2011 ahfs

[Bob Pagano]

2. Is it fair to the racers who went out and spent the money on a new car based upon the existing rules?

Is it fair to all the cars that have 50-60-70 thou in their combo's Bad choice of words....Put them ALL in FX and in one year they will be ready for whereever.

Thanks Mike and Kent. With all the latest engine combos from Ford and Mopar being submitted to stock and superstock it will be a while before things get back to the norm. Talk about a runaway train.

[Craig Couris]

Unless there is something here I do not understand, where is the incentive to improve your combination? I believe this is going to tear the very fabric that defines the Eliminator.

[Wade_Owens]

Originally Posted by Craig Couris

Unless there is something here I do not understand, where is the incentive to improve your combination? I believe this is going to tear the very fabric that defines the Eliminator.

Craig is absolutely right. There is much more of this than meets the eye. Where the hell is my incentive to buy 2 new cams and dyno? Why on earth would I call A-1 and say, "build me a new state of the art converter?" And why do I call my engine machinest and say "lets try that far fetched hone job and ring combo to see if its worth a couple?" Why do I call Hole-Shot and buy some new lighter weight wheels? You tell me why I should be proud of running my car in NHRA Stock Eliminator and slowing it down to keep from getting kicked in the nuts by the AHFS and wasting my already spent money?

So, the people supporting us, the contingency companies and so forth are going to see a drop in people buying "improvements". Why in the hell would they consider signing up again for class/win contingency sponsors?


Somebody please explain?

Wade O

[Craig Couris]

Wade,

Thanks for seeing this as I do. The very first thing I did after reading the proposal is figure how fast I could go before being dinged. I've been working on the Corvette getting it ready to move from AA to A and now I must leave it in AA to avoid getting it hit hard. Same with the Oldsmobile. We've been getting our brains beat in for twenty years with this combination and now I have to slow it down?

No one will want to set a record and no one will want to run it out the back door to win a heads up race (with the exception of the underfactored new cars) because you will win the battle but lose the war. NHRA will not have to do away with heads up runs- we will do it for them.

Someone please tell me I'm wrong.

[SS Engine Guy]

Wade, you just explained it. No intrest or reward for improvement. Very valid points that you posted. No system that can be manipulated by competitors will ever bring the desired effect. That being a closely correct hp factor. Or what some may call a level playing field.
This isn't rocket science. If a car can go 'X' fast at a very low mph then something is wrong. The answers are: Illegal parts or improper factor. Hell I still can't understand why a combo isn't subjected to a thorough tech inspection (complete teardown) before hp can be added. If I were you dp/ford owners I would be wondering about that as much as anything. Especially since those combos are relatively new technology.
This, to me, is still racing and that means making your combo as fast as possible under a set of clearly defined rules. We need to encourage racers to improve their combos under existing rules. Not change the rules everytime someone gets caught. This is one of the things that keep specialty manufacturers in business and able to post contingency.
Lastly, as said before, any system that can be easily manipulated by participants won't work not now or ever. Case in point, I just finished, last week, disassembly of a engine that got several hits on that particular combo and it wouldn't pass tech by a mile. Does that hurt anybodys feelings? It hurt 2 of my customers that run that combo.

[B Aceves]

Originally Posted by A56

I see many of us are on the same page as far as not being able to run our cars out, and in the future will have no need to upgrade or update our combinations if our limit is 1.0 or a strike at all NHRA races. Now the problem is how de we fix this situation. I personally try not to ever get involved with situations like this as it can end in arguments from conflicting interests. There are many sides to this coin but the simple fact is that we will never be able to run our cars all out, and that bothers me a lot as ive said over and over again in many different ways. To many racers it just dosent make any difference, but to us who treat Stock Eliminator as a Performance based class and enjoy qualifying at the top of the ladder have our hands tied.
I for one did not know that there would be a new AHFS rule, didnt know of any petitions, didnt know that my thoughts would have counted for anything.
To us racers that dont want this unrealistic change is there anything we can do about it or are we to late to the fight? If anyone knows who to contact, who to talk to and how we can be actually heard please say so.

Mark Lelchook
#704 E/SA

Mark, Guess I dont need that new set of Headers we talked about to catch your A-s now,
What we need is Manufactures such as yourself to get involved in this BS to be heard and
have input, To many times I have heard alot of talk at the track but see no results when it comes to the fight so to speak, And the petetion was being passed around at Bakersfield.

[Wade_Owens]

I can see why people dont want to spend any more money on updates or parts. Maybe their goals arent the same as mine. Its a choice to race and I do not live or die by it. I have nothing to gain but pride in how our car runs. I built our car to compete and try to be as fast as possible. I spend countless hours in the shop working on the car. I like the class because you can showcase your ideas, accomplishments or failures to your friends and they understand what your doing and why, sometimes with a laugh saying "I told you that wouldnt work!"
BUT, I can do that very same thing with a lot of different hobbies. So, why should I choose a hobby where my hardwork is rewarded with a giant slap in the face and a 100lbs?

Wade O

[Eric Merryfield]

Originally Posted by A56

Bob,

Your right you dont need Headers, heck none of you do anymore, heck I could even slip on a set of old blackjacks as well since there will never be much need to R&D anymore. I wish I saw the petition. More importantly I wish that now we could be heard, but im afraid the fight might be over. As I said, if anyone knows who to talk to, how we can be heard, please let us know. Again ive never been one to get involved with sitautions as this due to the possible arguments from conflict of interest, but this new AHFS system has made me want to stand up tall and say that this is just a real bad idea for the class.

Mark Lelchook
#704 E/SA

Well its not done until its done.....a couple of years back I recall the E-shift drama....and even though if the potential changes are made, they will certainly affect more than just the new cars. As I read it, a stick car can affect an auto car and vice versa......that could have collateral issues not intended....

If the goal is to never go more than .99 under, tuning for 100% consistency and saving some money may be in vougue.....c-12 versus c-14 will slow it down a touch and save some $.....non-lightweight radials last a whole lot longer...don't have to have the super trick gun drilled axles, go for durability instead of aluminum everything in the tranny....might need to change that cam to a milder one too...still plenty of parts to buy, just a slighty different focus.

Assuming of course what Mike posted becomes the rule.

Eric

[Wade_Owens]

Originally Posted by Eric Merryfield

If the goal is to never go more than .99 under, tuning for 100% consistency and saving some money may be in vougue.....c-12 versus c-14 will slow it down a touch and save some $.....non-lightweight radials last a whole lot longer...don't have to have the super trick gun drilled axles, go for durability instead of aluminum everything in the tranny....might need to change that cam to a milder one too...still plenty of parts to buy, just a slighty different focus.
Eric

Eric, I can assure you I will never re-spend 1 dime to slow my car down......

Wade