Within Stock rules???

[Dwight Southerland]

Originally Posted by Alan Roehrich

I think Top Stock with traditional cars would work, but I seriously doubt NHRA would consider adding it to National Events or LODRS races. We could possibly get it done at Opens.

I doubt that depending on NHRA to step in and build such races will yield any results. They are too busy with their own program problems to take on anything new. It will take a promoter to put together the races and purses. Track owners need to be sold on the idea (it has to make $$ for them), sponsors will need to be procured and tech support will have to be provided. Innovative track owners and divisional directors will be the most receptive and the races will probably have a better chance of success on a divisional or regional level. The program that Div 1 did will provide a lot of good information to work from. It would be good to talk to as many people as possible who were involved in those races to learn. Such programs offer good opportunities if marketed well to bring spectators to the races, and that's what race tracks want. Think of a Factory Stock heads-up race using current Detroit race only cars, Top Stock featuring historic Detroit super cars, and Junior Stock featuring historic and current street muscle cars.


My nickel in the pot.

[Michael Beard]

Originally Posted by Dwight Southerland

It will take a promoter to put together the races and purses.

Several racer-promoters have gone out on a limb over the years to give S/SS racers big money races and specialty events, and every one of them in the last ten years has failed.

[Alan Roehrich]

Originally Posted by Michael Beard

Several racer-promoters have gone out on a limb over the years to give S/SS racers big money races and specialty events, and every one of them in the last ten years has failed.

This is a hard group to unify for any purpose, too many are unwilling to move beyond their own best interests.

[Ed Carpenter]

Originally Posted by Michael Beard

Several racer-promoters have gone out on a limb over the years to give S/SS racers big money races and specialty events, and every one of them in the last ten years has failed.

I worked my *** off for the SS/K shootout raising over 7k total and I still had people bitching. I'm done dealing with other racers some are real a..holes

[Mike Keener]

[QUOTE=Dwight Southerland; The program that Div 1 did will provide a lot of good information to work from. It would be good to talk to as many people as possible who were involved in those races to learn. Such programs offer good opportunities if marketed well to bring spectators to the races, and that's what race tracks want.

I totally agree about Dave Ley's Div 1 Top Stock program as being the best idea going forward from Norwalk 2000. Dave took the Top Stock program one gigantic step forward by developing an 11 lb. class that was widely popular. Every event held in his division was a great success and the racers truly appreciated his efforts!

I'm not sure that promoting this type of a program on a local level can get off the ground very well without a ton of individual promotion which costs the track operators quite a bit of money. Perhaps the "Sunday..Sunday" pitch on local radio in addition to internet advertising, local newspaper ad's, etc., could be helpful, but who knows??? My thinking is it will take the effort of an NMCA or IHRA to pull this off correctly. Top Stock at Norwalk in 2000 began as a one race deal that just blossomed from there in to a huge success. But, this primarily happened for two very important reasons.

First was the 25,000 strong "Night of Fire" fan base coupled with the huge popularity that for years had been hidden from view in the form of "heads up" no breakout racing with old "Detroit Iron" muscle cars. Having Horsepower TV provide coverage of the event sure didn't hurt either. Another huge aspect of the success of this class was the tremendous amounts of ink and promotion that was performed by none other than "Michael Beard" whom IHRA was fortunate enough to have on their publicity staff during the early years of Top Stock! That being said I totally understand how frustrating it is trying to promote a racing venue for the racers on their own. Guys like Mike, Alex (RIP), Dave Ley, Jim Schaechter, Ed Carpenter, Dick Butler, among others that all did many things to promote races (for free) through the years truly deserve way more credit for what they have done for our sport than they ever received. My hat is off to all of them!

The second reason Top Stock became a success going forward was that IHRA was able to obtain title sponsors for the class. No sanctioning body will likely ever run any new class without somebody outside of themselves paying the freight. A perfect example of this theory is the new "Factory Shootout Quick 8 events". This revamped program which now includes perks such as increased purses, a World Champion being crowned, Wally's, etc., etc., wouldn't be possible without a title sponsor stepping up to the plate. Having a title sponsor also permits the class the maximum chance for continued success because of reason number 1...racing in front of more spectators.

I'm not at all trying to discount the great potential appeal of "heads up racing during class eliminations" at Indy as another example of something that could be very successful as well- if it had a bigger stage on which to perform. However, it takes a bigger audience than our personal friends and family members in the seats to create maximum excitement. It's obvious to me that Stock and Super Stock racing in general would get a huge boost if it ever got the opportunity to run in front of the big crowds.

[Todd]

We really enjoyed running in the Top Stock class, yes we had one of the crate engine combinations. Running in front of the big crowd was the best, quite a rush. I do wish it would come back.

[mtkawboy]

In my opinion this is why the class racing will die out as the population gets older. Kids don't have the interest, money or knowledge to jump into any kind of class unless their parents have raced. Just my opinion, yours may vary

[Tony Corley]

Originally Posted by mtkawboy

In my opinion this is why the class racing will die out as the population gets older. Kids don't have the interest, money or knowledge to jump into any kind of class unless their parents have raced. Just my opinion, yours may vary

I think they will class race, (because they already are doing it) just not in the current NHRA classes. There are lots of younger (20's-30's) guys racing in the heads up, radial tire-type venues. Stock and Super Stock are cool, but are basically "nostalgia" classes, with mostly old cars raced by old men. (I'm old too, so not pointing fingers, just stating the obvious). And while the Factory Stock classes are sort of a step in the right direction, most younger people that do decide to class race, and can afford to spend $100k plus on a racecar, are going to build something much quicker than an 8 second car, since even most of the slowest radial classes are quicker than that.

[seansimp925]

Originally Posted by Tony Corley

I think they will class race, (because they already are doing it) just not in the current NHRA classes. There are lots of younger (20's-30's) guys racing in the heads up, radial tire-type venues. Stock and Super Stock are cool, but are basically "nostalgia" classes, with mostly old cars raced by old men. (I'm old too, so not pointing fingers, just stating the obvious). And while the Factory Stock classes are sort of a step in the right direction, most younger people that do decide to class race, and can afford to spend $100k plus on a racecar, are going to build something much quicker than an 8 second car, since even most of the slowest radial classes are quicker than that.

Spot on.

[XSTOCKER]

Factory hot rods…..one word …..cool. Heads-up drag racing….real drag racing…..Glad I sold my Hudson! Complain about the crate motors in Top Stock? If you weren’t a natural A