Super class survey

[JThomas]

Super what ? A dragster running 8.90 is anything but Super. Back in the 80's when these classes were started, an 8.90 dragster was a pretty quick car for the times. Now if you bracket race and dial 8.90, you probably have the slowest dragster at the race.

I blame NHRA for not keeping up and lowering the index a few tenths at a time but now we race off a 25 year old index slower than some SS cars dial.

I am not buying all the inflated claims of how many guys will quit if the index is lowered. I bet the few that can't run 7.90 will step up and add some race parts to their combo.

So if the majority still wants the 25 year old index, lets at least change the class name to something fitting. S/D = SLOW DRAGSTERS

[hotrodgeno]

it was 8.90 at 155
its 8.90 at 190 now.

[Rick Blake]

Originally Posted by hotrodgeno

it was 8.90 at 155
its 8.90 at 190 now.

and at VMP who's the guy with the blown dragster running 8.90 @ 200+

I have to agree with Tom also.....leave it alone, it ain't broke

[sc 5015]

I voted in s/c to lower index to 8.50. my opinion is nhra is just trying to feel this out and make sure it's gathering driver's interest and i commend them for that no matter what happens.

I do think we need to keep up w/ the times. Technology in tires, engines, chassis, etc. have all contributed to cars going faster and safer. A change to the super class indexes every 20 years should at least be considered as long as technology and cost continue to support it (which i believe it will).

In fact, I believe, you will occassionally get a few new racers into the super classes because of index changes. Right now a racer considering competing in the super classes w/ no data on the .90 index has to compete against racers w/ potentially years and years of data for their set up on the .90 index. To me, that's the biggest disadvantage, not mph. There's always going to be an advantage for anyone that can afford to go to more races and gather more data, as it should be. However, we all like parity in sports. A slight change to the index every 15-20 years would help level the playing field for everyone, no matter how many races they've attended, especially for anyone considering it for the first time.

Even though my car would easily handle the change to 7.90 I think that would be too drastic of a change all at once. Although, I would have voted for a change to 8.00 just to make explaining the breakout rule easier to explain

Happy Holidays all!

[Lou SG2340]

Originally Posted by Rick Blake

and at VMP who's the guy with the blown dragster running 8.90 @ 200+

I have to agree with Tom also.....leave it alone, it ain't broke

Ernie Kendal regulary runs 8.90 at 200 + I think he has been over 215

[dhmoore]

Reply to Mr. Budman,

I tried to run a Super Street Association here in Florida and Georgia. I got on the phone to call all the Super Street & Super gas Racers that I knew and could get a hold of, told them of our rules, pay out and entry fees, they all said they would make an effort to support the new association. At our first Association race at SGMP we had 15 cars the 1st day and 9 the second day. On both days there was a bracket race for the track itself. We watched 20-25 cars that could have run with us, but decided to just bracket race. So, tell me where do, you think you are going to get the cars to run at an association race. In the south we have too much good weather, too many tracks having high dollar bracket races and all that shows up are dragster and we still couldn't get a good car count to run Super Street. I even changed the rule to no a weight limit. At a divisional race you would see cars come out of the wood work. People would go to just visit & party. So now is not the time to start association up. Now that the economy has gotten worse you won't see half as many cars as of 2 yrs ago.

The stupidest rule that NHRA has is the weight, 2800lbs for Super Street. If NHRA would change that rule the car count would go up in SST. Because the slower super gas racers would have an opportunity to race SST and not worry about the weight limit. The guys who just bracket race in their light weight cars might come race with us also.

We have had super gas racers in the past run Super Street and not have their way with us as they were thinking they could. They under estimated the Division 2 Super Streeter’s. hahahaha!!!

That is all I have to say about that;

DJMoore 238D SST

[Rich Biebel]

Originally Posted by JThomas

Super what ? A dragster running 8.90 is anything but Super. Back in the 80's when these classes were started, an 8.90 dragster was a pretty quick car for the times. Now if you bracket race and dial 8.90, you probably have the slowest dragster at the race.

I blame NHRA for not keeping up and lowering the index a few tenths at a time but now we race off a 25 year old index slower than some SS cars dial.

I am not buying all the inflated claims of how many guys will quit if the index is lowered. I bet the few that can't run 7.90 will step up and add some race parts to their combo.

So if the majority still wants the 25 year old index, lets at least change the class name to something fitting. S/D = SLOW DRAGSTERS

I agree 100% with this. If NHRA banned timers years ago there would not be any poll being taken or necessary. Big power engines and timers are why the classes are where they are at today. Even an 8.0 dragster is pretty slow in my area.....Almost all bracket dragsters are in the 7's......

My present car runs 7.80's and the engine is small compared to most...

I voted to speed the indexes up 1 second....I do think the idea of making the indexs 8.0 9.0 and 10.0 makes the most sense. Easy to see the breakout on the scoreboards for the 5 or 6 spectators that are in the stands...LOL

[TJschippling]

Not to mention the increased costs of safety equipment that may be required for a 7.90 class. SFI-15 or 20 suits requiring recertification maybe down the road. I'm certain the true costs will be far greater than just a bigger bullet.

[Jason Oldfield]

If we're going to make the classes cutting edge again like they were 25+ years ago, then let's make them cutting edge. S/C - 6.90 Index, S/G - 7.90 Index, and S/St - 8.90 Index. All motors need to be fuel injected OHV with a maximum displacement of 5.0l (if we're doing cutting edge CID is out the window). Turbos permitted, no nitrous or superchargers. CV transmissions only. Hoodscoops NOT permitted except on dragsters. Dragsters permitted in S/C only. No roadsters (who do you know that drives a roadster today?) Bodies of cars currently in production ONLY (i.e no Chevy Cavaliers, '63 Corvettes, Pontiacs, Oldsmobiles, Saturns, Hummers, Plymouths, Mercurys, etc.) 100 lb. weight break for domestic vehicles (I would expect the field would be dominated by Kias, Hyundais, Hondas, and Toyotas, so we need to give people some incentive to run a car manufactured by the big 3). Now we're talking cutting edge...

Cutting edge is for Pro classes. We're not pros, and we want to be able to compete with the stuff we currently have without having to single-handedly attempt to reinvigorate the economy. In case any of you have forgotten, unemployment is still hovering at around 10% nationwide, and except those of us that are independently wealthy (like myself), most would probably not welcome the need to sink more money into their racing operation to remain competitive, and/or keep their goal of moving up to S/C, S/G, or S/St within reason.

If YOU want to go faster, take YOUR car and YOUR money and move up to another class (there are plenty of options available to you), and stop trying to make wholesale changes to the existing classes to suit YOUR desires.

And yes, I think we should get rid of electronics so that we can stop handing our money over to Reher-Morrison and Huntsville Racing Engines. Removing electronics is NOT a step backwards..it's progress because it was a MISTAKE TO ALLOW THEM IN THE FIRST PLACE! Admit the mistake and move on in life, rather than making us ALL throw good money after bad.

So much for telling myself that I wasn't going to get sucked into this conversation....

[slow dragster]

Originally Posted by JThomas

So if the majority still wants the 25 year old index, lets at least change the class name to something fitting. S/D = SLOW DRAGSTERS

I am not sure I like that idea........lol

Brian Shockley aka Slow Dragster