[Alan Roehrich]

For example, in the lower MP classes that NHRA completely eliminated, if you were already at minimum weight, and could not remove more weight, or build a bigger engine with the same HP per cubic inch, you were pretty much done. And even if you had to build a new engine, that means your current combination was done.

If you had a 300 cubic inch engine, were running in a lower class that NHRA completely eliminated, couldn't build a bigger engine, and couldn't take out more weight, that was the end of your combination. You could change to a different engine, but that wasn't the same combination.

As far as moving to Super Stock goes, remember that was back in the day of (at least supposedly) unported heads and such, among other limitations in traditional Super Stock classes. So, moving a 276 cubic inch, 11,000 RPM powered 5 speed car intended to run off the index, into a class full of comparatively mild automatic cars running in bracket mode was sort of like pushing a rope. Uphill.

A lot of people who were running Modified around here used up their engines, and then their transmissions, and went bracket racing or .90 super class racing. That's what we did. First the little 260-290 cubic inch engines went, replaced by a mild bracket big block, then when the Doug Nash stuff got tired, it got replaced by a PowerGlide, and eventually the stock front clip gave way to a tube chassis and a glass front end. Eventually, it was a Super/Pro and Super/Gas car. And then came throttle stops, delay boxes, and air shifters. By then, I hated all of it. I quit for nearly 15 years.