Hot Rod's Dragweek...idea time...run an IHRA Pure Stocker

[ALMACK]

I've been watching the live feed of Hot Rod magazine's Drag Week.

So I did a little searching and the best I can tell no-one has ever entered a Stock Eliminator legal car (IHRA or NHRA ) in Dragweek.

Crazy idea time... what would happen if someone entered a completely legal Stocker and attempted to complete the 1000 mile, 5 day marathon within the Drag Week rules ?

A IHRA Pure Stocker would be the best choice I think, so some ideas are going thru my head.

Obviously, the Pure Stocker would not be the quickest car in the Naturally Aspirated class, but there needs to be some other goals set.

1. Car must be 100% legal as a Pure Stocker ( including minimum weight with driver for the class claimed)

2. Car must run on or under the IHRA index for the class claimed in both the 1/8th mile and 1/4 mile at least once at all 5 dragstrips.

3. Car must run legal IHRA fuel ( pump gas is legal)

4. Must meet all requirements for Dragweek and not be disqualified for any reason, so it needs to be driven to every track and not miss any check points.



For those not familiar with the Dragweek rules, here is kind of a short version of the rules:

1. Each competitor starts at the "home track" and makes at least one pass. You can make more passes and turn in your best time slip for that track.

2. Then you get out on the road to the next track to be there the next day. (probably less than 400 miles away)

3. You have to make at least one pass before they close the staging lanes for the day at each track. ( once again you turn in your best time slip to the officials)

4. Your vehicle cannot be towed at all during drag week or you are disqualified.

5. You must stop at designated checkpoints and get a pic of your car at that checkpoint as proof and show the officials the pic when you get to the next track.

6. Must return to the home track and make at least one pass on the last day.

7. I believe there cannot be any "chase" vehicles. You are supposed to leave your tow rig at the "home" track and no one can following you in another vehicle with your spare parts, extra wheels/tires etc. However...you can have a tag along trailer behind your race car tho.

The average e.t. of all 5 best runs at all 5 tracks is the official time that places you on the list.

I'm thinking about this for my '95 Mustang GT Pure Stocker.
The only weak area would be the 4.56 gears I have in the rear, but the trans has overdrive so it works out to be a 3.10 or so rear gear in o.d.
I use a stock torque convertor right now and stock camshaft.
The car barely runs under the index for I/PS, (at legal weight) so I would need to find an extra 2 tenths out of the car to compensate for hot weather seeing as how they run this event in September.

I try to follow that every year too Alan and think it is a pretty neat deal. The really fast cars, like Larry Larson who wins it more times than not, are almost "street legal" Pro Mod cars as they put down some ridiculous times for cars that just drove in the gate. Still cool none the less but out of reach for the typical Joe. I read an article in Hot Rod magazine this week where he said one of those cars typically will run $200K.

Regarding running a Pure Stock car are there other classes that it might be competitive in? I'm not familiar with any classes other than the Big Dog one. The right Pure Stocker could easily make that trip and be able to complete a pass at each track. With the OD transmission I'm sure your car would be fine. As far as needing more ET put a new converter in it. That picked ours up a BUNCH and didn't affect drivability at all since we too have overdrive.

We used to drive ours to the track and could easily run 7-8 tenths under the B/PS index on drag radials. I have no concern that ours would also complete the road course part but the only thing that would worry me would be the drag radials in rain. A little iffy on traction on the highway. That's what I like about having a Pure Stocker and not an all-out race car. We do different things like that locally from time to time with ours. Right now we have a wet plate kit on it and do the Super Chevy fastest street car deal which you also have to complete a short road trip for. Ours is actually competitive and could win that (depending on the track and who shows) as it will go close to the 9s when I get the nitrous timer sorted out. We haven't been class racing because IHRA wants all of the solenoids, etc. removed from the car and I haven't done that.

I know Dan also runs his on the street and would have little trouble with the long hauls and then running under his index.

Scott

[Geerhead55]

Theres plenty of different classes, so an IHRA pure stocker should have a place to compete. Careful putting Larry Larson and the "Pro Mod" style cars in the same sentence as hes been pretty vocal how he feels about those style of cars vs cars like his that were assembly line produced. I'd have to agree with him on that. My 2 cents.
Danny Durham

Originally Posted by Geerhead55

Theres plenty of different classes, so an IHRA pure stocker should have a place to compete. Careful putting Larry Larson and the "Pro Mod" style cars in the same sentence as hes been pretty vocal how he feels about those style of cars vs cars like his that were assembly line produced. I'd have to agree with him on that. My 2 cents.
Danny Durham

Good point and you're correct. From my very limited knowledge there are Pro Mod style cars that compete in drag week but Larry's car is not in that group. I am very impressed that all of them, whether purpose built race cars or factory produced cars, can make those long trips then run the numbers that they do.

[SSGN]

This stuff is great racing. Been watching on the net and some real nice iron that is crazy fast and they drive it in the rain. The pure stocker idea is great.

Kevin

[ALMACK]

There is at least one F.A.S.T. car running this year...a black '69 Super Bee I believe. Hemi powered.

I like the convertor change idea.
Leave the engine alone and maybe pick up some power with that change.

My car also has heavy 295-50-15 drag radials on the back and heavy street radials on the front.
Maybe carry lightweight slicks and skinnies in the trailer ?
Spare w.p. belt
spare upper and lower hoses ?
spare battery ?

Heck, the list could get huge.

I wonder if the DW officials would make me take off my IHRA competition number and class decals ?

here's the live feed video for today:

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WMAm3UHV1TA"]httpss://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WMAm3UHV1TA[/ame]

[Geerhead55]

I haven't kept up with the video for a couple days , but there were several 6 second/ 200+ mph runs. I see Larry Larson left his '66 Chevy II home this year and brought out a killer looking S-10 pickup. Good luck to all the competitors,,, wish I could be there.
Danny Durham