Hood Scoops to Comp

[Don Eckel 111]

Originally Posted by Don Kennedy

Don : You are a comp person do you think comp in the future is in a lack car count problem??

IMO, Comp is unique for a few reasons, and those are directly affecting the car counts. First is the money it costs to run it. I do it out of my own pocket, but many of the guys are business owners and we all know how the economy is affecting everyone right now. The second part may be class structuring. So many new ones in recent years and soft indexes to start, many of the lower qualified cars just parked from being beat up or not even qualifying. And maybe the last thing that chases alot of people off is maintenance and the effort to run one. It takes alot of time and patience to run a car in Comp, especially ones like mine or some of the oddball combos. It's not a make a pass and have a hot dog category, and you need crew help.
I think it would be a real reality check going from SS to Comp. Lets face it, once you qualify in SS, it becomes a bracket race, unless you have a heads up. So essentially, you don't need to have the best parts and keep up on constantly changing technology to win. Not so in Comp. It may seem attractive to be able to put a SS/Mod car in Comp, but when the factors above come into play, that's where the party ends. It's the only class I've ever raced in, never even bracket raced, made my 1st runs in the class I run now. I've seen many people come and go, and unfortunately more are going right now. Hopefully the trend reverses.

[Don Kennedy]

Don : good posts so what is the answer for comp if there really is a problem ? or am i just wrong about comp being in trouble ? i really like comp and other than Super Stock and Stock i watch comp by the way

[Brian Oakes]

LOL Hey Rock i know ya have alot more in that CJ LOL, the tongue was hanging out of that 427 on that run,anyway who had the Mustang at Rockingham testing a couple of weeks ago, was it RED or Silver, going 8.8 something LOL ,Brian

[randy wilson]

to you comp guys, my hats off to you. you are good at what you do. it does take hardwork to run in there. i am a little to old to get that interested in it, but my partner in crime steve thompson will work that hard if we decide to get serious. no threat to you guys, but you would see us improve as the year goes on.first time out at test and tune at eddeville went 5.86, 119.90 1/8 on 5.91 G/SM. not great but beats a kick in the ***. my question is why does comp not have 1 or 2 classes with spec heads and limited mods to bring the car count back up. also, brian potts, how are you doing? we just 2 months ago got the cobalt to 60 ft. with your camaro, with the same exact drivetrain it went 1 hundreth quicker.

[Jim Storms]

There should be no hood scoops allowed is ss!!! Unless.... They came from the factory that way!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!...................

[Michael Beard]

Originally Posted by randy wilson

my question is why does comp not have 1 or 2 classes with spec heads and limited mods to bring the car count back up.

In 1999, NHRA proposed several new "entry level" classes for Comp that were designed to be somewhat affordable. The idea was quickly shot down as they didn't think it was fair that someone could compete in Comp on a much smaller budget than everyone else.

Virtually at the same time, Billy Nees had an idea for a new heads-up class that would have taken a huge amount of the development expense out of racing. The idea could have also been applied to Comp and in the long-term reduce expenditures for everyone. I and others did extensive computer modeling on the concept, and it worked amazingly well. It made too much sense to actually implement, though. Since it was his concept, I'll allow him to spill the beans if he so chooses.

[randy wilson]

both good concepts michael, i remember the 1999 class concept, and wondered what happened to it. they will eventually have to do something or it will price itself out. i would not care what head or mods they allow, just stick with one and go. this (get the latest head trick) has got to stop.

[Billy Nees]

Michael, basically "our" idea was pushed aside by what became Top Dragster and Top Sportsman. I have resigned myself to the fact that NHRA and it's Sportsman Racers do not want an "affordable" way to go racing and they don't have room for any more Eliminators. NHRA wants us to pump as much money into its coffers(and those of its sponsors that it no longer has)and that's all there is to it.
If you want to waste your time starting a new thread on the subject, I will respond and add to it.

[X-TECH MAN]

Originally Posted by Billy Nees

Michael, basically "our" idea was pushed aside by what became Top Dragster and Top Sportsman. I have resigned myself to the fact that NHRA and it's Sportsman Racers do not want an "affordable" way to go racing and they don't have room for any more Eliminators. NHRA wants us to pump as much money into its coffers(and those of its sponsors that it no longer has)and that's all there is to it.
If you want to waste your time starting a new thread on the subject, I will respond and add to it.

Please do.....Id like to hear about it. Ya never know what might be on the horizon.

[Don Eckel 111]

Originally Posted by Don Kennedy

Don : good posts so what is the answer for comp if there really is a problem ? or am i just wrong about comp being in trouble ? i really like comp and other than Super Stock and Stock i watch comp by the way

It's really hard to say what an end all answer would be. It's such a unique class. Minimizing costs and increasing the purse might help, but I won't hold my breath for those, especially the latter. I can't imagine it going away, yet I know of at least 4 or 5 more cars that won't be in comp anymore. I even questioned myself as far as building a new one after my old one got wrecked. Here in D1 car counts are still decent in comp but not what they used to be. I've been at a few races not too many years ago where we had 50+.
On another note, what would happen to Pro Stock if Comp went away? Comp has been a natural stepping stone for a good percentage of guys in that class.