[MR DERBY CITY]

Originally Posted by Mike Keener

Say what you will about Top Stock but Terry Bell and I will never regret starting this class way back in 2000 and we can't thank Bill Bader and IHRA enough for giving us a stage to show what heads up competition in Stock Eliminator was really capable of.

Hindsight being 20-20 our only regret was allowing GM to institute crate motors in to this otherwise fantastic class. It always comes down to money and IHRA wanted their sponsorship but with it came the spoils. Once this fantastic eliminator was infiltrated with crate motors and eventual endless rule changes, etc., it was all over but the shouting.

I would bet dollars to donuts that had it remained a pure A-B-C- Stock Eliminator class per NHRA rules it would not only still be alive and well, but would have remained every bit as popular, if not more, than it was at Norwalk 2000.

The thing to remember about heads up racing is this. Nobody gives a damn about how fast the cars go as long the first car to the finish line wins-with no breakout!

Mike, I absolutely loved Top Stock...it ranks right up there with night baseball and sliced bread. I agree that Crate Motors led to its demise..