January 29, 2003

A/Fuel Dragster Proposal

Following are the rule proposals for the introduction of A/Fuel as a
professional class to the IHRA as presented by Mike Dakin

Here are the five subjects Bill Bader asked me to cover in my meeting with
his national event track operators meeting. -Mike Dakin

Rules
2000 lbs. minimum, 500 cubic inches, clutch management, nitrous (some kind of limit, ie. jet size and or wet or dry), any rear end gear, 100% nitro, bring back creative use of streamlining to make the cars more individualistic, like front wheel pants and such

Performance
With the proposed rules cars would be running 4.90's immediately at close to 300 mph.

Availability of cars
I proposed by the end of the first year there would be at least forty cars qualifying for sixteen spots.

Quality of cars
In this he's looking for trucks and trailers and crews that look and act in a professional manner, if the money is there it will not be a problem.

Purse
I proposed the purse should be progressive over a five year period that would be tied to fan acceptance and actual performance, starting at $3,500.00 first round looser, second round to be $4,500.00, semi-losers $5,500.00 and runner up to be $7,500.00 and winner $10,000,00 for a total purse of $74,500.00 and even at that it would be over $20,000.00 less than IHRA now pays for a show that only gets a car down the race track every once and a while.

Speedzone take: Well this should certainly cause some rumblings. Could this reall happen?? Four second streamliners running for ten grand...in Edmonton Canada maybe??? We welcome your comments in our forum.

January 23, 2003

IHRA ANNOUNCES NITRO HARLEY CLASS WILL NOT RETURN IN 2003
Norwalk, OH - IHRA has announced the Nitro Harley-Davidson class will not return in 2003.

"Following Screamin' Eagle's decision to concentrate their resources elsewhere, IHRA and several Nitro Harley teams aggressively attempted to find alternative sponsorship for the class to run this season," stated President Bill Bader. "After exhausting all potential sponsorship opportunities, we have no choice but to make the announcement the class will not be contested in 2003.
"In 1997, Harley racer Jon Russell asked me to present the Top Fuel Harley class to IHRA. Later that year John, along with fellow rider Ray Price, further pursued the project. Per their request I approached IHRA and the following year Top Fuel Harley became a Professional Class in IHRA. Later we changed the name to Nitro Harley. I salute them for their support and friendship. We had five great years together, and I admit it hurts to see our hard work come to this conclusion. The Nitro Harleys are a unique, American institution and we won‚t be replacing them with any other motorcycle class," added Bader. "We are leaving all options open and won‚t rule out a return of the class in the future."

January 17, 2003

SPEEDZONE EXCUSIVE
The IHRA A/Fuel Dragster rumor is now fact as Speedzone learned that a meeting was held yesterday in Covington, Kentucky between A/Fuel racer Mike Dakin, IHRA president Bill Bader and a group of IHRA track operators. Dakin's proposal was for a separate class, "but we'll run with their Top Fuel cars if we have to". The meeting went well, but nothing definite was decided. "I had very little time to present this concept to the track operators" Dakin told Speedzone. "Maybe fifteen minutes at the most, when this could have easily gone on for an hour or more. I was well received and treated the same, no complaints. I don't know what they will do, I may know in a few weeks, but I may not, but I will keep you posted."

January 15, 2003


…Bruce Litton has full sponsorship in 2003 for the IHRA tour from Lucas Oil.

…A big IHRA rumour has the sanctioning body considering adding A/Fuel dragsters to their Top Fuel program. It's just an area they are exploring from what we hear but this could happen within a couple years. Sounds like a very cool idea though. We could surmise that they would allow clutch management and 100% nitro to give the A/fuelers a chance at the fours. With the TF program in the IHRA being so weak, Speedzone says DO IT!
For now the latest is that the IHRA will adopt NHRA rules for the class. Meaning the blower overdrive will not be resticted to 25% and the weight of the cars will be the same. The IHRA quote is as follows "IHRA has announced Top Fuel rules for 2003 will parallel NHRA Top Fuel rules". It's about time.

…A release will be forthcoming very soon with regards to the Top Fuel Harley class in the IHRA.

With the surprise announcement by Screaming Eagle to leave IHRA drag racing, it left the 'I' scrambling to find a new replacement as series sponsor. Hopefully one is found as it's still the best place to see fast TF V twins.

by Dean Murdoch

Canada and the IHRA are like a big happy family. In our opinion, it's smart business by the second largest sanctioning body. While NHRA dominates the West Coast, Central North America and a good portion of the East as well, they only have a hold in Canada in British Columbia, Southern Alberta and parts of Eastern Canada.

While most racers have got a class to cross over to at both sanctioning bodies, the spectators have suffered a long time without the big boys. That all changed two years ago, when Grand Bend Ontario got the first National event from either sanction since LeGrand Nationals at Sanair Motorsport Park in Quebec back in the early 90's. Since the Grand Bend event (which is a huge success), Toronto Motorsport Park opened last year to a great National event and in 2003, it is now the West's turn.

Edmonton's Budweiser Park gets the first national Event in Western Canada's drag racing history. It is almost fitting that Edmonton gets the West's first big race, as it is truly Canada's most storied city when it comes to Drag Racing history. Back in the 60's-70's, Alberta and particularly Edmonton had one of the highest per capita top fuel racers than any other area in North America.

Names to come out of the province include Gordie Bonin, Terry Capp, Bernie Fedderly, Dale Armstrong and Gary Beck to name a few. When Edmonton switched sanctioning in the winter of 2001, the hope of all die-hards on the left coast was that there would be a chance for a Nat'l event down the road. But for owner/manager Rob Reeves to put the "Rocky Mountain Nationals" on the schedule in only a year and a half, says mountains about the dedication of both the IHRA and Mr. Reeves.

Kudo's goes out to the IHRA for their commitment to the great white north; hopefully their can be more expansion to the West. The IHRA Zone will cover all aspects of the "I", particularly the three Canadian National events.

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