Support your local Combo/Association races!!

[Mike Carr]

-Jeff N, heads-ups are something I would consider. Pittsburgh has no scales (for the IHRA Div'l races, they use the IHRA temporary scales 'weigh with the front tires, weigh with the back, and add it up' method), so there would be no heads-ups there at Pitt. Quaker and Hagerstown, assuming their scales are accurate and still work, we could work with.

I would have to pay (another expense) a qualified tech person (or at least knowledgeable person) to run the scales. Maybe not so much for the tradtional S/S and Stock cars. But for SS/GT, for example. Not saying you or anyone would do it. But let's say you're running your car, GT/FA 1975 400/180-328 (or whatever it's rated at now). And you claim it as such. But it actually has some other, higher-rated combo in it (427/425, 396/375, etc or something similar) and runs silly fast (same with a GT car with a 327/250 and claiming it as a 283/220) or fast enough to win a heads-up. The average Weekly Joe tech person won't know what combos can or can not fit whatever GT, SS/AM, or even some Stock classes. He certainly wouldn't know the difference between a SS/DA legal 427/425 and some guy that claims it, with an LS-6 454/450 in it.

Again, I don't know how many, if any, would try it, but it could certainly lend itself to MORE potential cheating, more than that could be done now.

As it is now, with no scales, heads-ups or qualifying, any edge gained by cheating is nullified. Going two seconds under would not gain any advantage to anything (no bye, no easy Class win). Other than Hagerstown, the only automatic SS/GT cars we had were all GT/HA or lower (except Gene McBean GT/BA), so I doubt you'd get a heads-up, even if we chose to scale and do them (unless you can get your car legally to H weight).

-Jeff R, Nostalgia/SS I have talked to our members about in the past. And it always meets a 98% (or more) resistance, since the N/SS have little to no rules, compared to legal class cars (as one former racer said, "why would you want to let older bracket cars in our race?"). And if I allow them, and we get five N/SS cars and lose 10 regular S/SS cars, I've gained nothing. Again, it's something I could consider, but we'd have to see what the members would want.

[MikeMoller]

I joined and have been going to the Carolina Class Racers combo's last year and this year. The turnouts have been faily good this year, some 30 or so cars at several of the races. I think we really need to support these races so we have something besides what IHRA and NHRA provide. I really like these one day events, for some decent prize money(haven't collected any yet).

Maybe we could get several of these organizations together and as a group convince some of the manufacturers to contribute. They may get a better bang for thier buck, and it would be nice to be able to add to the purse of some of these local shows.

I also like the idea of adding a Nostalgia show to be run in parallel with but seperate from teh s/ss combo, or some additional show to help with promotion of a combo. Need more crosstalk between groups.

I think we really need these type races, and we need the racers to support them so those that can't afford or don't want to race the big shows can still participate in the sport we all love.

Mike Moller
RFRL

[BKSG1198]

Mike,

I understand your frustration with the series and having to dish money out of your own pocket. I must tell you from experience that you need to do what you need to do to run the series. Unless you are doing something wrong don't ask for feedback from the members...I know it sounds harsh but, we sent out a survey following the 2010 season for the Super Comp Guys regarding what tracks they would want to go to for the 2011 season. We got the polls back and all the racers said Cecil, Maple & Atco. The Cecil vote was something like 17 to 2 in favor of a race there. So we scheduled a race the week before the Maple Grove Divisional race (Maple grove was booked). This way it would give drivers some test and tune options before the divisional and 2 days of great weather and we had 6 cars on Sat & 9 cars on Sun. It was quite a dissapointing turn-out and way to start off the season.

I'd be more then willing to help you out with promoting the series for 2012 through Facebook site (Similar to what we have for MASCA & MASGA) and I have a lot of contacts through Nat Dragster, Drag Race Online, Etc, Etc that I could help you out with getting the word out. Let me know....

Rob

[Nitro Joe Jackson]

Rob you are so right, set up your own rules and stick by them, every-time you ask for opinions everybody has one for there own agenda.
I do got to say my SST Series is doing well

And like Mike says at times Jeff & I have raised our hands and said what do we need to do to get cars besides giving free entries. (that's not happening, don't even go there)

Last thing, anybody that has a SS/Stock series, send me your schedule and I'll get it into the calender that i post on this and my web site and will start posting a section in the stats book all year

[tim worner]

A lot of times scheduling is a problem because of so many races.

[Jim Wahl]

Mike,

I have sort of sat back and just watched what was posted here before I posted. maybe I shouldn't even offer a reply as I am too personally involved in the S/SS Association thing. If I had the magic answer for the car count problem we would have 100 cars at our events instead of 30 - 45. I get all the same reasons for not attending that I'm sure you do. We have posted our rules online and follow them. We have no heads up runs, this allows everyone who wants to run class to have an equal chance. We get everyone from World Champions and National Record Holders to "Joe Beginner" race with us. We random weigh at our races. It keeps honest racers honest. Number one qualifier means nothing, no first round bye, no cash reward, nothing. We allow all NHRA, IHRA, NMCA, and NSSA cars to race with us. We use IHRA indexes and classes where applicable for the same reason as stated for heads up runs. It has taken 4 years to refine our rules and as in the major associations we are constantly evolving.
I don't know how you do this all by yourself! Props to you! We have a board and there is no way one guy could do it all and remain sane! Jim

[Jack McCarthy]

bowling green runs nhra combo, no ihra... and with a qualifying ladder and pairings, scale all heads up... i go there whenever i can they had 48 i think 3rd weeekned october...

other than the lack of tech it is perfect... but tech would be great, with protests.

jack

mike you might wanna tighten up your rules ?

[Mike Carr]

-Rob/Joe, I ask for input just to see if the racers feel something could be better, or if I personally am doing something wrong to keep racers away.

-Jim, my mom was a big help this year at the track, to me, it's not all 100% me only. Especially at Hagerstown, we both worked our asses off with so many cars (73). Dad didn't take off work this past year for the races, and I can't blame him for not wanting to miss a day's work for 15 cars.

-Jack, the tracks do not have qualified tech people, or as qualified, as Bowling Green, Ohio Valley, some of the other tracks etc. If you (or anyone) would like to send me money so I can hire someone (are there any good NHRA/IHRA tech people in eastern OH/western PA?), I am all for it.

[norm saibene]

i am behind stock super stock races 100 percent i am going to race in as many as i can in 2012 i cant waite

[Don Kennedy]

I would support the local STK and Super Stock races , IF they prep the track for the higher HP cars ,if no prep then I will NOT race there period, It is Just like this when the Points races have test and Tune for what ever the cost is , I used to do this but no more no Prep no pay the money and no race .