What has changed in Stock Eliminator since 2015?
 

Just curious what significant changes have taken place since 2015?

Life had a different direction for me for the last 10 years. But now I'm at a spot that I'm considering racing again. My thoughts are either going back racing in Stock OR make it a Drag and Drive car. The car has been sitting untouched for years. Obviously, everything that is there will need to be freshened or replaced.

Just some of the questions I have:
1) What major rules have changed over the last 10 years?
2) What can or what should be updated to be competitive based on rule changes over the last 10 years?
3) Are things like digital ignitions & data acquisition a must even on an old school carbureted stocker?

Re: What has changed in Stock Eliminator since 2015?
 

I was away from racing for 22 years or so and decided to build a stocker. Since I was coming from super-gas it was a whole new experience for me even though I was building an engine for my stocker from the same engine family I was using in super-gas. The only new items that I noticed was the change to the roller rockers and solid lifters (which I had already been using) the rest of the build was straight out of the rule book with attention to the approved products pages. The only thing I wish I had from the racing I did 20 some years ago would be a trans brake and a pro tree. That's actually easier than the .500 count down :)

Re: What has changed in Stock Eliminator since 2015?
 

My Demon is exactly the same as it has been for well
over 10 years except for routine Maintenace and new
tires a time or two.

It is not a rocket ship with the all the new billet camshafts/lifters and
latest now accepted Aluminum heads. However, it goes 1.0 under
in good air and it still wins rounds. Just not the occasional Heads Up.

Just service and get your race car back out again and have some
fun!!!!

It does not need to be State of the Arts to turn on some win lights.

Re: What has changed in Stock Eliminator since 2015?
 

I think you being modest, 1 sec. under is an achievement we would all like to obtain.

Re: What has changed in Stock Eliminator since 2015?
 

Solid lifter allowed in place of hydraulic is the only major rule change I can think of. Yes some technology has been updated but it?s not a necessity. I?d say get the car running again and go have fun!

Re: What has changed in Stock Eliminator since 2015?
 

I'd have to agree with Chipper. Cylinder head and intake modifications have become more "liberal". Mainly because no one in authority knows what to look for anymore. Basically if the head looks "right" and is under the listed runner volumes then it's good.

You can spend lots of money on "state-of-the-art" heads and an intake. Depending on your cam and combo choice, I've found no difference between solid and hydraulic lifters and stock and roller rockers from a performance standpoint but that could be the combos that I'm using.

Re: What has changed in Stock Eliminator since 2015?
 

The most significant change is that everything cost more, at least 35% more than it did 10 years ago. Combine that with higher entry fees, less contingency sponsors, the same payouts as 10 years ago and less participation and it's clear why there are fewer tracks then 10 years ago and why drag racing is on life support.

Re: What has changed in Stock Eliminator since 2015?
 

Contingency is peanuts now
Class eliminations are practically gone
Entry fees are up
Car counts are strong in the northeast
Race fuel and parts are thru the roof
No tech?.
Jr dragsters are the norm



Purse money been the same ?weird huh

Re: What has changed in Stock Eliminator since 2015?
 

So just how close a relative of yours is "Chicken Little"?


Stan

Re: What has changed in Stock Eliminator since 2015?
 

As usual, mr. desk top dyno, a nobody, a computer programmer, a clueless old man who never raced and that no one here with a clue gives him, nor his malarkey the time of day, has decided again, to reply only to comment about me.

Pathetic!

Re: What has changed in Stock Eliminator since 2015?
 

Indexes haven't changed in 15 years so if that wasn't a problem for you before, it won't be now.
Stock is still an all run category except for Indy, so if you can get an entry, your in the eliminator.
Nationals can be difficult to get into without a good bank of grade points in Stock. Contrary to what some will tell you, there's a steady stream of newcomers and return participants in Stock eliminator.
You do not need a digital ignition or data logger to be competitive.
A weather station with good prediction software is an important tool.

Re: What has changed in Stock Eliminator since 2015?
 

1.The solid lifter rule, and the lack of tech inspection. Not sure if solids will help your combination much. Probably be a small gain. Not necessarily worth it unless you need a camshaft. Camshafts and lifters have become an issue, the cast cores are getting hard to find, lifters are expensive and can be a problem. Playing with camshafts and lifters can be expensive and difficult. Few cam companies even care that you exist if you run anything flat tappet.



