if wally was'nt dead this woulda killed him
 

stock & superstock class winners no longer are reserved a spot in the eliminator.
after 50+ years the STANDARD which wally based all sportsman racing on... THE CLASS WIN is hereby relegated to the waste can. the wording from my 1980 rulebook states as it has (until monday)
"the eliminator will be comprised of the the class winners and then filled to 64 with the fastest cars qualifying and not winning thier class"... get it guys the class winners are not the "bump ins", the qualifiers are.

in 1972 there were 336 entries in stock at indy representing 36 classes...you wanna talk about 2005 being a tough qualifying field.

so now the sportsman committee who we asked for and elected to take care of our class and prevent ignorant rules from blindsiding us allows this to happen... looks like they took a clue from bush and the republican congress we elected...a committee with tueton and woodro on it... purists i thought ?

when i started in 1974 there were just three PILLARS of TRUTH that all stock eliminator was built upon...
1. There will be heads up runs whenever two cars of the same class stage against one another
2. Winning your class at a national event was special and guaranteed you to race the eliminator
3. There will be randon teardowns WHERE THE RULES WILL BE ENFORCED.

lets see... over last 4-6 years teardown has become a joke with numerous cars being reinstated at indy alone, so there goes # 3... now as of monday #2 is gone... well go ahead guys tell us when #1 will go by the wayside too.

well if you "powers to be & internet whiners" wanted to get rid of my fat *** you have succeeded.

this will be my last indy unless this rule is recinded. i will not nor will my sons renew thier numbers or membership to nhra. if and when i race it will be combo's at ohio valley and bowling green. i will no longer give my money to an organization who refuses to uphold the integrity of the rules and classes they offer. if the rest of you wanna pay to be part of the $50,000+ per car minimum bracket race ya'll go right ahead

jack mccarthy
and to think we were saving to build the old wagon into a SS/P car but...

Re: if wally was'nt dead this woulda killed him
 

Good post Jack. i agree with all you said and im a bracket racer.
Clarence Woodham e/sa 2783

Re: if wally was'nt dead this woulda killed him
 

WAAA WAAA BOO HOO HOO

A month ago people were crying because stock/superstock is supposed to be a "performance" based class and apparently the thought last month was that they were "performance" classes. Now people are crying cause the class winners won't automatically be part of the "big go". Now the field at Indy will consist of the quickest and best performing 128 qualifiers. The way it should be. Class winners can take their trophy, enjoy holding it and watch thru the fence on raceday, if they aren't one of the top performers.

Re: if wally was'nt dead this woulda killed him
 

Great post Jack,
Class winner at Indy should be an accomplishment. It still could be if they'd let class winners only go to the show. That would be performance driven?
Last time I ran class at Indy was many years ago. 21 cars in SS/LA. You'd better bring your best or go home early.

Re: if wally was'nt dead this woulda killed him
 

Well said Jack.If NHRA had the will and balls to impliment #3 alot of problems with runaway combos would be corrected.But their only concern seems to placate the prima dona Pros.

Ed

Re: if wally was'nt dead this woulda killed him
 

Jack, I have to agree with most of your comment. However, I need to correct one thing. You refer to a Republican congress, and that is incorrect. The Democrats took control of the Senate and the House in January 2007 when gasoline was $1.96 and Diesel was $2.46.....

Re: if wally was'nt dead this woulda killed him
 

You know Ed, those same two "oil men" were in the White House for SIX YEARS before the Democrats gained control of Congress, and before gas/diesel prices went through the roof. But then, you knew that already.

As to the rest of it, how do you KNOW the committee had ANYTHING to do with this rule change? What makes you think there's a GUARANTEE that NHRA will consult them or anyone else when it comes time to make a rule change? What makes you so sure Woodro Josey and/or Jeff Teuton had anything at all to do with it? Do you know for sure they did? Do you know how they voted? Let's see your evidence, since you've decided to call them out and accuse them in public.

Re: if wally was'nt dead this woulda killed him
 

I am a Bracket Racer and sometimes an "IT" (Throttle Stop) racer as Hot Rod calls it. Guess I'm an ole school guy when I believe a class winner especially at Indy should go to the Eliminator on sunday!

Re: if wally was'nt dead this woulda killed him
 

Alan have you called your Div. rep to talk with him on this new rule? I called our Div 3 rep and spoke with him about this subject. Now, about the "two oil men" in office, we're almost at the bottom of the barrel with those two in there. Prices of fuel and gas, layoffs because of the gas prices, prices at the stores going up, service men getting killed everyday, people losing their homes, yea the President said everything is lookin GOOD. J.Gower stock 3058

Re: if wally was'nt dead this woulda killed him
 

Jack -- I , just like you have been at this game a very long time and my first Indy was a couple of years after your 1972 stats -- where in the world did they come from? 336 entries in stock -- my memory is fading but I did take my meds this morning and I still can't remember a stock field ever being that large......maybe I should start thinking about taking some Aricept . Also , before you and your sons start burning your membership cards maybe waiting until the smoke clears might be prudent .........

PS-- Does anyone know for sure that the Sportsman Committee voted on the new Class Winner rule ?