NHRA Fastest 128 cars

Jim Wahl · 07-14-2008, 11:31 AM

Gotta agree with Ed on this one! The Buick is a slug!

No Ron the "F" isn't for Foster's, it's for "front" as in FWD.
Jim

Tim Kish · 07-14-2008, 12:57 PM

What about the suggestion that ONLY class winners should get to run eliminations like the old days. That would make it real class racing, everyone would have to run their A-game regardless of individual class factoring as I know there are combos that in "bracket mode" could still run 1-under consistently while other combos have to be running a quart low and iced to run .8 under in good air (not Indy!!) - those are the guys getting screwed by this rule change. If you want a bracket race go to a bracket race, if you want to earn the right to run for eliminator you should win class. You'd see more diversity of classes than we do know but of course the ultimate down side would probably come down to cubic dollars but that is unavoidable. Added bonus for NHRA - there be fewer cars first round. As it is now most people agree that a faster car has an advantage, hence you see more running. With a few phone calls you and build and A/B/C car that will run 1-under with little/no ingenuity, just a checkbook. That isn't what class racing was built on either.

Now that also brings back performance into the whole equation - the National champion wouldn't just be a really good bracket racer that can afford to travel, he'd have to have one of the baddest cars in the land too because you don't get points if you can't make the show.

The real question to everyone is how much money do you want to spend to race a class car.

The timing of this change is bad as it really only affects Indy and it's marginal that guys that may only have a .6-.8 under car in a lower class can do anything to pick up 3-4 tenths in 6 weeks.

.

Jack Matyas · 07-15-2008, 10:31 AM

All of this may be a moot point -- just looked at Indy entry list -- 56 entered out of 180 that they are willing to take -- even with the fact that only 128 will make it into the field -- it sure doesn't seem the quota will be met -- tommorow grade 4 opens up -- everyone who bitched (opps) that they couldn't get in the field this should be a great opportunity for you..............Sure doesn't look like it will take -86 to qualify this year ! !

Jim Wahl · 07-15-2008, 02:02 PM

Jack, I have an answer for that also. Next year the rule will be changed to a 64 car field. Then what has this accomplished? Mr. Kish has hit the nail on the head. Only class winners should race at Indy! Can you imagine what the competition would be like? I bet you would find more cars filtering down into the lower classes, even down into the FWD classes. No more qualifying games some of the "pro" sportsman racers are so good at. This BS of qualifying at the bottom of the field and then remarkably picking up .4 or .5 when needed in the eliminator would be gone! Then you could call it RACING again! Jim

Jim Wahl · 07-15-2008, 02:23 PM

Amen Ed, amen. Jim

Jack Matyas · 07-15-2008, 02:52 PM

Jim-- You have some very valid points but do you know something the rest of us don't -- 1) do you have positive knowledge of a 64 car field coming ? 2) Are there going to be more FWD cars coming next year? The front wheel drive classes have been around a very long time and the numbers are dwindling every year so what makes you think there's going to be a comeback ? Listening to your theory every FWD racer in the country should be signing up for Indy -- it could be their last chance to qualify .

PS -- Just to keep the record straight I'd be OK with only class winners in the eliminator - ( yes , even with FWD cars) - but it will never happen . BTW , the "Pro" sportsman qualifing at bottom affects you how? And they can't do that at Indy -- they would never get in the field ! ! !

