[Ron E]

I think this problem is really simple. But, a lot of people just argue their side instead of considering the validity of their POV.

So, let me qualify, or disqualify my "right" to even post, as some think if I don't have a
A through D/S'er I'm not allowed an opinion. 90% of my work is class cars. A bracket racer just buys the latest,greatest heads according to Car Craft or their brother in law. So, I arrogantly feel I have the right to speak. If you disagree, stop reading right here.

To those who call it shoe polish racing, you are missing what class racing is all about. If that were the case, they'd run tube door cars, or dragsters, where the headers can be removed in a leisurely 5 minutes, and nobody would ever tell you to tear down a perfectly good engine so they could look inside. This ain't shoe polish racing.

Class racing is a totally different mindset. Stockers amaze me at how fast they can go with no meaningful valve lift, undersized carburetors, awful manifolds no compression, etc. I understand the difference, but I'm never amazed when I see a 1900 lb. dragster with a 540 CI motor equipped with a 1150 on a sheetmetal intake with 400 CC runner heads and .800" lift solid rollers going 8.30's.

Stock racing has always been about getting the last drop out of a combination. Of course, money is always a factor. But, when the deep-pocket big guns are running 10-ohs and some 9.90's while you're running 10.30's, you don't feel crushed. You know that you're just out spent. Even without 14 converters, 4 sets of $3K headers, etc. your 10.30's are damn respectable.

Everybody here knows the only problem is the factors. When a top tier racer who has constantly developed and refined a '69 BB Camaro for 10 years to get it in the 9.90's suddenly has to race a brand new and yet (relatively) undeveloped combination that runs instant 9.40's out of the box, what does anyone expect him to do? Just go to work and find another 1/2 second is a STUPID suggestion. There's far more left in that new car than the Camaro. And anybody who has a clue knows this. And after all the time/money/effort, it's down right demeaning to run a flat out 9.96 and get beat by a 9.84 at 112 MPH. And not being in A through D doesn't mean you shouldn't give a damn. How long before some new combo shows up for L or M stock?

Bring on the new cars. Just factor them in so they're part of the eliminator. There's been several common sense methods to make this happen already.

I don't think anybody in their right mind doesn't like the new cars. All the negative energy needs to go straight to NHRA. I mean bitch at them so much that they hate to open their inbox, answer the phone or open a letter. Make the topic unavoidable to them.

As soon as the factors are fair this whole debate will be over and not a minute before. The ivory tower types in NHRA need to get sick of hearing about it. Sick enough to fix the problem. There is a point where anybody will take some action to stop the bitching. I know this (I'm divorced).
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Sykes brothers cylinder heads