2. For performance in the engine, you can look at rings, hone finish, valve job and valves. There is definitely power to be found in the latest in rings and hone finishes, so if you need to freshen it up, that's a place to invest. Guys like Keith Jones at Total Seal will help you there. There might be some stuff in your transmission, depending on what it is, and how up to date it was then.


3 Digital ignition probably will not help you much, if any. If you're already running a good MSD 6Al or 7AL-3, you're not going to see much of anything in the ignition. To be honest, there are some relatively inexpensive data acquisition systems you can buy affordably that will help you tune your combination and see where it can improve, and often those improvements will help consistency.You do need a really good weather station. There's no electronic substitute for knowing your car and the weather to predict the ET. But with a good weather station (Kestrel), an inexpensive data acquisition system (really, just two A/F ration sensors, an RPM input and a driveshaft RPM sensor is enough, Daytona Sensor had a good setup) and the willingness to put every single factor and data input into an Excel spreadsheet you can absolutely predict your ET well enough to win.

Re: What has changed in Stock Eliminator since 2015?
 

You have been on this forum more than 3 times as long as I have. During that time you have made more than 3 times as many posts as I have. Yet you have had less of your posted liked.

Now that just means the quality of your posts is just Pathetic!

Stan

Re: What has changed in Stock Eliminator since 2015?
 

i see him as a troll.

Re: What has changed in Stock Eliminator since 2015?
 

David Lee another clueless nobody that ain't got shyt nor done shyt on the track worth talking about

Re: What has changed in Stock Eliminator since 2015?
 

David,
It is interesting how someone who says that he posts truths and facts, can resort to nothing but name calling when presented with truths and facts. :eek:


Stan

Re: What has changed in Stock Eliminator since 2015?
 

WRONG, again old man, the TRUTH and the FACTS are like you, he's a clueless nobody.

Re: What has changed in Stock Eliminator since 2015?
 

I disagree to some extent, as Alan stated...

ABSOLUTELY!

the 2025 season is upon us and data acquisition systems are not only being use by the Pros, racers that are smart, racers that want to improve their program, racers that want to WIN, are equipping their race car, regardless of class, with a data logger. Now if they don't have the skills to own both ends of the track, a data logger won't help them there.

Re: What has changed in Stock Eliminator since 2015?
 

In the 90s, a person could win close to 20K at a national, maybe more, if they had the car stickered right.

Not even close to that now, and now it costs several multiples of what it did then, just to show up and not embarrass yourself.

Re: What has changed in Stock Eliminator since 2015?
 

NHRA literally drove off the vast majority of contingency sponsors in the last 15-20 years. Their treatment of sponsors is honestly abusive. I worked for a former contingency sponsor, and know several owners of multiple former contingency sponsors. Never mind the fact that they haven't raised the purse significantly in this CENTURY.

Re: What has changed in Stock Eliminator since 2015?
 

So Dean, as you can obviously see, nothing, and I mean nothing has changed since you've been gone!!

J.R.

Re: What has changed in Stock Eliminator since 2015?
 

Whatchu talkin' 'bout, Willis?

Re: What has changed in Stock Eliminator since 2015?
 

the irony of his comments after. bet he stands out on his lawn and yells at the children in his neighborhood

Re: What has changed in Stock Eliminator since 2015?
 

you are right, but i never claim to be an expert on everything. i stay in my lane. you seem to be an expert on everything. i know of only one man knows everything. are you him?

Re: What has changed in Stock Eliminator since 2015?
 

I've got the cars, the Wallys, the Championships and the BIG checks to backup my advice and opinions! You and the other clueless old man have none of them!!

That said, this thread is but another example of why they go off the rails and by who. All was on point until mr. desk top dyno, a nobody, a computer programmer, a clueless old man who never raced and that no one here with a clue gives him, nor his malarkey the time of day, decided again, to reply only to comment about me and YOU quoted him and commented!

Re: What has changed in Stock Eliminator since 2015?
 

Just look at what you have done. You are "The Man".

I am just a nobody, who knows nothing.

So it must really frost your A $ $ that people here like what I have to say more than what you have to say.

Stan

Re: What has changed in Stock Eliminator since 2015?
 

again old man...no one here with a clue "likes what you have to say" you're CLUELESS, and never raced!

Re: What has changed in Stock Eliminator since 2015?
 

Thanks You Sir!

However, 80% of the guys in my class out here that have been racing a while,
will destroy me in a heads-up race.

