Re: Year End Power For S/SS
 

If the car starts and runs, you've got a chance of winning a "Heads-up".
Ya brings your ice, ya dumps your oil, ya "pulls the rabbit outta the hat" and ya goes fer it.
In some ways, other than a bye, it just might be the easiest run that you'll have all day!

Re: Year End Power For S/SS
 

I have been Racing since the 60's and the system has worked. Sometimes your the fastest and some days the slowest. Also if you don't have a dog in the hunt, don't worry about it. There is nothing better then class racing.
Just my opinion. You tell them Ed.

Re: Year End Power For S/SS
 

I can see it now !! Personal indexes for everyone !! #1 qualifier at next years Hemi challenge will be an 8.70 !! and #16 will be an 8.38 !!! And the race will have to be extended a week just to work out and fight over the indexes !!

Re: Year End Power For S/SS
 

Don’t think anyone is seriously proposing that eliminating heads up is a good solution and Comp’s personal index system would indeed be a nightmare. The rub here is racers who hit a combination for no other earthly reason than pure ego, ignorance or in some cases just being uninformed. But as Cooter pointed out, one way or another you get it figured out!

Have been on both ends of heads up runs in eliminations, those runs stand out in your mind forever and will always be fun. And rest assured, if I must trigger a review (or even an automatic hit if I should ever be that fast) in order to win a heads up I surely will. Racing to 1000’ is BS.

Hope they run class at the Baby Gators as rumored, that will be a blast.

Re: Year End Power For S/SS
 

Darrel I get where you're at, with your combo it's been hit so many times that no matter how much money you throw at it it's not going to really all that fast in your class. My stuff is not all that fast but I'm trying to protect what I got left! I will tell you this though, the last two division races I was trying to get heads up 1st round and missed by 1 spot both times but I was chasing points and wanted a round any way I could get it. In hindsight I wish I would have just went out and raced my regular way since nothing really worked out for me lol!
I can also tell you this, when it's heads up you never know what can happen. A few years ago at Charlotte I saw two back to back won by the slower car who had "no chance" so as they say that's why we actually run them down the track!
The good thing about Stock in my opinion is there's a place for everyone, you don't have to be the fastest just like you've pointed out with 40 events and no heads up runs and you've been quite successful in those races too.
Edit: It wasn't the last 2 races but 2 races before the last one. Last one I went back to just racing and that didn't work either!

Re: Year End Power For S/SS
 

Come on Cooter ! Darrel cars has been hit so many times it’s why it’s slow.
Check ... Bubba Linke.Not Slow. This is what I like about Stock racing
It’s a bracket race until the dreaded HeadUp race
I recently got my *** kicked 2 times at National Events and it sucked but it’s
like going to tha casino you know the possibility of losing at any moment
Any car can be Fast You just have to work hard and spend your$$$ like a drunken sailor or drag racer That’s why we class race and not bracket race
Because It’s Different. Not for. The weak.

Re: Year End Power For S/SS
 

Please don't get me wrong, I love racing, that's why I'm jumping in this madness. Furthermore I can stand toe to toe with anyone here with my right foot, just not with the pocketbook. I think I have a darn good engine and a lot of car savvy, so we'll see about the later part
I like what Mr Carter wrote, sounds like he knows and tells the way it is, sometimes we all get a little crazy.
The best to everyone, I meant no disrespect to anyone.
Mike

Re: Year End Power For S/SS
 

There are a few it-1 cars that are pretty good but not many. I swear Bubba can find a couple et sometimes I wouldn't have thought possible. Must be the Bud Lights

Re: Year End Power For S/SS
 

Even at 3130 we would be carrying ballast in my Camaro. As the car sits right now it would be hard to get enough weight in it to run D.

In regards to the rest of this thread, without heads-up runs Stock and Super Stock would be done.

Re: Year End Power For S/SS
 

I ran class years ago. Nowadays when I go to points meet and everyone seems to shut off at 1000 ft it drives me crazy. I would like no ahfs for qualifying or on heads up runs. To me that would encourage a performance based class.

