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

Mike Keener · 11-23-2014, 06:06 PM

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

11-23-2014, 06:06 PM	#1
Mike Keener Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Posts: 294 Likes: 102 Liked 25 Times in 13 Posts	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 __________________ Mike Keener A/S B/S C/SM