Originally Posted by Buick6 (Post 532491)

Dwight Southerland nailed it for me. Most drag racing fans love heads up racing and just don't get handicap starts. One of the reasons handicap racing was started was to get more drivers participating. But from a spectator perspective, it can be pretty boring.

Originally Posted by Dan Fahey (Post 532470)

Dear Mark Yaccavone:

To answer your question.. YES !!
I suggested Bolt on Mods for the new Pure Stockers.
No modifications under the Valve Covers.
Stock MAF and TB and Pulleys.

Gears, Converters, Headers, Hi Perf mufflers, Suspension upgrades,
Pure Stock rules on DOT and Slicks.

All about keeping the inspection process clean and easy.
They are fast and see a pent up demand to race them in a Class Environment.
A lot of people have bought these cars....!

Asked many times how to get these new cars integrated into Pure Stock.
Many of these cars cost as much as our Stockers off the show room floor.
Would be drive the aftermarket for parts.

In fact willing to sponsor an ALL PURE STOCK race with new an Current Cars and put my money where my mouth is.
Could use a bit of advice how to plan, advertise and implement this.
Would use existing IHRA Rules.
Plus the ones I suggested for the new cars.

Would need volunteers to inspect the cars.
Again matching what IHRA would have to go through.
Exciting part there will be heads up races.
Truly believe there is a market to Classify and Race these cars.

I can see the heads up controversy now.
Remembering back in 1974..
Tommy Howes won Stock at 75&80 with his 454 Chevelle SS.
Tommy was challenged by Kenny Koonce and Leon & Eddie Maranian about how legal was Tommy's engine was. Offering him $200 back then to tear down his engine. What a conversation that was..!

Street Outlaws learned from us !!

Dan

Originally Posted by Dwight Southerland (Post 532471)

I have been following this with interest. There are two issues that are evident. First, whether you like it or not, heads up runs are a critical part of the value and attraction for Stock Eliminator. It is missing in just about every other sportsman eliminator definition, yet it is core to the idea of all forms of racing. The majority of race fans and participants find head to head competition much more exciting than handicap breakout racing, and it is easier to sell and understand. Secondly, while it seems that the common opinion is that NHRA makes a bunch of money from Stock eliminator participation, if you talk to them they state the opposite. We do not have hard facts to support either position. It would seem that if Stock Eliminator were such a cash cow, NHRA would put more effort into supporting it. But the evidence seems to point to a different reality. I think it is time to have the facts come out into the open and see what the real situation is. A healthy Stock Eliminator program will be better served with cooperation from both sides in this "association".

In reference to the first point, combining stick and automatics as well as eliminating half pound breaks will help create more heads up races. I know that will rub the wrong way because it threatens some protected corners that racers have found and will erode some racers' little fiefdoms they have built, but it will vastly increase the percentage of heads up runs.

In regard to the second point, trust from both sides in large quantities is the commodity that will be required to make it work.

Originally Posted by Dave Gantz (Post 532517)

Maybe I'm missing something but, inspecting cars is one thing; determining port volume, valve size, compression ratio, cam lift and duration, etc., is quite another. To paraphrase an old axiom, "The more rules there are, the more cheating there's going to be".

Originally Posted by Buick6 (Post 532510)

More cars = more drivers.