What's new in 2007 (1 Viewer)

[luxexpress]

Anyone hear any rumors on the 2007 programs. I know that they have tried to balance pro mod a little and pro stock seems to be doing fine. I thought there was going to be an announcement about new programs for Top Fuel and Funny Car some time ago. Also, is there any hope that alcohol funny cars will be back in 2007? What about the long rumored return of Nitro Harleys? Any truth to long time IHRA tracks like Darlington and New York International getting back on the national event schedule in the future? I know Polburn said he would like to have about 15 events in a season. I know Evan comes on now and then, so lets give him so insight on what we would like to see in the IHRA.

 

[Evan Knoll]

What I would like to see is 1st. Double the money in every PRO class.
2nd Torco race fuels comp plus PRO-MOD run for 100K for the shootout.
3#rd Torco race fuels comp plus PRO-STOCK run for 100k for the shootout.
4th Get two new jet dryers and two scrapers and glue machines one crew cleans half track while the other cleans the other half and if its a small clean-up they both team up to clean up track in about 20 min.
5th. Have the safty team double up and choppers on stand by, they could even help dry the track.
6th Run the Pro classes on a time frame and the bracket racing on a little different sch.
7th Make it so the tracks can borrow money from the sanction body for improvments safty, bathrooms, stands, track etc.
8th Tv needs to be on that Monday night called Monday night drag racing for 1.5 hours for the pro classes.
9th Put the sportsmans on tv for 1 hour the next following week when most can watch it not 3am.
10th 15 national events and bring in BIG SPONSORS they are out there.

Ok I am done now thats my wish list. Thanks Evan. PS. Aaron call me!!!

 

[Evan Knoll]

One more thing I would also let the ach funny cars run a screw blower and bring in TAD. Thanks Evan.

 

[squid]

Very well said Evan

 

[luxexpress]

Great ideas Evan. I especially like the idea of the sanctioning body, this goes for the NHRA also, having more equipment at the track. Shortening the down time that will inevitably happen at a national event is one of the keys to making drag racing more exciting to the casual fan. Hour long clean ups for oil downs and three hour drying after rain storms drive fans away and kill any hope for live TV. I also like the Monday coverage idea if live coverage is not an option.

I also agree that it is time for the IHRA to allow screw blowers in alcohol funny car and to introduce alcohol dragsters. I think they would get a lot of cross over and support from these racers who would appreciate being treated as a professional class. Add in nitro harleys, and I think you have a program, coupled with the IHRA's strong sportsman program, that would be very appealling to a wide range of fans. I would like to see the sportsman cars qualify on Friday, or Thursday for the larger events, with every attempt to have their finals Saturday nightduring the Night of Fire to show case them and allow Sunday to be an all pro show.

As far as payout, I sometimes wonder how the purse really effects the professional racers, especially the nitro cars - the poor turnout at Huntsville's top fuel race comes to mind. A better TV package and more sponsor involvement seems to be more important to the top teams. Of course, there may be several looking for an alternative to the new NHRA point program so an increase may make a huge difference to some of the lower to mid budget team and especially the independant teams.

Overall, it seems that with some of these changes, the IHRA is in a great position to improve its status as an alternative to NHRA and more importantly to help advance the sport of drag racing.

Evan, I will give you a call tomorrow.

 

[Jim]

One more thing I would also let the ach funny cars run a screw blower and bring in TAD. Thanks Evan.

I have talked to TAD drivers in the NHRA ranks who have said they would like to race IHRA if there was a place for them.

Jim

 

[Eric L Williams]

What's up Mr. Knoll? I was wondering if you ever considered pay per view of some of the specialty races like the pro stock showdown, the promod showdown, top stock races, etc.? I would pay to see those races in its entirety, rather than trying to put the coverage in an already tight tv show. Also, thank you for all you do in our sport, I wish I could meet you someday and talk to you, you look like you have alot of good stories, and alot of knowlege. It would be one heck of a conversation

 

[Grant Flowers]

From my stand point as a Top Fuel racer, I would like to see the following:

1. No digs on the current Safety Safari, but they need more funding, more people and better knowledge. ( this sport was developed to keep racers safe and this area needs to be addressed ) A Helicopter at each event would be GREAT ! ! !

2. Seems most of the teams are not the Big Sponsor type teams so an event schedule with teams travel plans taken into consideration would be helpful i.e. Our race team normally leaves for the track Thurs night after work ( to avoid missing any more time at work ) we drive all night and arrive at the track sometime Friday, we dont race until late friday night are up all night again getting ready for Sat. where again we run late and are up all night (hopefully) getting ready for Sun. and when Sun. is over you guessed it, we drive all night to get back to work on Mon. Having at least one of the night schedules moved to 5:00 pm would be a big help as fatigue, generally leads to mistakes which cause downtime on the track. Last years Rockingham fall race was great we had plenty of time to work and get some rest.

3. Money is always GOOD, to me personally I would like to see more payout for qualifying and less for championship, but this is me speaking on the benefits to my team. A bigger end of the year purse is not likely to attract 16Big Sponsors Type teams, but if paid out over the course of the season as qualifying money it keeps teams like ours at the next race. Money and time are the keys to success in this class, you cant just iron out a fuel car in a couple of weekends

4. Would love to race again in New York very hard for an east coat team to travel to TX, OK, Edmonton.

5. Mon night TV package is a GREAT idea.

6. A good run show with limited down time makes everyone happy, clean up times are lengthly. A happy fan makes happy sponsors and happy sponsors make happy race teams.

7. Teams need to be more involved with event sponsors to tie in with pre-race advertising and promotions for the event sponors.

