thanks NHRA..

[HawkBrosMav]

Anyone else start a budget project with a goal on how fast they wanted to run and now due to NHRA's great idea to drop index's you may be re-evaluating and maybe not even running stock in the near future?

Story: Me(21) and my bro(20) decide we want to build a stock just under a year ago. We both are full time students at UofA but have a part time jobs with some extra spending money. both been in the sport for a while but dad has paid for nearly everything. We decide we can put together a car that may run just under index and be perfect to get our feet wet without dads money. around $12,000 dollars and a couple Christmas and b-day gifts later.. 8 months of sweat and BAM! stocker complete.. first day testing and were actually a tenth faster than we had hoped for when the build started.. problem is we intended to be about 3 tenths under in the beggining so at tracks like Firebird where they get no altitude correction we will be a couple hundredths too slow.
We will find the ET I have very little concern of that. We've been in this sport too long to just quit because we're too slow. BUT it got me thinking how on earth do we expect people on a budget to even consider trying to join our sport? this is our first try at stock and i guarantee that may people would either sell the car and find a new sport or they will look to some of the other more exciting associations where they can go a hell of a lot faster with a hell of a lot less restrictions for the same amount of cash...

rant over ha
good lucky this year everybody
BH

[Paul Merolla]

Originally Posted by HawkBrosMav

Anyone else start a budget project with a goal on how fast they wanted to run and now due to NHRA's great idea to drop index's you may be re-evaluating and maybe not even running stock in the near future?

Story: Me(21) and my bro(20) decide we want to build a stock just under a year ago. We both are full time students at UofA but have a part time jobs with some extra spending money. both been in the sport for a while but dad has paid for nearly everything. We decide we can put together a car that may run just under index and be perfect to get our feet wet without dads money. around $12,000 dollars and a couple Christmas and b-day gifts later.. 8 months of sweat and BAM! stocker complete.. first day testing and were actually a tenth faster than we had hoped for when the build started.. problem is we intended to be about 3 tenths under in the beggining so at tracks like Firebird where they get no altitude correction we will be a couple hundredths too slow.
We will find the ET I have very little concern of that. We've been in this sport too long to just quit because we're too slow. BUT it got me thinking how on earth do we expect people on a budget to even consider trying to join our sport? this is our first try at stock and i guarantee that may people would either sell the car and find a new sport or they will look to some of the other more exciting associations where they can go a hell of a lot faster with a hell of a lot less restrictions for the same amount of cash...

rant over ha
good lucky this year everybody
BH

I think you just answered your own question - you guys proved that it CAN be done, even with the index drop. If I follow your math correctly, you're a tenth under the new index, right out of the box, brand new car that you built yourselves, on a tight budget. This stuff isn't for those seeking instant gratification, for the most part...it's the challenge of finding that next hundredth with the rulebook in hand.
I'm looking forward to watching what you guys do this year!

[GTX JOHN]

Why make it so hard for new stock racers and those on a tight budget to compete? Car counts were way down at some of the division 6 and 7 races already. If they go much lower it will make less and less sense for NHRA to continue both stock and super stock. In a couple of division races I went to as much as 20% of the field wasn't .3 under! Why not let people participate while they learn? When we started back racing in 94, if the index was tougher we would of quit! There is a learning curve in racing.....especially on a working mans budget. We now bring 4 stockers to the races when we can make time! That would have been 4 less if we had quit, thats 1/5 of the field in a few of the 20 car divisional. We live in a small town where it is hard to find a whole lot of help or advice on stock racing so it took a few years to get up to speed! I don't have any other personal motives......all our cars ran over a second under old index last time out. Irving Family Racing NHRA National Record Holders

[Casey Miles]

I think you just answered your own question - you guys proved that it CAN be done, even with the index drop. If I follow your math correctly, you're a tenth under the new index, right out of the box, brand new car that you built yourselves, on a tight budget. This stuff isn't for those seeking instant gratification, for the most part...it's the challenge of finding that next hundredth with the rulebook in hand.
I'm looking forward to watching what you guys do this year!
Today 05:06 AM

Paul, I'd agree with you if we were back in the 1970's or 80's, it was like your reply back then.
But now it's only how deep are your pockets and how are you willing to spend to pick up a hundredth. This is far from stock when you are talking about piston weights, lifters that never were ever offered in any stock vehicle. Stock has turned to mod with a stock looking body that now even gets over looked.

HawkBrosMav, instead of paying stupid entry fees that don't pay back what you have contributed percentage wise, take the car to your local track and enjoy racing. Local racing is far more profitable unless you are a touring Pro. That's the advice I'd give my sons if they decided to go racing.

