Mid-year horsepower posted @ nhra.com

[Harry 6674]

Originally Posted by Tony Janes

Harry I think you still feel that stock and super stock are a performance based eliminator. I do not agree with that. In the sixties they and early seventies it was based on performance. Today these eliminators mostly resemble brackets. Heads up in stock elimination account for between 2% and 12% of the total runs in the eliminator, less in super stock. Class is a side show to the eliminator. When class is run at a particular meet it does draw more entries. I am not saying there is no interest in class, just pointing out that is far less important than it use to be. The horsepower reductions are based on requests. Not everyone is going to be satisfied with the results.

Well said and that is whats wrong with stock eliminator. Too much shoe polish and not enough drag racing.

[X-TECH MAN]

You should have to win class to run the eliminator like when I was racing up until around 1978. If you dont win class then you dont deserve to run the eliminator. The AHFS would take care of those underrated HP factors in a hurry if they did that and put the PERFORMANCE back into stock and S/S. Just my 2 1/2 cents.

[Tony Janes]

I do not agree with that. I would say at this time neither does NHRA.

[Alan Roehrich]

Originally Posted by X-TECH MAN

You should have to win class to run the eliminator like when I was racing up until around 1978. If you dont win class then you dont deserve to run the eliminator. The AHFS would take care of those underrated HP factors in a hurry if they did that and put the PERFORMANCE back into stock and S/S. Just my 2 1/2 cents.

That takes it a bit too far, Terry. It would never survive that. Those of us who have to race the new killers would never show up. No way you can justify paying what it costs to go to a race knowing you don't have a prayer of getting to a nickel of payout money. It'd take twice as long to get the AHFS to work.

If they'd run class everywhere, go to 1 pound weight breaks, and most importantly, make it pay money and points to win class and qualify well, then you'd see performance come back and the AHFS start working.

That wouldn't force a situation where most of the cars would never make it to the final eliminations. Because if you did that, you'd keep most people home and kill the whole thing in a year.

[Jeff Lee]

Originally Posted by Alan Roehrich

That takes it a bit too far, Terry. It would never survive that. Those of us who have to race the new killers would never show up. No way you can justify paying what it costs to go to a race knowing you don't have a prayer of getting to a nickel of payout money. It'd take twice as long to get the AHFS to work.

If they'd run class everywhere, go to 1 pound weight breaks, and most importantly, make it pay money and points to win class and qualify well, then you'd see performance come back and the AHFS start working.

That wouldn't force a situation where most of the cars would never make it to the final eliminations. Because if you did that, you'd keep most people home and kill the whole thing in a year.

At the minimum, class wins, #1 qualifying position AND records should receive bonus points.

[Alan Roehrich]

Originally Posted by Jeff Lee

At the minimum, class wins, #1 qualifying position AND records should receive bonus points.

Thank you Jeff, I forgot about records. You're correct, records should be worth points.

[X-TECH MAN]

P.S. I congratulate guys like Eric Merryfield. You go guy !

[Ed Wright]

Originally Posted by Jeff Lee

At the minimum, class wins, #1 qualifying position AND records should receive bonus points.

Top ten qualifying points at LODRS races would stop a lot of qualifying at the bottom games also. I guess I'm too old and dumb to get that one. Sad ain't it?

[X-TECH MAN]

Originally Posted by Alan Roehrich

That takes it a bit too far, Terry. It would never survive that. Those of us who have to race the new killers would never show up. No way you can justify paying what it costs to go to a race knowing you don't have a prayer of getting to a nickel of payout money. It'd take twice as long to get the AHFS to work.

If they'd run class everywhere, go to 1 pound weight breaks, and most importantly, make it pay money and points to win class and qualify well, then you'd see performance come back and the AHFS start working.

That wouldn't force a situation where most of the cars would never make it to the final eliminations. Because if you did that, you'd keep most people home and kill the whole thing in a year.

Well...... the money and GOOD jobs were hard to come by in 1977-78 also. I towed from Maryland about 16 hours to Bowling Green Ky for the sports Nats. in 1978..... Got beat in the final for class by Phil Hardee. Close race for the times. I think it was 10.97 to an 11.01 and I had a better light. Didnt get to run on Sunday. Lots of SS/IA cars in the class. Towed to Gainsville 14 hours for the Gators.....got beat in the semis for class. Didnt get to race on Sunday. Towed to Suffolk Raceway for a points race and the Little Guy Nationals later in the year. Guess what.....I got to run the eliminator and got beat but you never heard me whine or cry about getting out run by a bogus under rated combo. Yes even the 350/255 HP was factored by then.In relation to the money we made in 1977-78 and what gas cost Tell me WHATS DIFFERENT today? We accually RACED wide open for CLASS. We didnt dump at a 1000 ft. SS/IA was one of the most populated classes just as AA/SA and A/SA is today. I know it wont happen again today or tomorrow but its a "*******" way to race. Its not living back in the 78 era. Its called DRAG RACING ! Might as well run Super Pro and save the expense. If NHRA would get off thier ***** and get some people with brains and get the HP factors in line this AHFS crap and guarding your combs would not hold the fast cars as prisoners of their own stupidity and you could save money on shoe polish. . Im tired and just drove 12 hours and looking at 4-5 tomorrow so I can go to Carlise and the Nostalgia show in York Pa. after another 3 hours with a friend of mine Friday morning. I have NO sympathy for what the legal (if you can call it that) class racing has turned into. One Giant BRACKET RACE is all it is. Whats the percentage of heads up runs at most events? 2 to 4 % maybe. No wonder a lot of sponsors are getting out and your letting NHRA stick "IT" in deeper every time you guys bend over but Im stupid also if I can get out by next year. I sure as hell wont run at part throttle if it runs fast.

[countrypuppy4865]

Originally Posted by X-TECH MAN

You should have to win class to run the eliminator like when I was racing up until around 1978. If you dont win class then you dont deserve to run the eliminator. The AHFS would take care of those underrated HP factors in a hurry if they did that and put the PERFORMANCE back into stock and S/S. Just my 2 1/2 cents.

That would be the smart thing that way all A-E cars can just stay home unless you have a drag pak or cobra jet. As bad as the economy is this would end stock/ss racing. We are in 2010 not 1978. Things will change over time. This will never happen.