Just my 2 cents

 

[Dougster]

Hmm... I thought this thread was about what's new for 2007 in IHRA rather than a wish list. <confused>

But since it's become a wish list, I pretty much agree with everything - especially letting AFC run a screw blower and bringing in TAD. Then IHRA can have 2 classes with serious parity issues.

The only somewhat earth-shattering thing I've heard regarding what's new is no more injected nitro cars in Top Fuel. Probably a good call, since there were very few of them showing and with a few exceptions (Verenka, Falconer, Hirata, and someone else I can't remember) they didn't make the field. It'll be sucky for those who did compete though since now they can't run in an IHRA national event unless they put a blower on the car. I've posted on another message board my feeling that IHRA did this to "clear the decks" for a TAD class. If they get the A/FD's out of Top Fuel, they can then run in their new TAD class.

 

[Murph]

Hey Grant, don't think the fans don't appreciate what you have to go through to get to the Edmonton race.

I really don't have much of a wish list. I'd like to see the parity issues that afflict the pro-mods worked out although I have no idea how. As a fan, splitting the class would be ok for me. I'd hate to see IHRA lose some competitors to ADRL like some have been rumoured to be considering.

I'd like to see Terry Capp be able to put a program together to run at least the Canadian dates like he mentioned to me he was trying to do for this past season.

I'm still waiting for that call to do lunch also Terry.........

 

[Rick Plitt]

wish list ???

THANK YOU EVAN KNOLL you made it possible for Dale Creasy JR to do what he really likes to do. RACE . the championship is well deserved.

 

[Evan Knoll]

THANK YOU EVAN KNOLL you made it possible for Dale Creasy JR to do what he really likes to do. RACE . the championship is well deserved.

Thanks Dale is a great person and glad to have him as one of my employees. Thanks Evan.

 

[Kelly Andersen]

Evan, I think you and Kenny Nowling should hook up and show the sanctioning body's how it should be done. It would be nice to see it get back to what the racers want instead of all the political bs. Kenny does a hell of a job with his races. It would be nice to see you to make some noise together. Just my opinion.

 

[Evan Knoll]

Thanks.

Happy Thanksgiving to all 1st off. We have so much to be thankful for and at least when I get up in the morning I can see and walk along with all my body parts. Alot of people cant say that ya know along with my healthy family and great people that surround's me in business and my loved ones and friends. Thanksgiving to me is a very special day to be "THANKFULL" for what we have and who we are period. "NEVER FORGET WHERE YOU CAME FROM". I would also like to take this time and let all of our FORCES of the Military, Fireman and ladies, and the GOOD police officers and other that I know I am missing a BIG THANK YOU and you will never be forgot about. Thanks for keeping my loved ones safe from the danger that is out there thru-out the world. GODBLESS!!!!!!! Evan Knoll.

 

[RAPID]

Did someone mention wish list and having Fuel Altereds at IHRA events!! My, what a cool idea!!

Hint, Hint!! I would probably call that Nitro Madness team from the Midwest

Seriously, great ideas posted in here. Evan thanks for taking the time to post your thoughts and of course all the support for the race teams!

Rapid

 

[Angus]

A fuel altered class would be awesome and something that fans would eat up! Simply make it run what ya brung and hope ya brung enough. It would remind people of the old days and it fits into IHRA's theme. Kick ass!

 

[stevie]

Bring back the Top Fuel Harleys what show

 

[Bob]

From my stand point as a Top Fuel racer, I would like to see the following: (snip)
Having at least one of the night schedules moved to 5:00 pm would be a big help as fatigue, generally leads to mistakes which cause downtime on the track. Last years Rockingham fall race was great we had plenty of time to work and get some rest.
Just my 2 cents

Amen to that! Pick one night, either Friday or Saturday, for the Night of Fire. Preset 14-16 hour back-to-back scheduled race days is very tough on all that are there to work the event.

 

[luxexpress]

Did someone mention wish list and having Fuel Altereds at IHRA events!! My, what a cool idea!!

I think Fuel Altereds would be way cool. However, are there enough quality, fast cars out there to make up even a eight car professional field. There were a couple of light fields in Nitro Funny Car, so I wonder how well AA/FA would be supported. I always thought it would be neat to allow the fuel altered run in the alcohol dragster classes. It would be interesting to see the injected nitro, blown alcohol and blown nitro altereds run against each other as it seems the best runs in each usually are around the 5.30s to 5.50s, aside from some of the better running A/Fuelers. If the IHRA could keep the A/Fueler in line, it would be a really cool class to watch and perhap give the fuel altereds some time to develop and grow to where they possibly could be a class of their own if they started dominating.

 

[Kelly Andersen]

Did someone mention wish list and having Fuel Altereds at IHRA events!! My, what a cool idea!!

I think Fuel Altereds would be way cool. However, are there enough quality, fast cars out there to make up even a eight car professional field. There were a couple of light fields in Nitro Funny Car, so I wonder how well AA/FA would be supported. I always thought it would be neat to allow the fuel altered run in the alcohol dragster classes. It would be interesting to see the injected nitro, blown alcohol and blown nitro altereds run against each other as it seems the best runs in each usually are around the 5.30s to 5.50s, aside from some of the better running A/Fuelers. If the IHRA could keep the A/Fueler in line, it would be a really cool class to watch and perhap give the fuel altereds some time to develop and grow to where they possibly could be a class of their own if they started dominating.

Oh there are more than enough!! there were 14-15 at the fuel altered world championships at eddyville and a bunch more that couldnt make it for one reason or another. I dont think you'll ever see it but it would be cool if it did. we can only wish!!!