Do you really need to go fast to enjoy S,S/S racing?

Wade Mahaffey · 02-26-2010, 08:02 AM

I do understand that we are competitors, and want to eliminate the other driver. To build a racer within the rules, that nobody can catch is truly the ultimate form me! The sense of acomplishment for a little performance gain every now and then can be huge (especially when it's something you built and not something you bought). But do you need to go fast in "A" rather than "M" to enjoy the sport. Fast is important for class and the occasional heads up match up in the eliminator. In my racing experience @ 9.90/150 I noticed that, down track when siide by side it felt like 40 MPH. And that was in Roadster style cars, it did'nt seem fast because the speeds were close. I have also raced 13.50/105 and it seams the same to me down track. I do understand the chase/being chased advantages and driving abilities. To me it's about preparation (car and driver), being consistant on the starting line... evaluate and compensate during the run...play the final card approaching the stripe. Now (in the eliminator) you need to do these things no matter how fast you are! So I say no, you do not need to go fast to enjoy S,S/S eliminator racing. (my opinion). Although it does seem like most of the "hitters" are on the fast side.

Wade Mahaffey

Billy Nees · 02-26-2010, 08:21 AM

I don't! It does seem that the "rational" thinking is that a faster car is easier to dial as it's not as affected by the wind and weather. The "hitters" seem to like being the faster car so they can see the race "play out" in front of them to better make finish line decisions.

Mike Carr · 02-26-2010, 08:22 AM

As someone who raced a seventeen-second HF/SA for 3 1/2 years for Billy Nees, NO, don't have to be fast (in actual ET) to enjoy it. I had as much fun in Billy's car as anyone with a 9-10-11 second Stocker or 8 second Hemi SS/AH or SS/AM (Well, maybe a Hemi would be a BIT more fun, and whole lot more work

). That's the beauty of Class Racing, you can build whatever you like, whether it's a particular car you like, if you like finding "odd" cars to flog and work on (like Billy, Bob Shaw, etc), whether you like to set records, win Class, and be the "big dog", if you like to test your bracket racing "hit the tree and drive the stripe" ability against some of the best in the world, whatever makes you tick, you can pretty much find it here. Oh, and the great people all over the country and Canada is also what makes it fun and enjoyable, too.

Troy Henderson · 02-26-2010, 09:04 AM

I could rock a W/S car

Stock4106 · 02-26-2010, 09:12 AM

I don't care who you are or what you drive, if that win light keeps coming on in your lane, you're having fun.

Dick Butler · 02-26-2010, 09:25 AM

There are so--o-o-o many ways to look at S and SS and they all can be fun. Fun is what you make it. Going fast, winning rounds, winning class, making your car faster next week, making something go fast no on believes or doing it all yourself... on your budget.
All these are out there for your decision.
They are all RIGHT! Chosing one for your own reason is what its about.
Good Luck....the best part is being able to enjoy multiple reasons at once.

Roger K Fain · 02-26-2010, 09:25 AM

Wade,
Where is your '60 Vette going to fit in SS?

Henry S · 02-26-2010, 09:36 AM

How about if you looked at from a different perspective.If track time is what is enjoyable
the slower car is the way to go. for example: 200 runs in a year @ 9 sec/run equals 30 minutes of track time ( not including staging, burnout, turnoff, etc). The same 200 runs @ 15sec/run equals 50 minutes of track time. I think i need a slower car.

Rich Biebel · 02-26-2010, 09:50 AM

I've raced pretty fast cars.....I've raced slow(er) cars.......I'll take fast any day of the week. There is no way I would have the enthusiasm to race if I had a slow car. I dislike being way out front trying to find my opponent especially in the dark. Drag racing for me means I have a decent amount of power under my foot......and I way prefer being the chaser......

I prefer races that have two cars fairly close on the race track. A race between a fast and a slow car is not my idea of a good drag race.

Probably the most fun car I can think of to race would be a fast stick shift anything.....might not win anything and the amount of work to race it could be a lot.....but it would be way high on the fun meter letting out a clutch again....

Ellis V. Buth · 02-26-2010, 09:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Troy Henderson

I could rock a W/S car

I do rock a W/S car!!! It is a lot of fun

02-26-2010, 08:02 AM	#1
Wade Mahaffey Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 581 Likes: 0 Liked 17 Times in 7 Posts	Do you really need to go fast to enjoy S,S/S racing? I do understand that we are competitors, and want to eliminate the other driver. To build a racer within the rules, that nobody can catch is truly the ultimate form me! The sense of acomplishment for a little performance gain every now and then can be huge (especially when it's something you built and not something you bought). But do you need to go fast in "A" rather than "M" to enjoy the sport. Fast is important for class and the occasional heads up match up in the eliminator. In my racing experience @ 9.90/150 I noticed that, down track when siide by side it felt like 40 MPH. And that was in Roadster style cars, it did'nt seem fast because the speeds were close. I have also raced 13.50/105 and it seams the same to me down track. I do understand the chase/being chased advantages and driving abilities. To me it's about preparation (car and driver), being consistant on the starting line... evaluate and compensate during the run...play the final card approaching the stripe. Now (in the eliminator) you need to do these things no matter how fast you are! So I say no, you do not need to go fast to enjoy S,S/S eliminator racing. (my opinion). Although it does seem like most of the "hitters" are on the fast side. Wade Mahaffey

