RANT No. 6,234,012
 

"Next up is this: I like the Factory Stock class. They did major wheelstands, heads up racing; just exciting cars to watch. However, I think it might be teetering on getting out of hand."

https://dragracingedge.com/the-blog/...4-012-5-22-19/

Re: RANT No. 6,234,012
 

Dis-rant No. 1

Disagree on both counts, racers will typically take more space “just in case”. Bigger tire on FSS cars and then it’s just Jr. Pro Stock, no thanks. With bigger tires FSS cars would carry the front wheels minimally just like PS Camaro.

P.S. I like most of your rants.

Re: RANT No. 6,234,012
 

The key to this class IS the 9” tire. NHRA has a good thing going. Don’t mess with it

Re: RANT No. 6,234,012
 

I think it might be teetering on getting out of hand."






MIGHT BE? Buddy, that class has already been "millionaired" out.

Re: RANT No. 6,234,012
 

Might I ask ..How many Stocker teams can afford new 9" tires every race? New set for the final round?

Re: RANT No. 6,234,012
 

There never was and never will be an inexpensive heads up class,that said keep the rules as they stand especially 9" tires.

Re: RANT No. 6,234,012
 

I'm not exactly sure what your point is.

Re: RANT No. 6,234,012
 

Mark Did you mean new 17 by 9" slicks ever race & who make`s them? cost?

Re: RANT No. 6,234,012
 

This GUY gets it......it’s already left the station....

Re: RANT No. 6,234,012
 

I thought my statement was fairly straightforward.
Do the FS/XX cars now use wheels /tires not legal for Stock eliminator?

Re: RANT No. 6,234,012
 

If they run in stock eliminator they should be on 9" tires any other class just use the tires that fit the rules. Why should they get an advantage over any other fast car in stock?

Re: RANT No. 6,234,012
 

Maybe because they don't run against any other cars in stock they have there own class or because with 1400hp on a 9 inch tire half the time they smoke the tires and put on a lousy show. Or it is just not that safe running 170-180 mph in 7.something seconds on that size tire there have already been to many crashes in that class. There are a lot of reasons to keep the 9 inch tire but there are also many reasons to go bigger I think safety should be a concern.

Re: RANT No. 6,234,012
 

When Stock quotas drop to 40 it will take 10 grade points. We all soon will be millionaired out.

Re: RANT No. 6,234,012
 

factory stock are actually super stock cars, wolves in sheeps clothing.lol Love them but not many can be competitive anymore.

Re: RANT No. 6,234,012
 

I'm pretty sure most of them are running a drag radial tire. Similar to the outlaw small tire classes.

Re: RANT No. 6,234,012
 

X2!

Re: RANT No. 6,234,012
 

You guys are all wet - I have the exact 9" tire on my FS/D Camaro as they have on the FS/XX cars .The NHRA checks their tires on a regular basis - and I've never seen any of them with a drag radial.

As for new tires at every race its just not true - wouldn't do any good as its the track surface that causes them to spin.This past weekend at Virginia the surface at one point was 140 degrees .That alone will make cars spin .

Re: RANT No. 6,234,012
 

Wrong.....LOL

Re: RANT No. 6,234,012
 

I sure wish some folks that constantly bash this class would take the time to educate themselves about what they are even talking about. A good start would be to talk to some of the racers who actually race the class!!! Listen to what they have to say about the cars, the rules, the 9" tires.... I think you would have a different opinion, at least you would know what is really going on with the class. I spent a good part of two days this past weekend in Petersburg doing just that. I guess it is just easier to bash the class and spew things that "you think" or may have read on the internet. FS/XX cars are not stock eliminator cars anymore. They don't drop back into the eliminator anymore. They are their own separate deal. Why do some continue to hold them to the stock eliminator standard?


There has not been one safety issue occur because of the 9" tire. The racers in the class who actually drive the cars do not want big tires. Big tires will kill this class and the interest.


