The Future Of Stock

[Buick6]

Dwight Southerland nailed it for me. Most drag racing fans love heads up racing and just don't get handicap starts. One of the reasons handicap racing was started was to get more drivers participating. But from a spectator perspective, it can be pretty boring.

[Paradigm Shift]

Factor when sitting in the stands anywhere within reasonable proximity of the starting line, you have no idea of who won the handicap race without a visual indicator. I have a tough time determining who won a race and sometimes they aren't all that close.

Then comes the explanation that while that car looked to be the winner, in fact, the driver ran too well and thus the opposing vehicle was awarded the victory for not getting to the finish line first ...........and not running quite so well, although within a predetermined and self imposed boundary.

[Coleydog]

Originally Posted by Buick6

Dwight Southerland nailed it for me. Most drag racing fans love heads up racing and just don't get handicap starts. One of the reasons handicap racing was started was to get more drivers participating. But from a spectator perspective, it can be pretty boring.

It was done to make even the lowly V8s competitive. Not just the ZL1s Tunnelports and Hemis

[Buick6]

More cars = more drivers.

[Dan Fahey]

Originally Posted by Buick6

More cars = more drivers.

Where are those more cars and drivers?
They are buying them and no place to run them except brackets.

D

[goinbroke2]

Wow, really beating all the dead horses here aren't we?

Locally S/SS is doing great and has grown each year for the last 5-6 especially. As far as understanding handicap racing, coleydog nailed it when he said "Like a Cheeta trying to catch an Impala".
Not sure why people think its so confusing, one car leaves first and the other chases it down. To think people in the stands can "see" a guy cross the stripe by half a fender and break out and then not understand how he didn't win is bull****. Like everyone, you watch the cars and as they get to the stripe, the light comes on telling you who won.
Cheeta chases the impala and when it pounces after running it down, the light either comes on that he got it, or the light comes on in the impala's lane saying the cheeta didn't get it.

As far as the rest of it, get all the cars from '96 on classed like was mentioned before and you will see more participation. Go on kijiji or craigs list and buy a 2005-2010 whatever for cheap and build a car. Right now you have to look for a 20+ year old car to start from and here in the rust belt they are few and far between.

Like others have also said...your mileage may vary. lol.

[RobbieRacer]

As a guy building a "slow" car I sure hope the Class racing doesn't go away. The car is taking a little longer, and costing a little more that I planed but I cant wait to compete at my 1st Div 7 race. I can only hope things change for the better.

[goinbroke2]

Robbie go to a local S/SS race and get the car sorted out and you'll see there are lots of cars. Go to a div race and you'll see a difference, then go to a national and it'll be totally different again. (in everything, not just car count)

Edit: Here's a link to a thread in 2007 complaining about how bad nhra is treating the sportsman and that the end is near.
http://classracer.com/classforum/showthread.php?t=629

One quote is

"NHRA= NOT HELPING RACERS ANYMORE"


Yup, it was going on long before that too and in 10 years people will still be saying "well, this is it, S/SS is done, nhra doesn't want us"

[Evan Smith]

Just to reiterate, my intent or basis for the article is not to have everyone racing 8-second/170 mph cars. In fact, nothing could be further from the truth.

The idea for crate engines would be for ready-to-go 400hp type engines with a realistic rating that can be sold for well under $10,000, not for Ford, GM and Dodge to sell us 1,000hp blower engines for $20,000. If you look at NMRA Coyote Stock and NMCA GM Performance Stock, racers are using a sealed crate engines that cost about $7,000 and they are running low 10s in "Stocker" type cars. The racing is exciting and it's very cost effective.

As for the engine swap idea, it's nothing more than a topic for discussion. Nothing more, nothing less. I'm not championing any of these ideas, they are "what ifs."

Thank you to those who have commented on the pros and cons of my ideas.

Evan

[Mark Yacavone]

Evan, Again, thanks for your suggestions.
You are correct in stating that you don't have to race nationals. There's plenty of other venues.
But, any new classes have to start from the top. NHRA has to lead by example.
Rules have to be formed. Tech pages have to be entered, etc.
I don't see where there would be any interest in adding anything new.
A few of us tried to help get some new and different combinations out there.
Near as I can tell, it fell on deaf ears.
Maybe you'd have better luck than we did.