I'm no expert, but.......while it is possible to win with a slow/low HP Stocker, low HP, small carb and cammed vehicles tend to me more sensitive to weather conditions - (temps, humidity, barometer, wind, etc.) than the other end of the spectrum, thus making them more difficult to be consistent and predict (dial).
Chassis mods and "finding" the tree can be more challenging for FWD cars and tire size is limited as well .
But some people like the challenge, the lower operating expenses and have the dedication to work at it. I'm sure Michael Beard can elaborate more on this.
He "treed" me by .02!
