NHRA – Stock Eliminator New Engine Options For Older Models
A source from NHRA told this reporter that NHRA is considering new engine options for 
Stock. There are two ways NHRA would implement the new engines for older cars. A crate motor option would be one. NHRA would allow one engine from each manufacture as a crate motor option for any car older than 2008. Engine specs would be sent to NHRA for approval. One example would be a Chevy 350 single four barrel, Ford 351 single four barrel and the Dodge 360 single four barrel. All these engines are currently available now from the manufactures, and would make it easy on both NHRA and the manufactures to implement.
I second possible option would be to let any engine combo currently in the NHRA guide be run in any year car, as long as it is the same make. No extra classes to create. Just choose your engine from the guide, divide the NHRA horse power rating by the shipping weight to come up with your class. Example; take a 2014 Chevy 350 rated at 350hp. Divide that by
the shipping weight of a heaviest 1969 Camaro model of your choice to get your weight break. In this case it would be 3367 divided by 350, that equals 9.62, a natural D car.
What are your thoughts, comments below.
Your wrong.
I do not see how it would be the end of Stock. Also Stock is not really stock anymore anyways, what car came with an engine that cost 10,000 dollars plus from the factory?
I guess I’m all for it. I started it with Kenny Shawver of defiance Transmissions in IHRA many years ago. It saved IHRA stock from extinction. Only the old die hards dislike it. I’m thinking my 1962 Corvette would like a crate engine combo but I would just use it on the street most likely. While not as exciting as wheel stands and “Flying low” the street rod shows are cheaper for those of us who are retired, and a lot less work at the age of 70. Who knows though….I might give it a go as I still have my health….LOL.
X-Tech Man
Terry Bell
Leave Stock alone!
Let the crate motor rookies run brackets.
Brain Storming the options
Crate trucks – “crate haulers”
While driving to work I pondered the options. It occurred to me, 1/2 ton pick up trucks are very, very popular with all age groups.
So, let’s consider adding 1/2 ton trucks to stock eliminator, both factory equipped and crate motor equipped combinations.
Also, I do agree with the thought of the engine swaps being “bolt in”
Another benefit, local tracks hold the potential to host a “crate haulers” series.
StormFin
I like the crate motor option. In my opinion, the overall hot rodding, drag racing community would benefit.
I think some experienced local bracket racers would build a package that would be both competitive in local brackets plus IHRA / NHRA events. In addition, it hold the potential of bringing in new participants.
Plus, local tracks could benefit with increased car counts and potential for class racing type events
Bring back Pure Stock.
Will automatically excite this community stuck to IHRA races only.
To upgrade classes to run quicker Indexes.
Start with with 80’s and 90’s RWD chassis cars.
Fit with a larger SB or BB using existing HP Engine Guide and weight breaks.
Instead of a separate a separate PS class.
Fit into existing Stock Eliminator Class Structure.
My F-G/PS would fit under Q or R/SA Index.
If allowed a 427/390 would be up near B/PS or H/SA.
Will bring more heads up racing in lower class ranks.
Dan
Just say no! Crate motors are not for stockers ,if I di come with it it shouldn’t have it. Also gt format was created because nhra thought the rear wheel drive car was coming to an end in the 80s. How ever it didn’t so why muddy the waters in stock like it did in super stock. To many classes and so called combos. And while I’m bitching why is super stock still have separate classes for trucks?
I think its a great idea stock motor mount locations and the size motors that came in the car.Third gen camaros all small blocks and so on.The car count would also increase.Then ihra crate motor guys can run nhra events. Thanks
Oh, and what Dwight said about not altering the vehicle to fit the combo? “No firewall mods, no suspension mods, no frame or crossmember mods.” I FULLY agree with this!
Crate motors weren’t the end of IHRA stock and it wouldn’t be the end of NHRA’s either. I see bracket racers who’ve wanted to try stock putting a crate motor in. At my local track there have been several who did just this. There are two issues here, crate motors and letting any year engine in any car. Build the motor you like and have scienced out over the years and be able to drop it in any car? I like the idea,just keep the hp the same. If it’s 322hp in a 69 mustang/camaro/cuda, then it’s 322hp when the engine is dropped in a 79 camaro/83 mustang/81 diplomat. 3.5L ecoboost in a 71 torino..bizarre but an easy way to get the torino on the track after running out of 71 parts.
I vote yes.
