Deconstructing Stock

[treessavoy]

As I see it you all missed Bret's point.

The simple fact is that 99.9% of today's kids don't want to go drag racing and very few even know what it is.

They would rather buy a big muffler and a giant stereo and hang around the mall parking lot all night.

Guy's, the interest is just not there, no matter what new rules we come up with.

JimR

[cicero819]

So we should pull our flag down and give up? Come on, help introduce your sport to newbies. I once took my truck, trailer and race car to the local cruize night and it was like flies on raw meat, they were interested and even some showed enough interest by showing up at the strip the next week-end, it all depends on how much you want to pass it on. Look, they have so much more information at the tips of their fingers we have to make it fun, different breed fo different times. If we are all going to be honest we were not so different, look how many muscle car that have been destroyed because we didn't take good care of them, as soon as we left the dealers parking lot, waving to the salesman as we were burning 100' out of the parking lot. Get involve. Claude Ruel

[VStock]

I think one factor in the waning popularity is the lack of local speed shops. I 'hung out' at Central Jersey Speed & Machine in Fords, NJ when I was in high school. A lot of my interest came from the stock class racers who would come in. After a semester of college I went to work for them hot tanking blocks, watching the store, and learning about machining from Nick Tosi. I did go back to, and finish college but I still have an interest in Stock class drag racing.
I guess nowadays speed equipment is bought online from Jegs and Summit.
Marty Knox

[ALMACK]

Originally Posted by VStock

I think one factor in the waning popularity is the lack of local speed shops. I 'hung out' at Central Jersey Speed & Machine in Fords, NJ when I was in high school. A lot of my interest came from the stock class racers who would come in. After a semester of college I went to work for them hot tanking blocks, watching the store, and learning about machining from Nick Tosi. I did go back to, and finish college but I still have an interest in Stock class drag racing.
I guess nowadays speed equipment is bought online from Jegs and Summit.
Marty Knox

When I was young and getting National Dragster as well as the big 3 So. Cal. magazines, I had a dream to work in a speed shop in California.
I got to do that in 1983 at the Service Center in Orange, CA.
I got to meet local gearheads and learn alot about the hot rod industry.
Sure was fun.

Not many young gearheads today will ever get to experience that.

[VStock]

I have read and re-read this whole thread. It sure is discouraging to someone who was heavy into drag racing in his teens and early twenties but has been away from it for 40 years. The sport sure has changed. It seems to take a LOT more money to be competitive these days. Makes me wonder if I shouldn't just build my El Camino the way I want to and forget about racing in Stock.

[Bob Pagano]

You are not alone in your thinking, the cost is far beyond the fun and friends you gain. Its a shame its going down hill for newbees, they cant even build a dine rocket, if they do they cant afford the entry and travel expense. All you have to do is look at the pictures taken and posted on this site from all the div. and national races, the age of the large part is over 55 and even some up to 70. as they drop out car counts will drop big time. I for one will build a street rod, not a trailer queen, good folks there also.

[Ron Middleton]

I think too many focus on what you could spend trying to be a "big dog" in stock instead of a player. Number one qualifier is nice but how many times has Jody and Toby Lang won from the bottom half of the ladder? How long have these two been running the same cars? Evry sport you can get into costs way more today than it did 20, 30 or 40 years ago. Try any of them and if you get serious about you can spend your life's savings in any sport these days. Yac has a car someone can get into relatively economically. I bought my 1980 Camaro stocker with some spares for $6700(350 for H/I or J/SA and a base 305 for K/L and M). I haven't run in it the 1/4 mile but it has run .2 under in the 1/8 and I have started upgrades on the car and the getting the driver (me) back in shape by bracket racing as I have been out of drag racing for many years. I look forward to running some events and like Michael Beard I'll run NHRA/IHRA events and brackets. I like to race and it's all about the fun and racing on a budget for me. JMT.

[Dennis P Chapman]

Originally Posted by Bob Pagano

You are not alone in your thinking, the cost is far beyond the fun and friends you gain. Its a shame its going down hill for newbees, they cant even build a dine rocket, if they do they cant afford the entry and travel expense. All you have to do is look at the pictures taken and posted on this site from all the div. and national races, the age of the large part is over 55 and even some up to 70. as they drop out car counts will drop big time. I for one will build a street rod, not a trailer queen, good folks there also.

Will said Bob were all getting old.

[ALMACK]

Originally Posted by treessavoy

As I see it you all missed Bret's point.

The simple fact is that 99.9% of today's kids don't want to go drag racing and very few even know what it is.

They would rather buy a big muffler and a giant stereo and hang around the mall parking lot all night.

Guy's, the interest is just not there, no matter what new rules we come up with.

JimR

^^ I Agree.

As I said in post # 16 here, put 'em in the passenger seat of a Stocker or Super Stocker and cruise around the pit area with open headers and let 'em feel that V-8 rumble and there's a pretty good chance a few will get hooked.

Alot of the import guys are young and they buy those type of cars because their friends have them.
When they get older, make more money, and become wiser they will realize it takes less money (and effort) to run 11's and 12's with V-8 RWD muscle than hopping up their Hondas.

Now as for the video game couch potatoes, I don't have any answer there.