Re: End of Stock and SuperStock Racing??
 

I choose to look to guys like Billy Nees as inspiriation, you dont need cubic dollars to go race and have fun. Isnt having fun what its about anyway? I'll run until theres no class left to run, then keep on bracket racing!

Re: End of Stock and SuperStock Racing??
 

Todd it dosent matter to me what you think. You dont like me and I sure dont like you even though I dont know you. Dosent matter to me anyway one way or another as you dont have a clue but I really hope I am wrong about stock and S/S racing for most of the people I have met and know. I lived and raced thru the best years of stock AND S/S racing and spent 23 years (I must have been crazy) of tech. for NHRA and IHRA. Its a different game now than then but some of you had better start listening to guys like Chuck Norton as he is one of the good guys. You dont have to listen to me and I dont want you to. Your right.....I havent raced in several years and I dont want to but I still love the class cars and keep up and stay in touch with some hard racers of my age. Some have left us way to soon. The entry costs are up...the purse's are way down. Contengicies are almost non existand if they pay at all. You are filler for the fuel queer's.Thats all. The new cars are beating your brains out in heads up runs. The AHFS is a joke. Very few good knowledgeable tech men are left today. Thank goodness for Dave Ley's, Travis Miller's and a few others. The racing associations treat you guys like crap and it wasnt like that back in the 70's. You must like it with your parking in the mud holes or a mile or two from the starting line and trying to hook your car on snot. Try to make it better and stick together as a team. Other wise you will have some very nice bracket cars at some point in the future. Dont you think that NHRA is getting tired of hearing every one pissing and moaning? Enough.....Im done and have to get back to waxing the ole hot rod.

Re: End of Stock and SuperStock Racing??
 

Anyone remember the Car Craft Stock series of 4 or 5 months? It was in 1968 I believe. Kept me waiting every month for more info on how to run Stock. By todays standard very basic and incomplete infor but just enough to "hook you" on searching for the 56 or 57 Dellivery for Jr. Stock or a 9 pass wagon to fit the class.
The years which have passed added THOUSANDS of new, newer combinations. All had advantages, options, tech differences. Then there are the NHRA Specs and enforcement issues.
I honestly believe a basic Mod motor /lb / cu model class that had tight rules could draw many from the current classes if played right by the Media, NHRA or tracks. I think one converter co or another might bite as sponsorship. Probably tires, gears wheels. Motor must be the same stuff.Cheaper. Play it up as the "Hot ticket " and be persistent and it could work for everyone. One spec motor for ANYONES chassis at the wt and gradually it would evolve...to everyones fun without 30K drive train. The view from outside is easier than looking over the garage full of parts for a "special " car lovingly progressed for 40 years.

Re: End of Stock and SuperStock Racing??
 

I know we've beat this to death Dick, but the Brodix spec thingy ain't such a bad idea. They took the guess work, and money out of the equation. We're killing ourselves with a thousand cuts. Just think, no more looking for the best head, or porter.

Re: End of Stock and SuperStock Racing??
 

I said nothing about not liking you, as for liking me,Thats fine. You come on here telling us our class is about to become obsolete. It is on its way, Im just not sure the time frame. I asked you some questions and you failed to answer any of them. I didnt ask for your resume.

I'm working on my stick shift stocker that I've been breaking my balls on since the begining of February. The reason I do this is because I love it, regardless of the results from my efforts. When my friends come by and see what I have to do to keep up with the other guys they tell me im crazy, and its not worth it. Guys arent willing to work and or spend money in this like the old days. That is one of the many reasons why the ship is heading the wrong way. I'm more like the guys from the old days then most of the guys from my generation racing today.

What is the answer? Go to a high school and give a kid the keys to my car and offer him a ride? Make everything bracket racing so anybody will want to race? Buybacks ? Stock cars off the showroom class? I havent a clue, thats above my pay grade.
As for street rods and car shows, that sounds like a lot of fun when your 60 and up. I'm not ready for that pasture yet. I've been to car shows, it gets old quick. But its good for guys that dont want to race anymore. Enjoy your wax job. As the famous Ed Obrien used to say. "HAVE A NICE DAY"

Re: End of Stock and SuperStock Racing??
 

Your dreaming if you thinks guys will buy those heads, clean off the cosmolene and go racing as is. Guys who have the most money, racing smarts, and work the hardest will rule the class. The guys with the cars that don't run will accuse the fast guys of cheating and will give up.

Re: End of Stock and SuperStock Racing??
 

I don't think so Todd. I know people will try to cheat, but at Knoxville sprints, they have brodix police the heads, and they ain't bashful about kicking people out. And the locals run right with the hitters. If they allow you to do nothing but mill, valve job, and polish the combustion chamber, I've found out they are pretty hard to fool. After all, they design, and cast the product they police.

