Why do we continually use the super classe as track testers?

[Rich Biebel]

Terry....I won the 1988 SummerNationals in S/G......My car had a 454 that made 600-650 hp with an 850 carb and could run 9.90 at about 137 mph. Dedenbaer electric stop...no timer....

I ran S/ST before that at some events for a few years. My best engine could go 10.40 at less than 130......I sometimes ran it with no stop and just pedaled my way to some round wins........and I also used weight to slow my car up.

I traveled to a lot of events well before that with a well known racer and we ran S/G and at some races could barely run the number.....

His wife nearly won the SummerNationals in S/C one year and we had no delay box and no throttle stop......we just played with a pedal stop bolt.....

I know all about the progression of the categories.....and I am not a big fan of what has happened to these classes. There is no doubt in my mind the big power is part of the problem but big power is very common and easy to buy in a heartbeat.....


My friend here at work has over 1000hp to run S/G and thats dyno numbers...

We need a good solution for everyone and NHRA could step in and try to come up with something.....but you know way better than me how things go with them in charge especailly these days.......

I like running my car flat out....

[X-TECH MAN]

I agree.....I have a friend who won a couple of IHRA Q/R National events about 10 years ago (S/C for you NHRA guys) who could barely run 8.90 at around 153 mph with a 400 small block chev. with iron heads. He might have had $3500 in the engine. He would still be racing today except for a nasty divorce......UGH ! I dont think he ever ran an 8.89 during the whole time but ran everyone under against him and just drove the tree while running flat out. He didnt even have a delay box or any kind of throttle limiting devise so it can be done if the cars are built to run the number and use very little weight and a bolt type throttle stop. Its the big engines and 1000 + HP for high MPH that requires the electronics and if the track is just a little off and not 100% or maybe your tires are on the down side of the usual number of runs you get you can have problems. I was wondering how a 9 inch tired upper class stocker could have run on the track last Sunday? That would have been interesting to know.

[Ed Fernandez]

Terry,it's all about the sponsors.

[X-TECH MAN]

Originally Posted by Ed Fernandez

Terry,it's all about the sponsors.

Very true but a lot, most likely, could not drive a .90 without this stuff. Now back to why the track took a "Poop" Sunday????????

[Greg Hill]

The first thing I would want to know is what traction compound they were using.

[Tom Goldman]

[. I was wondering how a 9 inch tired upper class stocker could have run on the track last Sunday? That would have been interesting to know.[/QUOTE] ....I use the upper class Stockers as my
'barometer" for track conditions. ......I saw Ed Bednaz's B/S Nova spin the tires down track when he hit 4th gear on Saturdays run......The track was just marginally acceptable on Saturday while the sun was on it ,when the sun got low it really sucked.......I don't think Stockers would have faired any better on Sunday than the S/ST 'ers did................Something was very wrong with the track because our SuperGas association has raced often at Atco ,sometimes after rain and often when it was cold ,and we never had problems down track like this weekend. ..........We will never know if there was a problem with the traction compound that was used ,or any other circumstances , because to admit there was a problem is to admit liability. .......Some of the Super Street racers that did not crash, but lost never the less, asked about rerunning the couple of pairs that made it down the track, and were told absolutly no. .......

[Steve Szupka]

John D brought up a good point on driver safety which I feel is something that also needs to be addressed. I do watch a lot of the other classes race besides just the two I run in. I do see several drivers, in dragsters or open bodied cars who you can see have half their helmet PAST the front hoop of the cage. How is this possible unless their belts are not very tight? I also see guys I race against in Stock and Comp who don't pull the belts very tight so they can judge a faster car. What is going to happen to these people God forbid they crash? How is the safety equip supposed to do its job if it is not being used properly? This is not to excuse the track conditions at all, I just feel strongly that it is another area of concern.