My boy runs a similar 71 Demon 340 but with all the latest parts
It is built by one of the top Mopar guys in the country.
He out qualifies me generally by a solid 3 tenths
(When he wants to and his average will let him).

He does not mind a heads-up races very much at all.

I still have the same Isky Camshaft in the car since the
early 90's and I have not got a bit faster since the Mid 90's
with this particular car. My friend Gregg Luneauk (RIP) freshened
my short block in 2012 and that is the last time.

But I am still having a Blast at the track with all my friends and can turn on a
win light now and then.

Re: What has changed in Stock Eliminator since 2015?
 

AHFS punishing performance and rewarding combos that have numbers to manipulate the system!

Re: What has changed in Stock Eliminator since 2015?
 

Dean, the bottom line is this...if you've got a good amount of money burning a hole in your pocket and have nothing else to spend it on, if you got nothing but time on your hands, if your idea of fun is sitting at the track 3-4 days NOT racing, WAITING to get 2 maybe 3 time shots if time permits, if it doesn't rain, if they don't need the time for Alky, TS, TD or juniors. Last, don't forget rules, rules and more rules. If this is your idea of fun, then dust your car off and make it a stocker. If you're smart you'll make it a street/strip car that you can enjoy whenever you want, whether it be on the street or at the track making as many passes as you want on a Test/Tune day.

Re: What has changed in Stock Eliminator since 2015?
 

have you raced the baja 500 or 1000? have you won a national in stock?

Re: What has changed in Stock Eliminator since 2015?
 

I was interested in this thread until I saw 1320 Racer again. It's too bad. I think there would be a lot of good input on this website but people get turned away by the negativity from his/her mouth. I hope the original poster finds the info he is looking for. No, I won't reply and have a pissing match with 1320 Chaser.

Re: What has changed in Stock Eliminator since 2015?
 

I think by now, racers that actually have experience with stock and Superstock realize that his credibility is zero.

Pretty easy to ignore his comments.

Only class he has entered is Keyboard Stock/ Automatic

.Too bad he will never actually try stock or Superstock.

I am sure he is smart enough to do ok.

Re: What has changed in Stock Eliminator since 2015?
 

great to see you get 1 more post in for the year, maintaining your 2-4 post count for each of the last 4 years followed by not one for the 4 years after that, Bravo! Bottomline is you're not a contributor here just as you contributed nothing of relevance to this thread, only replying to comment about me.

Re: What has changed in Stock Eliminator since 2015?
 

Jim, I'm smart enough to know that a guy that can't past 2nd round in both classes either can't drive or both his cars are junk!

Re: What has changed in Stock Eliminator since 2015?
 

It is interesting how some people thinks they know something about everything, but when you read their posts it is clear they know nothing about anything. :eek:


Stan

Re: What has changed in Stock Eliminator since 2015?
 

The original question asked had something to do with just how much has changed in the NHRA rule book if a racer had a legal stocker but had been absent/distracted for ten years. Admittedly, I am just a photographer and my real focus is on the SS/AH class, but I do occasionally post pix of the stockers and super stockers on this website. I am spectacularly unqualified to comment on this question since everybody that has posted in the past three days knows the rule book better than me.

A few responses have addressed data acquisition and weather stations. Nobody has made mention that NHRA now considers aluminum radiators and aluminum racing seats to now be acceptable for stockers. Not required, but allowed.

Re: What has changed in Stock Eliminator since 2015?
 

So Ed, if we all take your advice and get rid of or change our Stockers and Superstockers to bracket cars and street cars won't that put your "buddy" Ken's website out of business?

Re: What has changed in Stock Eliminator since 2015?
 

So Billy, you too only replied to this thread to comment on my advice and opinions. You're part of the problem, not part of the solution!

My advice wasn't for "we all" my advice is for the OP who has not raced in 10 years and who's car is no longer competitive, if it ever was, an '81 Malibu in L and M/SA, despite what some here say.

That said, Ken is no more my buddy than you are. Ken and I are friendly and I know where he stands with my participation on his forum. This forum like NHRA Stock eliminator has moved on from what you think it should be, from how you think is should be run and will continue for some time with or without you. My 0.37 posts per day over the past 17 years will not be the reason this website goes out of business.

Re: What has changed in Stock Eliminator since 2015?
 

While we may not have all of the answers for the OP. We can still point out bad advice and opinions when we see it. Thank you Billy for doing that.


Stan