Re: End of Stock and SuperStock Racing??
 

If NHRA followed suit, that would be an interesting angle. But the higher up would never pay anyone to do that.

Re: End of Stock and SuperStock Racing??
 

I think brodix does it as a courtesy at the Nationals, and uses the threat of shipping heads in question to Mena for inspection the rest of the season. They don't do this, but I always thought an exchange of heads, without valves, with the protester putting up $500, or $1,000 dollars to boot for exchange would keep things legal.

Re: End of Stock and SuperStock Racing??
 

I believe Chuck nailed it.

Re: End of Stock and SuperStock Racing??
 

I was told by my Div. Director that "I don't sanction drag races anymore, I sanction alternative lifestyle weekends". And that pretty well sums up what NHRA wants from participants/customers at/in their program. If they're comfortable hanging out in their coach with their friends and enjoying a nice weekend away with the family then they're probably not as concerned about stuff like run-orders and payouts.This isn't a slap at the "pay-to-play" racers, it's just a fact, an opinionated fact. I'm all for people spending their monies where ever they want to and if they're willing to spend it on/in "my sport" then that's all the better. BUT, over the years I've seen a great majority of "pay-to-play" racers come and go. I guess that they get bored easily.
From my experiences, most of the "doers" that are or were in the sport are not very good "watchers" or spectators. I'm still trying to do the best that I can to keep "my sport" alive and well!

Re: End of Stock and SuperStock Racing??
 

Post of the year on this subject. Couldn't have been said any better.

Re: End of Stock and SuperStock Racing??
 

I am pretty sure that Stock and Super Stock had a quota of 70 each at Norwalk. They must have raised the quota to 75 and right now,both classes are full.

Re: End of Stock and SuperStock Racing??
 

Well it's Sunday morning, I have my coffee and my cigarettes and I find this post at the top of the list.

First of I am over 65 years old and I have been drag racing since I was 13. I have been racing Stock, Super Stock and Modified Production for most of those year even though I started out at 13 as a crew member for a B/G car. I was racing almost every other night somewhere on the East Coast back in the days of SuperStock Match Racing "Sunday, Sunday." I have raced on a Wednesday night somewhere on the East Coast with the stands and the fence jam packed to see and Eight Car SuperStock Match Race. And Yes I have a 72 Duster which I work on almost every day and am ready to go racing any time. But yes it is completely different now, just read this site anytime you turn on your computer. There is so much argueing and complaining. I remember days when a car broke everyone pitched in got him running even though you knew before the day was over you might have to line up beside of him.

If you don't think NHRA will pull the plug talk to racers who raced Modified Production or Pro Stock Truck. The biggest crowd pleaser "back in the day" was a pair of modified production cars paired up with those high winding small blocks with the wheels so high the bumper was almost ground off. How many in North Carolina can remember the Gas and Modified races on Sunday at Kinston Dragway. If you were not there early you parked in the field. How long before there will be a parade of the last standing stock/Superstockers at the last race before it ends?

BRACKET RACING, sorry but this and TEST-N-TUNE is what is keeping many of the drag strips open. I just heard a Track Owner tell a group of racer that his biggest money making night is TEST-N-TUNE. The stands are full and the pits are full. There is no fighting, argueing and complaining on TEST-N-TUNE. That is only because they don't have to advertise and racers who want to run their cars will show up anyway and bring all their friends with them to watch. No BRACKET RACER, be in the Stock and SuperStock pits before eliminations and watch the marker bottles come out before they even get in the cars. When we went away from pulling into the pits with B/S, C/SS, E/MP, B/G on the windshield and pull to the starting line and the tower put in what ever the National Record was on that date, as published every week in National Dragster, then it became a Bracket RACE. In those days, Lord help you if guys like Bobby Warren and Haywood Register out of Clinton, North Carolina had been racing the week before. Look back at the old Dragsters in Stock in those days and see how quick your National Record could change.

CAR SHOWS, I am local and I have so many requests to display my race car at Car Shows. I and my sponsors have to thank Pinks All Out 2009 at Z-Max Dragway to thank for that. I probably give away 40 or 50 photos cards at some car shows of the photo taken at Pinks All Out at Z-Max. I have made this comment in post over and over, We as racers have to promote the sport of drag racing. The tracks don't do it any more. They seem to think that everyone will get up, turn on the computer, and go see where there is a drag race that week-end. Well let me tell you a secret. There are people here in North Carolina who don't even know that there are still drag strips operating in North Carolina. I had the race car on display yesterday at a car show for the Children's Miracle Network Charity. I had a gentleman come up and look at the car, looked at the poster of photos and then saw the names of the tracks we run at. His comment was I use to drag race years ago and remember all of those old tracks. Most of his racing was at Piedmont and some times at Person County, now does that tell you how old he was. He said and I quote " I heard that Piedmont had been sold years ago and had been closed up." This is not a one time thing, this happens almost every time we have this car on display at a CAR SHOW. The thing I like most other than talking to people about the car and drag racing is the young people and children that come up and want to talk about drag racing and drag race cars. I have a bad habit of making show car owners mad because I will open the door, take down the window net and put a young person inside the car to see what it's like. Parents and grandparents will take pictures and the last thing those smiling faces ask before they walk away is " when and where are you going to race again."

