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Dwight Southerland · 03-23-2011, 08:53 AM

Alan -
But NHRA did create another formula with the DP and Ford cars. It's just that it is a formula that specifically applies to those combinations. You basically said it yourself that they take paper engines (crate motors) and put them in non-production bodies to make the cars that are now in competition.

My statements and comments are not arguing that NHRA ought to start "crate motor" classes, just that such classes and the cars that are defined by them are totally within the same functional rules and concepts of the whole of Stock Eliminator as it is defined now. It's kind of like when Farmer told me years ago that "stock" is what is in the class guides and what is "legal" is what passes tech. I just don't see the necessity of the vehement remarks that come out from the NHRA guys when IHRA crate motor cars are discussed. NHRA Stock Eliminator is in one perspective just a "formula" category that is only a vague semblance to mostly production automobiles in America.

To address your questions: Will NHRA likely add crate motor classes? Probably not, unless they get financially desperate and think that by tempting IHRA racers they can help the bottom line. If they decided to add crate motor classes, would the car count increase? Probably not that either, unless that becomes an effective way for racers of old car combinations to stay away from the new cars that are being destined to overtake the existing classes.

You comments about the lack of equity in factoring answers itself. That's a moot point as far as I am concerned. We are seeing the most blatent screwing and inconsideration of the Stock Eliminator competitors imaginable. What is going on is the frog in the pot waiting for the water to boil or the Jews being moved to the ghettos in Krakow. The AHFS is designed to not correct the power factors, only to give the semblance that it will. It doesn't even keep up with old, known combinations, much less the new ones that are given such preferential status. The intent is to kill off the old cars gradually, and it is a marketing decision. These guys are looking ten years out and trying to keep their product attractive to a changing audience, and the audience is not the competitors.

Another factor that I hate is that the new cars are so expensive. When the economic statistics of the country support the fact that no more than 2.6% of the population can even afford to build and race a $100,000 race car, Stock Eliminator is beginning to look like polo - eclectic and only for the rich. The fly in the ointment is the Billy Nees and Bob Shaw racers, but how many new racers are being educated into that perspective and mentality? If you can't get old racers to really honor them, so what chance to pass on the wisdom? Even if there were a "move" to more practical and not-ego-driven race car building, NHRA would strategize a way to make them uncompetitive. They have a product to sell, not races to run, and they know that mindless excitement, lust, greed and ego sells races, not true competition.

Sorry for the rant, guys.

03-23-2011, 08:53 AM	#4
Dwight Southerland VIP Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Arkansas - In the middle of everything. Posts: 2,002 Likes: 64 Liked 783 Times in 195 Posts	Re: Crate Engines in NHRA? Alan - But NHRA did create another formula with the DP and Ford cars. It's just that it is a formula that specifically applies to those combinations. You basically said it yourself that they take paper engines (crate motors) and put them in non-production bodies to make the cars that are now in competition. My statements and comments are not arguing that NHRA ought to start "crate motor" classes, just that such classes and the cars that are defined by them are totally within the same functional rules and concepts of the whole of Stock Eliminator as it is defined now. It's kind of like when Farmer told me years ago that "stock" is what is in the class guides and what is "legal" is what passes tech. I just don't see the necessity of the vehement remarks that come out from the NHRA guys when IHRA crate motor cars are discussed. NHRA Stock Eliminator is in one perspective just a "formula" category that is only a vague semblance to mostly production automobiles in America. To address your questions: Will NHRA likely add crate motor classes? Probably not, unless they get financially desperate and think that by tempting IHRA racers they can help the bottom line. If they decided to add crate motor classes, would the car count increase? Probably not that either, unless that becomes an effective way for racers of old car combinations to stay away from the new cars that are being destined to overtake the existing classes. You comments about the lack of equity in factoring answers itself. That's a moot point as far as I am concerned. We are seeing the most blatent screwing and inconsideration of the Stock Eliminator competitors imaginable. What is going on is the frog in the pot waiting for the water to boil or the Jews being moved to the ghettos in Krakow. The AHFS is designed to not correct the power factors, only to give the semblance that it will. It doesn't even keep up with old, known combinations, much less the new ones that are given such preferential status. The intent is to kill off the old cars gradually, and it is a marketing decision. These guys are looking ten years out and trying to keep their product attractive to a changing audience, and the audience is not the competitors. Another factor that I hate is that the new cars are so expensive. When the economic statistics of the country support the fact that no more than 2.6% of the population can even afford to build and race a $100,000 race car, Stock Eliminator is beginning to look like polo - eclectic and only for the rich. The fly in the ointment is the Billy Nees and Bob Shaw racers, but how many new racers are being educated into that perspective and mentality? If you can't get old racers to really honor them, so what chance to pass on the wisdom? Even if there were a "move" to more practical and not-ego-driven race car building, NHRA would strategize a way to make them uncompetitive. They have a product to sell, not races to run, and they know that mindless excitement, lust, greed and ego sells races, not true competition. Sorry for the rant, guys.