Maple Grove- IHRA

[GumbyWVU]

I submit this move by Maple Grove will have a more negative impact on future NHRA TV exposure. With Englishtown and now Maple Grove no longer in the NHRA stable, that's the biggest TV market with a void (my definition here for market being a 2-hour radius from the track).

Epping can't compensate due to its remoteness and size, and MIR is probably only going to absorb a smaller portion, with it picking up the slack from Richmond.

Not having that NYC/NJ/Conn TV market I think will make it more difficult moving forward.

I feel bad for the Maple Grove faithful, I loved my two visits there. But at least you'll have IHRA. When NHRA moved the Columbus event to Norwalk, I hated it. Still don't like it.

 

[GumbyWVU]

I doubt very much they could have easily bought Maple Grove even if they had wanted to. NHRA is very lucky to have survived the Covid era without going bankrupt. They sold their long-ago paid-for corporate headquarters in Glendora, CA just to help them stay afloat.

Might not have mattered anyhow, they owned National Trail and voluntarily gave that event to Norwalk.

And I don't think the Covid shutdowns of 2020 were what caused NHRA's financial problems.

 

[GumbyWVU]

This is not the 1st time NHRA has lost a major track. Back in the early 70's the AHRA stole OCIR and as I remember got it back about 5 years later. However those were different days and the sactioning body was less important than the actual track management. I have been a drag racing fan with some very limited driving since the early 60's. If I lived on the east coast this news would REALLY upset me for a couple of reasons. The main one would be chance of it becoming an 1/8 mile track with the probability of not seeing the top rank fuel cars. However since I live in California the concern I have is that the NHRA has really failed over this just as it has started loosing its connections with racers and fans. Examples the issue with racers over thethers, with the fans I have to get ACCURATE qualifying reports from Summit racing and accurate ladders that print well Drag Racing Bracket Bonanza. We need racers running the show before it is too late.

Some could say that NHRA "stole" Norwalk and Bristol (and maybe another one I can't remember) from IHRA, to knee-cap their sanctioning competitor.

 

[Mike]

Some could say that NHRA "stole" Norwalk and Bristol (and maybe another one I can't remember) from IHRA, to knee-cap their sanctioning competitor.

Neither NHRA or IHRA owned the tracks

 

[none]

I'm not really sure what this news is being so negatively responded to. I can see it being a place for some independents to run and when they get a chance, run the "big Show" if and when it comes to the area. Even if they never run the big show, it gives more people a chance to run a nitro car. You know there are some cars sitting idle that could run IHRA. I don't see that as a bad thing.

 

[65 Goatboy]

Everyone is up in arms about Nhra losing the Keystone Nats. This is day two, a weekend and no one has announced anything yet. Below is a quote from Larry Morgan in the Comp. Plus article. Seems to me it's very possible that Nhra could be there in 2026, sounds like it's up to them. After that who knows.

Morgan said Maple Grove’s future schedule remains flexible.
“I can’t answer you if it’s going to be one of the TBA races in the fall, because we have two other places,” Morgan said. “But I will tell you this — this track will be open to NHRA if they want to use it. We don’t want to take their schedule away.”

 

[z28]

Everyone is up in arms about Nhra losing the Keystone Nats. This is day two, a weekend and no one has announced anything yet. Below is a quote from Larry Morgan in the Comp. Plus article. Seems to me it's very possible that Nhra could be there in 2026, sounds like it's up to them. After that who knows.

Morgan said Maple Grove’s future schedule remains flexible.
“I can’t answer you if it’s going to be one of the TBA races in the fall, because we have two other places,” Morgan said. “But I will tell you this — this track will be open to NHRA if they want to use it. We don’t want to take their schedule away.”

Mighty Mack said NHRA pulled the pre-race sale tickets availability from their website. I suppose they need to talk it over.

 

[stitcherbob]

 

[Paul]

That guy is a clown.

 

[Under_Pressure]

"Business relationships with Elon Musk" people say stuff like that but what does it mean? Does anyone think Elon Musk has any clue who Darrell Cuttell is? Tesla/SpaceX/etc have thousands of vendors, that means nothing. Same for Amazon and all the other big name companies Darana lists on their website. Nothing wrong with doing it, but that alone says nothing about a company's performance.

Darana is a contractor. Plenty of others do what they do. Basic economics says that they can only have a certain level of profitability. They aren't that big or well-known. Owners of much larger and more established businesses couldn't dream of doing what Cuttell is, at least if they wanted to have anything left to live on. I obviously hope everything works out, but to accept this requires a complete suspension of belief in everything we know about business principles.

