Back from Indy-what's happened to Stock Eliminator??
 

All-

Let me start out by saying I don't have the means at this point in my life to build a class car, but it will always be a dream of mine to be able to make a go of it some day.

That being said, thank for allowing me to post on this forum.

And to the point...I saved vacation time this year to take off and spend a couple days at Indy to watch stock and super stock. Unfortunately, I was suprised and dissapointed to see how the landscape has changed! What has happen to these class(es)? I went to see the classic wheels up action of CJ's, Hemi's, 427 Ford's, Max wedge Mopars, Camero's, Mustangs, Fairlanes, Novas, Chevelles, etc....where are they??

I'm a Ford guy and I only saw 3 FE powered Fords in both classes. I guess at my age (37), I should be completely turned on by the late model CJ Mustangs and DP Challengers, but that's just not me.

The allure of these two classes has always been the grass roots nature. The fact that it still felt like it was connected to the days when muscle cars were born. I have a tremendous appreciation for what technology has made possible with the new muscle cars, but they're just too far out of reach for me. I'll never be able to afford a new CJ Mustang or Drag Pak Challenger.

Maybe I'm way off base and just don't have a clue what it costs to put a car in Stock, but I always had hopes that I could setup my 69 Mustang or 67 Fairlane with a vintage CJ or 390 GT combo and possibly afford to go stock racing. I know one thing for sure, I don't ever see myself being able to afford the $100,000 pricetag to get started in a new CJ Mustang.

Now it looks kind of hopeless...

Re: Back from Indy-what's happened to Stock Eliminator??
 

You should send a copy of your post to Graham Light in Glendora HQ.Maybe if enough fans do so they just might try and get a handle on the monster that they've unleashed.
I think a lot of others feel the way you do.
Thanks for the excellent post.

Re: Back from Indy-what's happened to Stock Eliminator??
 

Build the kind of car you like. Who cares what everyone else does. Its your car. Build what you can afford to build. My car is by no means state of the art. I fact its old as hell. The rear suspension is from the 80's. The paint is from the 80's. But the car is mine and we have fun with it. That's what its about right? Trust me you can spend a fortune on one of these things. I simply can't but I can go out with mine once in awhile and have fun racing it. Good luck.

Re: Back from Indy-what's happened to Stock Eliminator??
 

the old cars stay home
can"t beat the new ones
why waste money

Re: Back from Indy-what's happened to Stock Eliminator??
 

While I am a fan of the old iron also, the fact is its 2011 times change and that is whats happening like it or not. The cost of class racing is expensive old or new so either way you better have deep pockets to play the game.

Re: Back from Indy-what's happened to Stock Eliminator??
 

I don't buy that, not at all. If you do a lot of work on your own stuff, as it should be, it doesn't cost as much. Certainly not as much as a new FX factory race car.

Further, the availability of money is no excuse for what we're seeing. What it amounts to is two specific cars dominating qualifying and several classes in class eliminations, making every thing else obsolete.

I know at least a couple of old school racers who could, if they wanted to, go buy several of the new cars, but they simply refuse to do so. Instead, they stay home, when they'd normally go to several races a year, especially Indy.

Re: Back from Indy-what's happened to Stock Eliminator??
 

First of all not everyone does there own work. I have seen the bills on the head and intake work alone on some of these cars and it aint cheap. I guess I fail to see the difference in the first guys post about building a car for class racing. If I took an 60's model car and built a class car from the ground up, in the end I bet there would be very little price difference in getting a body in white and building a new car. By the time you disassembled the old car and acid dipped, replaced interior pieces, pulled out factory glass and bought aftermarket because it is lighter all the tricks you do to them to make the old car as nice as a lot of them that are out there it would cost a ton of money. Dont get me wrong I respect the old stuff, hell some of those cars are as nice as show cars, but if I was starting from scratch I know which way I would go.

Re: Back from Indy-what's happened to Stock Eliminator??
 

The problem is the hp rating . if that was truly corrected there would not be 2008-2012 stockers at all unless the NHRA does what IHRA did and make their own class and let them have at it. At least this way the older cars would not think they have to stay home since they are bringing a knife to a gun fight...... I still like the new cars and are not knocking them , they just need their own classes...:(

Re: Back from Indy-what's happened to Stock Eliminator??
 

Let me first say that the Horsepower factors are a joke..........
However it is not the fault of those that have them. They are i would assume having fun doing what they love to do. This has been going on for years. I can see Camaros and Firebird's that if i recall started as G and H cars now runnin C and D and still very competitive how many years later? There are a lot of posts on here about the olden days but there is a common theme to them if you look, the good and great ones either changed cars or combos regularly. Do you think that is because they got bored?

Re: Back from Indy-what's happened to Stock Eliminator??
 

I would reply to this again, but if you don't understand, it cannot be explained. It's one of those things where you either get it, or you don't get it.