2015 AA/S and AA/SA Could Be Very Exciting
 

OK I know everyone probably thinks all we care about is our new COPO but nothing could be further from the truth. True- we love the challenge of the new car but the fact of the matter is that Merc and I are equally excited to be able to get back to our Stock Eliminator roots (going back to 1992) by bringing our 396/375 67 Camaro back in to the fray of NHRA competition in 2015!

Equally exciting to us is the tremendous possibilities presented by the new AA/S and AA/SA classes which will now be specific to traditional high HP Stock Eliminator cars only. These two classes have tremendous potential and if they could ever be run combined would certainly provide as much excitement as anything- including both the Hemi and Factory Shootout events!

Jim Schaechter has done a tremendous job of putting the A/S Challenges at past US Nationals but likely NHRA, even though it would maximize participation and excitement, would never consider letting the cars run together for even one event. And, as a result- Jim would likely go with just the stick class as in years past. Mike Beard on the other hand could pull this off at the Class Nationals but if either of them (or both) elected to do so I would be the first sponsor on board.

While we are on the subject what is your best guess as to what NHRA will establish as the new indexes for these two classes? OK I will go first. If it were me I would make them both 10.75 because I am a believer there is no advantage to a stick in the high HP Stock Eliminator classes at all. In fact it may be just the contrary and here is why I believe this to be true. The transmission lesson in the higher HP Stock Eliminator cars was already learned way back in August of 2000 when Bill Bader/IHRA allowed Terry Bell and I the opportunity to conduct the first Top Stock Event at Norwalk. The auto cars were at no disadvantage whosoever and in fact the race was won by an auto car. As a result of this epic event I remain convinced there should really only be one class instead of two in the case of AA/S.

Man if had it to do all over again I wish we had never let the crate motors infiltrate the most exciting class for high HP stockers in years! Talk about the fans.. they were on their feet and screaming the whole time! Don't take my word for it though. Ask Beard. He wrote countless articles about it. Or ask Chuck Norton who came from CA just to witness the race. Ask Teuton, Rayburn, Brannon, Helms, Corda, the Hall Bros, Larry Hill or the many others that raced this class!

Then again hindsight is always 20-20...


Sent from my iPad

Re: 2015 AA/S and AA/SA Could Be Very Exciting
 

We plan on the A/Stick Challenge and the A/SA Challenge, but who knows, AA would be cool too.
Running sticks and autos together could work in that class. The biggest Challenge was the index for most. If I recall, NHRA had a pretty tight index on that class. Not many could swing it for Indy of it comes back in the same as it was.

Re: 2015 AA/S and AA/SA Could Be Very Exciting
 

At the first class nationals they had Top Stock and it was fun to watch. I believe that Morgan in a FE Ford ran real well, what ever happened to Matt and the car?

Re: 2015 AA/S and AA/SA Could Be Very Exciting
 

The AA classes, stick and automatic, started with a 10.90 index. It was 10.90 because Len Imbrogno specifically asked about a 1/2 dozen people what they wanted for an index, and 10.90 was decided upon because it would allow the fastest cars to run wide open and not hit the 1.20 under automatic HP trigger. At the time, the index for A/SA was 11.30, and for A/S, 11.25, if memory serves correct.

Just a couple of years after AA was formed, NHRA dropped all of the indexes by 3 tenths, including the AA classes, despite the AA classes having an index that was already much lower in comparison to the other classes. So, the AA index became 10.60, which, for a traditional car, makes qualifying for the U.S. Nationals in a AA class a near impossible feat. If the index were returned to 10.90, or at least no lower than 10.80, it might be possible for a fast AA car to make the cut.

Re: 2015 AA/S and AA/SA Could Be Very Exciting
 

I agree with Alan. At 3,600 feet trying to qualify at Indy in either AA class would be nearly impossible with a 10.60 index. The bump this year was .88 under and will probably be a couple quicker next year. Even a 10.90 index would be a challenge. A good AA car would have to lay down a 9.90's number in that soup. I bet the A/S and A/SA classes will be a hoot next year.

Re: 2015 AA/S and AA/SA Could Be Very Exciting
 

Jim,...That would be a great plan if NHRA keeps the indexes to a reasonable number!

Larry ....Haven't seen Matt since Top Stock. His FE Ford ran great but when the crate motors took over the class he eventually decided to race a 502 cu in 69 Camaro that belonged to Steve Sawka. The Mustang was sold and I think Velde may have wound up with it but I'm not sure. His dad Jim was awesome as well! Last I heard Matt is a local politician in MD.

Alan...You are absolutely correct! After spending about two hours in the Drag Race Central archives searching results from the US Nationals I found that AA/S and AA/SA did indeed have the same indexes and both were 10.90. No wonder few, if any, could qualify at Indy in those days.

In my post above I stated I thought 10.75 would be fair for both classes in today's world but 10.80 is a logical place to start. Hey.. if the AA cars dominate the Q sheets NHRA can fix that with either the AHFS or a small reduction in the index. I still believe maximum excitement can only be created if all of the AA cars are all in the same class regardless of transmission. Another reason to blend them is to get some of the "tanks" out of A/S and A/SA. Nobody wants to race a super heavy Hemi, Max Wedge, or any form of a 427 Camaro in A/S or A/SA if given a choice-but they need a fair index to make their qualifying chances equal to an A car. IMHO you will see lot's of cars ripping the weight out if NHRA comes forth with a fair index. Some of them that have perhaps been sidelined for years?

Re: 2015 AA/S and AA/SA Could Be Very Exciting
 

Good Luck Mike. Any class excitement which can be generated for One or other class could be a major addition. I like the sound of the A/S , A/SA class too. Are the cars which can run this class pretty equal?

Re: 2015 AA/S and AA/SA Could Be Very Exciting
 

Fairly equal Dick but with the new cars removed it will still be a tough task for older stockers to out run a LS1 Firebird in either A or AA. In 2009 under the old 10.90 index Dempsey Pendarvis' automatic car went 9.847 at Indy in AA. Caleb McFarland is a well known competitor to this day in A with his stick car. Fortunately Caleb won't be able to run AA unless he gets HP but the auto LS1 cars will be contenders for sure.

Re: 2015 AA/S and AA/SA Could Be Very Exciting
 

It's something I would consider if it's what all of the participants wanted to do. Can you get in touch with these racers?

Re: 2015 AA/S and AA/SA Could Be Very Exciting
 

[QUOTE=Michael Beard;453769]It's something I would consider if it's what all of the participants wanted to do. Can you get in touch with these racers?

Michael......you have a PM.