NHRA changes needed for next year-add on

Dick Butler · 08-12-2007, 10:01 PM

We have had a great discussion. Thanks and at this point I will end my comments and continue to work with anyone who cares to address S and SS issues together and improve class racing. Thanks
See you at the Races.

Stocker 2 · 08-12-2007, 10:17 PM

And the rest of us will continue to discuss leaving Stock and SS alone because we know it is doing fine as it is.

icebrrrg · 08-13-2007, 07:54 PM

Best wishes to you Mr. Butler on making good changes to Super Stock and Stock. I do not agree with all of the details (for example - I agree with Jim Wahl on keeping FWD classes separate in Stock), but I do agree with the goals expressed. My brothers first Super Stock national event race was the '74 Gators - they ran a 65 Chevelle wagon (283 ci/220 hp) in what was SS/Q at the time. Many of the small block Chevy stars of that time were also running SS/Q (8 cars total in the class) - Ron Traffanstedt, Jimmy Bridges, the Cierri Brothers (btw - Anthony Cierri won SS over Lingenfelter at the Gators a couple of years later) and more. My brother Paul took runner up in class that year with a redlight against Traffanstedt in the Q final, but went on to do well in Div 2 SS. Traffanstedt's old SS/L Chevy II would win SS at the Gators some years later with Don Wolf driving. There was always alot of excitement among fans and racers when it came to competing in class and watching awesome class racing.

Unfortunately the dillution of SS has led to too much tepid class racing today. Still lots of great cars and drivers out there, but outside of SS/AH, great class racing is few and far between. My favorite matchup in more recent years was a pair of great SS veterans - Schindler vs. Bridges in SS/E, but now both of them are running different classes. If anybody has any desire for more fan and sponsor interest, changes need to be made. I believe that Evan Smith alluded to this in the racer's posting section some time ago. Saw lots of good inputs from folks like Lynn McCarty, Chad Rhodes and others on this thread too.

My favorite cars in Comp are the Super Mod cars of racers like Pritchett, Houghtaling and Wisecarver. As much as I like the Mod cars, I do not believe that they belong in SS and strongly agree with the point of taking them out of SS and putting them in Comp. One step in rebuilding SS is defining a category identity. Without it, you may as well throw out the rulebook and allow anything from jets to skateboards compete. In my opinion, the only cars that should compete are the ones have to deal with dreaded acronyms like "AFHS" and words like "teardown". Unfortunately many of todays greatest drivers are racing the modified-type cars and if the trend toward that type of car continues, the number of traditional SS and GT cars will dwindle.

I am adamantly opposed to this idea of getting rid of heads-up races in the eliminator. If that were ever to occur, it will be time to throw away the rulebook and change the name of the category from "Super Stock" to "Super Pro". Why even bother to have classes then?

Just my $.02...

Mark Berg
current non-racer

08-12-2007, 10:01 PM	#1
Dick Butler VIP Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Richmond Indiana Posts: 1,196 Likes: 5 Liked 32 Times in 19 Posts	Re: NHRA changes needed for next year-add on We have had a great discussion. Thanks and at this point I will end my comments and continue to work with anyone who cares to address S and SS issues together and improve class racing. Thanks See you at the Races.

08-12-2007, 10:17 PM	#2
Stocker 2 Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Posts: 137 Likes: 0 Liked 1 Time in 1 Post	Re: NHRA changes needed for next year-add on And the rest of us will continue to discuss leaving Stock and SS alone because we know it is doing fine as it is.

08-13-2007, 07:54 PM	#3
icebrrrg Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Central Florida Posts: 90 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: NHRA changes needed for next year-add on Best wishes to you Mr. Butler on making good changes to Super Stock and Stock. I do not agree with all of the details (for example - I agree with Jim Wahl on keeping FWD classes separate in Stock), but I do agree with the goals expressed. My brothers first Super Stock national event race was the '74 Gators - they ran a 65 Chevelle wagon (283 ci/220 hp) in what was SS/Q at the time. Many of the small block Chevy stars of that time were also running SS/Q (8 cars total in the class) - Ron Traffanstedt, Jimmy Bridges, the Cierri Brothers (btw - Anthony Cierri won SS over Lingenfelter at the Gators a couple of years later) and more. My brother Paul took runner up in class that year with a redlight against Traffanstedt in the Q final, but went on to do well in Div 2 SS. Traffanstedt's old SS/L Chevy II would win SS at the Gators some years later with Don Wolf driving. There was always alot of excitement among fans and racers when it came to competing in class and watching awesome class racing. Unfortunately the dillution of SS has led to too much tepid class racing today. Still lots of great cars and drivers out there, but outside of SS/AH, great class racing is few and far between. My favorite matchup in more recent years was a pair of great SS veterans - Schindler vs. Bridges in SS/E, but now both of them are running different classes. If anybody has any desire for more fan and sponsor interest, changes need to be made. I believe that Evan Smith alluded to this in the racer's posting section some time ago. Saw lots of good inputs from folks like Lynn McCarty, Chad Rhodes and others on this thread too. My favorite cars in Comp are the Super Mod cars of racers like Pritchett, Houghtaling and Wisecarver. As much as I like the Mod cars, I do not believe that they belong in SS and strongly agree with the point of taking them out of SS and putting them in Comp. One step in rebuilding SS is defining a category identity. Without it, you may as well throw out the rulebook and allow anything from jets to skateboards compete. In my opinion, the only cars that should compete are the ones have to deal with dreaded acronyms like "AFHS" and words like "teardown". Unfortunately many of todays greatest drivers are racing the modified-type cars and if the trend toward that type of car continues, the number of traditional SS and GT cars will dwindle. I am adamantly opposed to this idea of getting rid of heads-up races in the eliminator. If that were ever to occur, it will be time to throw away the rulebook and change the name of the category from "Super Stock" to "Super Pro". Why even bother to have classes then? Just my $.02... Mark Berg current non-racer