Interesting Comments from David Rampy

[PozQB14]

People may talk poorly about them, but IHRA Pro Ams are ran great and the racers are treated with great respect. Some tracks are better than others, but for the most part if you want to race your vehicle with other class cars in a highly competitive environment, there is nothing wrong with Pro Ams. You get the same cars that race NHRA and the entry is half the cost and the environment among the racers is the same. And sadly for the NHRA, the payouts are pretty comparable.


And like the few previous posts said...I'm building a super stock 86 Camaro, ONLY because my father has the necessary parts laying around and I was able to find some good quality used parts for sale. AND he has the all the knowledge and expertise. Now, if I can only find better driving skills for sale I'd be good to go, HAHA!! Me and my brother wouldn't have 2 cars each if it wasn't for our father, but its a bummer that no one in our circle of friends really have an interest in this stuff. Which is why a weekend at the racetrack with like minded people is so great.

[jmcarter]

Originally Posted by PozQB14

People may talk poorly about them, but IHRA Pro Ams are ran great and the racers are treated with great respect. Some tracks are better than others, but for the most part if you want to race your vehicle with other class cars in a highly competitive environment, there is nothing wrong with Pro Ams. You get the same cars that race NHRA and the entry is half the cost and the environment among the racers is the same. And sadly for the NHRA, the payouts are pretty comparable.


And like the few previous posts said...I'm building a super stock 86 Camaro, ONLY because my father has the necessary parts laying around and I was able to find some good quality used parts for sale. AND he has the all the knowledge and expertise. Now, if I can only find better driving skills for sale I'd be good to go, HAHA!! Me and my brother wouldn't have 2 cars each if it wasn't for our father, but its a bummer that no one in our circle of friends really have an interest in this stuff. Which is why a weekend at the racetrack with like minded people is so great.

You may want to wait till PRI and IHRA releases it's schedule before investing in a Crate Motor combination, with NHRA picking up tracks all the time a legal NHRA may make more sense....just saying.

[PozQB14]

Jim I cant disagree with you, but the super stocker will be an NHRA car and were building a 427/425 69 Camaro as well. The crate motor is an easy and affordable way to go drag racing. Being in NC, there are plenty of IHRA tracks as well as surrounding states.

[Fireofficer5]

A lot of the younger generation races the import races.

[boostedf22c]

Originally Posted by Fireofficer5

A lot of the younger generation races the import races.

Exactly. And there are a ton really nice, fast cars.

If NHRA made a few classes for them, and gave it a chance, they'd pull in an entirely different genre of cars and fans.

[jmcarter]

Originally Posted by boostedf22c

Exactly. And there are a ton really nice, fast cars.

If NHRA made a few classes for them, and gave it a chance, they'd pull in an entirely different genre of cars and fans.

Appreciate your comment Cary, and while your car created a lot of interest when it first appeared at Indy the ensuing hassles with NHRA are probably indicative of just how receptive they would be to trying to again build a following with that segment. Do you think 'traditional' class racers would welcome more classes while Stock and SS quotas keep shrinking? Also wonder where the 'tech-less' direction (=cut qualified staff) would fit in with new classes. Think the import racers would put up with the hassle of running NHRA when they can attend so many Import Races that fill the stands? Afraid NHRA has completely drank the DSR/JFR/COPO/CJ kool-aide and they will probably ride that horse into the ground meanwhile giving lip-service to Class Racing, Comp and Pro Stock.

[boostedf22c]

Originally Posted by jmcarter

Appreciate your comment Cary, and while your car created a lot of interest when it first appeared at Indy the ensuing hassles with NHRA are probably indicative of just how receptive they would be to trying to again build a following with that segment. Do you think 'traditional' class racers would welcome more classes while Stock and SS quotas keep shrinking? Also wonder where the 'tech-less' direction (=cut qualified staff) would fit in with new classes. Think the import racers would put up with the hassle of running NHRA when they can attend so many Import Races that fill the stands? Afraid NHRA has completely drank the DSR/JFR/COPO/CJ kool-aide and they will probably ride that horse into the ground meanwhile giving lip-service to Class Racing, Comp and Pro Stock.

I got hassled pretty hard one year at US Nationals for sure. To the point of not allowing me to race. It was really hard for me to come back to NHRA after that, but I wasn't going to let 1 bad apple spoil my fun. I'm glad I came back because I've been treated well since then.

I don't know if others from my genre of racing would've came back or not. But there are a lot of really nice cars that could definitely put more buts in the seats and develop some rivalrys as well!!

Originally Posted by Rory McNeil

I seem to recall NHRA did just that a few years ago, with the NOPI series. Between very few race cars in each class, with drastic spans between qualifying positions, constant breakage, no shows, and singles, very few "races" had many runs with 2 cars running together, even fewer where the 2 cars ran within 20 feet of each other.

It was like 10 years ago, and it was dissolved way too early to even know whether or not it would've worked. GM and Mopar money pretty much drove every privateer away! I raced in that series and sold my car in 2003. Pretty sure it was dissolved in 2006. Yes, there were definitely breakages, major discrepancies in qualifying times, you had factory backed teams and privateers, but you need to realize that the cars we raced had ZERO aftermarket support, unlike the factory teams....which was why there was such a wide gap in ET/MPH. We were basically making due with OEM parts. It was probably like 60 years ago, but I would imagine there was a time where you guys didn't have the beauty of just opening up a catalog and ordering parts that wouldn't break. Things are a lot different now. A ton more cars, and much better aftermarket. So the racing is a lot better, and the parts are a lot stronger. So those 2 items have been addressed.

The cars I'm thinking of wouldn't be stock or super stock. They'd have to fit into some sort of Comp class or even a class of their own. It could work and be successful if implemented properly. There are a lot of 6 second, well built imports, and a handful in the 5's now.

I'm obviously just spit balling, but I hear people say things like the younger generation isn't in to racing. They are, but unless they were born into class racing, most lean towards import/sport compact, heads up racing.

[Rory McNeil]

Originally Posted by boostedf22c

Exactly. And there are a ton really nice, fast cars.

If NHRA made a few classes for them, and gave it a chance, they'd pull in an entirely different genre of cars and fans.

I seem to recall NHRA did just that a few years ago, with the NOPI series. Between very few race cars in each class, with drastic spans between qualifying positions, constant breakage, no shows, and singles, very few "races" had many runs with 2 cars running together, even fewer where the 2 cars ran within 20 feet of each other.

[BRINK]

Originally Posted by boostedf22c

Exactly. And there are a ton really nice, fast cars.

If NHRA made a few classes for them, and gave it a chance, they'd pull in an entirely different genre of cars and fans.

NHRA already tried the lice lockets and it didn't work. As I recall, the fans hated the cars, also.

[randy wilson]

Originally Posted by BRINK

NHRA already tried the lice lockets and it didn't work. As I recall, the fans hated the cars, also.

I have an idea, but we get beat up every time we bring it up.