Class win

[Herbie Null]

Sometimes it is easier to point the finger at others than ourself. We always refer to the old days, in the old days there was just super stock. No GT, modified, trucks and so on. Now with all the single runs, class is a joke. I have seen cars come to a class race and move to a different class just because no one was there in a particular class and they could make a bye run. I have even done this myself, it did not feel real good holding my little WALLY. That is why everyone watches classes with the most car counts, GT/AA-SS/AH-SS/JA there are many more you get my meaning. Instead of adding or removing weight to run from other class cars, now we can do the opposite. We can all move to a class where we have to run heads up for the WALLY, maybe they should not give out class wins for a single bye run period. That would bring back the old days in a hurry, take your licking go home and work on your stuff. Now for the blind fold, ready aim FIRE!!!

[X-TECH MAN]

Originally Posted by Herbie Null

Sometimes it is easier to point the finger at others than ourself. We always refer to the old days, in the old days there was just super stock. No GT, modified, trucks and so on. Now with all the single runs, class is a joke. I have seen cars come to a class race and move to a different class just because no one was there in a particular class and they could make a bye run. I have even done this myself, it did not feel real good holding my little WALLY. That is why everyone watches classes with the most car counts, GT/AA-SS/AH-SS/JA there are many more you get my meaning. Instead of adding or removing weight to run from other class cars, now we can do the opposite. We can all move to a class were we have to run heads up for the WALLY, maybe they should not give out class wins for a single bye run period. That would bring back the old days in a hurry, take your licking go home and work on your stuff. Now for the blind fold, ready aim FIRE!!!

Your right......It would also make class runs more exciting and interesting to the average spectator. I always thought one should win class to be able to run the eliminator like when I raced SS/IA. Its just bracket racing today. I will take mine without the blindfold.....LOL.

[bigshow2966]

Originally Posted by Herbie Null

maybe they should not give out class wins for a single bye run period. That would bring back the old days in a hurry, take your licking go home and work on your stuff. Now for the blind fold, ready aim FIRE!!!

But that would really screw the guys who really are the only car in their class. My buddy with the V/SA car is normally the only one on the grounds, and he can still run .6 under at least with the index change and add HP he got last year. I think the only time he has run anyone is when Lane Weber is there, maybe at Denver?

Maybe just make cars stick to the class they pre-registered in, no changing class at the track.

[bubski]

Combine stick and autos dont screw the few REAL MEN that choose to not wear a dress and shift for themselves the stick classes are not heavily populated because its harder and takes more time to get it right so why screw the stick guy cause he has a bye. combine classes very few bye runs

[Michael Beard]

I agree. The FWD cars have sticks and autos combined, plus a big jump in weight breaks between classes. I don't see why a number of classes couldn't go to full pound weight breaks. That would reduce some of the class hopping, create a better show w/ more cars per class, and reduce the number of Class winners that they have to pay and give trophies to. It would also help in factoring cars -- If two classes have the same Index, why shouldn't they run heads up? -- mis-factored combos would make themselves more apparent.

So, instead of penalizing racers for singles, create more heads-up racing. This would effect not only Class, but also the Eliminator.

[Herbie Null]

Michael Beard, you just hit the nail on the head!!

[X-TECH MAN]

Originally Posted by Michael Beard

I agree. The FWD cars have sticks and autos combined, plus a big jump in weight breaks between classes. I don't see why a number of classes couldn't go to full pound weight breaks. That would reduce some of the class hopping, create a better show w/ more cars per class, and reduce the number of Class winners that they have to pay and give trophies to. It would also help in factoring cars -- If two classes have the same Index, why shouldn't they run heads up? -- mis-factored combos would make themselves more apparent.

So, instead of penalizing racers for singles, create more heads-up racing. This would effect not only Class, but also the Eliminator.

Damn....I said this and you guys jumped down my throat. By the way.....the crate motored classes are combined stick and automatic. The "Pure Stock" classes are 1 pound breaks in IHRA 8 thru 16 pounds per. Ive never seen a stick shift crate motored car run before I retired.

