Do you try to find a heads up race or try to prevent one
 

In another thread I brought up the subject of heads up racing only when you draw another car in your same class in regular eliminations. I'd like to see what your thoughts are. When you race stock and/or super stock do you try and/or hope for a heads up round or to you try/hope to prevent one? Thanks.

Re: Do you try to find a heads up race or try to prevent one
 

Lets say there are 7 G/SA cars in the field. The fastest one has the others covered by .25 seconds, except for only one, who is 0.03 behind. I am pretty sure that 5 of them will not want a heads up run against the fastest one. Only the #2 guy wants the chance to run #1.

It all comes down to where you fit among the others. If you are the fastest I'll bet you will want nothing but heads up runs.

It is only aggravating when you work on your stuff and seem to progress and then NHRA arbitrarily does some factoring in question.

Ron Ortiz
U/SA chicken one day, feathers the next day.

Re: Do you try to find a heads up race or try to prevent one
 

Darrel, yes I love heads up racing, especially when it means something. I look forward to heads up runs 90% of the time cause it will be a good race, the other 10% are guys who might be faster than me. BUT I do love the idea of trying. It is fun tuning it up and giving it all you have just as the other racer is doing the same. AND yes I got beat heads up (B.Parker, that SOB) once in the finals of a National event. If not for that chance to have heads up racing I would put my hot rod on the street before I bracket race it every weekend.

Re: Do you try to find a heads up race or try to prevent one
 

I'm not going to lie, I don't go looking for them. On the other hand I don't necessarily go out of my way to avoid them either. I can say though one of the funniest races I've ever been involved in was a heads up that I lost by a few thousandth. I was .011 and she was .013 and we were side by side all the way down the track, it was a blast.

Re: Do you try to find a heads up race or try to prevent one
 

I qualify normally, with a little weight in it. If I come up with a HU race fine, if not that's fine too.

Re: Do you try to find a heads up race or try to prevent one
 

If you have a fast car it makes sense to try to run a class that has the largest amount of cars in it for a higher chance of getting a heads up. When I started racing, I would say I was around the middle of the pack in my class. I obviously didn't look for heads up runs, but heads up runs keep Stock exciting. There's nothing like seeing two cars prep for a heads up run, and they both leave on the back bumper. It's always a shocker when somebody thinks they have somebody covered and lays back on the tree then the opponent picks up .30 and wins on a hole shot. I have received and had a scenario like that happen to me. It seems there are fewer and fewer people who build their own cars , but I think the ones that do (myself included) take great pride in doing so and enjoy competing and sometimes outrunning some of the cars that were professionally built.

Re: Do you try to find a heads up race or try to prevent one
 

To add to what Cooter said, last year at the Charlotte fall race there were 2 heads up runs in the same round. The 2 guys that won those rounds didn't have a chance in hell if you would've asked anyone there including them! That's what makes these races exciting and fun to watch.

Re: Do you try to find a heads up race or try to prevent one
 

I had a K/SA that was a 5 tenths under car and had a heads-up run with a guy that out qualified me by 3 tenths. Like Jimmy said he laid down on the tree and I was.031. I ran 12.40 and he ran 12.25.....I won! That was a great feeling!

Re: Do you try to find a heads up race or try to prevent one
 

To a moderator. Could you please remove this thread that I started? I had no intentions of making anyone upset by my questions and am sorry I started the thread. I don't see how I can delete it myself. Thanks.

Re: Do you try to find a heads up race or try to prevent one
 

I don't see anybody upset. Some of us like them, some do not. Depends on if your the faster or slower car. I've been on both sides of it.

Re: Do you try to find a heads up race or try to prevent one
 

I was referring to the other thread where I originally brought up the question.

Re: Do you try to find a heads up race or try to prevent one
 

We had a heads up last year and knew we were the way under dog and did get our butt kicked as matter of fact we blew motor on that heads up. That is what makes class racing and definently gets your blood a pumping a little faster and try and make your car better.

Re: Do you try to find a heads up race or try to prevent one
 

If......you take "heads up" out of eliminations......eliminations become a bracket race, except...you still have to dial under the index and you have to be legal. Heads up, bragging rights, and who has the fastest car, would be left for class eliminations. That's not all bad. It for sure would take some of the expense out of racing. The potential expense for running your car on "kill" obviously much greater than in "bracket mode". Contingency money does not increase, entry fees go up....why not make it a little less expensive for the racer by avoiding heads up races? Just my 2 cents

Re: Do you try to find a heads up race or try to prevent one
 

To me it is so simple if you are against heads up races simply do not race stock or super stock. How hard is that. There are all kinds of other classes go play there.

Re: Do you try to find a heads up race or try to prevent one
 

I've had heads up runs in the first round at the last two races I've been to. I'm still going to keep showing up because it's part of racing a stocker. You do the best you can and that's it.

Re: Do you try to find a heads up race or try to prevent one
 

trying to make the car faster and heads up races are the only reason I do it

Re: Do you try to find a heads up race or try to prevent one
 

They hardly contest class now, so why build/spend money on a car to follow rules? Maybe guys should start racing N/SS that don't want heads up racing. That would be easy. Then everybody can hang out and cook hamburgers at the races instead of working on the cars.

If you want to take expense out of racing, don't race, or run the local bracket scene. Best way to cut cost.

Re: Do you try to find a heads up race or try to prevent one
 

It s part of racing Stock and Super Stock and I love it. Va. Div race I had a head up race 1st round in Super Stock got my -ss kick and 3rd round of Stock I won. Part of the game we play.:):)

Re: Do you try to find a heads up race or try to prevent one
 

Now granted, I don't run in D/SA but when I'm racing, I try not to think too much!

Re: Do you try to find a heads up race or try to prevent one
 

x2

Re: Do you try to find a heads up race or try to prevent one
 

I would like to race heads up most every round, if I race ,Jim, J Allen, Lance, Jeff,and a host of others the next heads up round is at the next race. This is the part that many of us love about class racing. How could I have forgotten Scott Burton, the tin Indian man who beat the snot out of me last year in Vegas?

Re: Do you try to find a heads up race or try to prevent one
 

I too, would love to have a headsup every round. I've been beaten before, but I still love me a headsup!

Re: Do you try to find a heads up race or try to prevent one
 

Nothing beats the tension, the preparation, and the anticipation. I think we're batting 0.500 with the orange car.

Re: Do you try to find a heads up race or try to prevent one
 

Lately, I've been running a car that hasn't been very competitive in its class. In general, I've tried to avoid heads-up races for the last few years. For the most part, when I attend a race in H/SA (sometimes I/SA) there are 5 other cars, 4 of whom can outrun me. Strategically, for me to advance as far as I can, I do what I have to do to avoid the other cars in my class.

That being said, in years prior, I drove a relatively fast car for its class. At the time, I would have absolutely killed for a heads-up race. Having been on both sides of the coin, I think it depends on the car you're driving. In no event do I think that heads-up races should be eliminated. It's the only thing differentiating us from bracket racers. Without the heads-up races, why bother with "Stock Eliminator" rules? We'd simply be replaced with Pro and Super Pro.