 

[CS]

I have been quietly watching the development of the IHRA and everything that Darryl Cuttell and his team are doing. I feel I must comment on the purchase of Maple Grove. It’s been almost nine years since the famed Old Bridge Township Raceway Park aka E-Town closed. Now another icon, Maple Grove, is no longer with the NHRA. I fear the worst not only for Maple Grove but all the tracks Darryl Cuttel and IHRA are purchasing. Permit me to explain that yes Darryl Cuttel owns Darana Hybrid but its annual revenue is 100 Million dollars, how much is left after paying operating costs, expenses, and taxes? Where and how much money is there to support all the different organizations he is dipping into not only IHRA but offshore powerboat racing, stock car racing, tractor pulling, and other emerging motorsports platforms. Then he appoints Leah Martin as President who has no drag racing experience and who’s claim to fame is leading non-profits! Next year NHRA will be celebrating 75 years having been run by one board/group that has evolved over time. Darryl Cuttell is the eight owner of IHRA in only 55 years! IHRA has a history of imploding and rebirth. I’m afraid if IHRA implodes under Darryl Cuttell ownership that we will lose several iconic tracks to housing developers. I pray I'm wrong.

 

[Rocket Man]

It seems to me many here are reacting from a standpoint of people who don't have the resources of someone like Darryl. Some people have enough money to spend tens of millions of dollars and not be on the brink of bankruptcy. He is apparently one of those people. Don't be jealous, be happy for drag racing and those of us who will have more races to attend next year.

 

[wireguy]

The NHRA has removed the buy option on their ticket sales promo! Stay tuned!

 

[Jack]

It seems to me many here are reacting from a standpoint of people who don't have the resources of someone like Darryl. Some people have enough money to spend tens of millions of dollars and not be on the brink of bankruptcy. He is apparently one of those people. Don't be jealous, be happy for drag racing and those of us who will have more races to attend next year.

My question still is sill is how many people are going to want to watch a full day of all 1/8 th mile racing ? I'm one who will not.

 

[Marchboom]

660' of grandstands. With the huge number (?) of spectators some people say will be attending these IHRA races, how many spectators will have to sit in grandstands that are past the finish line?

I don't mind another sanctioning body in our sport, I just hate 1/8th mile racing. Gee, what's next, 1/16th mile racing?

In that same mindset, how about the Indy 100, Daytona 100, etc.

 

[DanTheFan]

I know IHRA mandated the 1/8 mile, possibly for safety, but from the looks of their track collection, many used to be 1/4 mile. So any idea why 1/8 was chosen over 1000 ft?

 

[z28]

I know IHRA mandated the 1/8 mile, possibly for safety, but from the looks of their track collection, many used to be 1/4 mile. So any idea why 1/8 was chosen over 1000 ft?

racers preference

 

[ironpony]

Exactly what the RACERS want.........

 

[twostep]

I don't understand something. The IHRA's bottom line is making money, the same as any other sanctioning body. You can't own and run a track that operates in the hole and I believe it will, if it's IHRA-exclusive. So why would they object to a different sanctioning body holding a national event at a time that doesn't interfere with their own? Billy Meyer owns the Texas Motorplex but for years, back in the late 80s and early 90s, they held NHRA....and IHRA....and AHRA....events there and I don't recall anyone having a problem with it.

 

[65 Goatboy]

I have been quietly watching the development of the IHRA and everything that Darryl Cuttell and his team are doing. I feel I must comment on the purchase of Maple Grove. It’s been almost nine years since the famed Old Bridge Township Raceway Park aka E-Town closed. Now another icon, Maple Grove, is no longer with the NHRA. I fear the worst not only for Maple Grove but all the tracks Darryl Cuttel and IHRA are purchasing. Permit me to explain that yes Darryl Cuttel owns Darana Hybrid but its annual revenue is 100 Million dollars, how much is left after paying operating costs, expenses, and taxes? Where and how much money is there to support all the different organizations he is dipping into not only IHRA but offshore powerboat racing, stock car racing, tractor pulling, and other emerging motorsports platforms. Then he appoints Leah Martin as President who has no drag racing experience and who’s claim to fame is leading non-profits! Next year NHRA will be celebrating 75 years having been run by one board/group that has evolved over time. Darryl Cuttell is the eight owner of IHRA in only 55 years! IHRA has a history of imploding and rebirth. I’m afraid if IHRA implodes under Darryl Cuttell ownership that we will lose several iconic tracks to housing developers. I pray I'm wrong.

The only thing wrong with your statement is today we don't know for sure that the Nhra is NOT going to race there, at least in 2026.