Class Racing Farce

[kansas stocker]

It's not the fat wallet or great builder that disheartens me. It's the stoke of NHRA's pen.
302ci Ford at 133 hp or there about depending on the body vs 283 Chevrolet at 170 hp.
Bigger bore and more cubic inches is worth -37 hp? You don't need NHRA's sometimes used factoring to see that that isn't right. I'm not faulting those that are running the combination. They are just using what was given them.They would still be tough at 180 hp but at least the field would be leveled a little. My rant for the month and I've used it up early.
Pete

[Jim Wery]

Keep the info coming, as I'm new to this as well, and at times wondering why I'm building a SS/BA car.

[Nmbr1GMfan]

Originally Posted by Pistol Pete

100% Correct unless your running against Mr Fat Wallet Racer heads up during the rounds

Plenty of ways around that too, everyone plays the ladder to their own advantage, running those people late in the ladder if they both make it that far. Here's my problem with the complaining, it's a drag race, the faster car is supposed to win and we all have to make a decision how much $$$ we're willing to sacrifice for a trophy. Or maybe we should add up the contingencies to find out how long it will take to get our money back from the 1.5 under engine investment.

[Nmbr1GMfan]

Originally Posted by hangemhigh

Keep the info coming, as I'm new to this as well, and at times wondering why I'm building a SS/BA car.

This guy is spending the $$$.

[Lee Valentine]

I've been racing stock eliminator since the late sixties and this is the same argument in just a different form since then, this is what we signed up for going in. If you didn't realize that you didn't research what you were doing very well.

[Jim Wery]

Originally Posted by Nmbr1GMfan

This guy is spending the $$$.

I like to consider it an entertainment tax.


Seriously though, while going to Indy yesterday did answer some questions, it also raised a few new ones....Such as, how can some of the Superstockers even be considered as such, (aero scoop, etc.), when they're not even remotely close to stock? The more modern car packages seem much better suited to going well under index, while my mid 60's platform clearly has at least a few more constraints. Guess that's why there's so few of them still doing this.

[Bob Mulry]

Hi All,

All I want to say is to careful what you wish for.

Back in the day we raced off records and if a record got blitzed in the fall or winter we still had to race off it in the summer.....

There is talk about the people who can only go .50 under having to race a combo in the same class that can run 1.50 under isn't fair....

Just to give everybody a quick refresher on the index system because it was started to assist the cars that couldn't run on the record and to keep them racing.

If the AHFS where enforced in its purist form, it would cause a very large number of cars not being able to run the index and they would instantly become non-competitive.

The rules and rule makers have caused this problem by allowing Stock to become a Mini-Super Stock.

NHRA allows parts that never came on cars from the factory and now, almost unlimited access to aftermarket hi-performance, non-factory parts.

The result is that Stock is not entry level as it was intended but almost a professional category.

The racers that want to go fast will, no matter what. The guys who don't want to be fast won't be fast. If AHFS was run in it's purist form it would probably end Stock Eliminator. Everybody with a MOPAR 340 or a 305 Camaro would get a horsepower hit. The racers that ran 1.50 under would run .50 under and the racers that ran .85 under would run .15 over. It would turn Stock into Comp where only the strong survive no matter what.

Back in the day we had the Farmer looking out to level the playing field. Some people liked how it done and some people hated how it was done, but in the end most people respected the process. Today is a different day because the NHRA Technical Management people don't get it that we want the rules tightened and enforced to keep the field level.

If you race a car with a combination that can run 1.50 under and your doesn't and if the AHFS was adjusted 9.25% you could retire from racing, change combinations or change your approach as to how you run your car.

The system with all of its flaws and BS keeps more people racing. It AHFS was strictly enforced it would drastically reduce the amount of entries and nobody wants that.

AHFS isn't the problem.

The problem sits squarely with NHRA Technical Department Management because of their lack of knowledge and the ramifications of rule changes. This is a classic case of "The law of unintended consequences" that we all have to live with.

I guess that I got a little long winded, but I feel very strongly about the problems facing NHRA Stock Eliminator racing.

Thanks for putting up with me,
Bob

PS:
I really, really wanted to use bold type..........

[Bob Mulry]

Originally Posted by hangemhigh

Keep the info coming, as I'm new to this as well, and at times wondering why I'm building a SS/BA car.

I'm wondering too.

Originally Posted by GrapeApe7575

Watching this dog and pony show has just reminded me once again what a farce I have subscribed to After spending more than any reasonable person could justify to build what I expected to be a reasonably competitive car only to put hundreds of pounds of weight and hours of detuning it to stay "on the porch" I have realized the stupidity of it all.

The lack of AHFS control(the farce) and the fact these guys can go out there and run one and a half seconds under their supposedly carefully calculated index is just laughable. They will go home next week, load the trunk with lead, drain the 3in1 oil out and fill the crankcase with 20-50w. and head to the lanes at their next divisional to play the game of keeping their index from being hit the following week. This has almost nothing to do with innovative tuning, research and development, or chassis science....it's about playing the ridiculous cat and mouse game with NHRA.

So if it bothers me so much why don't I just turn it loose and run it like the hot rod I planned? No really....tell me why I don't!

Pardon my whine.....just in a bad mood tonight after seeing a car in my class run .6 tenths faster than my .85 under car.....and this just happened to be the closest platform!!! I probably should stick to Facebook and just go post pictures of my tacos, fake pictures of Trump beating a baby, or play Kandy Krush.....or something other than the tongue lashing that's surely coming my way from the enlightened masses.

Great post Mark! I sent you a message. See you soon.

[James Perrone]

Correct.by having no ahfs in play at Indy
Indy is the only place ahfs would help even things out and award earned HP
This isn't about the U/SA of the world
It was done to save the NEW CARS getting factored out of STOCK