driver OK report

[David Lee]

this might be the best excuse to give these factory cars their own eliminations

[MR DERBY CITY]

Originally Posted by FireSale

I agree with the above comment. Didn't an out of control CJ come uncomfortably close to taking out a low hp stocker in time trials at Indy last year? I bracket raced against Larry McClanahan's CJ at the Lucas Oil Seattle race last year. I was not very comfortable being passed in the lights 155 to 116. And I have a cage.

I believe you are referring to Roy Hill and our beloved Marty Buth at Indy a few years ago....The near miss at the Joliet points meet was not a super car but a A SA with a single wheelie bar that drifted into the lane occupied by a I SA Buick....The Buick racer lifted immediately to avoid disaster, Thank the Lord.......

[BOB KIRKBRIDE]

It was Roger Comstock. Hope he's okay, probably a little sore. He has a lot of great cars and he and his wife race a lot. However even his wife had a rear quarter panel bump with the wall.
The whole problem with these cars is a lot of power, a short car and the fact that they are allowed in Stock eliminator on a little 9" tire. This is just plain STUPID. I started racing when Super Stock was first created. It was for the hottest Detroit iron (and there were a lot) from Ford, Chevrolet, Pontiac and Chrysler. Those new cars are the Super Stocks of today and should BE THERE! The supercharged ones should ALL BE IN SUPER STOCK ONLY. They are crashing all the time and with that much power it won't end soon. I raced until about 5 years ago, I still go watch, it gets in the blood. I almost got an '08 Mustang CJ when they came out but the expense of doing what it takes to make it among the fastest plus the travel expenses to hit all the divisionals, regionals, and National events and old age made me not do it. Just raced my old Thunderbolt until a person offered me a pile of money for it and I said bye bye to a car I ran for 10 years. I was done, still go when I can but happy just to watch especially the S/SS cars like where I started.

[Andys dad]

Not sure how super stock makes them safer - big tires are not required and these cars all meet super stock safety requirements.


Ron

[james schaechter]

Originally Posted by Andys dad

Not sure how super stock makes them safer - big tires are not required and these cars all meet super stock safety requirements.


Ron

Easy if they take advantage of the allowance to put larger tires on the car in Superstock... I realize that some want to cross over without cutting the car up, but it would be a better situation for those cars with the power adders.

[BOB KIRKBRIDE]

Yes Andy's dad (forgot your name this instant. I am old too.) I know that the safety equipment is there but I know what people have in these cars ($100,000+) It would save a lot of cars from being wadded up! I raced a nostalgia Thunderbolt in my later years and I sold it and retired just a few years ago. I was under that car after every race checking for tightness and possible cracks etc. I raced also in PSCA and saw these "small tire" classes up close and personal. Even though some ran 1/8th mile with sometimes 2,500 hp and up there were some terrible crashes. That's one reason I believe that these high horsepower cars should be in Super/S . because of the ridiculous power they have their tires can break loose at any part of the racing surface and the big tires would lessen that probability. I talked to you when you first got your V10 Dodge and am keeping current with all aspects of drag racing because it is addictive as you know!

[Tom Broome]

Originally Posted by BOB KIRKBRIDE

......The whole problem with these cars is a lot of power, a short car and the fact that they are allowed in Stock eliminator on a little 9" tire. ......Those new cars are the Super Stocks of today and should BE THERE! The supercharged ones should ALL BE IN SUPER STOCK ONLY. They are crashing all the time and with that much power it won't end soon.

First, I'm glad the driver is okay. Nobody wants to see accidents of this type. The speed differential in Stock and Super Stock has always been disconcerting, now we add power adders to the mix.....Whoa.
Now, I see lots of posts referencing this as an out of control Stocker. Wasn't this accident during Super Stock qualifying?
Did this car actually have 9 inch tires on it? Would larger tires have prevented this accident? How large then?

I would not support telling car owners what tire they should race in a given class. Apparently I'm in the minority since a lot of the blame is placed on the 9 inch tires.

Track prep? Would that really help? Or would the racers simply use it as an opportunity to dial more power into these power adder classes? I have more questions and few answers.
Mr. Bob, I'm not singling you out, you just covered a lot in your post. Thanks.

[BOB KIRKBRIDE]

The S/S bigger tire reply I posted really only applied to the two fastest Factory stock classes that I believe would save cars from being wrecked, not the lower horsepower factory stock classes.

[Pat6868]

The folks that build and race these cars all know what they have. No matter the track, when you do your burnout and accept the dial, its all up to you. While driving a 105mph stocker I was passed by a car at 157 at the stripe. I laughed, looking in the mirror on and off for 4 seconds. When he went by, I swear he broke me out. Racing has its risks, lawn bowling, not so much.

[GTX JOHN]

Roll bar and 5 pt harness in our O/SA Wagon. The danger is ever present when you are @ 100 at finish and your competition is 160 and on the brakes!