US 131: IHRA OR NHRA? TIME WILL TELL
Thu, 2010-08-26 15:00
Jason Peterson understands he’s got a decision to make in the next few weeks.
The General Manager of U.S. 131 Motorsports Park in Martin, MI, must decide if his race track will remain under the IHRA sanction or become yet another one of the staple of tracks under that sanction headed to the NHRA.
“That is undetermined at this time,” Peterson revealed. “To be honest, we are playing both sides. We are actively looking at both sides. I guess the best way to describe it is that we are uncertain at this time.”
Jason Peterson understands he’s got a decision to make in the next few weeks.
The General Manager of U.S. 131 Motorsports Park in Martin, MI, must decide if his race track will remain under the IHRA sanction or become yet another one of the staple of tracks under that sanction headed to the NHRA.
“That is undetermined at this time,” Peterson revealed. “To be honest, we are playing both sides. We are actively looking at both sides. I guess the best way to describe it is that we are uncertain at this time.”
The sanctioning agreement between the IHRA and U.S. 131 Motorsports Park expires at the end of the season.
Peterson said the success of the IHRA’s recently completed Nitro Jam event would have no bearing on the future because to U.S 131 Motorsport Park, the event was nothing more than a track rental; even though the track was also able to keep proceeds from concession and souvenir sales.
“I was at a no liability for the event,” Peterson said.
The event nearly didn’t happen. The date for the US 131 event remained, for much of the off-season and early part of 2010, as a T.B.A. location while lawyers for US 131 and the sanctioning body’s previous owners Live Nation hammered out the details of a lawsuit settlement.
The dispute, which Peterson declined to provide details of, was resolved months before the scheduled Nitro Jam date enabling the event to proceed as planned.
The one key observation Peterson made about the Nitro Jam event was that it catered to a different demographic than usually frequents his facility.
“The changing of the Nitro Jam events excludes the diehard fans,” Peterson said. “We knew that going into the deal. We did see an increase of children on the property. The IHRA was able to relate and crossover into some new people that comes to these things.”
The success of the weekend aside, two key factors will weigh into Peterson's final decision.
First, Peterson’s father-in-law is Steve Earwood, owner and operator of Rockingham Dragway in Rockingham, NC, and also an IHRA member track. At this point, it is undetermined whether the legendary facility will return in 2011 to host a Nitro Jam event. The IHRA has declined to comment on the track’s status giving credence to speculation the event will be dropped from the schedule.
“On the surface, I would like to say no, but deep down inside I have to feel that it will have some bearing on (our decision),” Peterson admitted. “Steve is family and if we don’t feel he is getting treated the fair way, that will have some factor. It won’t be the deciding factor. But it will have some influence.”
Secondly, Peterson can’t say with a degree of certainty what the future of the IHRA holds.
“I just don’t know what the status of the IHRA is,” Peterson said. “Where’s it going to go? We haven’t heard anything. They're not telling us anything. Our contracts are up at the end of the year and that’s why we are looking at both sides, to see who can offer us what.”
What Peterson would really like is for the NHRA to offer up a Full Throttle event. With the uncertainty of Dover Motorsports and their Gateway International Raceway property, Peterson believes the Grand Rapids market could serve as a quality replacement.
Peterson confirmed he met with the NHRA and has another meeting scheduled in the future, most likely in Indianapolis during the U.S. Nationals.
“It was ironic we met a week before the IHRA event,” Peterson said.
Peterson understands the U.S. 131 Dragway needs an extensive amount of work before it could hold an NHRA event; but would he host an event if it became available?
“You bet I would,” Peterson confirmed.
The immediate challenges would be in the amount of spectator parking the track could come up with and the largest expenditure, paved parking for the professional classes.
When it comes to spectator seating, Peterson has a head start on expansion.
“It would depend on what the NHRA would require,” Peterson continued. “Two or three years ago, we replaced our seating on the right side that can hold 4300 people apiece from Michigan International Speedway. I do have another identical set of bleacher frames and that will give us another 4,000 seats.”
In the end, Peterson says his decision will be made on the best information available at the time – even if it means upgrading to attract an NHRA event. Then he will have to wait on the most important approval.
