For fans: Your interest in watching NHRA 1/8 mile nitro racing?

[ironpony]

Guess I’m old and set in my ways…still can’t get excited about 1000’ so cutting another 120’ would be even worse. I’ll stick with nostalgia, 1/4 mile, mid 5’s at 250ish.

Guess I'll be "the guy"

1000-660=340

 

[James]

I personally have zero interest in 1000' nitro racing, and im as diehard as they come.

I (personally) want to see 330+mph runs.

We will not see 300mph at any ihra 1/8th events, even if say, Josh Hart showed up with Grubby (lack of data)

 

[Rocket Man]

no interest in 1000' nitro? where will you go? Australia?

 

[Joe]

I personally have zero interest in 1000' nitro racing, and im as diehard as they come.

I (personally) want to see 330+mph runs.

We will not see 300mph at any ihra 1/8th events, even if say, Josh Hart showed up with Grubby (lack of data)

We about the payouts? That's exciting.

 

[none]

no interest in 1000' nitro? where will you go? Australia?

Australia runs Nitro to 1000'
Alan

 

[Sparky]

NHRA still gets a multitude of complaints about 1000ft.
Right now the biggest thing NHRA has over IHRA is 1000ft, the way IHRA is coming on, they need to keep it, and hope to stay as the major league. Time will tell.
I have as much interest in 1/8 mile as I do in 4Wide…

I would like to know the demographics of the people complaining. I would bet it is over the age of 50 and longtime fans. There needs to come a time when tradition is changed for the betterment of the sport. I am a lifelong fan and participant that has been around this for multiple decades.

 

[Rocket Man]

Australia runs Nitro to 1000'
Alan

upon further investigation I see you are correct. I guess he won't be going to any nitro races then.

 

[twostep]

Guess I’m old and set in my ways…still can’t get excited about 1000’ so cutting another 120’ would be even worse. I’ll stick with nostalgia, 1/4 mile, mid 5’s at 250ish.

I'm guessing you meant 340 feet but I understand what you're saying.

From a fan's point of view, 1000 feet is fine. One can actually see the entire race if you sit somewhere around the 500' mark. I don't buy the "it's over too quickly" complaint - you're talking 7/10ths of a second difference. From a purist's point of view, nothing but 1320 feet will ever satisfy. Sounds like that's where you are and I completely understand. I grew up on it too.

Will racers attend an 1/8 mile IHRA event? If it pays enough and it doesn't interfere with NHRA events, I don't see why they wouldn't. More exposure for the sponsors, less expense for the teams. Time will tell if the fans will accept it....assuming that's what IHRA intends to do.

 

[winr]

It works where there’s no alternative. What is magical about 1/8 mile other than it’s half the traditional 1/4 mile? Not sure what the driver is to shorten to less than 1000 but if there were a good reason, why not 800 ft? I like 1000 ft and for me, 1320 adds nothing as a spectator. I think another post said the drivers asked for 1/8 mile in the case of IHRA? Strictly cost and parts attrition? Is that fuel drivers as well as others?

I just saw a post the from the IHRA stating, from T/F down to T/S are 1/8th mi and the remaining sportsman classes are 1/4mi.

 

[mick]

I just saw a post the from the IHRA stating, from T/F down to T/S are 1/8th mi and the remaining sportsman classes are 1/4mi.

where track distance allows

 

[ironpony]

Well the IHRA Triple Crown nitro 3 event series is all 1000'

 

[Cliff]

One thing about 1/8 mile is that if you sit around the 330' mark, very easy to see the entire race.

 

[twostep]

I would like to know the demographics of the people complaining. I would bet it is over the age of 50 and longtime fans. There needs to come a time when tradition is changed for the betterment of the sport. I am a lifelong fan and participant that has been around this for multiple decades.

I'd rather see 1000 foot nitro racing than 660 but I'm not one to slice off my nose to spite my face, as they say. I've been around as long or longer than 90% of those here, raced on the 1/4 mile since the mid '60s but still, the first time I attended a 1000' event (Texas Motorplex, 2008) it took about 3 qualifying passes for me to get used to it. Never been bothered by it since.

I watched 70+ year old John Force make a 3.82/338 pass at night at that same track. "I asked Prock to turn up the wick a little bit", he said during the track-end interview. If that's boring, what would it take to get people excited? A napalm attack?

 

[Chili]

We about the payouts? That's exciting.

Payouts mean nothing to me unless I’m getting a cut of it. I don’t care if they get $5 or $5 Million. I love sitting near the starting line and watch the sportsman teams celebrate. In most cases the thrill of victory is worth more than the cash prize that comes with it.

 

[Xploder98]

is there any evidence that 1/8th mile racing has ever sustained any kind of attendance numbers? and just as important, i cant recall any 1/8th mile events on broadcast TV, other than the street outlaw stuff and they portray a typical 1/8th drag race as if it last a half a mile. Drag racing already has difficulty coming across on TV, and i can't imagine to many tv viewers interested in a race that's over immediately after the launch

I remember the World Series of Pro Mod got a TV special on CBS Sports Network back in 2023, about two months after the event.

 

[Xploder98]

It's interesting to note that, back in the '90s, evidently even Wally Parks himself was interested in seeing the NHRA move into 1/8-mile pro drag racing. He saw it as the future of the sport back then, coexisting with the status quo and potentially serving as "the 'secondary series' [the NHRA has] long needed"

Susan Wade wrote a nice piece in Speed Sport a few years ago summing up Parks' 1996 article on the subject: Wally Parks Remains A Visionary

 

[PJ]

As I said earlier I'm nonfan if 1/8 and have stopped going to races I used that have switched to it.

One thing I'm curious about though, is anytime I've seen it, it has been on a 1/4 mile track.
Would it be better if on a track that is only built for 1/8? You don't see all the wasted, unused, beautiful track that should be used.

 

[Butch]

My complaint is an 1/8 mi race is basically a race at the tree. NO chance of chasing the other car down. It's over by 200'.

 

[Rocket Man]

promods at 660' say your comment is incorrect. many, many races decided after the 330. Same with TF and FC at IHRA races last year.

 

[Joe]

promods at 660' say your comment is incorrect. many, many races decided after the 330. Same with TF and FC at IHRA races last year.

I was at Dunn, very exciting racing. No one cared it was eighth mile. Will be back in March