Automatic Horsepower Factoring System

[Dick Butler]

Reward performance. Pay Class winners Same as Eliminator or more. May need to limit number of classes,.STOP creating more classes for fewer cars which adds to bracket method of racing. Consider going to 32 SS and 32 Stock classes. Fit the structure by adjusting your combo for the good of the BIG picture.
Stop factoring by ADDING hp.
Adjust Over factored combos by REMOVING HP. (only till close then let racers make hp ) Use only Motor winning classes as standard then adjust.
Consider late versus early chassis factor(GT aerodynamic versus early BOX cars) for adjustment.
Cut index of all classes to make up for years of performance enhancing parts .
Lynn This would include Pontiac as they would decrease HP for cars which really dont win class till the HP is appropriate for parts available....

Bart.... The Money card is always there. Anyone can run eliminator but the question is are any of the classes cheap. What is cheap? Does NHRA owe it to everyone to make it cheap?make it for everyone?

[Harry 6674]

Good post Rich. throw away the shoe polish tuneups and race. Reward the fast cars, thats the way it should be. It is drag racing not brake light racing. I'm not a high roller but but I would rather be beat by a faster car than out braked at the lights. I was racing in the 60s and it was a lot of work but I feel more rewarding.

[Lynn A McCarty]

You gotta make the rules the same for everyone or it is all an exercise in futility. This required the break out rule to "fix" in the first place. (Dick, who says we dont have the replacement parts? We have all the same ones as you. We just have a harder time getting them approved!)

We should run heads up at every race instead of 2-3 practice runs at every race. If you want to practice come a day early for the practice session. The bracket race on Sunday should remain the same. It makes the diversity of S/SS racers second to none.

AHFS should plot each engine family on a curve like we do in the sciences. This makes it a statistical method and not a punishment if someone is innovative. It hits at the heart of everyone's valid objection on this thread. The current method cannot address this.

[Dick Butler]

Lynn, Maybe with time Nhra will accept TOP/STK and TOP/SS and a couple wt breaks as Heads up at points meets as well as Opens Then people who like that will have a choice . Dick

[Evan Smith]

Jim,

I also think a 2-3 tenth reduction of the indexes is a good answer. I think that is probably the direction that it will go, however, I would like more input, before trying to push something through. But those who I have spoken to so far seem to agree. On the other end of that, I'm sure the very small percentage of racers who are hovering on the current indexes can do some easy things that to find the same 2-3 tenths.

Evan

[vic guilmino]

ok put index to -.3
and go back to 1.00 under triggers

[Jim Cimarolli]

I was around back in the '80's when NHRA added 2 tenths to all the indexes. One reason given by NHRA was because there were always about 4 or 5 racers at the bottom of the ladder that were struggling to be able to run the number and it would also lower the hurdle for new racers to get involved.
After about a year it was the same guys that were struggling to make it under again.

[bsa633]

Originally Posted by Jim Cimarolli

I was around back in the '80's when NHRA added 2 tenths to all the indexes. One reason given by NHRA was because there were always about 4 or 5 racers at the bottom of the ladder that were struggling to be able to run the number and it would also lower the hurdle for new racers to get involved.
After about a year it was the same guys that were struggling to make it under again.

actually i think it was in 93 they raised them...but i am with Jim B. give those .2 back + another one for starters.. .5 would work to even better in the long run! and have a group of individuals(not racers) to manually clear up the the ones that will be to far ahead,,

[Lynn A McCarty]

Originally Posted by Dick Butler

Lynn, Maybe with time Nhra will accept TOP/STK and TOP/SS and a couple wt breaks as Heads up at points meets as well as Opens Then people who like that will have a choice . Dick

I was thinking that practice is boring. Bring what you brung and hope you brung enough. Heads up it in practice. If you dont want to, then use it as a practice run. Either way the fans will like it....oh..wait a minute...all the fans are at the NMCA heads up race!

50 lbs extra for an aftermarket block, 100lbs at least for aftermarket or replacement heads, 100lbs extra for bogus combos.