Casey Miles
248H

[James Perrone]

You guys need to stop crying and get with the program..
Money helps but hard work and testing will get you there..
Work on you car or GO PLAY GOLF..
NHRA National Event is a Privledge
You gotta get grade points..build a CLASS CAR.
That why you wanna try this ,,ITs NOT Suppose to BE EASY
They are the only game in town,,[IHRA most any combo will do]
Spend some time And Money and Test
Or stick to your local bracket racing program
GET OFF THE COMPUTER
BITCHES AND WORK ON YOU CAR

[HawkBrosMav]

Originally Posted by James Perrone

You guys need to stop crying and get with the program..
Money helps but hard work and testing will get you there..
Work on you car or GO PLAY GOLF..
NHRA National Event is a Privledge
You gotta get grade points..build a CLASS CAR.
That why you wanna try this ,,ITs NOT Suppose to BE EASY
They are the only game in town,,[IHRA most any combo will do]
Spend some time And Money and Test
Or stick to your local bracket racing program
GET OFF THE COMPUTER
BITCHES AND WORK ON YOU CAR

I quoted Mr. Perrone because he was to first to comment but this is in rely to all the people who agreed with his logic...

Let me start out by saying I in no way was complaining about not being fast enough our FIRST day testing. This entire post was meant to show that what NHRA has done with the indexes in this terrible econimic times has done nothing to improve the sport. I know racing takes work trust me. We now have 7 car in the family that we must maintain and we are at the track around 45 weekends a year... you dont have to lecture me on that aspect. I also know that there are things we can easily do or work with to get our particular combo under the index. This was not a personal gripe even though I used my situation as an example.

Do you people want the class you've worked so hard for so long in to just disappear because of lack of participation?? With the attitude you've come across with I doubt you will show up to a local bracket show with your "FAST"stocker. that would be embarrassing wouldn't it? What im saying is we need to find ways to make this class exciting to the person thinking about getting into the sport. We need to give them more of an incentive to put in all the work that we have put in to make our "stock" cars run fast enough. How many new young faces do you see in the class that will be able to support the class when the older stock/SS guys decide to retire from the sport? Instead of coming across like such and disrespectful a sshole maybe you should think of the future of the sport.... just a thought but what do I know im a kid with no money who doesn't work hard enough...

BH
Thanks to all the people who actually care about this sport and offer encouragement to new faces.. we will be fine i was just looking to see how many other people were in a similar situation due to the index changes..

Engine builder- Me... We got advise on what was legal and what was not. Nothing extremely trick(except lifters). local shop did the machine I assembled. not my first rodeo but definently nothing trick.

[AC]

Originally Posted by James Perrone

You guys need to stop crying and get with the program..
Money helps but hard work and testing will get you there..
Work on you car or GO PLAY GOLF..
NHRA National Event is a Privledge
You gotta get grade points..build a CLASS CAR.
That why you wanna try this ,,ITs NOT Suppose to BE EASY
They are the only game in town,,[IHRA most any combo will do]
Spend some time And Money and Test
Or stick to your local bracket racing program
GET OFF THE COMPUTER
BITCHES AND WORK ON YOU CAR

A Privilege, LOL the NHRA is doing you a favor by letting the sportsman in. Some privilege, take 3 days off from work, get 2 or 3 time shots, pay through the *** to race, get **** on, mmm i could go on!

Hey my advice, enjoy the car, have fun, stay in school and get your education, then later in life you will be able to build the car of your dreams! In the mean time work hard, learn what the car wants and you will start to pick up et, also dont be afraid to make some friends at the track and i am sure you will pick up some tips here and there.

[sprnova]

Dont get to discouraged. Right out of the box your running what you wanted? You should know by your going to find more little things going to make it run quicker. Plus with all the help you have down there and the people you can talk to just a little north on the 10, it will be running just fine. Not to mention the way both of you drive.

Are you guys bringing it to Phoenix for the open?

[Craig Couris]

Right on, James.

[Duster 7695]

I am relatively new to the Forum, but I do not think that posts like Mr. Perrone's are very positive , nor are they necessary. Is there really a need to be so nasty?

I ran a Super Stocker back in the early 70's and left the sport when I went to work for the government. I got back into drag racing in a bracket car back in 2003. At the end of last year I decided to try class rcing again. I have just finished converting my bracket car to a Stock Eliminator car. I too was a little dishartened to see that the index was dropped .3. I ,like the Hawks will do the best I can until I am able to get my car to run a competitive et.

I appreciate all the work that you other racers put into your cars. I know that class racing is expensive, and like many retirees I have a limited racing budget. Like many of you, I fear that the NHRA will eventually phase us out of existance. When that happens I will race my very expensive class car in the bracket races.

I look forward to seeing the Hawk family at the races here in Division7. Perhaps you can make it up for the National Time Trials, ot the National Open at Speedworkd.

Raul Vargas