Jim Wahl · 07-15-2008, 04:55 PM

Jack, my friend ( I say that even though I have never met you, but hope to one day)__1) the only thing I know is "***** happens". But, you can't tell me that a 64 car field will not happen can you? Hell, none of us saw this last rule coming or even got an idea it was being talked about!__2) You missed my point on this one. What I meant was with only class winners able to run in the eliminator there would be more guys scrambling to get into those "easy" FWD classes so they would be a class winner. There wouldn't be 7 A/SA cars and 5 B/SA and 6 C/SA cars in the eliminator anymore! Only one, the baddest dog in the class, would be left. Make it a 64 car field and you will see a comeback in FWD. As much as some people dislike the FWD cars, there are really only a handful in the country that are capable of bumping the 100 or so Camaro, Firebird or Mustang combos out of the #1 qualifying slot, and yet we are looked at with such rebuke it makes me sick. There has been only ONE FWD car win a major race in the history of NHRA, ask Mark Yakavone how easy that was to accomplish.
How does game playing affect me? It affects me and everyone else who qualifies by giving me Biondo, Bertozzi, Fletcher, (insert name here) in the 1st round instead of the final! I'm at a loss to understand how this last rule did anything but insert more F bodies into the show? Somebody clear it up for me, please!

07-14-2008, 12:57 PM	#2
Tim Kish Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Kalamazoo, MI Posts: 281 Likes: 2 Liked 11 Times in 4 Posts	Re: NHRA Fastest 128 cars What about the suggestion that ONLY class winners should get to run eliminations like the old days. That would make it real class racing, everyone would have to run their A-game regardless of individual class factoring as I know there are combos that in "bracket mode" could still run 1-under consistently while other combos have to be running a quart low and iced to run .8 under in good air (not Indy!!) - those are the guys getting screwed by this rule change. If you want a bracket race go to a bracket race, if you want to earn the right to run for eliminator you should win class. You'd see more diversity of classes than we do know but of course the ultimate down side would probably come down to cubic dollars but that is unavoidable. Added bonus for NHRA - there be fewer cars first round. As it is now most people agree that a faster car has an advantage, hence you see more running. With a few phone calls you and build and A/B/C car that will run 1-under with little/no ingenuity, just a checkbook. That isn't what class racing was built on either. Now that also brings back performance into the whole equation - the National champion wouldn't just be a really good bracket racer that can afford to travel, he'd have to have one of the baddest cars in the land too because you don't get points if you can't make the show. The real question to everyone is how much money do you want to spend to race a class car. The timing of this change is bad as it really only affects Indy and it's marginal that guys that may only have a .6-.8 under car in a lower class can do anything to pick up 3-4 tenths in 6 weeks. . __________________ Tim Kish 3032 SS/GS

07-15-2008, 10:31 AM	#3
Jack Matyas Live Reporter Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Bethlehem , PA -Christmas City , USA Posts: 4,932 Likes: 411 Liked 2,052 Times in 400 Posts	Re: NHRA Fastest 128 cars All of this may be a moot point -- just looked at Indy entry list -- 56 entered out of 180 that they are willing to take -- even with the fact that only 128 will make it into the field -- it sure doesn't seem the quota will be met -- tommorow grade 4 opens up -- everyone who bitched (opps) that they couldn't get in the field this should be a great opportunity for you..............Sure doesn't look like it will take -86 to qualify this year ! ! __________________ Jack Matyas 1547 FS/C 2015 Camaro COPO # 62- 2012 Camaro Convertible COPO

07-15-2008, 02:02 PM	#4
Jim Wahl Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Central Florida Posts: 5,845 Likes: 672 Liked 683 Times in 129 Posts	Re: NHRA Fastest 128 cars Jack, I have an answer for that also. Next year the rule will be changed to a 64 car field. Then what has this accomplished? Mr. Kish has hit the nail on the head. Only class winners should race at Indy! Can you imagine what the competition would be like? I bet you would find more cars filtering down into the lower classes, even down into the FWD classes. No more qualifying games some of the "pro" sportsman racers are so good at. This BS of qualifying at the bottom of the field and then remarkably picking up .4 or .5 when needed in the eliminator would be gone! Then you could call it RACING again! Jim __________________ Jim Wahl....NHRA #2239 S/SS - IHRA # 8 Stock, D2 Stock Champion (forever I guess) 2019 Baby Gators Stock Champion 2009 NHRA D2 National Open Stock Champion 1982 NHRA D2 West Palm Beach LDRS SS Runner Up Past President, Southern Stock / Super Stock Association.

