all the talk on how to save class racing....

[bill dedman]

The things that keep someone like myself from running a class-legal stocker are the cumulative total of many years of "enhancements" that "take the goody" out of running a car in the Stock classes.

NHRA has systematically destroyed nearly all of the positive aspects of what used to make it not only worthwhile to race a car in Stock, but financially reasonable, in terms of what you might win vs. your payout for all expenses.

I don't know the exact chronology, nor all of the many things that have transpired to make running a Stocker less of an exciting endeavor and more of a chore, but a few of the ones I can readily bring to mind are:

1. Increasing entry fees, insurance surcharges, cutting down on the number of people the entry fee covers (crew)

2. Allowing camshafts that encourage high-rpm operation beyond what truly stock valvetrain components can support, and the expensive, modified "hydraulic" lifters that will work at these elevated rpms. Stock duration should have never gone away.

3. The AHFS, a system so badly flawed and slow to act that it is the laughing stock of knowledgeable racers throughout the Eliminator. Except, it's not funny...

4. The advent of "crate motor" manufacturer cars such as these new Ford "Modified Production" cars disguied as Stockers, with NHRA's blesssing... and the competition-destroying, ultra-low HP factors that come with them.

5. The sad, and unfortunate, lessening of the importance of Class national records. Once, it was a badge of honor to be able to write "NHRA NATIONAL RECORD HOLDER" on your car, and was worth money in product endorsements, and I think NHRA even rewarded new record holders with a cash prize, but I'm not sure about that.
Now, hardly anyone actively pursues national records. My apologies to those who do; I applaud you!

6. Reducing the importance of Stock Eliminator to the point that certain national events don't even HAVE Stock Eliminator contested.

7. Contingency payouts have been reduced to a fraction of their totals, of years ago.

8. Disallowing cars built before 1960 was a huge mistake, and keeps some all-time crowd favorites ('57 Chevys of all descriptions, for example) home in the garage when they could be thrilling their fans... because NHRA is too lazy and apathetic to classsify and police the older cars any more.

9. Failing to police the ubiquitous, and infamous $5,000.00 cylinder heads, without which, your Stocker is almost guaranteed to be an "also ran" for class...

10. The payout situation for Eliminator wins is an insult to the racers. Over the years, the amount you earn from NHRA for winning Stock has not grown with the economy (inflation,) and years ago, when it still wasn't all that much money, contingency money did a pretty good job of propping up the NHRA's sad offering, but now, that's not gonna happen...

11. Making Stock Eliminator, with its gorgeous, show-car paint jobs, flawless, block-sanded bodies, and meticulously maintained engine compartments, and yes, IMPRESSIVE performances (not the least of which feature bumper-dragging wheelstands) the BEST KEPT SECRET IN DRAG RACING!!! When have you seen a TV ad, or an advertisement in a car magazine promoting NHRA Stocker racing, with pictures and glowing prose???

They (NHRA) have let grass-roots racing at the national level, wither on the vine.... and it has SO MUCH to offer... or, did.

Corporate greed is at the bottom of 90-percent of this; having people who run the ($$$) show that have never made a trip down the drag strip in anything, much less a 9-second Stocker...

I don't see it changing until those bozos leave the stage.