Want to loose 3200 ugly pounds?

[Jeff Teuton]

So Alan, you would prefer AA cars @ 4200 lbs? That's what you got now. You really think NHRA is gonna make Ford go home?

[Alan Roehrich]

Originally Posted by Jeff Teuton

So Alan, you would prefer AA cars @ 4200 lbs? That's what you got now. You really think NHRA is gonna make Ford go home?

Jeff, the current configuration of Stock Eliminator, especially with 9" tires, does not offer the necessary safety margins for 150+ MPH cars, it just ain't there. I'm not going to advocate a change that's going to cause a marked increase in accidents.

Like I said, make A/S and A/SA both 7.0 pound classes, move the new cars to FX classes, say A thru D, with A/FX being 7.0 pounds and D/FX being 10.0 pounds, then adjust the HP and weight rules on the classes to make the new cars fit and work well. If necessary, give them a 10" tire and some safety upgrades.

If they're going to run in Stock Eliminator, even in their own FX classes, they need to be held to the point where a really fast pass is a 9.0 at around 150. Once they get factored to where they don't fit the FX rules to keep them at that limit, send them to Super Stock.

Honestly, even FX classes with 10" tires is not the proper solution. Thoroughbred factory race cars belong in Super Stock, there was a reason they were put there to begin with, and the reason is still valid and still applies today. I'd advocate the FX classes merely because it's as close as we're going to get to the proper and correct solution.

I want to see the new cars race, I have no problem with them existing and being raced, it just needs to be done right. The factories and NHRA can promote them in any class, they don't have to be in classes they don't really fit, running all over the cars that belong in those classes, in order for them to be impressive and promotable. The new cars would be just as impressive, and easy to promote, in stand alone FX classes, or in Super Stock, where they belong.

[Ed Fernandez]

Alan,that's the clearest explaination anyone's made on the subject of the new cars.The only one's who'll disagree are those who own/race one and don't want to lose their racing
(heads up) advantage or maybe stand to profit by an association with them.

[Alan Roehrich]

Originally Posted by Ed Fernandez

Alan,that's the clearest explaination anyone's made on the subject of the new cars.The only one's who'll disagree are those who own/race one and don't want to lose their racing
(heads up) advantage or maybe stand to profit by an association with them.

Ed, I actually LIKE the new cars, I think they're cool, and I think properly classified and promoted they could be good for the manufacturers, good for NHRA, and even good for the classes. I consider guys like Jeff Teuton, Rock Haas, and Dempsey Pendarvis to be friends. Just as I do the Beattie family who own ATI, and who race a new Challenger in Stock. I'd like to see Chevrolet jump in, IF NHRA is going to solve the problems.

I'd also like to see all of the manufacturers actually produce street legal production cars that could fit in real Stock classes, and get them factored and classified at least reasonably. If they'd all produce something like the old COPO 9561 cars and the Road Runners, cars that were basically bare bones light weight cars with a production high performance drivetrain, those would be good for Stock Eliminator, and they'd belong. THAT would be a real return to the sixties and the muscle car era. A real street car, no air, no power accessories, no excess trim, no monster stereo with "blue tooth", just light carpet and rubber floor mats with no power seats. Leave off all the fancy paint, wheels, decals, and trim, and cut the price down where the cars could be bought. Then they could do a body in white program with support, and it would be good for racers, good for racing, and good for sales. I'd even be in favor of NHRA allowing them a shipping weight reduction (say 200-400 pounds from a 3600 pound shipping weight) to allow for taking off the safety and emissions equipment that wouldn't be necessary for racing.