Indy -SS first round hemi car no shows
 

What happened? many no shows........

Re: Indy -SS first round hemi car no shows
 

Typical of past years, guys like Teuton are the exception because they came to RACE. Personally, think it's a good thing since most of the AH cars come for the Hemi race and it allows a lot of good alternates to make it in....go Owen!!!!

Re: Indy -SS first round hemi car no shows
 

Always the case, expensive motors, many rounds in one weekend. In my opinion, they should make the Hemi Challenge its own race, no grade point requirements. If the guys want to run SS eliminator, too, then they pay extra and must have the grade points.

Re: Indy -SS first round hemi car no shows
 

I'd like to see a dual entry system at Indy for these cars. One option for those who have no intent on running SS eliminations and another option for those that do.

Indy is special, as are the Hemi cars being at Indy. I'd be in favor of letting anyone into the Shootout with no grade point requirement, but if they want to run SS Elim's in addition, they'd better have the requisite number.

Wouldn't think this could cause too many gripes or logistical problems either.

Ps. Didn't see mom's post until I made mine. Lol

Re: Indy -SS first round hemi car no shows
 

In that case, they shouldn't be included in the 180 entry quota, nor count as qualified against the 128 car total.

Re: Indy -SS first round hemi car no shows
 

Why were there so many singles? Where were the alternates???

Re: Indy -SS first round hemi car no shows
 

down to #141 got in, looking below them it appears the alternates who wanted in got in. I'm with the Jordan (Holton) clan, the Hemi cars are a whole special deal and deserve special consideration, which in turn would also benefit the other Super Stock competitors who are trying to qualify and compete at "the big show".

Re: Indy -SS first round hemi car no shows
 

I disagree completely, just because they have a Hemi car does NOT make the special at all. They're no better, and no more important, than any other competitor. Just because they want to spend $250K+ on a particular car doesn't make them anything other than just another Super Stock competitor.

Those cars are no more special than a Thunderbolt, a 427 Fairlane, a ZL-1 Camaro, a Max Wedge, or a Corvette with a 427 L-88 or L-72.

If you want to be "special", turn pro and join the big circus.

Re: Indy -SS first round hemi car no shows
 

Byron Worner
Re: Indy -SS first round hemi car no shows
Why were there so many singles? Where were the alternates???


I asked the same question. I was told that they had gone through all the alternates, evidently, a lot of people had already left to go home.

Back in the day, when we were an alternate, we would sit (with the car) at the back of the staging lanes and wait to see if we could run. Of course, we never did, and then the NHRA guys would tell us to leave because they had all the spots covered.

My how times have changed, back in the 70's when I first started, they would have to kick us out, now folks just leave or choose not to race.

Gary Merrick

Re: Indy -SS first round hemi car no shows
 

At that event they are "special". Hemi Challenge, racing the final round under the lights on Friday night, a big payday. You would not see that number of hemi cars show up for any other national event.

Re: Indy -SS first round hemi car no shows
 

Personally I think they are special. They are the only cars that sparked my interest into Superstock years ago. I know a lot of people come to watch the HEMI Challenge, so it would seem that many others think they are special too.

What they do with those cars is amazing in my eyes.

Re: Indy -SS first round hemi car no shows
 

Don't get me wrong, I don't have anything against the cars, or the people who own them, the cars are cool, and I know a few of those people. But "special" was bought for them. And the truth is, there is nothing good about elevating a particular group of cars or people above everything else in the same class and giving them special treatment.

Re: Indy -SS first round hemi car no shows
 

Agreed 100%.

Re: Indy -SS first round hemi car no shows
 

This happens every year.
Why so surprised ?

Re: Indy -SS first round hemi car no shows
 

The Hemi cars no more special than the others named? Any of the current SS/B cars (T-bolts, Vettes, etc), Gove's Daytona, Carey's S2000, Colvert's Mustang, (and I could name many more) are all indeed special but the AH cars represent the largest single collection and unique class of cars and therefore they've earned their own special class and status at Indy. I didn't make it so, the whole racing community made it so...end of story.

Re: Indy -SS first round hemi car no shows
 

Alan is right. Their "special" status at this race was bought for them. I love those cars, just as I love the T-Bolts. But they are no more special than any other factory race car from that era.

Re: Indy -SS first round hemi car no shows
 

No, MOPAR bought them their own show, and their own class, end of story. I don't remember any point in history where everyone in Super Stock was polled and asked if the Hemi cars were so special they deserved their own race and other special consideration.

