difference between IHRA and NHRA ?

[trippivot]

The track up here changed from NHRA to IHRA over the summer. They did not tell anyone either - really quiet transition. Well I'm sure this particular track is going to operate like usual - The big sign out in front means nothing- - may as well be a casino because the "illegal street " crowd keeps the lights on - no real tech restrictions- no license required to go into the 8's - 6 days a week you can test and tune - but they call it fun racing.... bracket racing event M/C turn out is dismal.. everyone on a bike is going as fast as possible on Thursday but no one is there on Sunday when we put a dial into the mix. Bracket racing or Index racing under a specific rule structure are wildly not popular here..... run it Out The Back Door and hope you brought enough blahhh

So it looks like I am travelling more next year to get on a team for DIV3.... I know what to expect generally having been to many sportsman events local and regional, but all that has been nhra events - is there really a big difference how they operate ? never been to an IHRA track or event - yet.

 

[78550GS]

Summit motorsports park out here by me used to be the IHRA world headquarters. Exceptional track.

Then Summit bought them and turned it NHRA. I have only been back one time since NHRA took over, but it quickly became overpriced.

I would rather Summit hadn't bought it, I could afford to go back then.

 

[jeff.saunders]

It has been a few years since I worked on a race team - back then the NHRA was much stricter. They would scrutinize the cars very carefully. The IHRA by comparison would do a drive-by inspection of the cars. Some of our competitors on the IHRA circuit ran illegal cars - but they could get away with it as the IHRA rarely checked engine internals.

 

[GSX1000E]

Summit motorsports park out here by me used to be the IHRA world headquarters. Exceptional track.

Then Summit bought them and turned it NHRA. I have only been back one time since NHRA took over, but it quickly became overpriced.

I would rather Summit hadn't bought it, I could afford to go back then.

I have been there a time or two when it was Norwalk Raceway Park.
2004.


2006.

 

[78550GS]

Did you ever get to see Bob Motz?

 

[trippivot]

nice pictures - wheels in the air! -

- I like the idea that cars and bikes race together - top and mod you either have a delay box or you do not .. and if you are too slow to make the cutoff -- street class

simple and easy.

 

[Guest]

Tripp, I'm a long time regular up here at W.I.R. just 1/2 an hour south of Green Bay. Ihra here since the 70's. We had bike classes for a while, but since about '08 there has been a steady decline of bike and car counts, two years ago they had to do away with the bike/sled class. I don't mind racing against cars. I know what you mean with the "real street" clowns, they will only run up here on a few friday nights here, never see them on saturdays. But the bracket program here is 3 satudays a month. Average six to seven rounds with 2nd rnd buy-backs. Box and nobox, and a street class that has 12 flat cutoff. Local harley dealer runs a bikes only race here on a sunday in july every year and gives the gate to chairity, has one import class we can run in.

 

[Guest]

I raced at norwalk in '96 and '97 div 5 ihra team finals at that time, (we have a team that goes to martin mich. every year now.) Summit doesn't own that track, the Bader family has always owned it. They owned the ihra for awhile too, Nhra decided to give them a national event if they would switch so they sold off the ihra and switched the track over...

 

[trippivot]

we are going to visit your track next year - I plan on doing a little more travelling in '15. Time to renew the nhra license and get a new IHRA number and (X). be nice if I could have #512 for both - so I don't have different numbers all over the place.

belucci moved down to TX a couple weeks ago - he has a little 1/8 mile drag close to him. redline drag strip.

Cordova had been IHRA until '06 when they turned to NHRA. that lasted until '14 when they turned back - all of Scott Gardener's tracks - cordova,IL,, Cedar Falls,IA,, Eddyville,IA all went IHRA "gardener triangle"
Well he did become president of the IHRA -- so ... And he got his start here at Great Lakes Dragaway... he might have bought a track out east just recently .

Like to drum up some motorcyclist interest for 2 wheel speed at Byron,IL - I plan to race 2 bikes street fighter index (9:50) and super pro E.T. -- love my slider and delay box. if we can get the numbers up the multi thoudand dollar purses my return .... big money bike races hooray!!

 

[cbxchris]

Norwalk held Prostar races in the early 90's. I also went to Columbus several times. I cannot remember if all those were Prostar or not. IDBA was still in the mix then too.

I was digging around in some pics the other night. I found some when I was at Bowling Green KY early 90's. Blew a engine in the semi finals.

 

[blowerbike]

chris it is time...time to post a pic of your funny so i can see if i remember seeing it.
i bought Iovines from ronnie bones in the mid? late 90's...i forget..would have to look at some VHS to know for sure.

 

[trippivot]

there is a GS funny bike for sale locally -- it has a really reasonable price too -- only thing it is purple like a huge grape.


IDBA - Prostar where have all the good times gone? lol that was before me getting involved into dragbikes -- but I have watched home made videos of those days.

