I'm an outsider, with no dog in the hunt.
I know this post will draw darts, arrows, grenades, & maybe even bombs.
BUT, after reading about how many of you guys gripe & complain when another car in your class gets any help from NHRA, it appears to me that the easiest solution, & what would be MOST fair for all racers, in any particular class, is to do away with heads-up runs, during eliminations.
For those with the quickest cars in a class, there could still be class run-offs at some races, for the classes which had enuff guys who wanted to run for a class win.
It has to be so disappointing, for a guy who has already spent more than he should have, just to get his car safely under his index, only to spend all the money to get to & enter a race, then get put out in a early round, by a same class car, that is quicker than him. It's great for the quicker car. He basically gets a bye & a free time trial. Don't even have to try for a real good light.
I know some will say this makes it more like bracket racing, and they've already done that. But heads-up racing favors the guys who have more money to spend. And these guys will always gripe when some NHRA action reduces their chance of an easy heads-up win.
So, as mentioned, if you guys REALLY want more Stock entries, doing away with heads-up runs during elims, MIGHT be one way to get some new entries. Brent Flynn always come to my mind. He was running bracket, but built a low budget stocker engine & ran it some. But at the larger div races he wouldn't have much of a chance in a heads-up run, since there are usually some quick cars in C/SA thru F/SA. But, IF there were no heads-up races during elims, Brent would have a good shot at a win, even if he had a round against a same class car.
I suppose this might be a deal where the "haves" are on one side & the "have nots" are on the other.
Again, I have no dog in the hunt. But, I'm interested in this discussion, among you guys who do.
