New Classes in Stock AAA/SA, AAA/S and FS/AAA
 

Does anyone know the reason behind NHRA adding classes to stock eliminator? Is there an insurance sponsor for these new classes, so that if you run these classes you get a discounted rate through AAA coverage?

From my understanding, the SRAC was asked about adding FS/AAA in a meeting and it was a unanimous "No" from the SRAC members. Then, less than a month later the new class is announced.

What is next after these classes for the evolution of "stock" eliminator?

Re: New Classes in Stock AAA/SA, AAA/S and FS/AAA
 

Well, AAA is the 7.0# class we were asking for 14 years ago when we got AA. The reason was that there are several engines rated at over 440HP, which even a 7.5 end up well above their curb weight.


No idea why NHRA chose to do it now.

Re: New Classes in Stock AAA/SA, AAA/S and FS/AAA
 

What combos can run AAA?

'65 Race Hemi
'64 T-Bolt
'69 ZL1
...and?

Wonder too if the guys already running in AA can even get 200+ lbs out.

Selfishly, I hope this is the time when NHRA will add the '68 Dart/Cuda to Stock @ the 450 hp rating the '64/'65's got!

Re: New Classes in Stock AAA/SA, AAA/S and FS/AAA
 

Now I have a reason to put the aluminum nose on my '64 race hemi car.

Does any know the index for AAA/SA?

Re: New Classes in Stock AAA/SA, AAA/S and FS/AAA
 

I can tell you why FS/AAA was added. The chassis cert is only good to 3600 pounds. This year, some jerkoff got the combination hit, again, and now the min weight in FS/AA is 3590. If one does the math, that only leaves a ten pound cushion. So another hit, and the car would not be legal for stock, anymore.

Re: New Classes in Stock AAA/SA, AAA/S and FS/AAA
 

How long before we have stockers in the 6s! Lol

Re: New Classes in Stock AAA/SA, AAA/S and FS/AAA
 

Super Stock

Re: New Classes in Stock AAA/SA, AAA/S and FS/AAA
 

How long before we have NHRA's insurance company saying "hmmmm, 160 MPH cars racing 75 MPH cars? What could happen?"
Although, this could be a good thing. It would be a good time for NHRA to bring back "Junior Stock".

Re: New Classes in Stock AAA/SA, AAA/S and FS/AAA
 

Justin Lamb?

Re: New Classes in Stock AAA/SA, AAA/S and FS/AAA
 

Like Pure Stock !!

Got it

Dan

Re: New Classes in Stock AAA/SA, AAA/S and FS/AAA
 

It didn’t matter when the conventional stock asked for it. Factory race cars have more pull I’m guessing?

Merry Christmas Folks.

Re: New Classes in Stock AAA/SA, AAA/S and FS/AAA
 

The story is long…cars being classed out and moved to super stock…then Don Fezzell @ Virginia…the Alphabet classes… the ZL1 and last years aborted re-alignment…one hit from being classed out. Then a trial balloon about cages/chassises.

Bottom line Stock is in a good spot now…you can never go home…but we do have some say in the enhancements.

Re: New Classes in Stock AAA/SA, AAA/S and FS/AAA
 

Okay so now we have AAA, where do we go from here AAAA? There's not going to be enough room on the windows for all those letters. LOL
Why not have A at the top and move the rest down? (I don't think a few decals hurt the racing budget.)
I'm all for any car meeting the requirements of stock eliminator having a place to race. I'm sure most lower-class combo's get extra pleasure from defeating a faster car.

Re: New Classes in Stock AAA/SA, AAA/S and FS/AAA
 

Potatoe…Potato
Tomatoe…Tomato

Re: New Classes in Stock AAA/SA, AAA/S and FS/AAA
 

Does ayone know just how much pull the factory has as far as financial to anyone including NHRA I suspect the amount of money if in fact there is some money being exchanged is not even close to what the racers pay ,just aother thought to ponder during the off season lol

Re: New Classes in Stock AAA/SA, AAA/S and FS/AAA
 

so when are the "Little Guys" going to get a FWD class or two?

Re: New Classes in Stock AAA/SA, AAA/S and FS/AAA
 

Even better, when can they be properly moved to a regular class?