 

[storm 64]

I think the Golden era of motorcycle drag racing was in the late 70s-80s. I remember there was a 32 bike field in Pro Stock motorcycle at the Gulfport Mississippi race. I think it was in 1982. Bob Carpenter was one of my favorite Pro Stock riders, oh and Randy Mason always had the most beautiful motorcycles. There were so many innovations going on at the time. Every race there was something new, I remember the "Cone Carbs" that Vance& Hines always kept undercover. Everyone had there own Header. I still have my Bob Carpenter "Vazar Pro Header". Mike Murdoch's Air Shifter was selling like hotcakes in that era... It sure was a special time in my life back then. I remember sitting in the staging lanes (I forget the tracks name, the one close to Cincinnati) and Terry Vance patting me on the back wishing me good luck. I smoked the guy I was running against for the round win. I still have my old school Kosman chassis drag bike, I should get it back on the track...some day

 

[blowerbike]

edgewater raceway park..miamitown oh. is where it was.
i was there
me and my brother's came in and rode through the manufactures midway.
things will never be the same IMO.

 

[storm 64]

Yep, Edgewater. Beautiful track with the pit aria under trees. I wonder if that track still in operation?

 

[blowerbike]

awesome track and on a perfect night you can be "below" sea level...tree's and large wooded area's..just awesome.
when you see everybody breaking out by 2 tenths you know the time is right to go your quickest and fastest pass...magic air we would call it.
but.....
Dick, the owner has never cared for bikes but NHRA makes him allow them.
on bracket night they never was treated fairly and sense i quit going in the mid 2000's he has lost all of his "regular" racers.
most have moved to kilkare in xenia ohio which has No tree's and very little shut down but they do have a large bike turn out that is treated very well if you can deal with the heat and sun burn.
and...if you can get stopped at the end

 

[rapidray]

I have the original Cone Carb set that Byron ran on their Kawasaki, that was originally a Muzzy ELR Superbike! Just can't figure out how to upload the pic in this NEW format!
Ray.

 

[Guest]

I found a track closer to me in Texas. Its in Denton,TX. The original one I drove by getting here is closed. The new one is NorthStar. Its only an 1/8 mile but it seems to be popular. They were open for the last test and tune the 2nd week of December. Looking forward to the season all by my lonesome down here. But the weather will be better...
Curt

 

[cbxchris]

Speaking of carbs. I bought a set off Sid Pogue once. Remember him? It was a set of amal's. I put them on a 1103 street bike. I checked the jetting and it was perfect. Scared the hell out of me when I took them apart. Biggest mess of drilling and the like I had ever seen. Those carbs were hand polished inside all the way through. They even Idled perfectly.

I got to scan some pics and get a few on here. I had a large cube and often pulled a extra trailer for someone else. Anyone remember Bobby Baker, Rusty Quisenberry, Steve Tracy(Advanced Plating) or I am sure Larry McBride? I often had complete bikes or parts for all of those with me. Carolina Cycle(Kim Barringer) sponsored me and all of those. I also ran pro mod, not funny bike. Pro mod was bad enough.

For you Ohio guys. Kim was really good friends with a guy that ran S&K racing. I remember being at Memphis and he had a horrible fall once. What happened to him?

As far as MRE. I knew Murdock before he died and was good friends with the new owner. We nicknamed him Jaco. Long story. He tried to keep my 3 speeds in order. Orient Express sold junk. A few years before I quit I purchased a tranny like was ran on the Mr. Turbo funny bike. Which had collars instead of forks. What was his name? Hoffmiester? I went to his shop in Chicago once to pick up Bobby Bakers new funny bike chassis. Bobby tried to go alcohol at the last much like him. I also treasured my personal relationship with Elmer Trett. In honesty I met all them and worked with all through Kim. At times looking back I often think what my bank account would look like now if I had not gotten involved. It was GOOD times though.

But I am told when you die all you take with you is memories and those are your last thoughts.......I made a good investment then.

As a last race moment. I found a few pics of being in Columbus 1989 with a newly built FJ Yamaha. Kosman chassis. 1380 with a GOOD titanium valve engine. Through a connection I had some billet 2nd gears made. I was worried about it running top gas with was a 8.20 index. We had only did some shake downs in a 1/8th mile but knew it was strong. 5.20 was the 1/8th mile index I think and I know first pass it went a 4.99. We ran low 7.90's with no nitrous. If one has any memory they may remember that bike. I ran a Bill Hahn magneto on it. I had a special two step box made for it. Plus another FYI. Bill Hahn developed one of the first motorcycle turbo systems while working in Winston Salem NC at a company named Todd Controls. He perfected it and moved to California. He opened American Turbo-Pak.............I worked with him and learned a lot as he built those.

Long winded........sorry for the trip down memory lane.

 

[Guest]

Interesting reading...No apology necessary.
Curt