Okay three cups of coffee, don't know how many cigarettes, and I know I have stepped on enought toes to keep this board going for weeks. But I for one will be drag racing and around drag racing events until there is and ad in the news paper to bring flowers. I have three generations working on and racing a car as a family. The only way the type of car you want to race will survive is if you as a racer and a spectator promote the sport, attend the races you can afford, and when you are put out of the race stay and support your friends and fellow racers to the end. Don't put your car on the trailer and leave. You have already spent your money, stay and enjoy the race.

Don't turn down some charity in your area when asked to display your car or better yet you go to them and offer your car for display, WE are the future of the sport that we all love. "Inside this car is a blood borne disease for which there is no know cure, DRAG RACING."

Re: End of Stock and SuperStock Racing??
 

Not to be smart but S and SS are eliminators not classes.
A/S or SS/F are classes. If you divide the 70 cars admitted into "class" I bet there are 50 Bye Runs....(Might not run class there)
Create one or two Mod classes with limited motors and points for records towards a prize or trophy and watch the cars come out of the closet.

Re: End of Stock and SuperStock Racing??
 

Yea,sure.

Re: End of Stock and SuperStock Racing??
 

Running class is and was the most rewarding. First you have the chance to have the same car, same hp, same parts. Then you get to tune it, work on it, drive it against the SAME cars owned by other people. You drive it better, tune it better maintain it better then you can WIN class. You run eliminator as extra. Eliminator you can lose so many ways it seems less rewarding except for loving being there Sunday in front of the crowd
442 you may be correct the thrill of heads up racing has been dumbed down a lot in some cases. Many $ stock and SS cars now can create the image of $ being the only thing which counts but regardless the cost the winners still are putting together the package to win.

Re: End of Stock and SuperStock Racing??
 

If HEADS UP racing is the solution,they why were there less than 16 Pro Stockers at the last NHRA National event (for a 16 car qualified field),and furthermore,why do the fans typically leave when the Pro Stockers race?

Re: End of Stock and SuperStock Racing??
 

Million $ cars with Million $ budgets. No chance of everyday racers.Try a REAL Camaro vs a Real Mustang, vs a Charger same Specs and owned by a guy in your town and it could be different. No TURBO vs, injected vs Charged. ALL THE SAME STUFF>

Re: End of Stock and SuperStock Racing??
 

442 it's easy to figure out why everyone leaves the stands after Pro Stock. It's time to warm up in the Hot car pit area. If you are in the pits during any racing after top fuel and fuel funny car you will know because the pits will fill up. Unfortunately that is the show they came to see.

Re: End of Stock and SuperStock Racing??
 

The reason there are only 16 pro stockers entered, are there are only 16 people wealthy enough, and love it enough to race it. I want to race pro stock, as does every racer I personally know. The reason the crowd leaves, and few stay in the stands, are that the few who stay in the stands, are the ones who understand drag racing. The masses are just there for the noise, because that's all they can relate to. Case in point, no one grew up understanding it. What was there, over 80 mod cars that protested the demise of mod racing at Indy in 82? It wasn't stopped because of lack of participation, but the ease of maintaining such a class. But, no one argues that it was the grassroots of drag racing. Now, I think they know it was a huge mistake, and led to the complete demise of crowd appeal in sportsmen racing.

Re: End of Stock and SuperStock Racing??
 

bb

Re: End of Stock and SuperStock Racing??
 

I have read all 142 posts, some very interesting thought processes going on and a lot of passion on the topic. I am a complicated guy but sometimes you just need to keep it simple or you could have health problems. The serenity prayer may help....

When and if it ever ends I will be racing stock until that day. Just saying, lol

Re: End of Stock and SuperStock Racing??
 

Hey Joe A 71 vette? You don't want one of them it will just slow you down. LOL

Re: End of Stock and SuperStock Racing??
 

A 74 is better right Mr. High Flying B.P.

Re: End of Stock and SuperStock Racing??
 

I agree and I wish IHRA would have kept theyre version of Modified Production also and Modified was an amazing class in both HRAs!

Re: End of Stock and SuperStock Racing??
 

it is not just that it is heads up, it has to be exciting, meaning race the prostocks without wheelie bars and /or a tire size limitation. Puts the driver back in control. The casual fan wants to be entertained, and after watching fuel cars run, pro stocks seem slow.