Shipping weights

[Race Clean]

Originally Posted by Charley Downing

Can someone explain to me why we need shipping weights for Stock and Superstock anymore? I would love to hear one good reason.

Maybe to keep good car engine/combos from dominate yet another class!
When they changed the rule to be allowed people to move up one class in addition to move to down a class I can't help feel that some good cars got a little bit hurt by new combo's previously not allowed to battle in that class .
But lots of people maybe like this to be an "few combos field" in the end...

[Sam Hamod]

Great post Charlie. I'm not racing anymore but I know that would have made my life a lot easier and enjoyable!

[Charley Downing]

Mr or Miss Race Clean that is about the weakest /vaguest argument for needing shipping weight so far. Basically your saying Please don't run my class it not far, that you have worked on improving your car and lighting it up over the years. My combo should only be allowed to run at the top of the class.
Could you give all of us an example of this. I'm pretty sure that most classes have 3-4 combos in each class that run a the top of the pack. with the exception to classes with slower then 13 second indexes just because of lack of car count in those classes

Also please try and use you real name (this goes for everyone with an option on this for or against). This is a going to be a real issue with STK and SS if this shipping deal is not handled in a way that is best for the class and its ability to keep current and new racers coming back to a sport we all care about.

[Billy Nees]

Just two questions to go with this "eliminate the shipping weights thing;

Will the Tech guys be checking for ballast? And will they be tossing cars out that are carrying over 500 lbs.? It's a "General Regulation".

How long will it be before the Racers that want to do away with shipping weights are wanting fiberglass and carbon fiber parts so that they can lighten up their combos and making it "fair" to their heavy combos that can't compete with the light combos?

If this passes, it WILL be the beginning of "E.T. 2 to the lanes"!

[Bob Bender]

Just drop the 170 rule.

[SS/GSI]

Originally Posted by Charley Downing

Can someone explain to me why we need shipping weights for Stock and Superstock anymore? I would love to hear one good reason. I mean a combo can already move up or down one class from its natural class. If someone can get extra weight out of a car/combo why should they be forced to run a heavier class. Or here is a though just rewrite the current rule to make it where you can move up or down 2 class's higher or lower then your natural class. you people are making this way harder then it needs to be.

I mean no shipping weights for cars in SS/GT appear to be working with no issues. Why not just eliminate factory shipping weights all together?
I mean its pretty simple take your (NHRA HP) x (that class weight) plus 170lbs and that's your min for that class. Pretty simple

I can’t see people adding 200-400 lbs to make their cars slower. I believe this was brought up a few weeks ago to the SRAC committee and Kent Hanley and Mike Crutchfield were the major reasons this was shot down. Which is funny because they both compete in a SS class where factory shipping weight are not used.

Charlie, at this point seeing how NHRA has and will most certainly continue to handle the situation moving forward, I believe that you are on the right path, in all seriousness. The following should be put in place for 2023 season.

1. Get rid of ALL shipping weights...if you can fit between the max and min for the class your in!

2. Get rid of all 1/2 lbs weight breaks and make ALL classes 1# weight breaks. More cars per class, more chances of heads ups and less classes to manage for NHRA. Perhaps this might entice manufacturers to come back to sponsor class runoffs? If not, at least it will minimize the mathematics for all involved.

3. Combine stick and auto. Automatic transmissions and convertor technology has come along ways in the last two decades. This again would streamline our classes and allow for more heads ups and less for NHRA to manage. It seems to be working in the FS, FSS and FGT classes.

If we are going to use forward thinking to resolve issues within the organization, then mean it...LOOK FORWARD!!! not just in the now. Rip this whole deal off like a Band-Aid, give everyone this season to make the necessary adjustments and there will be no more arguments...well other than AHFS but that's another thread! LOL

[GUMP]

There has to be a maximum weight for every combination to keep racers from doing silly things....

[Paul Precht]

Originally Posted by GUMP

There has to be a maximum weight for every combination to keep racers from doing silly things....

And a minimum too.

[Herbie Null]

Originally Posted by Billy Nees

Just two questions to go with this "eliminate the shipping weights thing;

Will the Tech guys be checking for ballast? And will they be tossing cars out that are carrying over 500 lbs.? It's a "General Regulation".

How long will it be before the Racers that want to do away with shipping weights are wanting fiberglass and carbon fiber parts so that they can lighten up their combos and making it "fair" to their heavy combos that can't compete with the light combos?

If this passes, it WILL be the beginning of "E.T. 2 to the lanes"!

(1) You can only have 100lbs of loose ballast including weight box, if your attaching more than 400lbs to the frame you should be in a upper class. (2) You can ask for fiberglass hoods and doors with or without shipping weights and I’m sure the answer is going to be a No. Modified, FGT and GT have no shipping weights and bracket 2 has not been called to the lanes. I had the same fears as others when the did away with shipping weights in GT, nothing has changed just made more guys happy.

[Charley Downing]

Billy its not 1975 anymore. Eliminating shipping weights is way different then asking for carbon fiber hoods and doors. I agree let tech get hard on a ballast max weight, make sure that racers are following the 100 total lbs weight box rule. Just enforce the current weight rules. But at the end of the day its has to be easier in NHRA and the racer for this class to make it. The days of 15 plus NHRA tech guys that an event know the STK/SS rules front and back are over and never coming back.