Factory experimental

[bill dedman]

How are these cars any different from a 1968 Dart/Barracuda Hemi car, or a Thunderbolt? Both are non-street-legal factory cars, both have outrageously powerful engines that wouldn't be happy in a grocery getter, and both are EXTREMELY limited production cars.

What did they do with the Hemis and T-Bolts?

They put them in their appropriate Super Stock classes, where they could "play with their own kind."

There IS no Factory Experimental class in the rule book, and hasn't heen for eons, but there sure as hell are Super Stock classes for these cars, and I think that's where they belong. Let's see how they fare against Brandon Wilkinson's car, heads-up, or any of the Hemi '65 Plymouths and Dodges in SS/B...

Apples to apples...

That IS what they did with the '68 competition Hemis and Thunderbolts...

What's good for the goose, etc., etc., etc....

What think ye? They sure as hell don't belong in Stock Eliminator, for a variety of reasons!

[Greg Hill]

All this does is re-enforce my feeling that the powers that be either don't have a clue or really don't care about stock eliminator. These factory built race cars belong in some class besides stock eliminator. A " 68 " Z-28 can't even run the 2x4's or the cam that anyone could order from the factory and have delivered to the dealer in the trunk of the car. Now whatever the factory wants to do is okay even though these are not even street legal cars. A lot of A and AA cars are going to be obsolete.

Greg

[danny waters sr]

New classes AF/S & AF/SA = All new Fords AD/S & AD/SA = All new Dodge & Chyrsler (or even AM/S or AM/SA for Mopars) AG/S & AG/SA = All General Motors. All with their own indexes and Factors.This reminds me of mixing fuel injections with carb classes . In my opinion this is the way it should be if they want to run stock..Who knows ,maybe this is the new answer to cutting out real stockers at NHRA. These cars could easily take your place in the big show. That would make them happy . Just thinking out loud ..

[Jeff Lee]

I made several posts on the new Cobra Jet Mustang in testing on this forum and the moderator deleted every one of them. Why, I have no idea. But I'll try again. 138 MPH with 210 degree water temps and pump-gas tune. ET was down in the low-mid 10's due to poor driving skills.
And NHRA has made statements in the past they do not support limiting or regulating boost on turbo applications but believe it is not acceptable to change boost on Supercharged applications by altering pulley diameters. That makes about as much sense as I don't know what! The way around this with SC applications is I'm sure the OEM will have different pulleys as OEM acceptable. They already offer a 5.4 SC Shelby factory delivered with 500 HP, 540HP, 625HP & 700 HP.

[CrateCamaro]

I thought the big 3 (GM, Ford, Mopar) had no money??

[rtaylor3410]

Rather than trying to keep these new late model cars out of stock, perhaps we should be talking about creating a new class for our 30 to 40 year old cars called Nostalgia Stock.

I've been reading posts on here for the last couple of years with people wanting class racing to be what it was back in the 60's, more factory involvement, higher payouts, more fan appeal etc... I think these new cars work in our benefit over the long haul.
Let's face it, there's no benefit to GM if a 69 Camaro outruns a 68 Mustang or Barracuda like there was back then. But if this new 09 Mustang blows the doors off an 09 Challenger or one of the new Camaro's, then there might be some value to the manufacturers and some additional fan appeal etc..

I happen to love these old cars that we race, but unless you grew up around this sport, alot of people don't recognize these cars anymore.

And NO, I do not race a AA car.

[Ed Fernandez]

If these Mustangs and any future Mopar/GM hi horse power cars come along there is a place for them already,SUPER STOCK,along with 68 Hemi cars,SS AMXs,T'Bolts etc.Where is the problem with that?
I guess the guys who will have the $$ for these cars will have to live with the fact that they will not be the
fastest combos in the eliminator.
I dont think we need any new classes in Stock.
Ed F.
Lowly T/SA

[Bart Kilraine]

If they run any kind of big numbers they are going to get hit with horse power,therefore they end up in Super Stock.There is no higher class in stock !

[Ken Haase]

(pant,pant) Holy Cow! I can't read fast enough to keep up with this thread! Ya' better get ready Alex, the 400th post will be here soon.

Now, I'm no Ford guy, but the anticipation of 'seeing' these Mustangs run is making me salivate. I just hope that we will get to see the true potential, rather than what they'll do clicked at 1000'. I'm sure Ford will make public the incrementals. Not! Ford's involvement in drag racing is good for the sport, and stock eliminator in particular. Same for Mopar. I just wish Ford wouldn't give another nickel to that buffoon with the giant ego. You know, the guy NHRA can't seem to get enough of on ESPN.

Having said that, I'm afraid Bruce's concerns are not unfounded. One poster didn't think that 2.42 Hp/cu.in was attainable with this new CJ. I recall reading of F1 engines producing 6 Hp/ inch, or more. If Ford did their homework and the blower is efficient, I don't see why they couldn't extract two or more Hp/cu.in. Of course, none of this matters much except in heads-up runs. Are they running 'class' at Pomona?

As mentioned previously, I'm not a Ford guy. But I could be. If Red LeBlanc would turn over the keys to his '69, I'll bleed blue.

One last thing. IMHO, Ford won the all-time 'coolest car name' title back in '68 with the debut of the original Cobra Jet. Second place goes to 'Ramcharger'.

[MPR]

Taylor, I agree completely. The NHRA has no intentions of eliminating the 40 year old stuff but it is called Stock Eliminator and all the new car brands should and will be represented.
The NHRA does have a horse power factoring system which has been implemented many times in the past. If and when the Cobra Jet runs quick enough, the adjustment will be made but it needs to happen first.
It’s hard to believe there are NHRA racers that would like to factor another fellow participant before they ever make a single run. Bruce, are you saying the NHRA hasn’t classified the Cobra Jet in a fair and honest manner. I’m not sure where your info came from but I trust the NHRA has as much info as the rest of us. I’m sure they will do the right thing as soon as the CJ earns its punishment.
Ed, why should new high horse power cars run only in super stock? If the factory is building them for stock and they are, what’s wrong with that? After 40 years I would hope the auto industry can give us stuff that can out run the antiques. Yes, no new classes in stock! It would be great to see an F/X class in Super Stock for new Mustang, Camaro and Challenger to race against each other. Maybe someday when the industry rebounds this might happen.
For now I think Fords efforts are great for the entire sport and the NHRA. Hopefully the Hemi Challenger will begin to appear at the races and again give some people something to complain about. Face it, in order for Stock to be just that, Stock, new body and engine styles need to be competing at the races. History needs to be afforded the opportunity to repeat itself like in the 60’s and 70’s. New cars not 40 year old cars made Stock Eliminator what it is. I know we are all getting older but ask your self, how many 1920’s cars were in the parking lot when you went to high school?