Crate Engines in NHRA?

[Chipper Chapman]

I know they aren't currently allowed (unless it's in a CJ or DP), but has NHRA ever considered the crate motor classes? I'm currently building a CM car, mainly to be run in our local series. But with losing our closest IHRA Track (Epping) I've been looking around for the next closest races and without driving 20+ hours, there are now none for us.

[Mickey Whaley]

No!

[Ed Wright]

Why would anybody paint themselves into a corner like that? I would build something that can run both places.

[tpoh815]

Here we go again .

[Ed Wright]

Originally Posted by tpoh815

Here we go again .

I don't run Stock, so don't care about them one way or another. Just don't understand building one unless surrounded by IHRA tracks with no desire to ever run NHRA.

[Alan Roehrich]

I don't understand doing it at all. It's not like you can go buy a crate motor from the dealer, bolt it in, and be competitive. It's just as expensive to either build one yourself, or pay someone to build it for you, if you want one that is competitive, as it is to build a competitive real combination.

And to be blunt, I hope NHRA never accepts any of them, the new bogus paper crate motor factory cars are enough of a joke, we don't really need anymore laughs.

[Mark Callanan]

Originally Posted by Chipper Chapman

I know they aren't currently allowed (unless it's in a CJ or DP), but has NHRA ever considered the crate motor classes? I'm currently building a CM car, mainly to be run in our local series. But with losing our closest IHRA Track (Epping) I've been looking around for the next closest races and without driving 20+ hours, there are now none for us.

Chipper
They all make the point of DONT build a crate motor car
Your tow would be over 20 hours so why add that to your yearly racing
Most class racers dont want to dilute the class or change it
Ihra had to add as many classes as they could to get the car count
Now on a positive note if you dont build a crate motor car you can race at Epping and Lebanon Valley they have a great group of races the end on June and into july this year
Also dont over look the All Stars they are a great bunch to race with and race between Lebanon Valley and Epping
And if you are going to still build a Crate Motor car the All Stars will let you race with them
What combo are you going to run?

[Chipper Chapman]

I had already spent a bunch of money on the engine before realizing how few places other than epping there were, and then lost them. I was also under the impression the All Star races were NHRA only as well. The reason I chose to run a crate is simple, where I live, even the 70's smog era parts are getting hard to come by. So all my crate parts are readily available throught the GM Dealer I work for. My combo is the ZZ4 350/345@360HP, in a 77 Camaro, fits G/CM at 3410 pounds. I know running a the legal 350 for the car, could be a very fast combo. But I'm now stuck with the crate stuff, at least for now. Just can't afford a second engine build now.

[Rsmith38]

Check the ASRA Schedule on the Class Racer site. 6 races, including a double at NED.

[Dwight Southerland]

Originally Posted by Alan Roehrich

I don't understand doing it at all. It's not like you can go buy a crate motor from the dealer, bolt it in, and be competitive. It's just as expensive to either build one yourself, or pay someone to build it for you, if you want one that is competitive, as it is to build a competitive real combination.

And to be blunt, I hope NHRA never accepts any of them, the new bogus paper crate motor factory cars are enough of a joke, we don't really need anymore laughs.

Yeah, but so many of the current old "stock" combinations are nothing more than paper motors any more. When your 396s got the 401 heads, the 359 manifolds, pistons that do not resemble production pieces, aftermarket carbs, 7/16" pushrods, etc. etc. the "stock" goes away. And that is just one example. The Delusion that Stockers are production pure pieces is just that. They are mostly formula cars now. Why not include additional optional definitions that can be controlled just as easy in teardown, yet are built with easy to obtain parts? Just a different formula in my mind, and easier to control. It's hard for somebody to come up with bogus 40 year-old documentation to change the facts of a production engine just to gain an advantage when the definition is clear to begin with and its not dragged out of somebody's wet dream from their teenage years.