An Idiots Guide to Super Class Racing

Rich67stang · 07-03-2008, 12:57 PM

CBS,

I know this is off topic, but how do I make a request to the sportsman advisory? I live in the middle of
NHRA Div 1 and only race IHRA because I cannot run SST & SC together. Is there anything to be considered? I understand the rule and why, but I think you should not have to protect racers from better racers.

Thanks,

Richard

CBS · 07-03-2008, 01:06 PM

How in the world would getting rid of the timer change the racing...the fast cars are still fast....

no matter what was changed it would affect somebody in a way they won't like....

this is a wintertime discussion anyway.....

SSTHottie1236 · 07-03-2008, 01:25 PM

Only a couple of people said it but you'd never be able to enforce the CID limit. Seriously do we all want to pull a head every race?

Kelli
1236 S/ST

Michael Pliska · 10-13-2008, 12:07 PM

Sorry to resurrect a dead thread, but I am new to the forum and wanted to comment.

As was mentioned before, Super-Gas used to be more of a crowd favorite back in the 1980's. I have photos of me going rounds at the 1988 Seafair Nationals, and even in the early rounds there were plenty of people in the stands. By the later rounds, the stands were packed and I even saw plenty of flashbulbs as I did my burnout and stage. Was it purely because the cars looked more like a decent heads-up race? I think it was, at least in part. The crowds are bigger overall these days, and maybe they could care less, but I think it was cool for people to watch the same cars they see at a weekly bracket race, but at the national event.

As mentioned, all the cars back then were either using a bolt or a Dedenbear-type stop activated in high gear. The quicker the car was capable of running, the slower the trap speed. I think the spectators didn't care because they got to see heads up, wheelstanding launches. I personally liked it because I was able to field a competitive car on a starving college student's budget! Mine was one of the quicker cars (probably could run a 9.20 if I changed the gears), which meant that the other cars were catching up to me all the time, but I always had a heck of an override to use to take the stripe.

I am in the process of rebuilding my car, and am still torn about this whole massive MPH deal. I can probably set it up to run a reasonable mph, but I'm not sure I want to do that. I've been pleased to see that Ted Seipel and others have had reasonable success racing the "old school" way. I guess if I had my way I'd probably institute a speed limit on the .90 classes, but that's my selfish response so I can just set my car up the way I raced it 18-20 years ago!

Regards,

Michael Pliska · 10-13-2008, 03:05 PM

After reading all 11 pages of the other forum's thread which led to this thread, I have a couple of thoughts/questions for those who are currently racing .90 classes.

I remember when NHRA banned stutter boxes (I think it was in the 1988 or 1989 season). I was told that it was for two reasons: 1) They didn't like the way it made the cars sound (looking/sounding like they were broken & misfiring for a few seconds), and 2) They did not want everyone making big horsepower cars to run massive speeds (both for safety and racer cost issues). Obviously #1 is arguably happening anyway, and #2 definitely is.

So now my question - if NHRA banned timed throttle stops and shifters (made you shift manually) for the .90 classes (you could still run a throttle stop but it must be activated by the shifter), would you keep racing?

Would you prefer it over the current rules?

Would your answer be the same if you didn't have a ton of cash invested in your current setup?

Regards,

H.A.A.C. Racing · 10-13-2008, 03:38 PM

How would you activate a throttle stop by the shifter?

Michael Pliska · 10-13-2008, 03:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by H.A.A.C. Racing

How would you activate a throttle stop by the shifter?

Just a roller microswitch which turns off the stop when you shift (manually) into high gear. Mine is mounted where I can reach it easily, and I use the same switch as an override button to take the stripe if necessary.

07-03-2008, 01:25 PM	#3
SSTHottie1236 Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Bath, PA Posts: 136 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: An Idiots Guide to Super Class Racing Only a couple of people said it but you'd never be able to enforce the CID limit. Seriously do we all want to pull a head every race? Kelli 1236 S/ST __________________ Kelli 1236 S/ST 1836 S/G

10-13-2008, 12:07 PM	#4
Michael Pliska Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Happy Valley, OR Posts: 260 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: An Idiots Guide to Super Class Racing Sorry to resurrect a dead thread, but I am new to the forum and wanted to comment. As was mentioned before, Super-Gas used to be more of a crowd favorite back in the 1980's. I have photos of me going rounds at the 1988 Seafair Nationals, and even in the early rounds there were plenty of people in the stands. By the later rounds, the stands were packed and I even saw plenty of flashbulbs as I did my burnout and stage. Was it purely because the cars looked more like a decent heads-up race? I think it was, at least in part. The crowds are bigger overall these days, and maybe they could care less, but I think it was cool for people to watch the same cars they see at a weekly bracket race, but at the national event. As mentioned, all the cars back then were either using a bolt or a Dedenbear-type stop activated in high gear. The quicker the car was capable of running, the slower the trap speed. I think the spectators didn't care because they got to see heads up, wheelstanding launches. I personally liked it because I was able to field a competitive car on a starving college student's budget! Mine was one of the quicker cars (probably could run a 9.20 if I changed the gears), which meant that the other cars were catching up to me all the time, but I always had a heck of an override to use to take the stripe. I am in the process of rebuilding my car, and am still torn about this whole massive MPH deal. I can probably set it up to run a reasonable mph, but I'm not sure I want to do that. I've been pleased to see that Ted Seipel and others have had reasonable success racing the "old school" way. I guess if I had my way I'd probably institute a speed limit on the .90 classes, but that's my selfish response so I can just set my car up the way I raced it 18-20 years ago! Regards, __________________ Michael Pliska 643 S/G

10-13-2008, 03:05 PM	#5
Michael Pliska Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Happy Valley, OR Posts: 260 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: An Idiots Guide to Super Class Racing After reading all 11 pages of the other forum's thread which led to this thread, I have a couple of thoughts/questions for those who are currently racing .90 classes. I remember when NHRA banned stutter boxes (I think it was in the 1988 or 1989 season). I was told that it was for two reasons: 1) They didn't like the way it made the cars sound (looking/sounding like they were broken & misfiring for a few seconds), and 2) They did not want everyone making big horsepower cars to run massive speeds (both for safety and racer cost issues). Obviously #1 is arguably happening anyway, and #2 definitely is. So now my question - if NHRA banned timed throttle stops and shifters (made you shift manually) for the .90 classes (you could still run a throttle stop but it must be activated by the shifter), would you keep racing? Would you prefer it over the current rules? Would your answer be the same if you didn't have a ton of cash invested in your current setup? Regards, __________________ Michael Pliska 643 S/G

10-13-2008, 03:38 PM	#6
H.A.A.C. Racing Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 320 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: An Idiots Guide to Super Class Racing How would you activate a throttle stop by the shifter?

07-03-2008, 12:57 PM	#1
Rich67stang Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Jackson, NJ Posts: 313 Likes: 3 Liked 116 Times in 27 Posts	Re: An Idiots Guide to Super Class Racing CBS, I know this is off topic, but how do I make a request to the sportsman advisory? I live in the middle of NHRA Div 1 and only race IHRA because I cannot run SST & SC together. Is there anything to be considered? I understand the rule and why, but I think you should not have to protect racers from better racers. Thanks, Richard

07-03-2008, 01:06 PM	#2
CBS VIP Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Commerce, Mi Posts: 1,387 Likes: 1 Liked 4 Times in 2 Posts	Re: An Idiots Guide to Super Class Racing How in the world would getting rid of the timer change the racing...the fast cars are still fast.... no matter what was changed it would affect somebody in a way they won't like.... this is a wintertime discussion anyway.....