So, Indy 2020...

[Lenny5160]

Originally Posted by Bob Mulry

Breaking News:
31 of the 32 Factory Stock cars entered Qualified to race at the 2019 US Nationals in Stock Eliminator.

Pending tech, of course.

[Evan Smith]

This is a never-ending debate... older guys who cherish the classic muscle want to see nothing but that. Younger folks want to see the cars they like. But... one fact remains, if you want to race at Indy, make your car fast.

Just look at the top qualifier who out ran 160 cars. Did anyone notice that a 140-horsepower car from the smog era, one that most would not even consider a "Muscle Car," qualified number one? Why should NHRA allow that (I say jokingly)? Is that fair (same humor)? Evolution is a part of every aspect of life, why should racing be any different. If the vast majority of Stock racers coveted the old cars, they'd all be driving them.

With that said, I'm a huge muscle car guy, love 60's and 70's cars, but should NHRA remain stuck in time? There is no other motorsports in the world where racers can be competitive in 10, 20, 30, 40 or 50-year old cars. Yet, racers can still win in any year car in NHRA drag racing.

[Paradigm Shift]

We just watched an A/S car exceed 140 mph!

Simply incredible.

Andrew Hill was also very impressive today.

[Mike Pearson]

Originally Posted by Evan Smith

This is a never-ending debate... older guys who cherish the classic muscle want to see nothing but that. Younger folks want to see the cars they like. But... one fact remains, if you want to race at Indy, make your car fast.

Just look at the top qualifier who out ran 160 cars. Did anyone notice that a 140-horsepower car from the smog era, one that most would not even consider a "Muscle Car," qualified number one? Why should NHRA allow that (I say jokingly)? Is that fair (same humor)? Evolution is a part of every aspect of life, why should racing be any different. If the vast majority of Stock racers coveted the old cars, they'd all be driving them.

With that said, I'm a huge muscle car guy, love 60's and 70's cars, but should NHRA remain stuck in time? There is no other motorsports in the world where racers can be competitive in 10, 20, 30, 40 or 50-year old cars. Yet, racers can still win in any year car in NHRA drag racing.

Everyone knows that top qualifier car is a ringer. If the AHFS was in play he might not be the number one guy. That said there is some crazy fast cars there. Now we will see how they do in the barn now that Wesley is supposed to be back.

[Bob Mulry]

Originally Posted by Evan Smith

This is a never-ending debate... older guys who cherish the classic muscle want to see nothing but that. Younger folks want to see the cars they like. But... one fact remains, if you want to race at Indy, make your car fast.

Just look at the top qualifier who out ran 160 cars. Did anyone notice that a 140-horsepower car from the smog era, one that most would not even consider a "Muscle Car," qualified number one? Why should NHRA allow that (I say jokingly)? Is that fair (same humor)? Evolution is a part of every aspect of life, why should racing be any different. If the vast majority of Stock racers coveted the old cars, they'd all be driving them.

With that said, I'm a huge muscle car guy, love 60's and 70's cars, but should NHRA remain stuck in time? There is no other motorsports in the world where racers can be competitive in 10, 20, 30, 40 or 50-year old cars. Yet, racers can still win in any year car in NHRA drag racing.

This nothing against the racers who buy, build or race Factory Stock.

I wonder what would happen if eventually the roles reversed and based on performance only, the Factory Stock cars could not qualify for INDY?

I also wonder how NHRA would address this?

Would they reinstate that Class Winners automatically qualify to race in Stock Eliminator and the rest of the available positions filled by the fastest non-class winners????

It looks like 10 or 15 spots could be taken by Factory Stock Class Winners.

As far as stuck in time, we can use the current philosophy regarding history and just say it never happened.

Interesting to ponder.....

[Mark Yacavone]

Originally Posted by Evan Smith

This is a never-ending debate... older guys who cherish the classic muscle want to see nothing but that. Younger folks want to see the cars they like. But... one fact remains, if you want to race at Indy, make your car fast.

Just look at the top qualifier who out ran 160 cars. Did anyone notice that a 140-horsepower car from the smog era, one that most would not even consider a "Muscle Car," qualified number one? Why should NHRA allow that (I say jokingly)? Is that fair (same humor)? Evolution is a part of every aspect of life, why should racing be any different. If the vast majority of Stock racers coveted the old cars, they'd all be driving them.

With that said, I'm a huge muscle car guy, love 60's and 70's cars, but should NHRA remain stuck in time? There is no other motorsports in the world where racers can be competitive in 10, 20, 30, 40 or 50-year old cars. Yet, racers can still win in any year car in NHRA drag racing.

I really don't think progress or being stuck in time, is the issue here.
I love all the high tech, FI stuff in modern cars. Our latest project is almost 20 years old now, but still light years ahead of something like a 283 ,4 bbl. from the 60's.

Two problems, and the first one has been beaten almost to death, but still a valid point.
The AFX cars were not showroom available to the general public. NHRA wanted them anyway.

Secondly, if in fact 31 of 32 FX cars got in, then either these guys are all geniuses , or the HP factor is too low. I think we know the answer (See point #1)

As far as the #1 car...
Any complaints, I'd say to direct them towards the guy who put almost all 302 2bbls back to their net factory ratings. Quite sure it wasn't because NHRA likes 77 Mustang II's , and wants them in the eliminator. ;-)

[Bob Mulry]

This information is from the Stock Final Pending Tech qualifying sheet.

With that said , this is my analysis of the Go Fast or Go Home theory.

Stock had 2 Factory Stock classes with 7 racecars entered in each.

The spread between the fastest and the slowest in each class was respectively .487 and .502

All of the Factory Stock racecars in these two classes have qualified, pending tech, to race in Stock Eliminator.

I'm still waiting for someone to define what Go Fast or Go Home means.

I wouldn't think that being a half second behind the fastest racecar in your class should get you into Stock Eliminator, UNLESS you won your class by racing and beating the faster cars.

[Pistol Pete]

So i counted 44 different classes for this years Indy.
Factory Stock had 3 classes (FSH, FSJ & FSK) all with 1 car in class.
O/S, R/S, T/S, U/S & W/S all with 1 car in class.
So if you took class winners, that would be 38 total. 36 plus 2 winners out of
the combo class. So you still have 90 spots for the top qualifiers.

Out of the cars with only 1 car in class, only 3 cars didn’t qualify so far per tech.

So I think you should take class winners First than fill the field with top qualifiers.

[Bob Mulry]

Originally Posted by Pistol Pete

So i counted 44 different classes for this years Indy.
Factory Stock had 3 classes (FSH, FSJ & FSK) all with 1 car in class.
O/S, R/S, T/S, U/S & W/S all with 1 car in class.
So if you took class winners, that would be 38 total. 36 plus 2 winners out of
the combo class. So you still have 90 spots for the top qualifiers.

Out of the cars with only 1 car in class, only 3 cars didn’t qualify so far per tech.

So I think you should take class winners First than fill the field with top qualifiers.

And that would allow racecars that ONLY run .90 under the index the opportunity to enter, run, win class and race the eliminator.

The problem is that NHRA doesn't want us there.

[Rat Raceway]

Only 3 more years and you would only have Ford and Dodge in the FS mix for new cars. After 2023 the Camaro is dust in the wind...