Quote:
Originally Posted by Jeff Lee
I'm saying there is a desire for racers to participate on the national event level. Prestige, ego, money. If there were no other way to race such a venue without having a pro class car, you would see more entry level stockers.
However, I know NHRA would never drop the super classes so it's a moot point.
Question: Did IHRA find that crate motor stock brought new blood into S/SS? I'm wondering if the statistics show an increase in car counts for Stock. Do the participants generally favor it?
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Jeff.....Several years ago (more than 15) IHRA was going to drop stock all together or combine them into S/S. The car count was 8 to 12 cars when no NHRA race was going on within around 500 miles. The S/S count was higher then with close to 100 cars at every event. I fought against it HARD then I develoed the dreaded (to NHRA racers) stock "Crate" motor classes and after about 6 months the stocker count took off after management decided to try it. IHRA began to have 60 to 80+ stocker car counts and several NHRA guys stated to run with IHRA also as the sponsor money went up. IHRA had class run offs then also with the high car counts. It was a much less expensive way to race in the beginning. Parts were easy to come by and we had something to compare heads, etc. to in tear down. As time went on they turned into NHRA style cars with the expensive mods allowed today in NHRA stockers. Bogus cylinder heads, lite trans components, shubeck style lifters with crazy spring pressures, 8000+ RPM shift points, and all the other tricks in the book that guys are doing today. Until I quit approx. 10 years ago I kept a handle on it but now its just as expensive to build and maintain a crate engined class car as it is an NHRA stocker and the car counts had dropped due to the economy, lack of pay outs, and the lack of tear downs by competent tech people. I dont blame the good tech guys that IHRA has left (not many) but the time schedule of their races dosent allow for much in the tear down inspection dept. I can see it happenng to the NHRA even though those with more money than sense continue to play the game. Its only a matter of time before it fails and car counts all drasticly in NHRA to. The "rules creap" has caused a lot of it. It has almost changed my mind about running a stocker again and the cost of gas and diesel hasnt helped either.