Looking into F/SA, why spend $50k?

[extrahotsauce]

I need experienced Stock racers' opinions please. I've been reading a lot of the threads on here, specifically ones I search for about money to get into Stock or SS. Most every thread goes on and on about how you gotta spend $50k on a stocker to race it.

Thinking of getting into NHRA Stock (at the divisional level for now) from the bracket racing perspective and I see people winning from the bottom half of the qualifying sheet wondering why folks act like it's required to spend that kind of money to go Stock racing. Maybe I'm just naive, so I'm open to enlightenment please. With an average of 6 or 7 cars in f/sa per race out of 70-100 cars, how likely is it I run one? How often would you guys say you run someone in your class for heads up?

Assuming I'm decent bracket racer and can do okay every other time, those handful of races I go up against my own class are just part of the deal right? Surely some races I wouldn't hit another f/sa, yeah? And if I'm not the fastest f/sa anyway, why bother trying to go all out on it for now?

[dartman]

Originally Posted by extrahotsauce

I need experienced Stock racers' opinions please. I've been reading a lot of the threads on here, specifically ones I search for about money to get into Stock or SS. Most every thread goes on and on about how you gotta spend $50k on a stocker to race it.

Thinking of getting into NHRA Stock (at the divisional level for now) from the bracket racing perspective and I see people winning from the bottom half of the qualifying sheet wondering why folks act like it's required to spend that kind of money to go Stock racing. Maybe I'm just naive, so I'm open to enlightenment please. With an average of 6 or 7 cars in f/sa per race out of 70-100 cars, how likely is it I run one? How often would you guys say you run someone in your class for heads up?

Assuming I'm decent bracket racer and can do okay every other time, those handful of races I go up against my own class are just part of the deal right? Surely some races I wouldn't hit another f/sa, yeah? And if I'm not the fastest f/sa anyway, why bother trying to go all out on it for now?

I've have not been to many races,maybe 25 nats,div and opens.I have been in five heads-ups races in G/SA. So that's 20% of the race I've been to I have hit a car in my class. I'm 3 for 5 and only 1 time was i the faster car.

[Ed Carpenter]

You don't have to spend 50k to race stock. Beard doesn't have close to that and he can kick *** at any race he goes to even those 100k cars. My dad has told me many times your car doesn't care if the other is 100k and came out of a 500k rig. It doesn't matter.

[Michael Beard]

I don't have $50K in my Super Stocker, nor is there $50K in Terry's Stocker I drive. They're not the fastest by a long shot, but they've both won Wallys and World Championships. *CAN* you blow $50K on a Stocker? I imagine. Guess it all depends on what your goals are. Pick your battles.

[ALMACK]

For someone wanting to get into Stock on a budget and might be afraid of a heads up pairing, the "non roll bar required" classes ( N/S-N/SA and down ) would be the way to go.
Not as many racers in those classes.

The only downside is they don't run as quick as an F class car, but the buy in cost is a lot less also.
It all depends on how much you want to spend, but the pay out for 1st place is the same for any class in Stock.

[ALMACK]

ooops
double post

[davidhuff]

Originally Posted by Michael Beard

I don't have $50K in my Super Stocker, nor is there $50K in Terry's Stocker I drive. They're not the fastest by a long shot, but they've both won Wallys and World Championships. *CAN* you blow $50K on a Stocker? I imagine. Guess it all depends on what your goals are. Pick your battles.

What did you guys spend?

[Cdncarnut]

You do not need to spend $50K on an F/SA.
I paid a little extra up front, because of the body style that I wanted and I was looking for a car that did not need body or paint, was solid and reasonably clean.
It is not the fastest F/SA, but I run with a local S/SS group and I just need to be under the IHRA index.
Last year was my first year in the car, so I spent a few dollars on a few upgrades and the usual on maintenance items.
This year I needed to have the transmission gone through and a gear change.
By the time I make my first pass, this year, I will have somewhere just north of $35K in the car, and that is Canadian dollars.

I looked for a car for 4 years while I bracket raced.
If I can give you one piece of advice, buy a car that you like, is under the index and is legal.
Making improvements and making the car "yours", is half the fun.

[Michael Beard]

Originally Posted by davidhuff

What did you guys spend?

I bought the Volare as a turnkey crate motor Stocker for $9K. Throughout its life as a Stocker, it got a fuel cell, an Auto Meter playback tach, rewiring, and freshened the engine periodically, and did little upgrades along the way. I had about $18K in upgrading everything to run Super Stock. I did later backhalf the car, but in retrospect, didn't have to, although the shocks and Moser 60 rear were a good investment. I'm actually going back down to a smaller tire, hopefully this weekend (29.5x10.5 M/T Pro Bracket Radial).

The biggest investment is going to be the engine. Other than that, invest in getting the converter right, radials, a good tach and shifter, and let it eat. Our Stocker setups have always been just Super Stock leaf springs, and a pinion snubber. The Volare just had stock shocks for a very long time. Most of the things on a Stocker build list are more on the "want" and "go fast" lists more than the "need" list.

I think we got about $10K in upgrading Terry's car from crate motor to NHRA Stock, which was a turnkey engine, upgrading trans, more gear, and loosening the converter. 'Course he got a decent chunk of that back by selling the crate motor.

You can save a lot of money by knowing what your end goal is and spending smart money on the right stuff in the right places the first time, instead of upgrading a little bit at a time.

[extrahotsauce]

Originally Posted by deuces wild

You don't have to spend 50k to race stock. Beard doesn't have close to that and he can kick *** at any race he goes to even those 100k cars. My dad has told me many times your car doesn't care if the other is 100k and came out of a 500k rig. It doesn't matter.

My dad's favorite is similar. They won't be worried about what car you drive if you can make them instead say "That guy won again?"

Originally Posted by ALMACK

the "non roll bar required" classes ( N/S-N/SA and down ) would be the way to go.

The car I have (which already has a roll bar) I've already looked into it, the combination I think I'd like best is a natural E but I don't know that I can make weight, forcing me to F. I could also get into a natural Q but with the majority in the 10s and 11s I don't have a history of doing well at the stripe when I'm the significantly slower car, so that means either bother losing a bunch with a 13.0 car until/if I get better or get mid 11s like everyone else and suffer through the heads up. My question here is kind of, how much of that suffering should I expect?