Easy way to help AHFS work

[GTS340]

I'm old enough unfortunately to remember before the AHFS . One fast run got you hp. Tuff cookies for the others with that combination. I believe NHRA tried to come up with a system that didn't chase the guy or gal out that didn't have the knowledge or the bank roll to keep up. Making a tweak like throw out the mineshaft races and seeing what happens for a year or two could change things. At least something like that. For example the divisional race at Boise this year in stock had 37 cars. 13 were a second or more under and it went mineshaft. So none of those runs mattered. I would have to research to see how many races went mineshaft. Could be very few. It would be a job at this point to add them in now and look at combination averages. Again just a change to one thing and see what happens. Looking under the hood at least for a second under run isn't the end of the world either.

Paul

[Rory McNeil]

I am certainly no expert on how the AHFS was intended to "level the field" with so many classes, but wouldn`t it be nice if any car that ran quick enough to cause a HP increase, was at least given a full teardown to ensure that it was indeed legal at the time of the run?

[Henry S]

There will always be racers to manipulate any system in place for their own benefit, and why wouldn't they. No system is perfect and performance Awards would be nice.

I think an easy way for the AHFS to work is to lower the trigger to -.50 under. This would make it very difficult to bring the average down and protect the combo. I know people will say this only helps the "slugs" but it may also promote new blood into the class as any system should be what is best for the sport not the individual.

These are just my thoughts so flame away

[Bobby Fazio]

Probably easier to just give the bye to however many cars there are above 64. 70 cars means the top 6 cars get a bye. 65 cars means only number 1 gets a bye. No crazy new formulas for an unknown ladder. Would this apply to national events only?

Originally Posted by thomas sheehan

Do you want to see racers qualify with all out runs?
Do you want to make the AHFS system work.
Give the racer a reason to cut her loose!
How about a first round BYE?
Not just for #1..... but how about 1-10 byes in round one?

Do you know anyone that would rather run against someone in round 1 rather than take a BYE run?... (answer is NO)
If someone wants to take a chance that their -.90 run will get them in the top ten (while running their restrictor plate, they take a chance that others will bump them out of the BYE group.
Here's where we use "Out of the box thinking"... NHRA uses a "randomizer" after all qualifying is complete, and then lets everyone know how many bye runs there will be. One week there could be 10, next week 7, next week 5... who knows? Maybe they even guarantee 5 first round byes per race. Then everyone shoots for top 5
Just look at the guys that cut her loose at the end of the year to get #1 spots for nothing more than a first round BYE,10 more points, and not having to run anyone in the dreaded first round! If more people are chasing a first round BYE, more people go fast and make the AHFS work.... "It ain't that hard to do"
REWARDS BRING RESULTS

[Eric Merryfield]

Originally Posted by thomas sheehan

Do you want to see racers qualify with all out runs?
Do you want to make the AHFS system work.
Give the racer a reason to cut her loose!
How about a first round BYE?
Not just for #1..... but how about 1-10 byes in round one?

Do you know anyone that would rather run against someone in round 1 rather than take a BYE run?... (answer is NO)
If someone wants to take a chance that their -.90 run will get them in the top ten (while running their restrictor plate, they take a chance that others will bump them out of the BYE group.
Here's where we use "Out of the box thinking"... NHRA uses a "randomizer" after all qualifying is complete, and then lets everyone know how many bye runs there will be. One week there could be 10, next week 7, next week 5... who knows? Maybe they even guarantee 5 first round byes per race. Then everyone shoots for top 5
Just look at the guys that cut her loose at the end of the year to get #1 spots for nothing more than a first round BYE,10 more points, and not having to run anyone in the dreaded first round! If more people are chasing a first round BYE, more people go fast and make the AHFS work.... "It ain't that hard to do"
REWARDS BRING RESULTS

I do like a first round bye, but I think making #1 qualifier a contingency paying position for national and divisonals would be very effective as well.....kind of like what class used to be expect better.....who wouldn't want their products on the #1 qualifier? #1 qualifier really should be looking at the same if not more than the contingency for winning the race. It wouldn't be boring at least. Eric

[Paul Wong]

Even pay the top 5 qualifiers. Make it a little more incentive for it not to be a bracket class. Go back to giving a round point to the number one qualifier as well.

