Future of IHRA Nitro Funny Car? (1 Viewer)

Not knowing what will happen with the FC's and the IHRA has alot of people concened.. form the racers to the fans... Hopefully the new owners of the IHRA will understand what thay are seeing next weekend at Rockingham. from reports of cars coming it should be one of the better fields for the FC class...

Personaly i have talked to a couple FC drivers that could not afford to come run... but they will be here to show suport for the class with the series...

I've heard that several of the IHRA Nationals have shown growth in attendance since the FC class return to the IHRA....

IMO .. sponsrship is the hold up on the series which is understandable..but hopefully, Feld Ent.... will look and see the sponsrship hold up is its IHRA tv package. not just for the FC class,but all IHRA classes... maybe that issues is beign addressed as well... Leave SPEED>.. we all know that SPEED only took on the IHRA to get the rights to the arena cross and the monster trucks... fine.. take the IHRA to another network that can get you in more homes with less resistance... Better TV exposure wil produce better stronger sponsorship packages not just for the drivers and cars but for hte IHRA.. and allow it to grow to its full potential.

Billy
 
I'm really concerned about the IHRA. It doesn't even sound like Feld Entertainment wanted them in the first place.

I just hope they improve and keep IHRA out of the hands of Brian (insert country name here).:mad:

I'd hate to see IHRA lose nitro funny car though.
 
there needs to be a unification of the two NHRA and IHRA; just like IRL and CART. The only ones that would really suffer would be the pro stock guys, and i am sure they would make the changes necessary to compete. The IHRA is done; so jump over while the getting is good.
 
there needs to be a unification of the two NHRA and IHRA; just like IRL and CART. The only ones that would really suffer would be the pro stock guys, and i am sure they would make the changes necessary to compete. The IHRA is done; so jump over while the getting is good.

Couldn't disagree more. The IHRA has done a great job of servicing mid sized markets that the NHRA is not interested in, they have done this since 1971. I don't see where these markets have dried up all of a sudden. There are tough economic times coming for us all, good management will be required at both HRA's but I don't see IHRA's predicament any shakier the Glendora's. If in order to keep the books in the black they have to drop a Nitro class, so be it. I don't like it but it's much more important for the overall health of the sport to have two HRA's.
 
Got any evidence to support this? Being an insider and all.

Brian

I can tell you a lot of people are worried. IHRA's new ownership doesn't want IHRA. They bought IHRA as part of a package deal to get MonsterJam (which is all entertainment) and they're promising to "change" the series.

IMO, the IHRA doesn't need change. Sure, they have their problems but EVERY sanctioning body does. Nobody's perfect. Right now, the Automobile Racing Club of America and the International Hot Rod Association are the best forms of racing in their respective classes.

IHRA is very grassroots. They take care of their drivers, keep costs low and make it easier for smaller teams to compete, much like ARCA.

Earlier this year, IHRA made a controversial move to block the NHRA teams from competing at MIR. Why? Because they wanted to make sure those grassroots teams that compete in IHRA every race earned those wins.

But dropping Nitro Funny Car would be the first nail in the coffin for IHRA Motorsports.
 
Andy.. i agree with what you say about the importance of the IHRA and its compeditors and they way that have worked in the past..but i disagree on everyone being worried... i know several track owners i talk to once in a while .. left the recent home office meeting very pleased with the direction of the IHRA...no details.. just they were pleased with the conversations...

But...

i do know a couple people in the offices are and should be worried about their jobs and thier lack of performance over the years....

The NFC class'.. possible drop while unpleasent in its thoughts for many of the class racers and team owners and fans... is due to lack of sponsorship.. which is understandable... but i think the people that should be held responsable are a select few who failed to do their Jobs though out the year...... one of the best things i have seen happen within the IHRA from my past personal dealings with him is the promotion of Tommy Dupree (sp)... i believe his appointment to his new job in secureing new sponsrships is a long over dues apointment....

Billy
 
What a kick in the nuts for a friend of mine. He's spent the last four years living on almost nothing so he could put about $500 a week into his IHRA nitro funny effort. Now he can just sell off a bunch of it and go nostalgia racing.
 
Ron don't think its dead yet.... maybe life support..but not DOA....lol...

interesting reading in the Fayetteville Observer sunday.... found an add for the Finials... that had a voucher for a free ticket for Friday....

Nice add-in extra the IHRA did in the Sunday paper also.. promoting the event and the IHRA... i don't ever remember seeing that being done here when Live nation was the owners.....


Billy
 
It doesn't even sound like Feld Entertainment wanted them in the first place.
Reading the interview on C+ with the new owner (or whoever that guy was), it pretty much sounded like they wern't very interested in the IHRA side of it. That's what I read when I looked between the lines anyway. It would be nice if someone who was knowlageable in drag racing would come along and buy it, hire the right people to grow the series yet keep it's grass root values.

It would be a shame if they weren't able to find a sponser for the FC class next season. I hope they can get something put together.
 
Reading the interview on C+ with the new owner (or whoever that guy was), it pretty much sounded like they wern't very interested in the IHRA side of it. That's what I read when I looked between the lines anyway. It would be nice if someone who was knowlageable in drag racing would come along and buy it, hire the right people to grow the series yet keep it's grass root values.

It would be a shame if they weren't able to find a sponser for the FC class next season. I hope they can get something put together.

One thing I read is that the new owners had never even seen a drag race before. At their first race maybe sensory overload will kick in and they will be converted.
 
What a kick in the nuts for a friend of mine. He's spent the last four years living on almost nothing so he could put about $500 a week into his IHRA nitro funny effort. Now he can just sell off a bunch of it and go nostalgia racing.


Thats what Billy should have done to start with. It would be together by now. I know he and a few others wanted to grab some of that Brass ring but it looks like its over. Its to bad.


The Circus bought the motorsports end to for the Monster trucks. Thats the gravy on the plate. If done correctly the IHRA could be the mashed potatos. But do they want to make that investment?
 
I guess there hasn't been anything new reported in the past 10 days about IHRA's plans for next year under the new ownership so I'll put my 2cents in. What makes more $ense is for IHRA to drop Nitro Top Fuel Dragster and keep Nitro Funny Car, as the Top Fuel guys could then be assured of at least a couple open spots in the NHRA Top Fuel class since quite a few races this year were short fields and I suspect next year might be the same unless Alan Johnson's Al Anabi funded team puts two new diggers on the track. I would suspect a poll of the fans would definitely show Nitro F/C was more popular than Nitro T/F and I'm not against Nitro T/F or any of the teams competing. I wish both classes could be kept so hopefully the new owner has some business $ense and keeps both Nitro classes by finding some additional funding. That is...if they even care about Drag Racing as several have posted.
 
I was told that the new owners of IHRA were impressed with drag racing at Rockingham and would like to keep nitro funny car....however I have not been able to confirm this statement... has anyone heard this also

Paul Weiss
 
Hmmmm, a new batch of rumors Drag Racing Internet Magazine - Competition Plus.com - THE IHRA'S 13? I guess I would say planning on 13 events would be a move in the right direction. My gut is starting to tell me that the IHRA has everything in place for next year but they are holding out, like they did with the alky funnies a couple of years ago, in hopes to lure in some sponsors to foot the bill. I don't like that they are keeping everyone in the dark, but it seems to be the way they have done business the last few years.
 
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