[Michael Beard]

Thanks Herbie... I sometimes wonder if I'm on everyone's ignore list. Why does it take a bracket racer to advocate more heads up racing while many "class racers" run the other way?

Originally Posted by X-TECH MAN

Damn....I said this and you guys jumped down my throat. By the way.....the crate motored classes are combined stick and automatic. The "Pure Stock" classes are 1 pound breaks in IHRA 8 thru 16 pounds per. Ive never seen a stick shift crate motored car run before I retired.

I was going to mention that, but you know how some people just tune out as soon as you mention IHRA. :-/ I believe Lindell Hilling ran a stick in his black '55 Chevy crate motor car for a short time when he first brought it out.

You're always going to have dissenting views. You need to do the best of your ability with the knowledge you have, while keeping an open mind.

[Herbie Null]

Mike this is my original POST:Sometimes it is easier to point the finger at others than ourself. We always refer to the old days, in the old days there was just super stock. No GT, modified, trucks and so on. Now with all the single runs, class is a joke. I have seen cars come to a class race and move to a different class just because no one was there in a particular class and they could make a bye run. I have even done this myself, it did not feel real good holding my little WALLY. That is why everyone watches classes with the most car counts, GT/AA-SS/AH-SS/JA there are many more you get my meaning. Instead of adding or removing weight to run from other class cars, now we can do the opposite. We can all move to a class where we have to run heads up for the WALLY, maybe they should not give out class wins for a single bye run period. That would bring back the old days in a hurry, take your licking go home and work on your stuff. Now for the blind fold, ready aim FIRE!!!
I also said:if you chose to build a car that has no one in a class thats your choice. You can still bracket race in the Eliminator, you wont even have a heads up run on race day. Just dont complain about a class WALLY. we wont our cake and eat it too. Mike we can all move up or down a class by adding weight so that there is a heads up run for the class win. If chose to run solo you are still in the Eliminator as long as you make the feild. You just dont get a WALLY for just showing up!

[Mike Carr]

I'd like to agree with most of that. Some of it's not true, at least pertaining to my car(s). From 2001-2005, I raced in Stock driving for Billy Nees, an HF/SA Sunbird, and later an AF/S Sunbird when NHRA screwed up the FWD classes. He built the cars, and allowed me to race them. I didn't have the option on what to drive. I was grateful enough just to have a ride. It would have been totally ignorant of me to go to Billy and say "Build me something else". By your line of thinking, I didn't deserve my three Wally's because Billy didn't build me a car in a class with multiple entrants. Shame on us.

I know all about adjusting weight. With the HF/SA, you could NOT move to another class.. HF/SA was a 27.5 pound class. The lowest of the (then) sixteen FWD Classes. Minimum weight of 2,508. GF/SA was 23.50-27.49 pound class. Minimum weight was 2,168. No way in hell a four door Sunbird like that was getting to 200 pounds lighter than a two door, fiberglass and carbon fiber Pro Stock. Can't make G weight, and there is no IF/SA to drop to. So the car was stuck in HF/SA only.

What do you want done? Should NHRA abolish all the classes that don't have x-amount of annual participants? Should everyone build/buy/borrow a new car so they can compete in a class with multiple entries?

For years, the rule was simple--win Class, you're in. Even later on, the wording was "128 cars--Class Winners + Low ET Qualifiers". Never said anything about how many cars were in a Class. Show up, win Class, you're in. Period. It was that way until 2008.

If it will make you happy, I will take out a loan, build/buy another car, go into a class with three or more cars in it, win Class and hope others in my class show up, so I will then be a deserving Class Winner in your eyes. As far as contigency, it's been around for years, even with all the undeserving bye runs. I got a hundred bucks each year. It was spent before I got home. I had what I wanted--an Indy Wally. I could have cared less about the money. I went for the trophy and bragging rights. Too bad no one else showed up to run me so I could have earned it, in your eyes.

I guess we'll just have to agree to disagree.