Re: They say you can't go back....but...??
 

Billy I disagree with the tighter the rules are, the easier it is to cheat. I think the less you govern rules, the easier it is to cheat but I could be wrong. NHRA provides a nice stage for us to race on but I firmly believe that they take less and less pride in their product by changing rules instead of enforcing them because they don't want to spend money to hire necessary tech officials. Aren't we entitled to that? Isn't that what we pay for when we renew memberships, competition numbers, and pay astronomical entry fees?

Jack, my car is already in the works to become a stocker and with a little luck it will be ready soon (circa 2017) so I would be screwed if the new pure stock class did come to fruition because I could have saved money! As far as being ready to pull a rod and piston, well of course I'm ready, it was a factory mustang with 160,000 miles and the valve covers had yet to be removed. However, I am like Howard, Fine, and Howard if you wanted to see a comedy show and watch me try to pull a piston and rod it would make for a great dinner time story. I am no mechanic which I hate admitting but it's the truth so someone would have to help me in that scenario! :confused:

I know you consider me the new guy but I watched and grew up around S/SS for 20 years before I started driving so I'm not thatttt new!

Re: They say you can't go back....but...??
 

In regards to your first sentence, making the rules tighter and not governing the rules are two different things. In regards to your second, yes they are taking less "pride in they're product". The people at the top only care about the bottom line and the Techs that love the sport are going away or retireing. And finally, yes, we should be entitled to "that" but we are also entitled to not renew our membership. The days of being a member meaning something are long gone just like post race teardowns.

Re: They say you can't go back....but...??
 

mike, nice try i like it nhra will never go back start your own association.

billy, its not the rules it is the amount and seriousness of teardowns. at the rate they pull nowadays you might win the lottrery first... and always same guys never a non qualifier or #120 at indy then when tossed a few phone calls, and SHAZAAM they are in and the rule is "relaxed" next year.... lets teardown ALL class winners at indy, and 12 or more at all nationals, and three at every divisional, and top qualifier at all opens... hell mr gasket should help pay for the tech guys...

and this is why i dislike combos... no tech, no protests, some even no heads ups

hell lets start a carbs only stocker association ??
merry christmas to the asshole who asked for roller rockers !
jack

Re: They say you can't go back....but...??
 

Not many players on this board would admit to that. I admire your poetry as it also suits myself to a T.

So tell me Billy, where do you think this "class" thing is heading? A combo? Qualified 32 car field? Dial in only, no heads up? I believe there are major changes on the horizon and the old school NHRA disciples will not be very happy.

Re: They say you can't go back....but...??
 

Many of us were racing before brackets came along. Dial only, no heads ups, combos, would probably be the time a lot of us to quit. If you want to race like that, why don't you just go run brackets (It will be the same thing but cheaper for you and you won't have to know as much or work as hard.) and not worry about it?

Re: They say you can't go back....but...??
 

I think they'll stay pretty much the same but I think the rules will become more liberal. I don't think you'll ever see them do away with heads-up runs. I'd love to see NHRA start doing spot checks and teardowns on 1ST or 2ND round losers at Natl. Events and at Div. Events to a lesser degree. You don't have to tear everybody down just as long as everybody thinks that they could POSSIBLY be torn down. Heads-up runs and teardowns are an integral part of our eliminator.

Re: They say you can't go back....but...??
 

I fully agree.

Re: They say you can't go back....but...??
 

Billy, I guess the whole Junior Stock era ,aura, and mystique is officially dead now.
I picked up that 79 Bonneville for the engine, to go in another project.
I thought I'd put the body up for sale, instead of scrapping it...just to give somebody a chance at an easy .5- .75 under car that could probably be built for 10-15 grand.
After 6 weeks, and 1000 views,...No (zero) inquiries or response.
It seems that if people can afford the entries, fees, travel, etc, plus a big rig,...they can afford a low 11 or 10 sec. car to get their kicks...More fun, I suppose ,...win or lose.
I bet Jody Lang's having fun, though...

Re: They say you can't go back....but...??
 

