Do you believe that the NHRA techs are doing their job?

[SS/GSI]

I believe that NHRA has become more about getting your entry fee than making sure your car is properly built. Between not paying attention to bogus combinations (more refactoring sessions needed), letting cars run much heavier than they should be, for their class, to allowing borderline Pro Stockers to run GT & Modified. Even true Super Stockers aren't being policed for proper emblems, trim, etc... Weight breaks are not being atheard to, as well as GT cars and Stockers are not claiming the car in the proper years, based on the tail lights, skirt kits, hoods, etc...It is time for NHRA to wake up! Most of the sportsman drivers have been in the sport for decades and remember when the smallest detail would get you DQed. Teardown has become a joke, and when they do find something, they would rather change the rule than loose your money. The way the car counts are today they need every entry they can get. However I leave you ith this, economies have risen, fallen and risen again. Maybe the car counts are low because the aging population of Stock and Super Stock owners are fed up of all the things mentioned above and not because of the natural cycle of economics.

[BlueOval Ralph]

You are correct, don't blame Tech's, blame Danny & Bruce!!!!

Originally Posted by SS/GSI

I believe that NHRA has become more about getting your entry fee than making sure your car is properly built. Between not paying attention to bogus combinations (more refactoring sessions needed), letting cars run much heavier than they should be, for their class, to allowing borderline Pro Stockers to run GT & Modified. Even true Super Stockers aren't being policed for proper emblems, trim, etc... Weight breaks are not being atheard to, as well as GT cars and Stockers are not claiming the car in the proper years, based on the tail lights, skirt kits, hoods, etc...It is time for NHRA to wake up! Most of the sportsman drivers have been in the sport for decades and remember when the smallest detail would get you DQed. Teardown has become a joke, and when they do find something, they would rather change the rule than loose your money. The way the car counts are today they need every entry they can get. However I leave you ith this, economies have risen, fallen and risen again. Maybe the car counts are low because the aging population of Stock and Super Stock owners are fed up of all the things mentioned above and not because of the natural cycle of economics.

[Paul Ceasrine]

Is it really fun anymore?
Everything is 'whacked out'
Maybe it's time to re-evaluate.
For the Sportsman, it may be time for 'Run-What-U-Brung'
To keep the costs down.
Some of the Stockers & Super/Stockers must have good ideas.

[Alan Roehrich]

I'll have to disagree with the premise that the economy has risen again. The fall has temporarily halted, to some degree. That's about as good as you can portray it. A lot of smart economists aren't looking for the halt to last, they're looking for the decline to continue.

People are staying home because of the economy and because they are dissatisfied with the way NHRA treats them in general, and not so much because things are being glossed over in tech.

Increased fees in general, terrible scheduling, decreases in contingency payouts, ridiculous policies, track preparation, and a host of other things, such as being considered third or fourth class "citizens", are the things you hear in the pits when racers are talking. Sure, they don't agree with things getting through tech that shouldn't, but that is not what is making them angry, or making them stay at home.

It's the same as it is for other forms of recreation that are no longer giving participants a good value for their dollar. Fans are staying home in droves, from drag racing and circle track racing. NHRA and NASCAR are for the most part committing suicide with their policies. Spectators and racers alike are starting to decide not to be a party to the decline. They don't want to be around when that final scene is played out and be victims of the disaster.

[X-TECH MAN]

Originally Posted by Alan Roehrich

I'll have to disagree with the premise that the economy has risen again. The fall has temporarily halted, to some degree. That's about as good as you can portray it. A lot of smart economists aren't looking for the halt to last, they're looking for the decline to continue.

People are staying home because of the economy and because they are dissatisfied with the way NHRA treats them in general, and not so much because things are being glossed over in tech.

Increased fees in general, terrible scheduling, decreases in contingency payouts, ridiculous policies, track preparation, and a host of other things, such as being considered third or fourth class "citizens", are the things you hear in the pits when racers are talking. Sure, they don't agree with things getting through tech that shouldn't, but that is not what is making them angry, or making them stay at home.

It's the same as it is for other forms of recreation that are no longer giving participants a good value for their dollar. Fans are staying home in droves, from drag racing and circle track racing. NHRA and NASCAR are for the most part committing suicide with their policies. Spectators and racers alike are starting to decide not to be a party to the decline. They don't want to be around when that final scene is played out and be victims of the disaster.

That pretty much sums it up !

[cicero819]

I've seen the Techs at the U.S. National last year through out three Mustang CJ out because of wrong pistons even though the same cars had already been process at the Winternationals. Didn't matter how much pressure Ford's Rep shouted, they still bounced them out. I enjoy watching the tear down(not much fun for the guys who are being torn down) I find them above average considering what they have to deal with. Like Smokey Yunick use to say "if it's not written in the rule book than it's legal" and we all know that you can always push that fine line. I find people who puch the envelope shouldn't be considered cheaters, just explorers. I'm glad that they don't stop at the little things like a trim or even wrong year bumper of hood, at least the car are there racing instead of in the garage. Why do some heads cost $5k and some intakes cost $3k? there's a little more than a Valve job in that cost wouldn't you agree.