Re: New Classes in Stock AAA/SA, AAA/S and FS/AAA
 

I'd be OK with that. Can we combine the Sticks and Automatics at the same time?

Re: New Classes in Stock AAA/SA, AAA/S and FS/AAA
 

Actually, I was thinking more along the lines of one pound weight breaks.

Re: New Classes in Stock AAA/SA, AAA/S and FS/AAA
 

Is it one pound with Sticks and Autos combined? From I/S down there's the same or less participation than in the FWD classes.
Based on indexes, a FWD combo would need between a 3 and 4 pound weight break.

Re: New Classes in Stock AAA/SA, AAA/S and FS/AAA
 

Actually, I think one pound weight breaks with FWD rolled into appropriate classes is a big enough step to start with. That's a substantial reduction in the number of classes, and should result in plenty of heads up runs on its own.

Re: New Classes in Stock AAA/SA, AAA/S and FS/AAA
 

I absolutely agree but at the same time it would be much less controversial to combine Sticks and Autos at one pound (different HP factors) than it would be to combine FWDs because the FWDs would need a serious HP/weight factor break. Although I wouldn't mind seeing it. It sure would "tighten" things up and stop a lot of the sandbagging.

Re: New Classes in Stock AAA/SA, AAA/S and FS/AAA
 

Adjusting the weight breaks to put FWD cars in regular classes, and putting all classes on a one pound weight break, will accomplish that, without adding the extra change. It also affects every combination in the class, without excluding some and including others. Everyone gets a weight break change. And new competitors. It also achieves at least as great a reduction in classes, and as great an increase in heads up races.

Re: New Classes in Stock AAA/SA, AAA/S and FS/AAA
 

I'm not understanding why your reluctance to combine Sticks and Autos. I also personally think that the FS cars should be combined too.

Re: New Classes in Stock AAA/SA, AAA/S and FS/AAA
 

Which index would you use? The stick or auto? As far as FS, sticks and autos are already combined, no?

Re: New Classes in Stock AAA/SA, AAA/S and FS/AAA
 

So are FWDs.

Re: New Classes in Stock AAA/SA, AAA/S and FS/AAA
 

I'm not understanding your obsession with it.


The one pound weight breaks and rolling the FWD cars into the appropriate classes creates the smaller number of classes, and the other desired results.



And, honestly, the pure factory race cars should be in their own completely separate classes.

Re: New Classes in Stock AAA/SA, AAA/S and FS/AAA
 

Alan the facts are..there are no appropriate RWD classes for the bulk of of the current crop .Most are centered around DF/S and EF/S ,which are low 17's to low 16 second cars.
The bottom RWD class is W, which is a mid 16 index ,but most can run in the15's.
V/S(A) is for V6's or 4 cylinder combos. The good one run in the 14's
How would you equalize that situation? Lower the FWD hp's ? How would they get enough weight out to speed them up?
Raise the V and W indexes, where there are already second under cars?
All I see is a whole bunch of grief for guys that aren't bothering anyone, and trying to race on a limited budget. I say leave the FWD guys alone .They are the only entry level cars left in NHRA class racing.

Now ,.if you want to combine say, D and E, and F and G... go ahead ,but it will end up as a net loss for NHRA ,when the newer guys have a heads up run , every other round, and then stop going to Divisionals ;-)

Re: New Classes in Stock AAA/SA, AAA/S and FS/AAA
 

I wouldn't say "obsessed" with it. There just aren't enough Stick cars running anymore and with the HP factors being done the way they are it just seems like common sense to me. More so than going to one pound weight breaks after thinking about Yac's post.

"Honestly" if you feel that the "pure factory race cars should be in their own completely separate classes" then IMHO they should be in SS where they belong along with all of the other "pure factory race cars". You know, like the Race Hemis, the Thunderbolts and the 427 Camaros. But I'm guessing that somebody will just come on here and tell me that , "we can't go back, mistakes were made, live with it".

Re: New Classes in Stock AAA/SA, AAA/S and FS/AAA
 

Like, like,like and the absolute truth!

