Qualifying with no AHFS

[Darrel Goheen]

Originally Posted by Sean Cour

Welcome to stock and super stock! Where performance DOES matter!

But why is it only performance based for qualifying, setting records, class runoff and if you happen to draw someone in your class? Why isn't every round performance based? Example.... like they run the combo class runoff. Why don't they run the entire race based on performance?

[Billy Nees]

Originally Posted by Darrel Goheen

Why isn't every round performance based?

If you think about it for a second, it is. Where you qualify on the sheet(based on your performance) dictates who you will run throughout the eliminator.

[Ed Wright]

Originally Posted by Darrel Goheen

But why does it only matter for qualifying, setting records, class runoff and if you happen to draw someone in your class? Why isn't every round performance based?

They had to dumb it down for the slow guys. We used to run off national records. Not everybody could run that fast. Bracket racing came along, and the slow guys went there so they had a chance of winning something. Car counts went in the dumper. Bracket racing is easier than learning & working harder.

NHRA then went to these bogus slow indexes so the slow guys would come back. So now many of us use restrictor plates, or throttle stops, or throw a couple hundred lbs in the car, or just shut off at 1000' to slow down. Go too fast, get hateful text messages. Gets tiresome.

[joe176]

Originally Posted by Ed Wright

They had to dumb it down for the slow guys. We used to run off national records. Not everybody could run that fast. Bracket racing came along, and the slow guys went there so they had a chance of winning something. Car counts went in the dumper. Bracket racing is easier than learning & working harder.

NHRA then went to these bogus slow indexes so the slow guys would come back. So now many of us use restrictor plates, or throttle stops, or throw a couple hundred lbs in the car, or just shut off at 1000' to slow down. Go too fast, get hateful text messages. Gets tiresome.

OMG ... LMAO... ED !!!!!!!!!!!!!! Love your humor !!!

[Ed Wright]

Originally Posted by joe176

OMG ... LMAO... ED !!!!!!!!!!!!!! Love your humor !!!

No joke, Joe. We got 2 rounds worth of points (used to be 100 per round, so 200 for et records, 100 for MPH records) so guys would bump the record, if they could run under it enough, for points. I did it 3 times, held it that time they did away with Stock Eliminator.
If you could not run the record, the car that ran the closest won the round if they didn't screw up. We ended up with very low car counts when bracket racing came along. Guys that had no chance went bracket racing. I still see some of them running super street & super gas. The slow indexes must have been to give the slow guys a chance, right? Why else? Car counts came back up. Many came back. Beginners now have a better chance. If you can't run under these indexes, you need to try golf or fishing.

[Darrel Goheen]

I constantly hear different people looking for a less popular class or one that no one else is in.....all trying to avoid a heads up race just like I want to do. I understand those that desire to work hard to get the performance but it seems with one or two changes we could all have what we want to a degree. Here's what I'd like to see. Points rounds should all be a bracket race instead of only when you draw someone in in your class.

I have no problem at all with qualifying based on performance.

Ah NO!!! Go race all the great 10K and up races that Mike Beard talks about all the time. If you want to race stock, there is a chance of heads up in eleminations. If you don't want that, then find another venue. Or build a car that can run classes less populated. Done

Originally Posted by Darrel Goheen

I constantly hear different people looking for a less popular class or one that no one else is in.....all trying to avoid a heads up race just like I want to do. I understand those that desire to work hard to get the performance but it seems with one or two changes we could all have what we want to a degree. Here's what I'd like to see. Points rounds should all be a bracket race instead of only when you draw someone in in your class.

I have no problem at all with qualifying based on performance.

[Dwight Southerland]

Those who want to tout the "good ole glory days" should remember that the same fears and reality chased Stock racers away from the big races back then - the opportunists in the low classes. The cars people have in mind now that will have the advantage are the low class cars, just like back then. Remember the Y/SA Chevelle 6 cyl wagon of Eugene Chaisson and Bob Shaw's Corvair at the 1976 Sportsnationals to know that things have not changed much.


SO, if we have a true "performance based" eliminator, how many people would do the smart, practical thing and build a 13-sec competitor, or stay with their 10-sec beauty queen and just gripe?

[Darrel Goheen]

Originally Posted by Todd Hoven

Ah NO!!! Go race all the great 10K and up races that Mike Beard talks about all the time. If you want to race stock, there is a chance of heads up in eleminations. If you don't want that, then find another venue. Or build a car that can run classes less populated. Done

I knew about the heads up thing going into stock (because that's what I heard complained about the most) but if the majority (as it seems is the case) would rather not have a heads up race in regular eliminations why not change it? Leaving it like it is just because that's the way it's always been doesn't make it right. Change isn't always a bad thing. I know a guy that only ran his first and last event last year and was unlucky enough to draw a fast heads up first round. I felt really bad for him. He worked his tail off to run stock and then that happened. I'd be surprised if he tries stock again.

I'd be curious to know if the quicker cars in class if the engines were built by the car owners/drivers vs. buying them from a builder. If the latter is true it's just a money class (more money=more performance).

I'd also be curious as to whether stock racers would rather see more stock cars or less at a race. If the latter is true why not change it to run eliminations like they do in the class combo.... Dial everyone at index and whoever gets there first wins. That would make it a true performance class.

[Michael Beard]

Originally Posted by Todd Hoven

Ah NO!!! Go race all the great 10K and up races that Mike Beard talks about all the time. If you want to race stock, there is a chance of heads up in eleminations. If you don't want that, then find another venue. Or build a car that can run classes less populated. Done

I know Todd knows, but for anyone that doesn't: I do support and promote big money bracket races, BUT for totally different reasons. I've never been against heads-up runs. That's part of what makes S/SS special. For years I have advocated for several changes that would reduce the number of classes and therefore increase the likelihood of heads-up runs... but whenever anything like that is proposed, even the "performance eliminator" guys get real quiet.