This will ruin stock eliminator for me. I like the fact that I can see a G/S on a 69 camaro and know it has a 350 in it, not a 396 or some crate motor. I think those crate motots cars belong in like SS/GT or even better bring back modified production. Dont ruin the best eliminator class.
i also am very torn about any crate motor cars, i am afraid if crate motor cars are allowed i would have to agree with Don, stock will end a quick death, i also see the need to increase car counts but the end will not justify the means
When considering the possibility of “unintended consequences” of crate motors or GT type combinations, the concern I always have is when the allowed engine swaps also entail chassis modifications or extend the building of hybrids to allow overly advantageous combinations. I have no problem mixing bodies and engine types that have a long history of competition where classification can be integrated equitably into the current population of participants. However, if a ruling structure is adopted that makes allowances for modifications that give a decided advantage to the hybrid, intended benefits become detrimental factors very quickly. If you follow the history of GT Super Stock classes, you can easily see some the issues that have hampered the full benefit of that idea. Different indexes for the same pwoer-to-weight factor cars, different chassis modifications allowed for FWD conversions, and now different power factors within GT applications are some of the evidence that the ruling structure is hard to reconcile with traditional classes.
It would be my hope that allowing non production motor swaps would be limited to like-to-like engine swaps where no further chassis modifications or other allowances would be part of the rules structure. As examples, it would be okay to install a 350 SBC crate motor into a early Camaro or Chevy II, or into a ’70s-’80s G-body car, but it wouldn’t be allowed into Vega, Monza or Chevette. It would be okay to retrofit an LT1 350 into a ’55 Chevy or an ’82 Camaro, but not an LS1 engine. It would be okay to put a 360 into a ’67 Dart, but not a Gen III Hemi. No firewall mods, no suspension mods, no frame or crossmember mods, and bolt in to original factory available motor mounts.
Even with those restrictions, there will be controversy over some combinations. (Heck, there’s enough controversy over production combinations!) But if the purpose is to make it easier on the racing community to build cars and participate, then be sure that unintended consequences don’t create the necessity of a new category of classes or destroy the competitiveness of a part of the existing body of race cars.
Also, can somone come up with a different name than “GT classes”? I ahve always thought that was a dumb name.
Sounds like a april 1st story to me.Crate motor classes?Here come more soft HP ratings and the older cars get a screwing again!!
I have mixed opinions on straight up crate motor combos. I do like the idea of a GT Class Stock. That would be pretty cool to throw an older engine combo in a newer car or a newer engine combo in an older car. GT Class Super Stock has certainly thrived since it was created.
PRO ET Period. If you must ,at the very least create a new eliminator with the FS cars and this BS. I don’t understand how anyone could call this Stock.
I’m really torn on the idea of Crate Engines in Stockers.
As the Product Manager for Crate Engines at Ford Racing, I think this would be a great move and a way to spice up the class. Not to mention, it would be great for business. IHRA made the move years ago and in some areas the Crate Motor cars dominate the fields. I can think of lots of 60s through 80s Ford, GM and Mopar Race Cars that could be transformed into fun and more competitive rides with a good crate engine package. And us Old Guys need to face reality – anybody that didn’t grow up in the Muscle car era has a hard time understanding the concept racing a car with “Stock” parts. And is a “Stocker” engine with Edelbrock Heads, Dart Block, SCAT Crank, Quick Fuels Carb, etc, etc. not much more that a crate engine anyway?
But, as Mike D. the Stocker racer for over 40 years, I don’t like the prospect of more soft engine combinations being added just as the issue of the “New Cars” and their HP ratings has been addressed for 2015. Now if a realistic HP rating could be used – and maybe one that was a little high to start – instead of waaaayyy too low – that would be a better scenario for me (the racer). This could be an opportunity for NHRA to look at the parts and pieces – and maybe test the engines submitted by the makers – to start with a real HP factor.
Crate engines have become the savior of dirt and asphalt circle track racing and are making “built” engine obsolete. Crates deliver a cost effective competitive engine that is available NOW – fully built up – and ready to race. Think how a 20-30 year old may look at making the move up from brackets to Stock if he could buy a ready to run engine vs. scrounging for this PN head, carb, intake manifold and whatever else while outbidding the restorer for what is often junk parts.
So if NHRA were to add a “Crate Engine” option, I would like to see it use modern engines – in the case of Ford the Coyote 5.0L. Not only are the Coyote, LS or HEMI more relevant, but these would likely be more attractive to the younger racers that are needed to keep the car counts strong. NMRA and NMCA have added classed for both Coyote and LS “Sealed Crate” engines that have proven to be popular. These cars and classes could be good crossover opportunities for sanctioning bodies and racers.
Not sure how you would fit the Copo LS under the hood of a stocker.
Love the options; hate the concept of further homogenisation of a traditional class. Stock GT works for me – it “looks” right, just don’t ask me to feel good beside one in a heads-up. Keep the GT class separate similar to SS.
Sounds like the beginning of the end for “stock”!
Sounds like its time for a change.