"Indy Observation" In Stock Elim.

[Paul Precht]

Originally Posted by Tar Heel

I remember being in high school and seeing Mike Walters at Quaker City on Friday night for test-and-tune with his '67 Camaro Stocker changing converters in the dark trying to squeeze out a few more hundreths. That has stuck with me for 30 years. In my humble opinion that is what Class Racing is all about. When you can go out now, spend 6-figures, and buy something that has to lift at the 1000' mark and still qualifies in the top of the field it makes me think NHRA is missing the point. I don't begrudge the folks that run them and Lord knows if my wife and I could afford one we'd buy it but I don't think it's healthy for the sport how they're doing it and believe it will be the demise of Class Racing. We have a 2004 Corvette that is legal for IHRA Pure Stock but why would I spend the time, effort and money to go run B/SA in IHRA when Wilkes is now running solidly in the 9.80s with his new COPO? That makes zero sense.

Scott

Mike used to run all the Div 1 races, If you came over to say Hi, you were talking to his feet because he was under the car and many times after the sun went down.

Originally Posted by Paul Precht

Mike used to run all the Div 1 races, If you came over to say Hi, you were talking to his feet because he was under the car and many times after the sun went down.

To me that was the cool part about class racing. Guys and gals thrashing on the car between rounds to squeeze every last bit of ET out of their combination. I'm not familiar with the new cars other than from a spectator's viewpoint and don't know if they require as much "parts testing" etc. but I just don't see it being the same. Mike was laying on the asphalt that night between testing hits changing the converter on his back with a flashlight late at night. If I remember correctly he was alone. I was impressed by that.

Scott