Ya know,

[Frank Castros]

Fans? The majority of fans of sportsman racing are on this forum.
I love Comp but it's become so complicated I'm not sure many of us truly understand the dynamics of it.
The .90 classes are important to only those who compete within them.
Super Stock has become a "Crate Motor" eliminator with all the different GT combinations and very few true SS combinations.
Which brings me to Stock Eliminator, the original "Run What you Brung" (as long as it was in the book). If it's a mass produced car find a viable class for it to compete. If not it belongs in Super Stock with all of the other esoteric combinations.
You know who has fans? Southeast Gassers Association. Why? Because it's nostalgic and exciting.
The N.H.R.A Marketing Department has no clue what drag racing really is other than Top Fuel and Funny Car and never will. If you view old videos and photos from the '60 and '70 the stands are SRO. Why? Because it was about cars that they drove. Maybe just maybe if A/FX is done right ( Please Lonnie) drag racing has a chance to sustain the sport we all love.

[Billy Nees]

Originally Posted by Frank Castros

Maybe just maybe if A/FX is done right ( Please Lonnie) drag racing has a chance to sustain the sport we all love.

Frank, the Sportsmen have been "sustaining" the sport since the 70s! Bracket racing has been "sustaining" local tracks since the 70s! Local bracket programs have been on the decline for at least the last decade! Big $$$ bracket racing has been declining recently because the price of poker has gotten too high for the average Racer! The pros have gotten down to maybe a dozen teams and maybe a dozen privateers keeping the whole dog-and-pony show alive! the only thing keeping up with participation as far as numbers is the NHRA Sportsman Racers!
Do you really think that "Comp" cars with "Stock" motors is the answer to sustaining the sport (which isn't a sport anymore, it's a hobby)?
When is the delivery date of your chassis scheduled for? Who's doing your motors?


Frank, just an FYI, I'm not picking on you I'm just trying to make a point. Where are all of the A/FX racers going to come from?

[Frank Castros]

Originally Posted by Billy Nees

Frank, just an FYI, I'm not picking on you I'm just trying to make a point. Where are all of the A/FX racers going to come from?

If the Pro Stock Team owners become proverbial soothsayers, it's them. If they want to continue to compete, the writing is on the wall. How many fervent fans of Pro Stock are there? Those current cars they race represent nothing to me.

FYI; Billy, There will be no such thing as A/FX Dime Rocket (LOL. As you remember in 1970, Pro Stock cars were being home built by lots of dudes. $$$$ is the difference today. Technology is inflationary contrary to it's definition in my opinion.

[Billy Nees]

Originally Posted by Frank Castros

If the Pro Stock Team owners become proverbial soothsayers, it's them. If they want to continue to compete, the writing is on the wall. How many fervent fans of Pro Stock are there? Those current cars they race represent nothing to me.

FYI; Billy, There will be no such thing as A/FX Dime Rocket (LOL. As you remember in 1970, Pro Stock cars were being home built by lots of dudes. $$$$ is the difference today. Technology is inflationary contrary to it's definition in my opinion.

Thank You! You're making my point for me.
Even IF every Pro Stock team builds one AND IF half of the Factory Showdown teams do and maybe a FSS or FS Racer or two, it's not enough cars and those cars are going to be built at the expense of car counts in other eliminators. How can NHRA expect Racers to build a what, 200k, 500k, 1m dollar program on the chance that they're going to get a high dollar sponsor or win a championship? Good luck with that! It's not the 70s anymore when your local GM dealer would sponsor your homebuilt Pro Stock Camaro.

Getting back on track here, NHRA is building another expensive swimming pool and are very willing to spend the time and effort AND our membership monies to do so while totally ignoring the needs of the Sportsman Racers in the kiddie pool. What does it cost them to add a class or two to Stock?

Originally Posted by Billy Nees

Thank You! You're making my point for me.
Even IF every Pro Stock team builds one AND IF half of the Factory Showdown teams do and maybe a FSS or FS Racer or two, it's not enough cars and those cars are going to be built at the expense of car counts in other eliminators. How can NHRA expect Racers to build a what, 200k, 500k, 1m dollar program on the chance that they're going to get a high dollar sponsor or win a championship? Good luck with that! It's not the 70s anymore when your local GM dealer would sponsor your homebuilt Pro Stock Camaro.

Getting back on track here, NHRA is building another expensive swimming pool and are very willing to spend the time and effort AND our membership monies to do so while totally ignoring the needs of the Sportsman Racers in the kiddie pool. What does it cost them to add a class or two to Stock?

Billy, Exactly- The FX class will hurt the FS class counts for sure.
They had the perfect opportunity when the FS cars were unveiled but that did not happen. Who plans this? Obviously not racers.

[doglover44]

I always thought when the Factory Stock first came out it was gonna be the new Pro Stock.

[Frank Castros]

I'm just asking, when Factory Stock Showdown is contested at National events do the fans stay in the grandstands?

[rboyle]

Originally Posted by Frank Castros

Fans? The majority of fans of sportsman racing are on this forum.
I love Comp but it's become so complicated I'm not sure many of us truly understand the dynamics of it.
The .90 classes are important to only those who compete within them.
Super Stock has become a "Crate Motor" eliminator with all the different GT combinations and very few true SS combinations.
Which brings me to Stock Eliminator, the original "Run What you Brung" (as long as it was in the book). If it's a mass produced car find a viable class for it to compete. If not it belongs in Super Stock with all of the other esoteric combinations.
You know who has fans? Southeast Gassers Association. Why? Because it's nostalgic and exciting.
The N.H.R.A Marketing Department has no clue what drag racing really is other than Top Fuel and Funny Car and never will. If you view old videos and photos from the '60 and '70 the stands are SRO. Why? Because it was about cars that they drove. Maybe just maybe if A/FX is done right ( Please Lonnie) drag racing has a chance to sustain the sport we all love.

Comp is really not all that complicated. It's like any of the performance based classes. Build a vehicle to the desired class and follow the rulebook closely. There are some real good cars for sale somewhat reasonable. Fastest car to the finish line wins. Faster than -.060 comes off next rounds index. Usually a 5 round race. It's a really great class once you get into it.

[Mark Yacavone]

Originally Posted by rboyle

Comp is really not all that complicated. It's like any of the performance based classes. Build a vehicle to the desired class and follow the rulebook closely. There are some real good cars for sale somewhat reasonable. Fastest car to the finish line wins. Faster than -.060 comes off next rounds index. Usually a 5 round race. It's a really great class once you get into it.

What about..Q sheet?..Go as fast as you want to ..Eliminator ...No more flat out, with out penalty , including index hits this week or permanent ..Personal driver indexes, Ladder games to get to round 2, clean and green?
Classes? Don't know where to start. Can't or won't drive a stick? No problem.We'll give you an automatic class.
Very cool and unique cars..But probably too many V6 and 4 cylinder sounding vehicles for the casual fan.

[Adger Smith]

Originally Posted by rboyle

Comp is really not all that complicated. It's like any of the performance based classes. Build a vehicle to the desired class and follow the rulebook closely. There are some real good cars for sale somewhat reasonable. Fastest car to the finish line wins. Faster than -.060 comes off next rounds index. Usually a 5 round race. It's a really great class once you get into it.

Yea not complicated at all... the Shoe polish for the next round is in your ET from the previous round or a competitor in the same class somewhere in the country. For a bonus there are personal indexes. Fastest car to the finish line wins, occasionally.