Part of what hurt drag racing

[442OLDS]

Originally Posted by FINESPLINE

Here is a question to ponder .

Ask a person on the street, HOW IS A RACE DECIDED ? DOES NOT HAVE TO BE CARS-----TWO PEOPLE RUNNING----ANY COMPETITION BETWEEN TWO OBJECTS GOING FROM POINT A TO POINT B.
THEIR ANSWER WILL BE---WHOEVER GETS THERE FIRST IS THE WINNER.


IN THE PRO CATEGORIES LIKE TOP FUEL / FUNNY CAR / PRO STOCK WHOEVER GETS TO FINISH FIRST------WINS !

SPORTSMAN RACING ---------NOT----OH, MAYBE ONCE IN A WHILE, BUT NOT THE NORM.

NHRA PLAYS TO THE SIMPLE. NO EXPLANATION NEEDED.

UNTIL SPORTSMAN RACING CAN OFFER SOMETHING LIKE THAT, THEY CANNOT COMPETE WITH THE PROS. HEADS-UP RACING IS VERY EASY TO UNDERSTAND AND TO THE NEWCOMER BRINGING HIS FAMILY TO THE RACES, THATS WHAT THEY UNDERSTAND !!!

I do agree that you make a good point.

Here is an example of why it currently doesn't work.

Two G/SA cars are on the line racing Heads Up.First one to the finish line wins.One is a 1964 Dodge with an originally produced 365 horsepower rating.

The other is a 1970 Olds 442 with an originally produced 365 horsepower rating.

They leave the line and the Olds gets the hole shot,but the Dodge quickly pulls ahead by SEVERAL car lengths.

Many ask ...hey why is that old Olds so slow??

Upon further review,the Dodge crosses the scales at 3370 pounds with driver,and the Olds crosses the scales at 4075 with driver.


Over 700 pounds heavier to be in the same class with two engines that originally were rated by the factory with the same rating? Huh?

[FINESPLINE]

442, I understand exactly what you are saying but you are breaking it down to a sportsman racer thought process. The people in the stands see 2 cars , two different colors and root for whatever body style appeals to them.
You are looking at the technical side of race, that these people will never understand unless they really become hooked on sportsman racing. All they want is the car that appeals to them to win. Simplistic and easy to understand.These people are a long way off from indexes , ahfs, cic, breakouts. It clouds the picture when it casts doubt to what you observe.

[Wayne Scraba]

Thinking out loud here guys and I don't have any sort of dog in this fight either....(so don't pound this old man too hard...L-O-L).

Maybe instead of a heads up spec head category, what you really might need is a heads up category with a sealed, spec, motor???


Wayne

[Charlie A]

Instead of "dial in" numbers, go back to running off national records for your class. Everyone understood that. Even the spectators. It was pretty cool when a local guy could run the number or close to it. Made the difference in spot on the tree easy to explain to anyone. My blonde girlfriend even understood it "way back when".

[James Perrone]

What has killed drag racing is ..ALL YOU KEYBOARD RACERS...Get out and RACE,
Stop trying to change the world..Most of you guys don't class race WTF...Nothing in life is fair.. I race cause I enjoy it life is too short..Get out and race!!!

[Lou Jeffery]

Originally Posted by James Perrone

What has killed drag racing is ..ALL YOU KEYBOARD RACERS...Get out and RACE,
Stop trying to change the world..Most of you guys don't class race WTF...Nothing in life is fair.. I race cause I enjoy it life is too short..Get out and race!!!

James, I LOVE YOUR COMMENT!!!!!!!!

[442OLDS]

All you "Heads Up" guys,take a look at the Dallas results on Drag Race Central.

Today,they ran Stock Class Eliminations.

Maybe 1 or 2 good races at most.Usually the fastest car is lifting early and still winning easily,and sometimes,the faster car even lets the slower car win.

You think "fans" want to watch this?

[John Duzac]

This is supposed to be a drag race. Sure there are many cars under factored. Not only the new cars, but some older cars as well. Since dragging supposed to be a race, all those qualifying at the 1000 ft should be disqualified. NHRA use to have a sand bagging rule. Whatever happened to that rule? When was the race removed from drag racing?

[Rory McNeil]

Personally, I think the wide variety of cars in Stock and S/S is a big part of the appeal. I think a single combination would kill the class. If everybody had to race a 350/255 69 Camaro, do you really think that everybody with a different combo will just sell, scrap, or park their " not the chosen one" combination, and build a Camaro? Even if the only class was SS/AH, with 50 cars, all heads up, the stands would be empty at a National Event. I have watched almost every so called "fan" leave the bleachers as soon as Top Fuel and Nitro Funny Car finish their session. If they couldn`t be bothered to watch Pro Stock or the Alcohol classes, what are the odds they will care about "slow" 8 second Super Stock Hemis? Let alone small block Camaros.

[randy wilson]

To each his own. No one I know of is trying to change anyone's class that I'm aware of. Just thought it would be interesting to have a heads-up class that is affordable. At the LOCAL level sanctioned by NHRA\IHRA.To all the naysayers that say it's impossible, limit the heads to spec policed by the manufacturer, and several other angles of thought to keep the cost down. And to the guys who say shut up and race your car. Other then Comp guys that have raced for 30 or more years, I've probably ran more heads-up, no break-out racing since 71 then most on this board. That's probably why I still beat the dead horse. It won't be a fan favorite at national events, but would create a local following.