“It will be up to our owners and if they believe it’s worth doing,” concluded Peterson.
The General Manager of U.S. 131 Motorsports Park in Martin, MI, must decide if his race track will remain under the IHRA sanction or become yet another one of the staple of tracks under that sanction headed to the NHRA.
“That is undetermined at this time,” Peterson revealed. “To be honest, we are playing both sides. We are actively looking at both sides. I guess the best way to describe it is that we are uncertain at this time.”
Jason Peterson understands he’s got a decision to make in the next few weeks.
The General Manager of U.S. 131 Motorsports Park in Martin, MI, must decide if his race track will remain under the IHRA sanction or become yet another one of the staple of tracks under that sanction headed to the NHRA.
“That is undetermined at this time,” Peterson revealed. “To be honest, we are playing both sides. We are actively looking at both sides. I guess the best way to describe it is that we are uncertain at this time.”
The sanctioning agreement between the IHRA and U.S. 131 Motorsports Park expires at the end of the season.
Peterson said the success of the IHRA’s recently completed Nitro Jam event would have no bearing on the future because to U.S 131 Motorsport Park, the event was nothing more than a track rental; even though the track was also able to keep proceeds from concession and souvenir sales.
“I was at a no liability for the event,” Peterson said.
The event nearly didn’t happen. The date for the US 131 event remained, for much of the off-season and early part of 2010, as a T.B.A. location while lawyers for US 131 and the sanctioning body’s previous owners Live Nation hammered out the details of a lawsuit settlement.
The dispute, which Peterson declined to provide details of, was resolved months before the scheduled Nitro Jam date enabling the event to proceed as planned.
The one key observation Peterson made about the Nitro Jam event was that it catered to a different demographic than usually frequents his facility.
“The changing of the Nitro Jam events excludes the diehard fans,” Peterson said. “We knew that going into the deal. We did see an increase of children on the property. The IHRA was able to relate and crossover into some new people that comes to these things.”
The success of the weekend aside, two key factors will weigh into Peterson's final decision.
First, Peterson’s father-in-law is Steve Earwood, owner and operator of Rockingham Dragway in Rockingham, NC, and also an IHRA member track. At this point, it is undetermined whether the legendary facility will return in 2011 to host a Nitro Jam event. The IHRA has declined to comment on the track’s status giving credence to speculation the event will be dropped from the schedule.
“On the surface, I would like to say no, but deep down inside I have to feel that it will have some bearing on (our decision),” Peterson admitted. “Steve is family and if we don’t feel he is getting treated the fair way, that will have some factor. It won’t be the deciding factor. But it will have some influence.”
Secondly, Peterson can’t say with a degree of certainty what the future of the IHRA holds.
“I just don’t know what the status of the IHRA is,” Peterson said. “Where’s it going to go? We haven’t heard anything. They're not telling us anything. Our contracts are up at the end of the year and that’s why we are looking at both sides, to see who can offer us what.”
What Peterson would really like is for the NHRA to offer up a Full Throttle event. With the uncertainty of Dover Motorsports and their Gateway International Raceway property, Peterson believes the Grand Rapids market could serve as a quality replacement.
Peterson confirmed he met with the NHRA and has another meeting scheduled in the future, most likely in Indianapolis during the U.S. Nationals.
“It was ironic we met a week before the IHRA event,” Peterson said.
Peterson understands the U.S. 131 Dragway needs an extensive amount of work before it could hold an NHRA event; but would he host an event if it became available?
“You bet I would,” Peterson confirmed.
The immediate challenges would be in the amount of spectator parking the track could come up with and the largest expenditure, paved parking for the professional classes.
When it comes to spectator seating, Peterson has a head start on expansion.
“It would depend on what the NHRA would require,” Peterson continued. “Two or three years ago, we replaced our seating on the right side that can hold 4300 people apiece from Michigan International Speedway. I do have another identical set of bleacher frames and that will give us another 4,000 seats.”
In the end, Peterson says his decision will be made on the best information available at the time – even if it means upgrading to attract an NHRA event. Then he will have to wait on the most important approval.
“It will be up to our owners and if they believe it’s worth doing,” concluded Peterson.
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