07-15-2008, 02:23 PM	#5
Jim Wahl Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Central Florida Posts: 5,845 Likes: 672 Liked 683 Times in 129 Posts	Re: NHRA Fastest 128 cars Amen Ed, amen. Jim __________________ Jim Wahl....NHRA #2239 S/SS - IHRA # 8 Stock, D2 Stock Champion (forever I guess) 2019 Baby Gators Stock Champion 2009 NHRA D2 National Open Stock Champion 1982 NHRA D2 West Palm Beach LDRS SS Runner Up Past President, Southern Stock / Super Stock Association.

07-15-2008, 02:52 PM	#6
Jack Matyas Live Reporter Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Bethlehem , PA -Christmas City , USA Posts: 4,932 Likes: 411 Liked 2,052 Times in 400 Posts	Re: NHRA Fastest 128 cars Jim-- You have some very valid points but do you know something the rest of us don't -- 1) do you have positive knowledge of a 64 car field coming ? 2) Are there going to be more FWD cars coming next year? The front wheel drive classes have been around a very long time and the numbers are dwindling every year so what makes you think there's going to be a comeback ? Listening to your theory every FWD racer in the country should be signing up for Indy -- it could be their last chance to qualify . PS -- Just to keep the record straight I'd be OK with only class winners in the eliminator - ( yes , even with FWD cars) - but it will never happen . BTW , the "Pro" sportsman qualifing at bottom affects you how? And they can't do that at Indy -- they would never get in the field ! ! ! __________________ Jack Matyas 1547 FS/C 2015 Camaro COPO # 62- 2012 Camaro Convertible COPO

07-14-2008, 11:31 AM	#1
Jim Wahl Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Central Florida Posts: 5,845 Likes: 672 Liked 683 Times in 129 Posts	Re: NHRA Fastest 128 cars Gotta agree with Ed on this one! The Buick is a slug! No Ron the "F" isn't for Foster's, it's for "front" as in FWD. Jim __________________ Jim Wahl....NHRA #2239 S/SS - IHRA # 8 Stock, D2 Stock Champion (forever I guess) 2019 Baby Gators Stock Champion 2009 NHRA D2 National Open Stock Champion 1982 NHRA D2 West Palm Beach LDRS SS Runner Up Past President, Southern Stock / Super Stock Association.

07-15-2008, 04:55 PM	#7
Jim Wahl Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Central Florida Posts: 5,845 Likes: 672 Liked 683 Times in 129 Posts	Re: NHRA Fastest 128 cars Jack, my friend ( I say that even though I have never met you, but hope to one day)__1) the only thing I know is "***** happens". But, you can't tell me that a 64 car field will not happen can you? Hell, none of us saw this last rule coming or even got an idea it was being talked about!__2) You missed my point on this one. What I meant was with only class winners able to run in the eliminator there would be more guys scrambling to get into those "easy" FWD classes so they would be a class winner. There wouldn't be 7 A/SA cars and 5 B/SA and 6 C/SA cars in the eliminator anymore! Only one, the baddest dog in the class, would be left. Make it a 64 car field and you will see a comeback in FWD. As much as some people dislike the FWD cars, there are really only a handful in the country that are capable of bumping the 100 or so Camaro, Firebird or Mustang combos out of the #1 qualifying slot, and yet we are looked at with such rebuke it makes me sick. There has been only ONE FWD car win a major race in the history of NHRA, ask Mark Yakavone how easy that was to accomplish. How does game playing affect me? It affects me and everyone else who qualifies by giving me Biondo, Bertozzi, Fletcher, (insert name here) in the 1st round instead of the final! I'm at a loss to understand how this last rule did anything but insert more F bodies into the show? Somebody clear it up for me, please! __________________ Jim Wahl....NHRA #2239 S/SS - IHRA # 8 Stock, D2 Stock Champion (forever I guess) 2019 Baby Gators Stock Champion 2009 NHRA D2 National Open Stock Champion 1982 NHRA D2 West Palm Beach LDRS SS Runner Up Past President, Southern Stock / Super Stock Association.