Monday Morning Horsepower?

[Jeff Teuton]

RJ, I am having a ball. A little background on the 'platform' issue. In 1999 Wesley and I looked and analyzed every run made in 1998 from the Final Qualifying sheet to each run in eliminations & class. All the 'platforms' fell in with the engines. If a motor was good, it was good in all classes. Then came the AHFS and initially I don't think the platforms were part of the program. If I remember right, it was NHRA's attempt to minimize the hits cause they were fast and furious. The NHRA platforms are obviously not related to the manufacturers platforms but based on what NHRA thought. I don't think there was any particular reason for the grouping, but they are what they are. I think they were roughly based on platforms and their history on that platform's performance over the years. Now that the very innovative stock and super stock racers have adapted to their decision on the platforms some problems appear. Now that two of the most popular models, the 396 and related platforms and LT1 and related platforms have crossed the line, the troops are up in arms. I think NHRA is reassessing the `1.20 under as they have already instituted 'mine shaft'. I would think that if they made a change, Fred Henson would be very unhappy. For those that don't remember, it was -1200' DA at No Problem and Fred went over 1.20 under and asked for consideration of the weather and got the 1.20 penalty instead of considertion for the street 426 hemi. Course that ain't a 396 or LT1. Maybe they run under a separate set of rules. That's what I remember, but you know how that memory thing works. One thing I do know more recently is that when a new car got smacked, the old car racers acted like the Muslims did when the World Trade Center got toppled. It just illustrates that there are way more than the new cars riding the brakes. And RJ, I think you were there. That sound about right?