U.S. Nationals, remember when?

Bench Racer · 08-31-2014, 08:21 PM

I'm kinda hesitant to write this because I don't race a car but drag racing has been in the family since the early 80's. I remember my first trip to Indy, My brother and I drove up just to watch class runs. I think there were around 250 cars in Super Stock and I don't remember any empty classes. It was an all day event and I was hooked on Indy. I have been back several times since. Once drove up by my self from N.C. to watch class then came back home. Went with my brother twice when he took his car and had an awesome time making and meeting friends and admiring the cars. Back in the day of "a class win gets you in" Indy was a car nuts dream come true. I spent hours walking in the pits looking at Stockers and Super Stockers that I had only got to see in magazines. Now I got an up close look and got to talk to the owners and get some pictures too. Back then I got to see some awesome cars ranging from 4 cylinders to Thunder Bolts, factory built drag cars from the 60's, and the muscle cars I dreamed of having when I was a little snot nosed kid. Then the format changed from class wins to 128 top qualifiers. I noticed the variety of cars that came to Indy looks a lot different now. A lot of the cars that always won class back in the day don't even show up anymore. Im not bashing any make or class of car, but in my humble opinion NHRA made a poor decision switching from the class win get's you in format. Reading some of the rants about Stock at Indy 2014 reinforces my point. I enjoy watching SS/GT cars along with the new factory rocket Stockers but my true love is traditional Super Stock and old model Stockers. We all heard the complaints, " that low dollar piece of crap won class and gets to run and my 100K+ car didn't make the field, GT cars are gonna run out the traditional Super Stockers, Fuel injection will run out all the carburetors, ect. the jury may still be out on that but one thing is for sure NHRA has run some pretty neat cars away from the U.S. Nationals. If the class win format was still in effect the Stocker situation at Indy 2014 would not be an issue. No bashing intended, just stating my opinion. Don Jackson

69ss/rs · 09-01-2014, 10:41 AM

To go to Indy, unless you have a car that can run .80 under in the worse conditions; there is no need for you to even bother to enter. That is unless you want to have the Indy experience. Lets' face it; Indy is a long time an can be quite expensive. With the economy and NHRA treating you like second class citizens who wants to spend that kind of money and not make the show. I'm not going to single anybody out, but there are some cars that are on the qualifying sheet that knew they didn't have a chance in hell of making the cut, but they still went. Myself, if I know that I have a high risk of not qualifying won't spend that kind of money to just say I was there.

Wayne W · 09-01-2014, 12:15 PM

I miss those days.

Jim Wahl · 09-01-2014, 01:03 PM

I haven't been to Indy since 1990 and probably will never be able to go again. It's not because I don't want to but racers of my age are a dying breed and it just gets harder to make the trip. Many of the things haven't changed though. We were treated like second class citizens even back then. In 1989 they moved everyone in our parking area three times for various reasons and even tried a fourth time until we got together and said "no more! We are in this pit spot for the weekend!" They left us alone then. After all the ups and downs I look at my two Indy Wally's and smile. Both of them were hard fought and no, never had any singles at "The Big Go!". Jim

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cicero819 · 09-01-2014, 01:44 PM

My first Indy experience was 1968, my brother and I drove his 57 Nomad he had won playing cards while getting his wings for a great Asian trip that someone was paying for.lol Indy was a zoo in those years, they even had their own jail and believe me it was always full. The Indy experience has change but like everything in life all good things will change, hopefully for the better. Don, stock eliminator has change and hopefully NHRA will have to change because there isn't to many white hair folks around working without a pit crew anymore.lolLarry Hill did show that you can go big if you're willing to put the right combination together. I enjoyed watching James Perrone great looking Nova get's some run in. love those Mustang DP. And Camaro run. all Blower cars should have their class such as FX. I unfortunately enjoy all class and could do without the clown class that the pro buffoons have become but I understand that they bring in the money, this explain why I show up on Wed. And leave on Saturday.Claude Ruel p.s. I still love the Big Go.

