attention NHRA and IHRA Where have all the class racers gone

[FINESPLINE]

Originally Posted by Myron Piatek

Every once in a while, a Stock or SS racer can grab their attention for at least a while longer when they see that Stock or SS car with the wheels in the air and outrunning that big block chassis car! It feels good when they ask if you have a big block or nitrous when all you really have is a small block in an all-steel car. But, unfortunately, that impression still doesn't always last and they go back to the shiney, custom chassied vehicles with power adders.

As discussed, bottom line is time and money. Kids these days want to go as fast as they can afford to and not have to spend time working to get there. I always liked to tinker, experiment and improvise with what I have.and can afford. But even in "Stock" these days, you can buy too much trick, aftermarket stuff to go faster. That's making it harder on the little guy along with the economy. A 1-2 punch!

All goes back to the new instant gratification society of today. Nobody wants to tinker. They want to go fast and do it as soon as possible. If they cannot afford to do it as soon as possible it is not worth doing and on to something else. See it all the time .

[Dyno]

Nick, nicely said. I see the biggest problem is money, and it is not having to much! See everyone next spring. Dyno

[Ed Fernandez]

Originally Posted by Nick Heath

Wow. After reading these kind of nonsense generalizations from so called class racers (and it's far from the first time I've read it here), why in the world would a young person ever want to associate with this sport?

That reminds me...I can't help but wonder if the overwhelming NEGATIVITY on these forums and in this sport has something to do with what's keeping out new racers? I read these forums frequently and all I seem to ever read is some complaint about the new cars, or Ford's scam to take over the NHRA, or the bogus 350 truck, or some other bogus hidden combination like the 350 Cadillac, or something to do with LS1's or LT1's and their different hoods and different body styles, or aftermarket cylinder heads or carburetors, or the AFHS, or 1000' racing, or this class combo deal...I've explained class racing and some of these political issues to a very good friend of mine and he laughs at it! Sure there's a valid argument to be made in every one of these debates, but when is enough enough? Whatever happened to working on your car, going racing, running really fast and setting a record, because it was a FUN hobby?

I think there are many other problems with the sport relating to young people. The "we're not a car culture" argument has some merit. In the 60's and 70's there were lots of kids taking their Chevelles and Mustangs and Road Runners to and from school. Today's kids are lucky to get a Toyota Camry. Now which one is more fun to mess around with in the garage? Which one has more aftermarket parts available? Which one is more fun to drive?

But I think the economy and the overall price of class racing is the biggest problem. Let's take a look...how much does an average turnkey LS1/LT1 stocker cost...$30k? What about spare parts? What about a truck and trailer? What about the cost of traveling to and from the track via $4 diesel fuel, especially if you don't live in D-1 or D-3? And then after all of this, you can't forget the entry fees. If you can come up with a way for a young guy to afford all of this, please share, I'm listening!

For the record, no, I don't have a class car. But I'm 22 years old right now... I've been going to the race track with my dad since even before he started racing in 1998. You can do the math. Since then I could probably tell you who had the baddest B/SA in the country at that time, or the fastest C/SA in D-3 or what classes a '62 Plymouth 413 could run in. I would love to get into class racing some day with my own car or my dad's car but after reading some of these posts I probably wouldn't be able to get the car down the track anyway so why bother?

Alot of the negativity comes from the fact that NHRA took it upon themselves to put their welfare above the racers who supported the org. from way back before the current thugs took over Glendora.They saw the Hollywood glitz that was given to NASCAR and they wanted their piece of the pie.So now those blockheads make 6 figure salaries plus perks
and their assinine rules procedure have ruined both the Sportsman and Pro ranks.
As far as fielding a class car I built a lower class car from 1996 to 1999 with alot of help from friends.Raced it till last year with a minor degree of success.It's sold now.I did it on a budget and I've had as good a time as someone with a Renegade and a loaded stacker.
Why? Determination and denying myself other things/pleasures to race and travel.
And when you get older you will see the younger generation than you does contain a high percentage of bubbleheads.It seems to follow the Theory of Evolution generation by generation.

[treessavoy]

Originally Posted by Ed Fernandez

Alot of the negativity comes from the fact that NHRA took it upon themselves to put their welfare above the racers who supported the org. from way back before the current thugs took over Glendora.They saw the Hollywood glitz that was given to NASCAR and they wanted their piece of the pie.So now those blockheads make 6 figure salaries plus perks
and their assinine rules procedure have ruined both the Sportsman and Pro ranks.
As far as fielding a class car I built a lower class car from 1996 to 1999 with alot of help from friends.Raced it till last year with a minor degree of success.It's sold now.I did it on a budget and I've had as good a time as someone with a Renegade and a loaded stacker.
Why? Determination and denying myself other things/pleasures to race and travel.
And when you get older you will see the younger generation than you does contain a high percentage of bubbleheads.It seems to follow the Theory of Evolution generation by generation.

Amen Brother!

JimR

[Rose Racing]

Heres the deal dont give up hope on the younger generation!!!! I just turned 20 years old and i currently race a low 10 second bracket pinto and I have been watching class racing and IHRA Modified Production since I was 3. I watched the Buchannon Brothers,John,Todd,and Mary Mathias with the Buckeye Shaker and Mike and Ernie Price and the Marshalls among countless others over the years and have admired them. It is my dream to race Stock or Super Stock and I am planning out a race car day to day. I am currently planning a 70 or 71 fastback Torino with a 351 Cleveland or whatever engine/transmission I could possibly come up. Stock or Super Stock is the ultimate goal I have but every other young person I know wants to run the .90 classes with throttle stops and delay boxes but im just the oppisite I would love to learn to race with a clutch and a small block and a lot of poeple think im different for wanting to do so but I think we need some more economic classes in Stock to revive a little bit of life into it and let me tell ya $100,000 Stock and Super Stock package cars isnt the answer! I am cutting my theeth racing a 460 powered pinto for now but soon I plan on class racing wish me luck

[Jim Wahl]

Originally Posted by Rose Racing

Heres the deal dont give up hope on the younger generation!!!! I just turned 20 years old and i currently race a low 10 second bracket pinto and I have been watching class racing and IHRA Modified Production since I was 3. I watched the Buchannon Brothers,John,Todd,and Mary Mathias with the Buckeye Shaker and Mike and Ernie Price and the Marshalls among countless others over the years and have admired them. It is my dream to race Stock or Super Stock and I am planning out a race car day to day. I am currently planning a 70 or 71 fastback Torino with a 351 Cleveland or whatever engine/transmission I could possibly come up. Stock or Super Stock is the ultimate goal I have but every other young person I know wants to run the .90 classes with throttle stops and delay boxes but im just the oppisite I would love to learn to race with a clutch and a small block and a lot of poeple think im different for wanting to do so but I think we need some more economic classes in Stock to revive a little bit of life into it and let me tell ya $100,000 Stock and Super Stock package cars isnt the answer! I am cutting my theeth racing a 460 powered pinto for now but soon I plan on class racing wish me luck

Good luck sir! I hope you reach your goal. Jim

.

[Bobby Fazio]

They need a stock class where there are no modifications, aside from safety and common sense maintenance allowed where you drive the car right off the street and into the stocker staging lanes. I guess comparable to the IHRA pure stock class? About 1% of current <30 year olds who even care about racing can afford what was supposed to be the entry level class of stock eliminator right now in its current form, forget super stock and beyond.

Ask Mike Carr about the rest. He had the best idea of new classes. Call this class pure stock, call stock super stock, call super stock modified production.