[X-TECH MAN]

[QUOTE=cicero819 Why do some heads cost $5k and some intakes cost $3k? there's a little more than a Valve job in that cost wouldn't you agree.[/QUOTE]

Now what do you think? LOL

[Toyotakid]

Originally Posted by cicero819

"if it's not written in the rule book than it's legal" and we all know that you can always push that fine line. I find people who puch the envelope shouldn't be considered cheaters, just explorers.

I so wish this was the case. When the sport compact series went belly up because of monetary reasons in 2007, I knew to stay viable in the NHRA market I had to find a place to race in Super Stock or Comp. I found a couple classes that I could fit into but because my car is unique they referred to page 14 in the rulebook under how to use this rule book, "Unless modification is specifically permitted by this rulebook, it is prohibited." Needless to say it took till 2009 before I had the SS/EX class to run in.

Now after running with you guys for the past year, I don’t think the problem lies with tech, the main issue is with the index system. When really looking at Super Stock class indexes there is no "specific" guideline on base indexes and there is a HUGE inconsistency from one weight break to the next. For example, In the MX classification there are 4 normally aspirated classes.

SS/AX - 8.5 lbs per inch - 9.50 index
SS/BX - 11.0 lbs per inch - 10.55 index
SS/CX - 12.5 lbs per inch - 10.80 index
SS/EX - 11.5 lbs per inch - 10.50 index - Front Drive Only

The difference between AX and BX is 1.05 seconds. If you divide that by 5 (that breaks it down per .5 lb increments) it breaks down to .21 per .5 lbs of weight. The difference between BX and CX is .25. If you break it down the same way the NHRA factor drops to .08 per .5 lbs of weight when it should be the NHRA .21 per .5 lbs for the AX and BX class. Plus, the EX class index is .5 lbs heavier than BX and the index is .05 less! That is the only class anywhere in the rulebook that that happens. When I looked at all Super Stock classes I found many more of these discrepancies.

So long story longer, NHRA needs to come up with indexes that make sense and are on a level playing field for EVERYONE!

[GTX JOHN]

I think most every tech guy I have meet (Been in four of Div .racing ) is sincere about their job. There is a impossible number of cars for these guys to know every trim combination/taillight/emblem/badge/side marker light on every car in classification guide. I think the are doing to best they can.....they are more interested in things that will give a competitive advantage to some one. If you find a car in you have a problem you have the right to complain I suppose. One of my competitors at Vegas protested the Grille in out Truck in April. Bruce informed us that someone was complaining, not exactly knowing what to do... we went on Craig's List and copied several Ads showing 1982 Dodge Trucks for sale where the grille was visible. He looked and inspected the truck front end . I think he was looking at all bracket locations to see if they match body mounting spots. Any one else have a similar experience?

[art leong]

Originally Posted by SS/GSI

I believe that NHRA has become more about getting your entry fee than making sure your car is properly built. Between not paying attention to bogus combinations (more refactoring sessions needed), letting cars run much heavier than they should be, for their class, to allowing borderline Pro Stockers to run GT & Modified. Even true Super Stockers aren't being policed for proper emblems, trim, etc... Weight breaks are not being atheard to, as well as GT cars and Stockers are not claiming the car in the proper years, based on the tail lights, skirt kits, hoods, etc...It is time for NHRA to wake up! Most of the sportsman drivers have been in the sport for decades and remember when the smallest detail would get you DQed. Teardown has become a joke, and when they do find something, they would rather change the rule than loose your money. The way the car counts are today they need every entry they can get. However I leave you ith this, economies have risen, fallen and risen again. Maybe the car counts are low because the aging population of Stock and Super Stock owners are fed up of all the things mentioned above and not because of the natural cycle of economics.

As far as the good old days go The tech inspectors did a lot more in tech than they do now. Most of the time they check the safety equipment And not much else.
Years ago they got carried away with the nit-picking I remember a car not being allowed to run because the emblem on the glove box was wrong. Thank God it isn't like that anymore.
They allowed me to run my fiberglass fenders with louvers for 2 years. Then bitc**ed about it when I went to Englishtown, Told me not to come back with them. The louvers went into a dead air space, absolutly no advantage.
So now I bought some steel fenders (3 pounds lighter than the fiberglass). Am in the process of painting them to match the car.
I'll have to thank them for making my car pickup half a second the next time I get to an NHRA track. LOL
I always thank them for the presents they give.