I don't remember all the exact particulars/facts
it was about the time I was tailing off in touring, races or match races
all the lil' track & a few of the bigger event were IHRA
not now
IIRC,
don't 100% quote me, going by my memory,
since last ran them in 2007-ish, they did 'pay me'
tow money for each car
made it more affordable to race, travel long distances,
didn't cover the cost but it helped
(something NHRA has never done 'for me anyway')
did a bunch of match-racing at lil' tracks most were IHRA sanctioning
& then the death nil (IMO) IHRA they became sportsman racing only,
in like 2014
(they did always treat sportsman racers well, better than NHRA ever did)
BUT;
& no national events anymore,
been on the down turn since before that
"allegedly" it all went down hill since Bill Bader took it over
(bought from Larry Carrier (?) owned from 1970-87-ish),
a crapload of lesser, smaller/facilities NHRA won't or wouldn't touch back then,
tracks, lots of 1/8th mile too, but all mostly south & east in the US,
a few up north, notables like Norwalk & Bristol (& a bunch more)
under their IHRA banner, now went NHRA (IIRC mostly for insurance reasons)
the IHRA also eliminated Top Fuel class,
some TV production company had bought all the rights
(can't remember which TNN (?) about the time they were airing races)
& IIRC it was a bomb in less than a decade too
(don't know who owns them now)
& IHRA started racing 'Chicago style match racing',
the racers rebelled
& the payout were low/lower
IHRA still were supporting the lil'/sportsman guys though
but they can't draw a huge crowd like the Pro's
they did still have vintage races, nostalgia FC,
Pro-Mod & Mountain Motor Pro-Stock, were really staples
they put 'butts in the seats'
also T/F Harley, all classes now being adopted by NHRA (sort of)
a while back they had Mike Dunn come on as president, (what year I don't remember)
he couldn't recover it either, IMO "allegedly" too far gone already
going further downhill & lack of support & sponsors (when Winston pulled out in 88')
been going slowly down hill since
sort of like NHRA has, just a much different/bigger level than the IHRA was
racers also went elsewhere, for better contingency $$$ & payouts/purses
even for sportsman/bracket racing
gotta' get butts in the seat to make it work
no matter how many racers you have
concessions (food & beer/sodas) & swag/Tee-shirts or souvenirs,
is where the money is
you need attendance to get that up too,
just sportsman/bracket racing
doesn't do it
Sad really