Cool cars, owned by good people? Absolutely.

Deserving of any special consideration? Not in the least.

Re: Indy -SS first round hemi car no shows
 

Don't forget the much wider grey area in SS/AH

Re: Indy -SS first round hemi car no shows
 

It happens every year,but to me,it is very silly to have a perfectly good race car and be qualified in a field where 7 round wins can crown you a U.S. Nationals Super Stock title,and then you leave because" Its not worth it".Never has and never will made any sense to me.

Re: Indy -SS first round hemi car no shows
 

Yeah, they can run SS, but don't have to follow the same rules we do.

Re: Indy -SS first round hemi car no shows
 

Some wanna go fast... Some wanna win...

These things never change.

Re: Indy -SS first round hemi car no shows
 

I understand the fact that people disagree with Mopar creating the AH class. However, with out a doubt it is a fan favorite, and before that watching SS/AA & SS/A was a big deal, and I can remember the stands being filled with Mopar, HEMI, and favorite team shirts to watch class run offs.

The creation of AH was created to allow SS/A and SS/AA Hemi cars to run together as popularity grew with the class. This allowed one car to be crowned the baddest hemi on the planet, if my memory serves me correctly.

For whatever reason this class has grown with cars/clones, where as some have dwindled. I would say running at the hemi challenge at Indy would be on my bucket list.

Justin

Re: Indy -SS first round hemi car no shows
 

2013 NHRA Indy SS/AH Hemi Challenge - Round 5 - FINAL on youtube is cool. This was on my bucket list and it was a blast.

Now just need to see Northern Lights and Grandkids thru school. List complete!!

Re: Indy -SS first round hemi car no shows
 

was at indy to see the first hemi challenge race and have seen many since and if memory serves the field has increased 3to 4 times the orig number, dont care who puts up the money, would like to see this happen in every class the car count i mean, because class racing is cool weather it be hemis. 69 camaros, or whatever, just my thouhts.

Re: Indy -SS first round hemi car no shows
 

Agree 100%

Re: Indy -SS first round hemi car no shows
 

I was qualified 142 (with a SS/AH) and got in. Lost to Mike Cotten on a double breakout. I would like to know what rules we do not have to follow that every other SS does, besides the valve cover bolt hole/intake face rule, which has been approved and allowed for over 25 years. If you want to get into huge advantages, look at what the SS/GT cars get away with. I come to support the Hemi Shootout, but really come to race the race.

Re: Indy -SS first round hemi car no shows
 

Good for you Dan! I just wish there were more competitors like you to fill the first round. It is always this way every year and it would seem it could be corrected if the SS/AH competitors that aren't going to show for 1st round could give NHRA a notice prior to the shootout. This way it gives a guy that was 129-150 position that he may get into the show as an alternate. If somebody got into the show as an alternate and brought home money, would anybody be offended?

Re: Indy -SS first round hemi car no shows
 

You have the Hemi's in a special class and you don't think they are "special" but you want a "special" class for the new "stocker's".

I guess some people would be upset if you hung them with a new rope.

Sheesh.

Re: Indy -SS first round hemi car no shows
 

Redman had a list of who was not going to be in the 1st rd. and let the alternates know. I think NHRA did a good job in this respect. Everyone who entered got to race. Dyno

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I don't think we are special or get treated better than anyone else in class and I have raced every eliminator. For the last 19 years.but we do have a lot of egos that is good for the class of ah and super stock in general. The only thing special is that for the last 20 years we have more cars in ah than any other class. Nhra must think it's a good thing for fans because we got a little bit of tv time on espn. So kind of what dyno said nhra asked every ah racer and only 4 guys ran the big show.thats your own decision. Every ah guy paid their entry fee like everyone else.Joe Teuton ss/ah 4426

Re: Indy -SS first round hemi car no shows
 

The only reason we didn't run eliminator is because we were broke. We have run 5 national events and 6 points meets this year and run eliminator every one of them. Steve and Chuck Comella SS/AH 1969

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One may argue whether they are "special" or not....I do because the biggest and baddest production vehicle Detroit built during the muscle area.

But, more than that, when someone posts 15K over and above to win any particular class, that indeed makes it special.

Re: Indy -SS first round hemi car no shows
 

Maybe Chevy needs to step up and sponsor the 427 COPO Shootout and Ford the Thunderbolt Shootout.