Stocker roll cage bar beyond firewall rule......

[Bob Mulry]

Originally Posted by Bill Diehl

Yes

and doing it on 9" tires within the rear suspension rules of stock eliminatoris an accomplishment.

I was asking the question because when looking at the NHRA Stock National Records I didn't see any records of over 135 MPH held by a traditional stocker??????

[Karl Owens]

Originally Posted by Bob Mulry

Great idea..............

Just turn the world upside-down so that an 8 second, 157 MPH stocker, which doesn't even belong in stock is safer.............

If a Stocker can run over 135 MPH it should be a Super Stocker.....

Do any real Stockers run over 135 MPH?????????????

The 8 second Stockers already have racks, some of them are power too.

[Frank Castros]

The NHRA is reactive not proactive, just ask Bobby DeArmond.

[Mike Merk]

Originally Posted by Bob Mulry

I was asking the question because when looking at the NHRA Stock National Records I didn't see any records of over 135 MPH held by a traditional stocker??????

I believe Jim Waldo held the MPH record in B/S with his '69 Mustang at 135.XX when he sold the car, not 100% on that though.

[Rory McNeil]

Originally Posted by Bill Diehl

I don't think he is concerned about weight...his car runs 160+ I would bet that part of his tuning routine he adjusts or "ADDS" weight to the front..

X amount of total car weight with 300 or 400 hp is one thing, but the same weight in the same car with 1000, 1200 or 1500+ hp is another, I see his point

But, what do I know

REAL Stock Eliminator cars don`t have 1000, 1200 or 1500 HP. REAL Stock Eliminator cars are based on factory built and sold production cars using engine and trans combinations that the average Joe could have walked into the showroom, and drove home. Sure there were some limited production special performance packages available, but the vast majority were pretty common. If you have only been following Stock for the past 5 years or so, you may believe that all these new Cobra Jet Mustangs, Drag Pack Challengers, and COPO Camaros are `mainstream`` Detroit cars, representing the same car you could purchase as a daily driver. They are NOT! These are purpose built drag cars with very little in common to the Mustang at your local Ford store. (Try ordering a new regular Mustang with a 2 speed Powerglide or 9 inch rearend). Many traditional racers feel these cars do not belong alongside the real Stockers (myself included), but thats not the racers decision to make. Also A NHRA Stocker is a specialized vehicle, relaxing rules so a `dual purpose car can alternate between running Stock Eliminator, and the same car with a no rules power adder engine is not what Stock is all about. There is much more to Stock Eliminator racing than simply using a 9 inch wide tire.

[Rory McNeil]

Originally Posted by Karl Owens

Thats easy for you to say because you have a 1985 Mustang which was equipped with rack and pinion steering since 1974. The first GM rear wheel drive car to have rack and pinion was the 93 Camaro/Firebird, the first rear wheel drive Mopar to have a steering rack was the Dakota truck in 87. I have a 92 Firebird which has stock type steering but heavily modified for oil pan clearance and has a 40 year old Vega steering box. My car exceeds 160 MPH in the quarter. I have personally witnessed 3 steering boxes break after coming down from a big wheelie. Ive never seen a rack break. If I did switch to a rack, I would make sure it was the correct width and make sure the bump steer was right. Steering and brakes are safety items and there should be no rules that compromise safety. NHRA allows aftermarket brakes which is far more of a performance enhancement than a steering system. Allowing front frame rails to flex is also ignoring safety.

Well yes, my 85 Mustang is allowed to run a rack because that is how the car was factory equipped! By the way I have also raced several 69-70 Mustangs, a 66 Fairlane and several others, I never broke a stock steering box, nor considered the steering box to be a liability. And to be honest, I like my 85 Mustang, but if the funds were available, I would much rather be racing another 69-70 428 CJ Mustang, or 390/427 Fairlane, even with the inferior steering box and tight shock tower engine compartment. Personally I think NHRA needs to enforce the rules it already has, not relax them. I never raced in the Farmer Dismuke days, but from what I have heard from racers who did, the rules were pretty black and white, with no leeway for fudging. I wish we had a no nonsense, by the rulebook National Tech leader at the helm today.

[Jason]

Does IHRA allow bars ahead of the firewall in Stock?