The whispers we have been hearing were true. The IHRA is returning to a traditional style format (with some sort of small twist apparently) for the 2014 season. Their events will be called “Nationals” they will feature multiple professional categories that race in the normal qualified/eliminations style ladder method, and the organization is apparently planning on running at more tracks in 2014 than they have in a few seasons. The announcement from the IHRA, which hit the airwaves on Friday did not give any information with respect to which classes will be contested or what the schedule will be but at the end of the multi-paragraph statement (shown below) it is mentioned that those two major aspects of the 2014 season will be revealed on 10/12 during the IHRA World Finals at Memphis International Raceway.
If you remember back to the time when it was announced IHRA was sold to the group that controls Palm Beach International Raceway and our subsequent interviews with folks on both sides of that story, we were always thinking that this was an announcement we’d see. We didn’t know if we would see it for the 2014 season or the 2015 season, but we (in the back of our minds) knew we would see it. Not because the other program was failing, because it wasn’t, but more because we think that the folks who own IHRA now seem to see the world on a large scale and that previous format wasn’t going to get them to large scale venues or media. Now that they are back in a typical racing format and NHRA has dropped their testing rules, there is ample opportunity for teams to bleed over across the line and race both sanctions.
Some of the big questions we have are along the lines of –
How many dates?
What are the pro classes?
Will there be mountain motor pro stocks?
Will there be pro mods? Alky funnies? Nostalgia funny cars?
All will apparently be answered on 10/12, so stay tuned!
READ THE FULL ANNOUNCEMENT FROM IHRA BELOW!
Racing is officially back at the International Hot Rod Association.
After getting away from traditional racing and exploring a more entertainment-based program over the past three years under Feld Motor Sports, the IHRA announced today that it will be combining the best of both worlds with the return of traditional elimination-style racing in its professional classes while still maintaining a family-friendly format.
IHRA’s top tier series that has been branded as Nitro Jam, will be rebranded as the IHRA Nitro Jam Drag Racing Series and will feature a new logo incorporating the excitement of the new series plus new event logos for each of the NJDRS national events held in 2014. All events on the expanded 2014 North American Tour schedule will once again be branded as Nationals and will feature the addition of traditional qualifying and eliminations in its professional classes as well as a points chase and a championship points fund.
Under the guidance of the new ownership group IRG Sports + Entertainment and its President & CEO Jason Rittenberry, the IHRA will be implementing its new, traditional drag racing format beginning in 2014. The series will feature professional drag racing in select classes at events held throughout the United States and Canada, plus a number of exciting new elements that will make the IHRA Nitro Jam Drag Racing Series a major draw in each market.
“Acquiring the IHRA after the 2013 season had already began allowed us the opportunity to evaluate the Nitro Jam events this season before and see what elements we wanted to change and what was working for the series,” said Rittenberry. “This redesign of the brand is the first step in bringing more traditional professional racing back to the IHRA.We are excited to announce all of the plans for the 2014 tour next week at our World Finals in Memphis.”
Through it all, the IHRA Nitro Jam Drag Racing Series will maintain its reputation as an affordable and excitement-filled motorsport spectacle for both families and drag racing fans alike.
“This is just a matter of listening to the customer. The Nitro Jam format was successful as evidenced by our growth since its debut three years ago. Our fans loved the show, but wanted to see more professional racing,” said Aaron Polburn, President of IHRA Motorsports. “What the end result turned out to be was a hybrid of Nitro Jam and traditional IHRA professional racing plus a greatly expanded pit experience. Add in value and I think the end product will be extremely fun to watch.”
A full lineup of classes and the complete IHRA Nitro Jam Drag Racing Series 2014 Tour schedule will be announced at the Summit Racing Equipment World Finals at Memphis International Raceway on Friday, October 12.
Sounds great, hope there will be one show in Indiana!
mr.pollburn,thats the best news i’ve heard in a while ,bring back pro/mod and moutian motor pro/stocks ,especialy at memphis !!!! i think you will please a lot of fans!!!!!!!!