[Dave Ficacci]

Mike,

Happy to hear you are bringing back the old iron. 2015 should be fun again in AA and A like it used to be.

In my opinion the index is just fine where it is and has been for the last 7 years. The 10.60 index allows you to run your car all out for a majority of the season and not worry about HP which is the main reason the class was created with this index in the first place.

If you don't think you can qualify in AA at Indy, you have the option to run A. If you built an AA only car, it is what it is.

There have been plenty of cars running in A capable of qualifying in AA (CC) in years past. To name a one, Ken Keirs Nova has been on what appear to be 9.8x runs in the heat of the day during class eliminations in A. Tuned up in the morning sessions Ken would have no problem getting in the field in AA. I'm sure if David Barton wanted the Coronet to qualify in AA he could as well.

Its funny you mention the "tanks" running in A. Weight was another reason why AA was created several years ago. Many drivers of these "tanks" got into NHRAs ear about how unsafe these car are becoming carrying so much weight and parts breakage was also an issue. Well look back till about 2008/09 when all these "tanks" put the weight back in to run A to avoid the new cars and have been in A ever since...I guess it wasn't about weight and safety after all. In my opinion are too many personal agendas out there and this thread is another example.

To comment on your stick/auto comparison in Top Stock, I don't believe you had two equally built cars with the same combo, one auto, one stick competing in Top Stock did you? I lost interested when crate motors were allowed so maybe you did. Point being you need to look no further than SS/AH in the last 5 years to know the stick is faster. There is a reason everyone switched to a manual, and you know its not because its easier.