Lets Root Cause the Detriment of Class Racing

[Mike Pearson]

Originally Posted by Robbie Draughon

I say do away with half pound classes. Make them a whole pound to move classes. Then you do away with half the classes. No where to run from a heads up. Run sticks and autos together also.

I would have no problem with running the stick and auto cars together for class. Just use the current indexes and have a handicap start. First to the finish line wins. Similar to the combo class runs we have now. In my combo the stick and auto have different HP ratings and indexes. The stick combo is less HP. So no good way to run heads up.

Change for change sake is never a good thing. Changes to our class structure needs to be thoroughly thought out. Personally I dont see any of these proposed changes helping stock or super stock. The guys with fast and under factored cars will always play the game to protect their combos. I cant blame them.

I have a slow car and it is an un-competitive combo. I qualify at the bottom half of the sheet most of the time. I do have a fun time racing and I did win a divisional race here in D2 this season.

[MR DERBY CITY]

First off, I would like to commend the Volkman family for their generous postings for number one qualifier in both stk/ss in D 2. Unfortunately, WE are never going to REPAIR stock and super stock racing. Too many classes, too many agendas, and getting the racers to AGREE on anything would be like….like herding CATS….Its not going to happen. Decades ago my close friend Charles Norton wrote a summary detailing the inevitable demise of stock/super stock racing. At the time, his diatribe was quite alarming. Many racers dismissed his doom and gloom report. Now, fast forward years later ….. I think Charles pretty much nailed it…..Like everything in life, ENJOY it while it’s here. NOTHING lasts forever …..

[ken robinson]

Just my opinion the 3 tenth hit to the indexes in 2009 , and the mineshaft safety net was the 2 big changes that I saw .

[Rick J]

Regarding Michael's #2 point, Larry Tores built his own engines, and ran Super Stock & Comp back in the 70's & 80's.
I remember seeing him at the track working for NHRA, but that didn't last long. Anyone know why he didn't stick with the NHRA job?

[Mark Yacavone]

Originally Posted by ken robinson

Just my opinion the 3 tenth hit to the indexes in 2009 , and the mineshaft safety net was the 2 big changes that I saw .

How so? Please elaborate.

[ken robinson]

In 2008 I forget how fast you needed to go to get HP. But if you could go 1.20 under in 2009 than you would have been 1.50 under in 2008. Just saying . And after the 3 tenth hit it seamed to kill the car count . The mineshaft rule and the 3 tenth hit just seamed like a way out , to not to give out HP to me at least .

[Nick Heath]

http://sportsman.nhra.com/content/ab...604&zoneid=101

Pre-2010, the magic numbers were:
-1.40 for an instant hit
-1.15 for a trigger
-1.00 average for a HP increase

Then in 2010, we adjusted the indexes 0.30 and changed the triggers to:
-1.20 for an instant hit (-1.50 vs. old index)
-1.00 for a trigger (-1.30 vs. old index)
-0.85 average for a HP increase (-1.15 vs. old index)

[AveryMcLawhorn]

Being newer to class racing overall after my family has been involved since the 1960s I have a slightly different perspective than most on why I think class racing is suffering. Listening to my grandad talk and explain all the stuff they did back in the day motors were built for a fraction of the cost and built in garages in people's back yards. I think one has to evaluate the financial strain that class racing as involved into today as compared to the 2010s, 2000s, and 1990s. A person can now go out and buy a much cheaper bracket car and enter a local 5K bracket race for entry fee of $100. Very broadly speaking they are typically showing up to the track in a pickup and trailer. Where we as class racers are paying over $200 dollars in entry fees for a low overall winnings. That of course is not including all the rigs and stacker trailers. My family is equally as guilty now for joining the motorhome train. In addition I can say that when my dad and I go to the track we are often greeted positively with comments about third generation of racers in the family. That attribute seems to be rare today and overall we are not drawing in new people at a regular bases to our specific sport. Arbitrarily speaking each generation is unique and has different interest. I think we need to ensure the integrity of the sport is maintained but also find avenues to attract new people into the sport without placing such a high risk low reward outcome on the sport. I can tell you from the countless conversations I have had with my grandad, a Walley meant a lot more to him than it does to me at this point. I of course would love to have one and earn it the right way but it just doesn't have the same appeal today as it did 20 years ago.

Just a newer (2 years) class racers thoughts and opinion. Very proud to have transitioned into class racing and love class racing.

[Mark Yacavone]

Originally Posted by ken robinson

In 2008 I forget how fast you needed to go to get HP. But if you could go 1.20 under in 2009 than you would have been 1.50 under in 2008. Just saying . And after the 3 tenth hit it seamed to kill the car count . The mineshaft rule and the 3 tenth hit just seamed like a way out , to not to give out HP to me at least .

Okay, I see where you're going.I really didn't notice it hurting much of anything though.

That was 12 years ago too. I just looked at St. Louis with 156 cars, and you'd have to look long and hard to find anyone who can't go 3 tenths under the current indexes.
Seems to me, if it's really supposed to be a performance eliminator, there has to be some give and take on both ends.. meaning lower the indexes X amount every few years and raise the triggers X amount to keep things balanced for the sake of progress.
Otherwise eventually, every time there's a heads up run , somebody's getting hp. Everyone else is de-tuned or ET dropping to avoid the trigger.
I know, some people want the hits...for the other combo in their class, but where will it end? With just more 1000' runs, I'd guess.
This is giving me a headache, I do know that much.

[Paul Precht]

Originally Posted by Mark Yacavone

Okay, I see where you're going.I really didn't notice it hurting much of anything though.

That was 12 years ago too. I just looked at St. Louis with 156 cars, and you'd have to look long and hard to find anyone who can't go 3 tenths under the current indexes.
.

3 tenths under at Numidia in July is 7 tenths under at the Dutch.