Don't really follow ya Ed. Been bracket racing non stop since 1973. The intention of my post was to hear another bracket racers thoughts on where class racing is headed.

Re: They say you can't go back....but...??
 

Guess am a bit naive. Do you really think that there are that many Stk and SS racers out there cheating or do these cars need to be looked at for safety concerns? The pot of gold after Sundays final just does not seem big enough to chance a years vacation. If 99.9% of the rounds are shoe polished, whats the point of cheating?

Re: They say you can't go back....but...??
 

Kevin - I believe there are a few in this room that have tried the yellow Lab .................

Re: They say you can't go back....but...??
 

Faaaar out, man.........................woof!!

Re: They say you can't go back....but...??
 

Ego. I've always called it the big d**k syndrome.

Re: They say you can't go back....but...??
 

It's a matter of honesty and respect. I've actually had an NHRA tech say "Watch this, I can tech Scott Wilcox's car blindfolded." And that's exactly what he did. He closed his eyes and signed the tech card because he knew that my car was correct and an open book. NHRA techs had open access to anything on my car, without complaint or opposition, anytime they asked for it. And over time, they knew it was right.

If you can't win in this game honestly, then it's thievery.... and I think I speak for most of the racers on this board in saying that if you cheat, (or essentially try to screw us) we don't want you around.
A win is a great thing if you earned it. It's worth nothing if you stole it.

Re: They say you can't go back....but...??
 

At the D4 races I attended last year I didn't see anyone get torn down. Are they tearing down a few cars at divisionals anymore like they use to?

Re: They say you can't go back....but...??
 

Ed, you missed a few. LOL Chris Chaney at Houston & Jeff Covert at Noble are two I can think of off the top of my wrinkled balding head. I'm sure that is not all.

Re: They say you can't go back....but...??
 

The only time I remember them tearing cars down at divisionals was for record setting.
And now with the current ahfs people don't want to set records, Unless it's held by Mr. Minumum

Re: They say you can't go back....but...??
 

Ed,

When I raced back then I would have to work (service station) for a month just to buy a set of headers whereas the moneyed racers had no problem buying parts and doing the work to crush records and make your car uncompetitive in a single night.

Back then you couldn't move to another class without buying another car because cars were classed by shipping weight and HP.

JimR

Re: They say you can't go back....but...??
 

You could change carbs to change classes with most cars. 2bl, 4bl, multiple carbs, etc. We usually put toll road money in the glove box when we left for out of town races just to make sure we could pay the toll to get back, and put back money for gas ahead of time to pay for the trips. Usually carried sandwiches to eat. I had to make traction bars, etc, because I couold not afford to buy everything. Built my own engines, trans, set up my own rear gears, etc, etc. I often held the record, and never had anybody "bury" it to where I couldn't run it.

Re: They say you can't go back....but...??
 

Your quote brings back some fine memories. On Memorial Day weekend in 74 we won the National Invitational at York Pa. Once we got down to 4 cars we knew we were in the money, so we spent what we had for tolls and gas on a feast of food from the concession stand. Well we won tore it down were found legal. And given a check for the win. We had nowhere to cash the check on a Sunday night, everyone had left the track by then. So we had to camp out in the truck at York till the bank opened on Tuesday morning. With nothing to eat, and only the oily well water to drink.
But it was our first win and worth it.

Re: They say you can't go back....but...??
 

When Jeanie & I could finally afford a ramp truck so she could help with driving (she never could deal with towing (tow bar). We could not get off work long enough to travel early. Most always drove all night after working all day Friday, so worked all day then drove all night. Then drove all night Sunday to get home to work Monday. We finally traded my work car for an old 1 ton cab & chassis, I spent most of the winter extending the frame and building tool boxes, adding a big tank and ramps. I had to drive it to work & back as a second car, 18 miles each way. We could drive in shifts then. I think she watched the race car in the mirror while towing with the two bar. Very scary. LOL I'm way too old to race like that now. Pay outs were about the same as now, but went a lot further. My '56 Chevy Jr. Stocker paid a lot of it's own way. That money sure doesn't go as far now, does it?