So, Indy 2020...

[Whalen3186]

Originally Posted by Bob Mulry

The 1.10 under car will get in based on performance and not driving...

Do you think that driving should count for something in a drag race??

Driving should certainly count, as well as performance. That’s why we have 2 races contested at Indy, class and the eliminator. Everyone needs varying degrees of driver skill and car performance in both.

Everybody gets their shot to run class.

You want to qualify for the eliminator that combines every individual class? Earn that spot by out performing enough people to make it into the top 128.

How about two K/S cars race for the trophy. Car 1 goes -.91 . Car 2 goes -88 and beats car 1 on a holeshot. Car 1 gets to run the eliminator @ # 126. Car 2 ( class winner) ends up #132 , and gets to watch car 1 on race day.
Fair? Right?

Sounds fair to me. I’ve been on both sides of the cutoff line at Indy.

I’m out, gotta keep working on my stuff to make the top 128 in 5 days.

[Kevin McKenna]

Originally Posted by Dan Bennett

Kevin, I usually agree with you so often that it almost gets embarrassing. And I still agree with part of your post. Racers have always complained about new combinations and technology that affects their chance to win. They always will.


But discarding history has to do with how class winners are now treated. In every sanctioning body I can think of, the cars were separated into classes with roughly the same performance. The cars that won class were the best of their kind. And then, to choose the overall eliminator, those winners raced each other.


To me, it just comes down to believing that winning class means something. It's been part of the process to find the best performing car of the race. But now, multiple cars who weren't even the best in their class will take the place of others who won their class.

Sometimes history needs to be discarded. Imagine a return to 1968 rules. 200 or more SS cars show up, only the class winners and low qualifiers get to race. There's a catch. There are only about a dozen classes and the field is just 32 cars. Everyone else goes home. Imagine trying that structure today with so many different combinations and so much new technology. I'd argue that class racing would have died long ago if we didn't move away from that format.

(Oh, and Dan, don't agree with me that often. You'll thank me later.)

[bobbyd6]

Factory Stock should be a seperate class at INDY IMO

[Mark Yacavone]

Originally Posted by bobbyd6

Factory Stock should be a seperate class at INDY IMO

Yes, and should be called Factory Experimental, not Factory Stock.

[4406mopar]

Originally Posted by bobbyd6

Factory Stock should be a seperate class at INDY IMO

It should be a separate class every race. Period.

[HawkBrosMav]

Originally Posted by Mark Yacavone

Yes, and should be called Factory Experimental, not Factory Stock.

Shows how much I've been paying attention to the "Factory Showdown" cars.. but they are an entirely different class right? they in no way effect Stock Eliminator?


I feel like the Non-Showdown combos should be a part of Stock, but 100% need to be based off only the true showroom versions of the car.. that fact that you pretty much cant pick up a 2008 showroom vehicle and modify it for Stock Elim is just ridiculous.. What are there like 5 total actual showroom combos in the book newer than 2008?

[Billy Nees]

Originally Posted by HawkBrosMav

Shows how much I've been paying attention to the "Factory Showdown" cars.. but they are an entirely different class right? they in no way effect Stock Eliminator?


I feel like the Non-Showdown combos should be a part of Stock, but 100% need to be based off only the true showroom versions of the car.. that fact that you pretty much cant pick up a 2008 showroom vehicle and modify it for Stock Elim is just ridiculous.. What are there like 5 total actual showroom combos in the book newer than 2008?

They should (at least!) be in SS. It would be great for Stock and for the sport if the manufacturers started providing specs for all of the "Stock" cars again! It would cut back on the number of classes too!

[HawkBrosMav]

Originally Posted by Billy Nees

They should (at least!) be in SS. It would be great for Stock and for the sport if the manufacturers started providing specs for all of the "Stock" cars again! It would cut back on the number of classes too!

I'll agree these non showroom versions should be SS only... but as you mentioned put the real cars in the book... Its ridiculous.. take what ever publicly advertised HP number each of them have and multiply by .85 because we all know they release inflated numbers and newer cars don't have as much left in them from the factory and throw them out there at a realistic weight not these completely BS shipping weights that the current legal cars have.

You'd she more realistic performance and more interest in running the newer cars because you wouldn't need $125k to get one. Force the current combos to SS only if they weren't offered as a street version and do whatever you want with the "Showdown" stuff as long as it isn't affecting Stock Eliminator.

[GTS340]

Not sure when Indy changed compared to the combo classes started. At one time there were many bye runs for a class wins and that was the tough pill to swallow at times for many.

[Billy Nees]

Originally Posted by HawkBrosMav

Force the current combos to SS only if they weren't offered as a street version and do whatever you want with the "Showdown" stuff as long as it isn't affecting Stock Eliminator.

Ya know, I know that I said in my previous post that the FS cars should "at least be in SS" but the issue that I see with that is that IMHO, the biggest lure of the Showdown is the requirement for the 9" tires. THAT is the equalizer and I agree with it. I can't see putting the FS cars into SS without giving them a big tire and chassis mods allowed the FS/SS cars. I also can't see them being put into SS using the current Stock rules. There's already too many classes in SS. It's already looking like Comp, everyone has their own class. And I sure can't see NHRA creating another Eliminator for the FS cars that don't run/can't run in the Showdown.