[bill dedman]

Drag racing got complicated quickly, but got a lot MORE complicated in 1963, with the introduction of the Christmas Tree, and its handicapped-start capabilities.

The ensuing years saw many changes, some good, some bad, but sometimes I wonder if the direction that NHRA drag racing has taken (for Stockers) is a good thing...

There was a time when you took your car to the strip and raced for a trophy.... period.

In 1956, for example, there was A, B, C, and D Stock, In '57, I think they added E Stock (could be a year "off.") Sticks and automatics were not separated.

The classification process worked with so few classes, because the horsepower spectrum was so small; the very fastest cars in 1956 had around 300 horsepower; the slowest were in the 90-horsepower range.

So, you had only about 210 horsepower separating the slowest Stockers from the fastest. Separating them with 4 or 5 classes made for some fairly equitable "class" racing.

In 1956, There might be 7 or 8 cars in A Stock (dual-quad Chevies, Fords, Pontiacs, and Dodges,) with the occasional Chrysler 300, or Cadillac El Dorado (both of which sported dual quads, in '56.)

B Stock might have 12-14 cars, and might be made up of primarily, single 4bbl 317 cid., Pontiacs, Power Pack 265 Chevies, "Ford Interceptors" (312-powered sedans), and an occasional '56 Olds 88.

C Stock was usually the most populous class, with lots of 2bbl 265 Chevys, 272 cid '56 Fords, and an assortment of oddball V8 Studebakers, Mercury 292's and some '53-'54 Oldsmobiles. Maybe 15-18 cars in that class.

D Stock was not as popular, but was made up of some interesting cars, such as 232 cid, early V8, 2-bbl, Studebakers, '49-'51 Oldsmobiles, Hudson Hornets with 1 carb, and 2-bbl, '52 OHV Lincolns (with Hydramatics(!).

E Stock was the refuge of the inline, six-cylinder Chevies, GMC pickups, Ford Flatheads, and a whole bevy of nondescript Nashes, really early Buicks (1938?) with "compound carburetion," and most foreign cars of the day (of which, there were very few.) It was a crapshoot, as far as how many would show up to race... maybe 10....

You got 3 or 4 time trials, and would heed the call to the lanes for YOUR CLASS, after noon, or, thereabouts.

The classes were run off, one class at a time, hot-lapping, until a winner in that class was determined. Then, the next higher class had its eliminations. They were all run this way; hot-laps until the survivor was deemed the class champion.

They ran some competition Dragsters, Gassers, motorcycles, and Altereds between the autonomous class runs.... usually saving the "TOP ELIMINATOR" runs for the last runs of the day.

There was NO "Stock Eliminator." Just 5 class winners, with a nice trophy in the back seat of each. No cash payouts.

There were also, no $5,000.00, acid-ported cylinder heads, $$$$$ Headers, disguised, expensive, aluminum driveshafts, data loggers, $900.00 "blueprinted" carburetors, nor expen$ive drag slicks on these cars. They were required to run the tires they were equipped with, OEM.

When the racing program was over, the announcer invited any spectator who wanted to, to bring their car to the line for a free time trial, or to grudge race the car of their choice... multiple times, if so desired.

Lots of those folks got their first taste of competition there, and came back the next month as a competitor!!!

It was so simple...

Is what we have, today, better???

You decide...