Re: So, what should happen to
 

Jeff, I get your message loud and clear. I may have exaggerated the floggings and such, but not the content. I got into this game as a recommendation from Buster Couch and John Beidenkamp, does that give away age. I personally think that new blood is totally turned off by some of the procedures and requirements. Throttle stops are a joke.

During inspection of vehicles it was made very clear to me that certain items had to be correct year for car claimed. There was no fudging. I personally thought that it was nit picking, but it was the rules. During the Gators one year, Bill Jenkins had 28 violations on his Vega. They went over and discussed it with the higher ups and he only had to correct a couple of things, like the full belly pan that was claimed as tranny shield. It was an obvious situation of "who you knew".

As the manufacturers started to design vehicles that were similar to the previous year or sister models it became more of a change the tail lights and grille, move to a different class situation. No big deal to me, seemed a little overboard to DQ someone for a non performance item that could be corrected by the next race. But it was their rules I had to abide by, of course unless it was someone with "pull".

In Atlanta when I was racing Wesley informed me of the carb bolt that had to be corrected. He also informed me of my hood rubber trim needed to be on, but let me slide with the statement "get it fixed by the next race, now if someone complains about it cause your knocking people off here, I can't do nothing about it, your going to be DQ'd"

Fast forward to today and it still is the same situation. Only difference now is there are fewer tech people with the same detailed knowledge of what should be. More stuff slips by. How can you expect a tech guy who is maybe 35 years old to know about the correct seat that goes in Chevy (pick the model) from 1960's or 70's. Think about how many new models have come out since then, to know them all would be somewhat difficult. Now we have a plethora of engines and models to choose from.

I did not write the rules. I have to abide by what I am told, things have really not changed that much. Someone complains about your car, they have to look at it. Then tech has to judge what must be done. If it slips by tech during inspection, oh well. Safety always comes first though, you cannot circumvent that.

NHRA is the one who write the rules, they created this mess, we are just participants. Times have changed, some components are no longer available, aftermarket parts are now the standard, the Stock rules have been somewhat liberated with better equipment now, the flexibility of classes exists.

I see the pics from Ken and Chris of all the different cars and people. Notice how many are older folks, what happens to S/SS when all of us elders are gone? 32 car fields? I may be older than dirt, but I am far more open of the future than most on here. I believe that we should have all the manufacturers participating, Ford, Chevy, Chrysler, Toyota, Honda, Nissan, BMW, Mercedes, and so on. If we do not there won't be any future. If this happens, a correct tail light will have little meaning. I embrace technology.
Remember, I do not write the rules, I just have to abide by them. But it sure would be rough on tech.

And Billy, you are only half correct. I mightn't mean What I know, but I also know it is Who you know. That has not changed. 21st Century HA, if you all really knew.

Ron Ortiz
U/SA the magnetic age is approaching

Re: So, what should happen to
 

Some of my favorite Stocker DQ items over the years are my buddy Bobby Dee got busted for having his headlamps on his Buick wagon tinted green."Got to come off before ya race"said Mr Farmer.Also a 57 delivery wagons owner had to make a run to the local lumber yard, as his plywood rear floor was deemed to be too thin!!!

Re: So, what should happen to
 

Hey John, don't forget the deck lid difference too! Wink-wink. Jim

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Re: So, what should happen to
 

Lyn, I thought maybe you were going to tell us how Bobby Dee's rubber chicken didn't pass tech.
Kinda miss the guy, he was always good for a wild story or two.

Re: So, what should happen to
 

How did the car entered in the wrong class get through tech? Who was teching Stock? Seems like they would have the class guide.

Re: So, what should happen to
 

Seems like the car owner would know what class his car LEGALLY fits ?

Re: So, what should happen to
 

Jason, It is not the job of Tech to chose what class a car goes in. Over the years I've seen that change. When I started back in the 60's you ask what class your car fit in. Now it is up to you to fill out your Tech card and fill it out correctly. To me that means if you chose the wrong class for your car (one it really doesn't fit in) it is on your back that it is illegally classed. It is your problem, not an oversight of Tech. You have filled out the Tech card incorrectly and subject to the appropriate punishment for dong that, innocent mistake or not. With all the modern technology available to a car driver and or owner choosing the correct class should be a non issue.

Re: So, what should happen to
 

Ron, Thank you for taking the time to post this thoughtful,
detailed post. I think it really sums it up perfectly.
With my typing skills would have taken me 45 minutes....LOL

Thanks again. Randy

Re: So, what should happen to
 

Jason it's kinda like the Dos Esquis guy in the commercials.....I don't always race NHRA national events but when I do .....I fill out my tech card CORRECTLY.....

Re: So, what should happen to
 

In the September 2015 LODRS race at Bristol a car classed in in Q/SA with a 15.74 break making it a natural O/SA car, 1 up or down=N.O Or P/SA