NMCA Good OR BAD ?

It sounds like a good time, but it is just a bracket race. Why drive hunderes of miles to go to a bracket race when there are local tracks for footbrake and no electronic racing , and S/SS races where we can run'em like we do in the NHRA and IHRA. What is different about this racing than everything else? Racing against old cars with 500 inch engines and dual quads? Whats makes it better? Can anyone explain this to me?

[KingReptile]

Grabs some popcorn

[John Langer]

I have been racing in some form of that series since 1997. They run their program in a very professional manner. I run in a heads up n/a class. I thought about crossing over to comp a few years ago but was talked out of it by my engine builder. I have been pretty successful in the Pro Stock class. You get more exposure racing in the NMCA over NHRA which leads to more and better sponsors. Over the last few years I was able to walk home after contingency with around $7,000-$7,500 per race. Not a bad pay day for only having to go 3-4 rounds.

[Ron Brown]

Todd, The best way to explain it is for you to simply attend one of their events and check it out for your self. Not all the class' are like bracket racing. Besides isn't dialing your car and not running faster than your dial, getting a good light, and having a consistent car (NHRA, IHRA,class racing) the same as bracket racing? You will find the entry fees are less, and there is not as much of the huurry up and wait as in other sanction bodies.

just my 2 cents

[John Langer]

There are no classes that are more or less important then another. You will never get a qualifying run bumped due to the "pros" oiling down the track. Lynwood runs the staging lanes like a fine tuned clock. The racers are very friendly. There are alot of "late night" social gatherings in the pits.

[X-TECH MAN]

It was always fun and a good group when I worked with NMCA and it was owned by Racing Head Service out of Memphis, Tenn. I agree with the last two posts. Just wished they would get rid of the Jet car....lol. Makes for a slick track in one lane.

[mannymen]

This is what I'm talking about and no need for grade points. As mentioned: After contingency with around $7,000-$7,500 per race. Not a bad pay day for only having to go 3-4 rounds.


I noted in another thread why anyone would want to run 7-8 rounds over 3-4 days (NHRA) for next to nothing is beyond me. The goal is to hit the highest payouts with the least amount of cars. Believe me I'm there for the fun also, but after 3 days of sitting around things get stale.

Does a 69 camaro BBC (SS/BA/CA legal) fit into the NMCA NSS class? I looked on the site and it doesn't appear to.

[treessavoy]

Originally Posted by Todd Hoven

It sounds like a good time, but it is just a bracket race. Why drive hunderes of miles to go to a bracket race when there are local tracks for footbrake and no electronic racing , and S/SS races where we can run'em like we do in the NHRA and IHRA. What is different about this racing than everything else? Racing against old cars with 500 inch engines and dual quads? Whats makes it better? Can anyone explain this to me?

NO. 1...It is NOT a bracket race and never has been one, all cars run off established indexes, go below your index and you go home.

NO.2...If you race in S/SS in either HRA you are bracket racing, you're the one's that dial down off your index...you often have several cars in the same class that have different dial in's....NOT in NMCA..B/S is 10.50 and everyone in B/S runs off the 10.50.

NO.3 The entire NMCA and the NSS were designed to bring back the glory days of drag racing and was not intended to compete with the HRS's, days when muscle cars competed and factory built drag cars battled for no.1

NO.4 ...The original rules were set up so that these cars would run just as they were....NO electronics...so that winning the race was up to the driver not a dashfull of electronics....in other words: real drag racing!

NO.5...These cars ran special engines so the rules were set to make it cheaper to race using modern replacement blocks but it has to be a factory specific engine ie. 440 block in a Mopar because it's too expensive to find (if you can) a 426 block; 409's are even harder to find and 427 FE Fords are too expensive so you can run a 460 instead.

NO.6...The whole thing was set up to race at a reasonable price, revive the old race cars, and to go have fun with guys and gals that share your love for the old race cars that we grew up with and raced....

I suggest you google NMCA or NSS and read the rules and about the organizations.

Hope this shed some light on the subject.

Jim

[Mark Yacavone]

Originally Posted by Todd Hoven

It sounds like a good time, but it is just a bracket race. Why drive hunderes of miles to go to a bracket race when there are local tracks for footbrake and no electronic racing , and S/SS races where we can run'em like we do in the NHRA and IHRA. What is different about this racing than everything else? Racing against old cars with 500 inch engines and dual quads? Whats makes it better? Can anyone explain this to me?

Todd, I guess no else wants to handle this, so I'll give it a shot.
We raced with the NMCA and Tony DePillo's spinoff group, NSCA in 1999 and 2000. There were quite a few races in the middle of the country at that time.
We ran in NSS and N/Junior Stock , (later N/MC...That's another story)
Those are fixed index classes with a breakout (12.50, 12.00, etc) There were no heads up , flat out runs in those classes, even in class runoffs. Main reason was there were no limits on anything i.e cubic inch, camshaft , etc. The engines just had to look something like what came in the car.
There were a couple of street type brackets that were a regular part of the program, but no points ,but some contingency awards. I suppose they were there for the locals, so they could participate when the show came to their local track.
All the rest was flat out, fastest street car type classes such as 10.5 tire, triple nitrous etc, that looked like they were out of control for atleast half of the quarter mile. Interesting and entertaining, but not anything that could compete where consistency was the key.
The events themselves were fun, with all door cars ,no dragsters, no leakers or oilers (well, not the fuel burning kind anyway).
Still ,there was hardly ever anyone in the stands, except for St Louis, maybe. That's even after all the magazine hype of the 90's about fast street cars. Guys like Tony poured their hearts out and alot of their time to make it grow, but never did. Even the S/SS combos later on, were not supported very well.

Todd, back to your deal.
There 's no sense wearing out a good S/SS car .All you need is a TRW 455, real "stock" 6 X heads, flat tappet cam, regular old Comp valve springs, and some ballast to juggle around and you're good to go.

[T Ketels]

I raced in stock before going to the NMCA and have had a blast ever since. The only drawback is the towing. Hope to see you at BG Larry!

Tim