Is it time to fix Super Class Racing?

[cicero819]

T.S. you can get back on your soap box anytime it's your priviledge of being free to say what you want anytime you want(unless it's your boss.lol) Seriously you can slow your engine with a new manifold restrictor plate (cost $10 and $50 if you have someone build it for you), Change carb also quite cheap or sell the engine to 10.5 racer they haven't reach bankruptcy level yet. The class wasn't made to entertain people, are you serious! yes it was made to entertain people who have buns in the stands, NHRA aren't as stupid as we think they are, they've got to look at the big picture and money is always the color used in that picture. The class pushed out Modified Production out so that NHRA could bring it it's bracket paying racer customer in the big show. Big motors and big everything doesn't make you win, you're all right but why is it so expensive now? I don't want to go backwards but would love to keep it around for as long as we can. This was the class that was going to inroduce new blood to racing and it did, most of you are exactly what was wanted when super classes were brought aboard. Just get rid of the timers or transmission shifting device that might cause a delay in the start. Drag racing should be balls out starts and then the finish line is all yours. Thanks.CR

[CBS]

I really don't get.....that there is something wrong with it....I like the timers....I like the fact that I can build as big a motor as I want....If you look at the S/G points leader in Division 3....Its a slower car....with a good driver and good tuner....he doesn't have a high dollar car or motor....he put the hurt on me many a time....

.....its a bunch less expensive to run a fast superclass car than a super stocker....

Things evolve....just like anything else....

[TS310C]

Amen Rock!

I think that they should change the rules in Pro Stock. I would like to run that class, but right now it's too expensive for me. They should change it so I can afford it.

[cicero819]

Mr Haas you're right and nice to see David beat Goliath but it's hard to see cars die at the starting line. I respect what your saying since you race in both class and have first class equipment(great looking S/G and great running S/S but last year at Indy I decided to take two of my girls that are familiar with Racing and have engineering Degrees and both were confuse after seeing time trials. I just hope that NHRA aren't planning a revamp of all classes thoward unleashed program.

[cicero819]

Great thread Bill nice to see that everyone is part of the discussion and more important can conducted at a high level of passion. Yes, the purses should be better distributed down the line with some type of free entry for the next race to the top ten in class. CR

[Chris Williams]

Some points:

- But I can't make a TS or TD field. That's today. As Super classes dwindle, they'll open up the TS and TD fields to larger numbers. Just a couple of years ago you had to have a bunch of grade points to get into a 140 car SC field. Today you can stroll in the week of the race and get into a 64 car field (it happened this year at the Seattle national).

- Get rid of electronics and/or timers. Virtually every new car built today has electronic fuel injection, overhead cams, and a couple of dozen computers in it. But you all want to stick with carbs, pushrods, and no electronics. Can we work any harder to drive the kids away from the sport?

- The stands don't empty for Super classes. I'm sorry, but you're wrong. At the divisional in Seattle yesterday there was a good crowd. When the Super classes were running, there were maybe 100 people in the stands. When TS and TD were running, there were a couple thousand. And I say this as a Super class racer.

- It's too expensive. You have chosen the wrong hobby, or at least the wrong class. Going fast is expensive. Always will be.

Chris

[cicero819]

Chris you're right, how about have all the new technology you want but no more timers at the start, have it at the end whatever you want but not at the start. Bob Frey is the only announcer who explains the class before it starts which can help the new fans. Yes to fuel injection, turbo-charging and blowers. I'm all for Goliath being brought down. This was my two cents and now I'll go and get some change, I just would feel horrible to seeing these classes being dropped by NHRA for lack of appeal to their paying customer and maybe it could be a good thing to see 10.5 car head to head. Your Class after all. Claude Ruel

[Chris Williams]

Perhaps the answer to all of this is to just bag index racing, and go with full-tree brackets all the way. Here's a straw man proposal:

Set up four (five, six?) bracket classes: 7s, 8s, 9s, and 10s. Those are qualifying times (7.99 or better, 8.99 or better...). If you run better than the class number (e.g. run a 7.99 or better in the 8s class), you're forced down a class, except in the 7s class where it's all out. It would be all electronics invited, all body styles, all engine combinations.

Want to run a stop cause you think it makes you more consistent? Go for it. Want to run a dragster with a snowmobile engine in the 10s class? Knock yourself out. Your daughter wants to put fatty slicks on the front of her Civic and run in the 9s class? She can.

By having different classes, you limit the possibility of the big $/HP/MPH person zooming up on you. They'd probably get pushed down a class. By having enough classes to satisfy everyone, no one has to go home. And by everyone (except the super class holdout) leaving hard and racing hard to the stripe, the fans get it.

I dunno, it's a start. I like pro-tree index racing. But this is a way to make it work for the stop-haters?

[chebby2]

This is fun.

[Chris Williams]

I'll repeat it if you didn't hear it the first time: a breakout MPH is a really, really dumb idea. Run WFO, but not that fast. Drag Race as fast as you can, but there's a speed limit.

As dumb as you apparently think stops are, a speed limit is 10x as dumb. You think it's hard to explain throttle stop racing to a casual fan, imagine how ridiculous and effeminate you'd feel telling people there's a speed limit at the drag strips. All because you're afraid of being beaten up by the big kid. Ugh...