08-31-2014, 08:21 PM	#1
Bench Racer Member Join Date: May 2002 Location: Green Creek (Tryon) North Carolina Posts: 330 Likes: 69 Liked 99 Times in 21 Posts	U.S. Nationals, remember when? I'm kinda hesitant to write this because I don't race a car but drag racing has been in the family since the early 80's. I remember my first trip to Indy, My brother and I drove up just to watch class runs. I think there were around 250 cars in Super Stock and I don't remember any empty classes. It was an all day event and I was hooked on Indy. I have been back several times since. Once drove up by my self from N.C. to watch class then came back home. Went with my brother twice when he took his car and had an awesome time making and meeting friends and admiring the cars. Back in the day of "a class win gets you in" Indy was a car nuts dream come true. I spent hours walking in the pits looking at Stockers and Super Stockers that I had only got to see in magazines. Now I got an up close look and got to talk to the owners and get some pictures too. Back then I got to see some awesome cars ranging from 4 cylinders to Thunder Bolts, factory built drag cars from the 60's, and the muscle cars I dreamed of having when I was a little snot nosed kid. Then the format changed from class wins to 128 top qualifiers. I noticed the variety of cars that came to Indy looks a lot different now. A lot of the cars that always won class back in the day don't even show up anymore. Im not bashing any make or class of car, but in my humble opinion NHRA made a poor decision switching from the class win get's you in format. Reading some of the rants about Stock at Indy 2014 reinforces my point. I enjoy watching SS/GT cars along with the new factory rocket Stockers but my true love is traditional Super Stock and old model Stockers. We all heard the complaints, " that low dollar piece of crap won class and gets to run and my 100K+ car didn't make the field, GT cars are gonna run out the traditional Super Stockers, Fuel injection will run out all the carburetors, ect. the jury may still be out on that but one thing is for sure NHRA has run some pretty neat cars away from the U.S. Nationals. If the class win format was still in effect the Stocker situation at Indy 2014 would not be an issue. No bashing intended, just stating my opinion. Don Jackson

09-01-2014, 10:41 AM	#2
69ss/rs Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 82 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: U.S. Nationals, remember when? To go to Indy, unless you have a car that can run .80 under in the worse conditions; there is no need for you to even bother to enter. That is unless you want to have the Indy experience. Lets' face it; Indy is a long time an can be quite expensive. With the economy and NHRA treating you like second class citizens who wants to spend that kind of money and not make the show. I'm not going to single anybody out, but there are some cars that are on the qualifying sheet that knew they didn't have a chance in hell of making the cut, but they still went. Myself, if I know that I have a high risk of not qualifying won't spend that kind of money to just say I was there.

09-01-2014, 12:15 PM	#3
Wayne W Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Posts: 91 Likes: 8 Liked 3 Times in 1 Post	Re: U.S. Nationals, remember when? I miss those days.

09-01-2014, 01:03 PM	#4
Jim Wahl Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Central Florida Posts: 5,841 Likes: 626 Liked 672 Times in 121 Posts	Re: U.S. Nationals, remember when? I haven't been to Indy since 1990 and probably will never be able to go again. It's not because I don't want to but racers of my age are a dying breed and it just gets harder to make the trip. Many of the things haven't changed though. We were treated like second class citizens even back then. In 1989 they moved everyone in our parking area three times for various reasons and even tried a fourth time until we got together and said "no more! We are in this pit spot for the weekend!" They left us alone then. After all the ups and downs I look at my two Indy Wally's and smile. Both of them were hard fought and no, never had any singles at "The Big Go!". Jim . __________________ Jim Wahl....NHRA #2239 S/SS - IHRA # 8 Stock, D2 Stock Champion (forever I guess) 2019 Baby Gators Stock Champion 2009 D2 National Open Stock Champion 1981 D2 West Palm Beach LDRS SS Runner Up Past President, Southern Stock / Super Stock Association. SSSSA Forum Moderator

09-01-2014, 01:44 PM	#5
cicero819 VIP Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Aylmer Quebec, Canada Posts: 1,086 Likes: 31 Liked 67 Times in 29 Posts	Re: U.S. Nationals, remember when? My first Indy experience was 1968, my brother and I drove his 57 Nomad he had won playing cards while getting his wings for a great Asian trip that someone was paying for.lol Indy was a zoo in those years, they even had their own jail and believe me it was always full. The Indy experience has change but like everything in life all good things will change, hopefully for the better. Don, stock eliminator has change and hopefully NHRA will have to change because there isn't to many white hair folks around working without a pit crew anymore.lolLarry Hill did show that you can go big if you're willing to put the right combination together. I enjoyed watching James Perrone great looking Nova get's some run in. love those Mustang DP. And Camaro run. all Blower cars should have their class such as FX. I unfortunately enjoy all class and could do without the clown class that the pro buffoons have become but I understand that they bring in the money, this explain why I show up on Wed. And leave on Saturday.Claude Ruel p.s. I still love the Big Go.