02-26-2010, 08:21 AM	#2
Billy Nees VIP Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: On a hilltop in Pa. Posts: 4,234 Likes: 3,132 Liked 6,840 Times in 1,535 Posts	Re: Do you really need to go fast to enjoy S,S/S racing? I don't! It does seem that the "rational" thinking is that a faster car is easier to dial as it's not as affected by the wind and weather. The "hitters" seem to like being the faster car so they can see the race "play out" in front of them to better make finish line decisions. __________________ Billy Nees 1188 STK, SS Reality, what a concept!

02-26-2010, 08:22 AM	#3
Mike Carr VIP Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Enon Valley PA Posts: 1,650 Likes: 234 Liked 80 Times in 34 Posts	Re: Do you really need to go fast to enjoy S,S/S racing? As someone who raced a seventeen-second HF/SA for 3 1/2 years for Billy Nees, NO, don't have to be fast (in actual ET) to enjoy it. I had as much fun in Billy's car as anyone with a 9-10-11 second Stocker or 8 second Hemi SS/AH or SS/AM (Well, maybe a Hemi would be a BIT more fun, and whole lot more work ). That's the beauty of Class Racing, you can build whatever you like, whether it's a particular car you like, if you like finding "odd" cars to flog and work on (like Billy, Bob Shaw, etc), whether you like to set records, win Class, and be the "big dog", if you like to test your bracket racing "hit the tree and drive the stripe" ability against some of the best in the world, whatever makes you tick, you can pretty much find it here. Oh, and the great people all over the country and Canada is also what makes it fun and enjoyable, too. __________________ Mike Carr, Tri-State S/SS Association President Looking for 2015 S/SS Race Sponsors Contact me if interested buffdaddy_1302@hotmail.com (724) 510-5912

02-26-2010, 09:04 AM	#4
Troy Henderson Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Kansas City Posts: 397 Likes: 109 Liked 106 Times in 33 Posts	Re: Do you really need to go fast to enjoy S,S/S racing? I could rock a W/S car __________________ Troy Henderson Henderson Race Shop LLC 816-520-5389 www.hendersonraceshop.com

02-26-2010, 09:12 AM	#5
Stock4106 Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Covington, LA Posts: 99 Likes: 0 Liked 11 Times in 4 Posts	Re: Do you really need to go fast to enjoy S,S/S racing? I don't care who you are or what you drive, if that win light keeps coming on in your lane, you're having fun. __________________ Owen S. Birkett Stock/Super Stock 4106

02-26-2010, 09:25 AM	#6
Dick Butler VIP Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Richmond Indiana Posts: 1,197 Likes: 5 Liked 32 Times in 19 Posts	Re: Do you really need to go fast to enjoy S,S/S racing? There are so--o-o-o many ways to look at S and SS and they all can be fun. Fun is what you make it. Going fast, winning rounds, winning class, making your car faster next week, making something go fast no on believes or doing it all yourself... on your budget. All these are out there for your decision. They are all RIGHT! Chosing one for your own reason is what its about. Good Luck....the best part is being able to enjoy multiple reasons at once.

02-26-2010, 09:25 AM	#7
Roger K Fain Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Clarksburg, WV Posts: 146 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Do you really need to go fast to enjoy S,S/S racing? Wade, Where is your '60 Vette going to fit in SS?

02-26-2010, 09:36 AM	#8
Henry S Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 79 Likes: 9 Liked 9 Times in 4 Posts	Re: Do you really need to go fast to enjoy S,S/S racing? How about if you looked at from a different perspective.If track time is what is enjoyable the slower car is the way to go. for example: 200 runs in a year @ 9 sec/run equals 30 minutes of track time ( not including staging, burnout, turnoff, etc). The same 200 runs @ 15sec/run equals 50 minutes of track time. I think i need a slower car.

02-26-2010, 09:50 AM	#9
Rich Biebel VIP Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Northern New Jersey suburbs Posts: 2,275 Likes: 25 Liked 510 Times in 200 Posts	Re: Do you really need to go fast to enjoy S,S/S racing? I've raced pretty fast cars.....I've raced slow(er) cars.......I'll take fast any day of the week. There is no way I would have the enthusiasm to race if I had a slow car. I dislike being way out front trying to find my opponent especially in the dark. Drag racing for me means I have a decent amount of power under my foot......and I way prefer being the chaser...... I prefer races that have two cars fairly close on the race track. A race between a fast and a slow car is not my idea of a good drag race. Probably the most fun car I can think of to race would be a fast stick shift anything.....might not win anything and the amount of work to race it could be a lot.....but it would be way high on the fun meter letting out a clutch again.... __________________ Rich Biebel S/C 1479 Last edited by Rich Biebel; 02-26-2010 at 10:15 AM.