Word is 1.15 under for AHFS at Opens and Divisional races

[Speedracer]

1) If NHRA insists to limit fields, limit the field but not the entrants.If 200 racers want to qualify for 75 positions, let 'em fight for it.

2) Lower all indexes .500.


3) AHFS trigger set to "review" at 1.00 under index.


4) Maximum ballast 100#.


5) Combine FI cars with carb cars first, later combine stick and auto.


6) All runs @ National events count.


7) As stated by Evan Smith previously, points for accomplishments.



I'm trying to figure out how all of these changes would affect a current Stock Eliminator racer that currently runs one second under the index?

1) NHRA has limited the fields because of time constraints and lack of pit space.There is not going to be 200 cars permitted anyways.If they were to qualify 64 cars,one second under (the current index) probably doesn't qualify.
2) Lowering the index a half second for somebody that is one second under means that now they are "only a half second under"........So what?
3)Triggering the AHFS to 1.00 under (which would be 1.5 under the OLD index) means that a particular combination has a half second advantage over the car that is currently one second under before giving any horsepower would be considered.
4)Maximum ballast?There are MANY ways to slow a car down.What does a maximum ballast rule accomplish?
5) Combine classes and have more heads up.How is the one second under car (current index) going to beat or even have a chance against a car that can run 1.5 under ?(current index)Every tenth of a second equates to around 20 horsepower.How do you work on your combo in Stock Eliminator to pick up 100 horsepower?
6) All runs at National events count...So what?
Class eliminations have turned into a bracket race.Once the faster car has caught up to the slower car,he starts braking to keep from going too fast.None of the runs will ever show the true potential of a Fast car unless they get a one second reaction time and decide to run it all out.
7) Points for accomplishments?
How about points for tearing down your engine and BONUS points for pulling a piston.Proving your accomplishments should be worth more than just running fast.How about a teardown commitee of racers that could make the decision instead of a tech guy that has his hands tied?

To me,if your car can run one second under your currrent index,you have done a fine job.How do any of these proposals benefit that car/driver?

[Bruce Noland]

Len,

I have sent you a ton of letters over this issue and you have continued to defend the changes. And as you know we are not talking about minor changes. They are both dramatic and hurtful to the racers.

I'll just pull out one for all of us to discuss and then we can move forward through the other serious changes that have been slipped into the ahfs without prior publication or notice to the racers.

In the most recent version under the paragraph Body Style and Engine Type - the fourth sentence states. "In some instances, however, more than one body style will trigger a review." This sentence is not in the orginal version that the racers helped to develop.

And this sentence isn't just about Novas and Camaros. Under Wesley and Skelly this sentence is combining the following body styles. Camaro, Chev II, Chevelle, Corvette, Century, Regal, Cutlas, Omega, Phoenix, Ventura, Firebird, LeMans, Skylark. Soup to nuts! This was not the intent of the original ahfs!

Never before has this grouping of vehicles been considered for reviews and not one person at nhra notified any of the racers that this grouping existed. Only after the review period was over did we find out about this bazaar combination of cars.

The most recent version contains many unannounced changes from the original version. As you know, after all my letters to you and many others at nhra, including Peter Clifford, this is not a minor change.

The fact that nhra may from time to time slip in a "minor" change to the ahfs does not mean that it has given the racers a fair notice that these changes have been added. Like most motor sports organizations, nhra has had a history of publishing all changes in advance of implemtation but that has not been the case with the ahfs. Why?