Z-MAX car count

[Michael Beard]

Originally Posted by Rory McNeil

Micheal, if you already have a NHRA legal Stocker, why did you feel the need to build a crate motor car to run IHRA? I thought that a NHRA Stocker would fit into an existing IHRA class, no?

It had been on the injured reserve list for several years. I hurt a rod about 5th round at the Bracket Finals one year, and it had pretty much been sitting since. It's an '85 Turismo 2.2L (carb'd). Used to run EF/SA. While I feel like I'm more competitive in my faster car (and wheelies are fun!), I guess that may not be fair, as I did finish 11th in NHRA Div. 1 in my rookie year with the car, and won a few bracket races with it. Billy Nees and my dad got it back on track this summer, and have picked it up about .50. I may run it at a few races next year just to 'stretch its legs'. It's actually a pretty good car.

It's not so much a crate vs "NHRA" deal in terms of competitiveness, as I had the opportunity to drive an NHRA-legal Stocker in Super Stock last year, and finished 6th in the World. It's more just preference. As I keep saying - to each their own - I don't expect NHRA to change.