[Mike Carr]

Alan/Andrew, I'd think most of the Indexes currently are pretty fair. SS/Mod classes lose Index when the AHFS is flagged. SS/BM went from 9.65 to 9.50 from a hit at Indy a few years back (James Caro), then took the three tenths (that everybody received) hit, down to the current 9.20. Same with SS/AM. Scott Gove ran 7.99 at the Dutch in great air a few years ago, lowering the Index, via AHFS, from 9.45 to 9.30, then the .3 reduction down to 9.00. Same with SS/AH, a .15 hit via AHFS, then .3 down to the current 9.30. The quickest SS/AH at Indy last year was 8.42 by CW Jr, only -.87 and change. I think SS/AM was empty the last two years at Indy (except maybe John Clegg), for fear a racer in that class wouldn't qualify against a stiff Index.

Point being, Unless you get killer, mineshaft air, a current SS/AM, SS/BM, SS/AH, etc aren't going to run 1 second under, while many other combinations.classes can with ease. If only, say, 5-10 classes out of the near 140 within Stock and S/S are tough Indexes, it would reason to bring those 10 classes up, not bring the other 130 down.