weight /class questions

[Rory McNeil]

Tom, also keep in mind that you don`t neccasarily go by the weight listed on your cars registration papers, or owners manual, sales brochure etc, you have to use the weight per horsepower factor as listed in the NHRA "Stock car classification guide". There will be various factors based on different trim levels, body styles, and engines. For example, say that the model you are trying to determine has a factor of 14.38 lbs per HP, which would give a shipping weight of 2876 lbs. You can either "round it off" to the "top" of M/S, which is 14.00 lbs per HP, for a min weight of 2800 lbs, or round it off to the top of "N",(14.50) which would give a min. weight of 2900 lbs. After that, you add the 170 lbs for the drivers weight. So now the minimum for "M" is 2970, and for "N" it`s 3070. Those are the min. weights that you need to be at the scales after a run. Years ago, you were not permitted to round off the class factors, so my example of a 14.38 factor would have meant that the car & driver combo had to weigh 2876+170 for a min weight of 3046lbs. That is the reason that there were so many oddball combinations, as a 4 door sedan may have fit the class better than a 2 door, or a wagon fit better than a convertible.