[Mike Schwartz]

The Classification Guide has this information on your car:

DODGE 1971 - DART (111" WB) - Sedan 2 Dr Swinger - 318 / 230hp - 15.64 Factor - 185 NHRA adjusted HP

Your 'natural' class might then be 15.00 - 15.99. Once you know this you can then change the weight of the car to be more competitive. You start by multiplying the factor by the adjusted HP: 15.64 X 185 = 2893 lbs.

Typically, you can then either reduce the weight to better fit your natural class: (2775 / 185 = 15.00), or add weight to reach the next heavier class: (2960 / 185 = 16.00). The rule book will spell out any limitations on class or weight changes.

Add 170lbs to the calculated weight to come up with your scale weight. This is the minimum weight the car and driver must be at the end of a run. You might infer that a skinny driver needs to have a slightly heavy car to be legal, while a husky driver can run a slightly light car and still be legal. Just no adding fuel or chomping burgers after a run. Also be aware that scales vary from track to track and even day to day, and it's better to be slightly heavy than right on the bleeding edge.

Yellow highlights are changes added this year. There's no penalty on an alternate carb; just be sure to have one of the approved units. The same goes for heads and manifolds.

Class cars qualify based on their relationship to the index. The further under you are, the higher your position. Your position is used to create the eliminations ladder. There can be some gamesmanship here. You want to avoid running cars in your same class that are faster than you, because it will be a heads up race without dial-ins.