Re: Year End Power For S/SS
 

Dilly Dilly

M

Re: Year End Power For S/SS
 

I have drag raced for 28 years. I have raced in stock for the last 7 years. To date I have never had a legitimate "fast" car. I got in to stock because of the cars, the people and the style of racing. The heads up races I have been a part of have been the some of the most fun and exciting things I've done in racing. I have won some and lost some always at a performance deficit, they have provided me some of my fondest memories in racing.
Three years ago in Vegas I had a heads up against a very fast car from the east coast, we thrashed through the wee hours, then iced and oiled etc. did all we could. The race played out with my opponent going .007 on the tree to my .020 we left together with the wheels up and then he started marching away for the win... I asked him later what the h..l he was thinking going after the tree that hard! He got a wry smile and said "well the way you were working on that sumbitch I was going for it"!!! Priceless!
Several years before that my son had a heads up in the quarters of a local combo race. Our opponent had us covered by at least .4 all day. We thrashed did all we could. The race played out with my kid being .012 on the tree and our opponent .200 something and we took narrow win for a bye into the final and ultimately the event win! The excitement and pride of that race is the coolest thing I've ever experienced in racing!
My point is, win or lose, The system isn't perfect but it sure is a lot of fun! I for one will keep working on my junk and having a ball!

Re: Year End Power For S/SS
 

We have had a few heads up rounds since we have been running stock the last four years. There are two that stand out, the first time we ran heads up we blew the motor at 1000' against Mike Mcdonald. The other round Marissa was good on the tree, and was getting our butt out ran until guy let out and lost her until she went around him for the WIN. You never know what your going to get until you run it out.

Re: Year End Power For S/SS
 

Might be a headache to sort thru the statistics, but it would cool to see a list of the letter classes that have experienced the most most heads up runs in eliminations over the last 10 years or so at NHRA events.

Re: Year End Power For S/SS
 

I attended four division two points races this year and lost heads up races at two of them but I love the system as is. One of the races I didn't work on the car but after a pretty close race wished I had. In the other heads up I worked on the car, went 1.00 under and still lost but again I see no need for any additional changes in the rules. If stock eliminator was easy us diehards probably wouldn't like it near so much.

Re: Year End Power For S/SS
 

I have been running stock for nearly 40 years now. Have had several heads up runs over the years that I won where I either had the better light or my opponent had problems. I have had my butt kicked and still enjoyed the challenge. S/SS is a performance based class and I enjoy the mechanical challenge as much as anything.
I once had a friend tell me that if I ever didn't wake up one morning thinking about something to help the performance of my car it was time to quit.
Don't think about it as often now but I still have a lot to try and learn.

Enjoy what you can do or find something that you do, life is too short.

Re: Year End Power For S/SS
 

After several heads up runs this year I know at least two things. One my car needs a better driver. Two NEVER go to Indy with last years stuff and think you going to be competitive, it just don't work.

Re: Year End Power For S/SS
 

I meant to ask you this earlier. Are you in the class for the love of the sport? Or here trying to make money with the least amount of effort?

Re: Year End Power For S/SS
 

Awesome read!

Re: Year End Power For S/SS
 

+1 Awesome read.

Re: Year End Power For S/SS
 

Hi Todd, that's easy to answer....love of the sport mostly because of the people and cars in the class. I haven't figured out how to make much money. I haven't been very successful at that on or off the track especially in this class. When I counted up the number of national and divisional events it was a wake up call knowing that it takes about 1K per event to participate.

Re: Year End Power For S/SS
 

Last year NHRA released averages including through Pomona...anyone know if they’re planning on doing that again or is it just wait to see what adjustments pop out on December 21st?

Re: Year End Power For S/SS
 

I hope so.
The last one posted was Oct. 19

Re: Year End Power For S/SS
 

We went to six races this year lost, heads up, to the same car, twice. I'm still crying about it but Dad's already working on the car to correct the problems we had this year. I've never been a killer heads up racer but I don't back away from it and I don't think SS racing would be the same without it.

I also earned HP this year. We found ourselves in some really good air on race day and went a second under twice. I miss read the rules, didn't correct my mistake and paid the price. I did win a Wally though so I'd have to say I'd do it again.

Re: Year End Power For S/SS
 

It should be out this week.

Re: Year End Power For S/SS
 

It’s posted. See link

http://www.nhraracer.com/content/gen...311&zoneid=132

Competitor requests also up. There is going to be lots of hand wringing but that’s just how it goes.

Re: Year End Power For S/SS
 

Stock
hp increases...


https://scontent-atl3-1.xx.fbcdn.net...3c&oe=5C948082

Re: Year End Power For S/SS
 

Super Stock

hp increases...


https://scontent-atl3-1.xx.fbcdn.net...bd&oe=5CA4814C

Re: Year End Power For S/SS
 

so the 1988 sundance goes to 157 HP in stock while the 1988 sundance is still 150 in super stock... what am i missing here?

Re: Year End Power For S/SS
 

My guess is no one runs one in super stock.

Re: Year End Power For S/SS
 

Nice, 4hp of the Corvette! Now to put the other engine in and see how fast the poor thing can go. Looks like we will have to keep working on the Camaro in SS !