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Paul Plummer · 04-26-2010, 12:21 AM

Great thread, glad someone started this one. Here is a great example of the difference between the two sanctioning bodies when viewed from this stock eliminator racers perspective.

Spent a lot of money and worked my tail off to build an NHRA stock eliminator car. Being naive and not one inclined to bend rules I actually built a rulebook legal car. Had one of the best stock eliminator engine builders in the country put my combination together minus the $8000 cylinder heads and intake manifold that I latter discovered was the key to running 1.5 or more under the index. (Do not be fooled, no amount of suspension tuning or chassis set-up will make up 70HP-100HP)

My rulebook legal car ran .6-.7 under the C/SA index. NHRA then drops the indexes by .3 tenths and now I have a car that runs .3-.4 under - what's your address, I will just send you my entry fee and save all of the traveling expenses.

I don't blame NHRA. I did not do my research and at this stage of the class racing game, I was the dumb$%s that didn't realize the rulebook was just a suggestion. I learned why a class motor really does cost $20K minimum to be competitive.

So here were my choices - 1) spend $8000 on a set of ported and covered up stocker heads/intake and sweat bullets pulling through the gate at every event wondering if I will be torn down and found illegal.

2) Continue class racing and consider each event as a great way to test my car on a really well prepped track all the while letting my fellow racers think that I am sitting on the bottom of the ladder sheet on purpose!

3) Quit trying to class race with a rulebook legal car and either hit local week-end bracket racing or sit in my garage and watch my car's battery charge - after the first week-end this becomes a toss-up. I do think watching batteries charge edges out week-end bracket racing from an excitement standpoint.

4) Try to work with NHRA to fix some of the issues or at least get the car refactored - "I will not elaborate on my three years of frustration on this subject".

5) Call IHRA and see if I can get a crate motor approved for the Buick.

Here are the results - 3 emails, a couple of phone calls with the National Director of tech, Mike Baker and three weeks and I have a crate motor approved for my car. Instead of spending $8K on dinosaur iron, I actually get to take advantage of some of the new and readily available parts all the while being able to run my original old survivor Stage 1 Buick car in stock eliminator.

For the uniformed, the bottom end is still the same as for stock eliminator you just get to add a spec aluminum head, intake and Holley 850. For $4500 you can convert your stocker to a crate motor car, pull the car through the gate legally and have a fighting chance to be competitive - basically my index is tenth slower than NHRA and I get better and newer parts - no brainer!

If you decide you are done with the crate motor class or want to sell your pieces and parts or quit racing, you actually can get some of your money back because people are always looking for good untouched aluminum heads, intake manifolds and Holley 850's.

Remember 3 phone calls and 3 weeks and IHRA approved the combination. Another thing, they are actually nice to you on the phone and look for ways to get you to the track.

04-26-2010, 12:21 AM	#95
Paul Plummer Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Coeur D Alene, Idaho Posts: 67 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: IHRA vs NHRA Great thread, glad someone started this one. Here is a great example of the difference between the two sanctioning bodies when viewed from this stock eliminator racers perspective. Spent a lot of money and worked my tail off to build an NHRA stock eliminator car. Being naive and not one inclined to bend rules I actually built a rulebook legal car. Had one of the best stock eliminator engine builders in the country put my combination together minus the $8000 cylinder heads and intake manifold that I latter discovered was the key to running 1.5 or more under the index. (Do not be fooled, no amount of suspension tuning or chassis set-up will make up 70HP-100HP) My rulebook legal car ran .6-.7 under the C/SA index. NHRA then drops the indexes by .3 tenths and now I have a car that runs .3-.4 under - what's your address, I will just send you my entry fee and save all of the traveling expenses. I don't blame NHRA. I did not do my research and at this stage of the class racing game, I was the dumb$%s that didn't realize the rulebook was just a suggestion. I learned why a class motor really does cost $20K minimum to be competitive. So here were my choices - 1) spend $8000 on a set of ported and covered up stocker heads/intake and sweat bullets pulling through the gate at every event wondering if I will be torn down and found illegal. 2) Continue class racing and consider each event as a great way to test my car on a really well prepped track all the while letting my fellow racers think that I am sitting on the bottom of the ladder sheet on purpose! 3) Quit trying to class race with a rulebook legal car and either hit local week-end bracket racing or sit in my garage and watch my car's battery charge - after the first week-end this becomes a toss-up. I do think watching batteries charge edges out week-end bracket racing from an excitement standpoint. 4) Try to work with NHRA to fix some of the issues or at least get the car refactored - "I will not elaborate on my three years of frustration on this subject". 5) Call IHRA and see if I can get a crate motor approved for the Buick. Here are the results - 3 emails, a couple of phone calls with the National Director of tech, Mike Baker and three weeks and I have a crate motor approved for my car. Instead of spending $8K on dinosaur iron, I actually get to take advantage of some of the new and readily available parts all the while being able to run my original old survivor Stage 1 Buick car in stock eliminator. For the uniformed, the bottom end is still the same as for stock eliminator you just get to add a spec aluminum head, intake and Holley 850. For $4500 you can convert your stocker to a crate motor car, pull the car through the gate legally and have a fighting chance to be competitive - basically my index is tenth slower than NHRA and I get better and newer parts - no brainer! If you decide you are done with the crate motor class or want to sell your pieces and parts or quit racing, you actually can get some of your money back because people are always looking for good untouched aluminum heads, intake manifolds and Holley 850's. Remember 3 phone calls and 3 weeks and IHRA approved the combination. Another thing, they are actually nice to you on the phone and look for ways to get you to the track.