What's wrong with Stock?

[Jim Caughlin]

So Jim, if they move the late model cars from Stock to SS, do they get to keep the bogus HP ratings and indexes or do they get fixed? Isn't that kind of like moving the drug dealers and pimps to a new neighborhood and saying you fixed your crime problem?

[Jim Kaekel]

Originally Posted by Pedigo Perf

Bill Lumbergh: Great.
Dom Portwood: So, uh, Milton has been let go?
Bob Slydell: Well, just a second there, professor. We, uh, we fixed the *glitch*. So he won't be receiving a paycheck anymore, so it'll just work itself out naturally.
Bob Porter: We always like to avoid confrontation, whenever possible. Problem is solved from your end.

Awesome, Tracy. Is that from "Office Space" or from an NHRA board meeting?

[Run to Rund]

Many interesting older cars from the days of gross HP ratings aren't competitive and NHRA has never addressed lowering their ratings to get more "diversity" in Stock. Now we have the factory ratings going very far the other way, making everything that is old relatively uncompetitive. To make it even worse, turbo and supercharged cars don't lose power with elevation anywhere near what naturally aspirated engines do, so they are heavily favored at high altitude tracks.

[Joseph Teuton]

Guy I may be wrong but what's crazy is that the new car owners have asked for some sort of shoot out. NHRA has not been able to come to terms for rules. I'm also pretty sure we didn't ask to have no hit at Indy, it was offered. And as everyone else would have we agreed. Instead of getting on here and bitching why don't y'all hold a division meeting at a division race and make your division rep take action? Because let's face it NO one will boycot NHRA.

I stand for the new cars when I say we all have started in the fastest classes available at the time and have taken hits to put us in slower classes. I don't believe anyone builds a new car just to make sure it kills an old car. We would like a fair shoot out class offered but then you stop the need for new technology. What if we went to NHRA and said we didn't feel safe chasing down cars that are going 30mph+ slower than us? I mean the year is 2014 guys not 1960-70's.

[Chris1529]

Not sure one can say too much about safety or the way the new cars drive. Did anyone watch Chris Holbrook in the factory stock final video? (post 262 of the Live from Indy Thread). He had only one hand on the wheel the whole time.

[Michael Beard]

Originally Posted by Joseph Teuton

Guy I may be wrong but what's crazy is that the new car owners have asked for some sort of shoot out. NHRA has not been able to come to terms for rules. I'm also pretty sure we didn't ask to have no hit at Indy, it was offered.

No one blames the drivers. The discussion is just about NHRA's handling of factory cars. They make the rules. Drivers are not an issue, and never have been.

I am interested in including the Factory Stock program at the Class Nationals for next year, which can be featured during Class Eliminations. (We already have no AHFS for *any* class, since we're an independent event, and the indexes can be straightened out, so all of the traditional car concerns will be a non-issue for our event) It seems NHRA's much closer on the rules now. Where does it need tweaked at this point, if at all?

[Bunkster]

Originally Posted by Rose Racing

fill us in please

Merely that Mr. McCarthy mentioned “Roy”, who ran his wagon this year at Indy.

Roy Dean has run a wagon at Indy before. In 1986, Roy, in his R/SA, was runner up to Gary Long in his F/S Mercury.

Just some pleasant memories.

[Mike Carr]

Originally Posted by Michael Beard

Where does it need tweaked at this point, if at all?

I think the Index would be the only issue. Not sure if anyone has been able to answer this: what is the average difference between a new car's weight, in it's 'natural' class(es) (AAA, AA, BB, CC, etc) and it's FSS weight? How much weight on average do the cars need to add/subtract, and the difference in corresponding Indexes of 10.10 and 10.35? Or take it on a case by case basis.

[Michael K]

Originally Posted by Charley Downing

And the new cars dead horse keeps get beat. The problem is not new the cars or there bogus HP ratings. The problem is you guys don’t like the new style of SS/STK racers with large amounts disposable income. All you old time 70’s, 80’s and 90’s racers are mad because $125,000 buys your way to the top. And your $50,000 stocker with bogus heads and intake or $75,000 SS car with a $35,000 Eng that comes dyno and ready to run is left in the dust. But 10 years ago all of you that are crying had no problem spending that money and beating the guys that were spend less money than you. Now the tables have turned and they have the advantage and you don’t. That’s the real reason you all are mad, everyone always throws stones at the people at the top.

The only tables that have turned is that NHRA doesn't apply certain parts of the rule book to the new cars.

[Michael K]

Originally Posted by Pedigo Perf

You have a good point here. However there is a lot of classic muscle car interest in the USA and it still a strong market for restoration parts. Thanks to NHRA approving certain aftermarket parts, you can buy about everything you need to build a classic "old car" if you want to.

For the record I believe the future of Stock Eliminator depends on having the "new cars" racing and I have no problems with that.

Oh well, at least I didn't build a Pro Stock Truck.

Let's not forget that factory participation in NHRA stock (at least 2 of the big 3) virtually went to nothing for a decade or more by not producing a 2 door, rear wheel drive, v-8 car.

If the old stockers are allowed to be run out of the sport, and the car manufactures decide once again to abandon the rear wheel drive v-8 platform, we can all race mustangs, camaros, and challengers......I guess.