Quote:
Originally Posted by Dave Reuland
NHRA did lower the indexes back in the early 90's, I believe, by 2 or 3 tenths. But many complaints reversed that decision as I recall. I talked to several stock racers this weekend in Pheonix and lowering the indexes was a very popular answer to this whole problem. The slowest car in stock was -35 under the index. That would have left him with a .15 second cushion. As a racer, I always enjoyed watching qualifying. Not anymore, almost every car was running 70 to 90 under. That ruined watching qualifying for me. It's not 1977 when I started in Stock. Even my old home built car will run -50 under the index. Times change, so should the indexes.
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NHRA did drop the Stock indexs down 3 tenths in 2009 or 2010, the fast guys were still the fast guys, the slow guys were still the slow guys, the only thing that was really effected was the slowest guys at the bottom of the qualifying sheet. If they couldn`t run at least the new index, some opened their wallets and "stepped up", but many just threw in the towel, and either quit or went bracket racing. Not really sure how making the fields even smaller, by discouraging the low buck, or guys that want to do everything themselves, or guys that like running a considered "un competitive" combo, because they like that car or engine, really is a benefit to the future of class racing. Seems some guys are complaining about dwindling car counts, not really sure than kicking to "bottom feeders" in the crotch is going to help in that department. Not everybody has the budget to buy a new COPO, or Cobra Jet, or even the budget for a $15,000 + pro built engine. And some guys, just like tinkering with what they have. Yes, aftermarket heads, intakes, carbs, lightweight brakes, seats, $6000 "trick" transmissions have allowed some guys to pick up their pace considerably, but not all combinations have the whizzy engine "enhancements" available to them, and others may not want to alter their cars to that extent. I have never seen Casey Miles Z/28, but I think it is great that guys like him are still out there racing, with an old school car.