[Ed Carpenter]

Originally Posted by Charley Downing

AHFS will never work with its current leadership. Now if Lonnie Grimm cleans house/ eliminates the problem, then it might have a chance but let’s face it AHFS has had the same problems 10-15 plus years now.
1. You can run -1.10 at an event and go to the next event and make 2 passes at -.55 to bring your average back to under-.80 making it safe from HP.
This window to lower your combo average are passes of -.85 to -.35. This window is way to big. I mean how can some make an argument that one weekend a guy runs -1.00 and the next weekend there making runs at below -.60. to pull the average down. There is no logic to this window. Personally, if a combo can run -1.00 then no runs under -.65 should count in lowering the class average

2. I Think the most important thing that will help AHFS work and put NEEDED performance back in the SS/STK class is going to a 48 or 64 car field at ALL National events (But INDY). Let’s face it the national event quotes are not going back to 80 plus cars per class at most national events so let’s just meet in the middle make all the quotes 70 cars per stk and ss. This will make guys step on there cars a little more frequently. I personal would like to see 48 car national event fields with around 60-65 car quotes. This would reward the #1 with the potential semi final bye into the final. I would leave points meet at 128 car fields and national open at all run field. This would create a kind of steppingstone affect for the class depend on you combos performance. This would also eliminate the 105 points Issue for winning a 6 or 7 round national event (East Coast VS West Coast) if all the National events were a 6 round max to win.

3. All runs of over -1.00 should have a min carb/TB check, casting # check and a PG if time permitting.

All of this is easy. You said someone goes -1.10 under one race then run -.55 under twice to bring average down. All Nhra has to do on those runs is take the 1/8 mile numbers and run them against the -1.10 under run the week before. Doing this would fix a lot of combos in about 6 months.

Disclaimer: I no longer run SS anymore but still like to read all the posts about s/ss. Just my .02

[Glenn Briglio]

Originally Posted by Ed Carpenter

All of this is easy. You said someone goes -1.10 under one race then run -.55 under twice to bring average down. All Nhra has to do on those runs is take the 1/8 mile numbers and run them against the -1.10 under run the week before. Doing this would fix a lot of combos in about 6 months.

Disclaimer: I no longer run SS anymore but still like to read all the posts about s/ss. Just my .02

Ed, Please give me a call today.

[Race Clean]

Originally Posted by Ed Carpenter

All of this is easy. You said someone goes -1.10 under one race then run -.55 under twice to bring average down. All Nhra has to do on those runs is take the 1/8 mile numbers and run them against the -1.10 under run the week before. Doing this would fix a lot of combos in about 6 months.

That wont work!!
They dont run fast to the 1/8 and then lift,they just go slow (on 2 barrels or a stop in the linkage etc.)
Anyone that has been .850 (.950) under or more during the period should not qualify for supplying any runs slower than that to AFHS

[SS/GSI]

Quote: Kevin, Where are we going with this? I don't disagree with much of what you said, but what would be your plan?
Tom put forth his. NHRA isn't going to do it, but that's the theme here.

Mark, I thought I was pretty clear on how to "FIX" the AHFS. Bring back performance to the STK and SS Classes. More class runoffs(we use to have class for either STK or SS at every National Event, some had both (Indy, Gators and Vegas) plus we also had 3 Sports Nationals! Bring Back the Performers Award. Perhaps points for top 5 or top 10 qualifiers, points for class winners? More review periods, not less. I like Charlie's idea for qualifying 64 cars at National Events; however it will not make the top half push themselves anymore than they do now....the bottom half are the ones that will need to start running it out or harder thus probably pushing the fields into "mineshaft" more often and negating more 1 sec under runs which would have triggered reviews for HP.

Most of the competitors voicing their displeasure with "soft combinations" and the AHFS system not working are also competitors(generally speaking) which at one time had under factored combos themselves. They ran them hard, received HP over a long period of time and now are pissed because other guys are in the same position they were 10-20 years ago. And that is another huge problem....it took a lot of the older combos a decade or more to get all the HP they have today...but just like Millennials everybody needs everything right away, "Instant Gratification"!!! If you want the system to work then don't move classes, chase guys down with those combos and make them run hard! Ohhh but that 's right, you might have to be the sacrificial lamb a few times to get results... Yes it will take time for them to get HP put on those combos, just like all the other combos before them and probably longer now due to the dilution of the classes and lack of performance rewards. But it will happen.

Changing or "tweaking" the AHFS to MF all these combos in 1 or 2 years is nothing but absurd and childish!!! Like I said before, there is more than one way for the competitors with these combos to get around receiving mass quantities of HP....If you think they will just play into your hands and destroy their s@#t for a #1 qualifying position at a nothing race, that's crazy!

PS: Mark there are two other options...work on your stuff or change your stuff!!! IMHO

Rant over....the minority groups will prosper in todays societal environment!