And as others have said, since when has racing heads up at a high level supposed to be economic or cheap? 26 FS/XX cars showed up for 16 spots at Richmond. There is a very good chance Indy will be a 32 car field. The class is doing just fine and the fans love it....

Re: RANT No. 6,234,012
 

The few accidents I have seen in the class have been from either top end engine failure or results of steering out of the groove after a big wheel stand. 9" tire or 12" tire, it would have the same results.

As said before, no heads up class is cheap. Add a heads up class format to where the required race car at minimum as a roller is $60-70k. Add what it takes to be competitive, it's going to take a big budget to keep up with it. You're not going to see the average Joe with an open trailer being able to run.

Regardless of the number of "millionaires" involved with the class, I think this class is what the big 3 needs to bring back the "win on Sunday, sell on Monday". These cars are the only ones in the mainstream motorsports spotlight in the states that a fan could buy the same model off of the show room and it practically be the same car.

To have a similar heads up format for the budget minded, maybe NHRA should adapt NMCA/NMRA's Coyote Stock/Chevrolet Performance Stock, and add a Mopar Hemi class. Keep the cars in the 10.00-10.30 range. That's something the average budget fan can relate to, and racer can afford to run. (it's still not cheap, ceramic bearings out the wazoo)

Re: RANT No. 6,234,012
 

The FSS deal has been getting out of hand since they started truly diverging from Stock Eliminator (e.g. when the FS/XX designation was born).

If it wasn't already a class for millionaires, it became one as soon as DSR, Gray Motorsports, etc. became involved 2-3 years ago.

Until my Powerball numbers come up and I actually get involved, I will enjoy the class as is and try not to worry about what's wrong with it. Some day, it will be gone and everybody will be writing retrospectives on how great it was .

Re: RANT No. 6,234,012
 

Thanks for the comment, Jack-o, and welcome back here. :-)

Not sure if the new tires would help, but many already in the class could darn sure do it if they wanted to. Actually, I meant it as an example of how this is quickly becoming a millionaire's class. In other words, another Pro class. Do you guys need more of those?
I don't.

Re: RANT No. 6,234,012
 

I have no idea

Re: RANT No. 6,234,012
 

Neither do I . But, if they do use something other than Stock Eliminator tires, then why not allow Super Stock setups?
The whole A/FX shebang should have been there in the first place.

Re: RANT No. 6,234,012
 

I know a guy who ran IHRA Top Stock back in 2001 or 2002, and he told me at that time that he was the only guy running the class who was not a millionaire.

Factory Stock Showdown is a long way from what those cars were.

Re: RANT No. 6,234,012
 

That was from Brian Lohnes at the Gators last announcing on tv when Stanfield did a long burn in the finals against Kohn. I stand corrected.

Re: RANT No. 6,234,012
 

Good points in your post Andy.

Before I got into NHRA Stock Eliminator I almost bought into the NMRA Coyote Stock class it's first year.
That is a hyper competitive group and there are no low buck builds to be seen. Impressive performance for the rules restrictions they work within, but you are forced to keep throwing money at the car If you want to get past round 1.

Glad I chose Stock instead...lol

Re: RANT No. 6,234,012
 

I like the current format for FS.
Exciting to watch, but definitely a big bucks class.


IMO...."Pro Stock" should be a Factory Stock type car but built to "traditional " Super Stock body and chassis rules.

Racers get the safety of the giant rear tires, but the body would still have the factory body panels and front suspension setups so it retains most of the look of a production car.

Re: RANT No. 6,234,012
 

Okay, I misunderstood, I thought we were talking about dropping back into stock.
If they can't do that then they should as a group be able to lobby NHRA for what ever they want.

Re: RANT No. 6,234,012
 

They could allow brand specific, naturally aspirated power to keep costs down. Then use cubic inch to weight classification, and call it Modified Eliminator.
MJ