggest fan of the new format, it is hard to argue with the results so far NitroJam.com It is really starting to look like the IHRA has caught onto something. Hopefully, continued success and profitability will lead to expanded fields and perhaps a few more classes.

 

[Treeshaker]

Seems like the IHRA/Feld program is doing well everywhere it has been which has stopped the comments on the board. The program has really limited the opportunities available for many teams in several categories but has opened the doors for others.

Where are the MMPS? They were out, made an agreement to come back, left before the first event to go elsewhere and then moved again. Is their program working? This is a legitimate question as I don't know the answer.

 

[MM]

Where are the MMPS? They were out, made an agreement to come back, left before the first event to go elsewhere and then moved again. Is their program working? This is a legitimate question as I don't know the answer.

Virgil.....I was at the MMPSA (Mountain Motor Pro Stock Association) event over the weekend at Martin, MI and while the place was not as full as previous events I have been there for, there was certainly a decent crowd and all the guys seemed to be having a good time.

 

[Treeshaker]

Thanks for the information Mike, I was just wondering and hadn't heard/read much about them lately.

I like to see all the groups be successful as it helps the sport as a whole. The more positive things written and said about them all helps also. But sadly, most only want to pick the "scabs" and poke the "sores" and tell everyone how it should be done or how they could do it better.

 

[Dougster]

Well, after watching the Edmonton "Nitro Jam" (sorry, I'll still call them the Rockies) I think I have a bit of crow-eating to do. It was quite a good show with good racing. I didn't really mind the new format although I missed some of the drama that a traditional ladder provides.

I just wish there were some better runs - nobody except Lagana was able to get a handle on the track which I find odd given it wasn't that hot/sunny.

I also wish that the MMPSA would come back - I really, really miss seeing those cars. It'd be really nice to have something similar start up on the West coast if they don't want to come this far. That's the only thing I'd change.

 

[mick]

noticed that the nitro jam in martin, mi is scheduled same weekend as
nhra brainerd race.

nhra coming off 3 week hiatus from denver
ihra coming off 4 weeks from grand bend

is it healthy to schedule same events in similar part of country?

if the two races were scheduled a week apart, i'd think there might be
an opportunity for lesser funded teams to maybe run both and pick
up some additional money?

assuming it's not a certified frame deal? litton, king and lagana usually
show at the nationals?

 

[MM]

noticed that the nitro jam in martin, mi is scheduled same weekend as
nhra brainerd race.

nhra coming off 3 week hiatus from denver
ihra coming off 4 weeks from grand bend

is it healthy to schedule same events in similar part of country?

if the two races were scheduled a week apart, i'd think there might be
an opportunity for lesser funded teams to maybe run both and pick
up some additional money?

assuming it's not a certified frame deal? litton, king and lagana usually
show at the nationals?

all the IHRA shows are booked in