Re: New Classes in Stock AAA/SA, AAA/S and FS/AAA
 

The FWD cars went from 8 diff weight breaks , stick and auto for 16 diff. classes in 2003 to 6 combined classes now in 2023. We have already helped to reduce the # of classes in stock. .

Re: New Classes in Stock AAA/SA, AAA/S and FS/AAA
 

They should just avg the stick and auto HP numbers and run them together.

Re: New Classes in Stock AAA/SA, AAA/S and FS/AAA
 

The Cuda's and Darts are in Super Stock.



The difference between some of the cars of old and the new factory race cars has been rehashed here a thousand times.Most of the older factory hot rods were not 4-5 times as expensive as the pedestrian street cars, even the ZL-1 was only about 3 times higher. A new factory race car is over $100,000. Most of the older cars came with full legal equipment, and a VIN. The new factory race cars come with none of that.


In all honesty, many of the factory race cars are truly "paper cars", some of the engines were never even built or available at all. Many of the ones that were, were never sold in sufficient quantity to meet the old rules. The old stuff is held to a higher standard. The best example is the 67 L-88. We know 36 were built, and sold by dealers, and we know a bunch went out the "back door" in the form of parts, etc. Some new Fords were never even built, not even one, and with Chevrolet selling 69 COPO cars a year, there weren't even 36 of many combinations built, there weren't even 50 built of some over 2-3 years. You can race all of them. But you can't race a 67 L-88 Corvette.

Re: New Classes in Stock AAA/SA, AAA/S and FS/AAA
 

Have you priced a new Camaro or Mustang (or Challenger) lately? More like half-again more expensive if that. Ya know the one thing that has always stuck in my mind about the original COPOs? They had window stickers on them but they were blank. At least the two that went through my local Chevy Dealer were.

As far as VINs go, there's an awful lot of Pontiacs and Oldsmobiles running around without them. I would have to say that the precedence for allowing the new stuff in was probably set when NHRA started allowing the older SS only stuff into Stock. And yes, I've been around long enough to remember when they were built and sold as SS only.

Re: New Classes in Stock AAA/SA, AAA/S and FS/AAA
 

Not anymore! The way I'm seeing it, the '68 Darts and Cudas can fit AAA.

Re: New Classes in Stock AAA/SA, AAA/S and FS/AAA
 

Since the discussion is on some of the older cars, I have a question. When did the 64 Ford Thunderbolt combination become legal for stock?? They were built as S/S only back in the day. It is what it is, but just curious.

Re: New Classes in Stock AAA/SA, AAA/S and FS/AAA
 

When a Racer with NHRA's ear wanted it!

Re: New Classes in Stock AAA/SA, AAA/S and FS/AAA
 

Are they truly "entry level"? Ie., are they a gateway for people looking to get into class racing, learn, and move up? Or are they a protected special class, for people to play in the deep end of the pool, with water wings, instead of learning to swim?




Look, I don't mind FWD, it's not my cup of tea, but variety is the spice of life.


The true concept of a dime rocket is really cool. The idea of an underfactored combination, where you can buy the car for a low price, you go buy used wheels and tires, cheap headers, freshen the engine, build a nice budget transmission with a cheap converter, throw in a gear on a spool, and go run 0.80+ under, that's frikkin awesome. If you're not hiding from heads up runs, even better.



But when I read these posts you guys make, the FWD guys don't want heads up races (but Billy wants to make the RWD stick guys race the RWD automatic guys heads up), they want to deep stage, and they want the "first or worst" rule rescinded. They want to buy their car for under $1250 on marketplace. They don't want to buy high end pistons, rings, camshafts, clutches, converters, etc. But they want a "level playing field" that suits them, to race guys who make the investment.




Are we talking about NHRA Stock Eliminator here?


Or are we talking about NHRA Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Eliminator?


As usual, the conversation is not a conversation, or a discussion. It's a dead end.

Re: New Classes in Stock AAA/SA, AAA/S and FS/AAA
 

Not yet. Still in the guide as SS only and without an HP reduction, they won't fit AAA. 5.98 lbs/hp when rated @ 505 hp, the current SS factor.

But here's hoping. *fingers crossed*

Re: New Classes in Stock AAA/SA, AAA/S and FS/AAA
 

Weren't these Super Stock Only combos when they came out?