BobR:

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What do you think about it?

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I think overall, I don't like it. It adds to a small list of peeves over the years that have disenchanted my liking of the pro circus...

Dislikes:
- NHRA taking over sale of racer merchandise from the back of their rigs ($15 T-shirts)
- Hospitality rigs/too much VIP treatment...gag
- Becoming over commercialized; the NASCAR mold
- Holding back technology, initiative, and the innovation that stems from....testing
- Drag racing becoming an IROC race

Hopefully one of the racers affected will sue NHRA for trying to limit competion and their constitional rights to pursue Life, Libery and Happiness and conspiring to limit the racers ability to make a living racing anywhere else. Nobody signs a contract with NHRA agreeing to there insane non compete anywhere else rules Ultimately they are trying to kill IHRA, me thanks

"The policy was developed after consultation with several professional nitromethane teams on a fair and equitable way to limit testing in the 2009 season."

That can be interpreted as either the big money teams wanted it or the little money teams. I still say that there is no way the NHRA can enforce it realistically. What's to stop big dollar teams like Schumacher from renting a track during the middle of the week and testing? DSR is less than 2 hours from US 41, and 41 would definitely take his money.

Just make separate testing teams, drivers and team members that are not participating in NHRA events can "rent" a car from for example DSR and go testing any time there is need.

Could this be partly because of the Nitromethane shortage?

NHRA has in their rules that if you bring a lawsuit against NHRA that you can't compete until it is settled.

But I guess you could sue against that too.

It's been proven time and again that a sanctioning body trying to save racers money by limiting testing doesn't work.

Anything to halt the progression, and advancement of the sport. Top teams learn something every time they test. To me and my conspiracy mind it's a step towards IROC style drag racing. Put a sticker on it and call it your car, because it won't be about being better than the other guy. It'll be a safe little show for the advertisers.

Reminds me of the liberal public school where little Johnny can't have a better pencil than Timmy, because that's not fair to Timmy. So lets lower Johnny's standard for Timmy.

well what would be wrong with covering the team name on the car and letting someone else drive during testing?
do a body in white so to speak and bring to track on open trailer with no sponcers anywhere???

II can only believe that the most well to do teams are the ones endorsing this silliness. The teams that are getting the best sponsorship deals, which pay regardless of how many times they run, or how well they perform.

Other than the opportunity to win races, teams that want to run IHRA races is to increase the amount of time their car is on the track. That is what the sponsors are paying for, to have their names out in the public eye. If a team can show they are racing and getting the sponsor exposure, the sponsors will pay more, or will continue to sign the teams to future deals. In this day and age, companies are only going to pay for results.

What this will eventually do is drive the smaller teams out, because their on track time will be limited to how many times they can compete. Then these there will be fewer teams, and soon the fields will not be full, and people will get tired of paying big $ to watch fewer cars. The TV people will see the value of the “shows” diminish, followed by the companies that advertise will pull back their ads. Then, there will be no more drag racing on the tube.

The whole professional thing will go in to a death spiral.

What needs to be figured out then is what does that do to you and I. How does it affect your local track? If IHRA folds, what happens to the IHRA tracks?

John

ya know if ihra took a good long look at nhra and did alot of the opposite it could give itself numerous opportunities.just think 1/4 mile in all classes,no gear limits,cubic inch limits etc.the good old days of "run what ya brung" would be a great draw.i know alot of people will bring up the safety issues but face it when there is some degree of danger the stands are full.the unexpected always is a good sale.

Rob, I don't think IHRA has mandated any of the stuff that NHRA has required lately, like the FC chassis, auto shutoff, spec tire pressure, etc. Maybe we will see some of the teams move over.

I think the timing is perfect for Edgewater to go IHRA and hold a national event there, but I heard the owner is still holding a grudge against IHRA from the mid 80's.

Gram light isnt the brightest.. i know that i have learned that in my national events last year working on a funny car... you would think they would let the race but noooo.... and its National Hospitality and Retail Association and ihra no longer has funny car didnt have enough money to keep then there program.. The saftey device is actually pretty cool keeps you from killing a lot of stuff ...