When I got started in stock in 2007, I had the car already, but still could build another one today very inexpensive. I had a 99 Camaro. I literally bought a long block LS1 from my work ( GM dealership) for $1700.00 bucks. Brought it home and called Bullet for a $375.00 camshaft and a set of springs (can't remember how much the springs were) put in in and ran it. Went 10.70's at 123 In C/S. It doesn't get much cheaper than that. The next year I pulled the heads gave them to Dave Layer, and said do your thing. He said what valves do you want to run? I said the ones that are in there, lol he looked at me and said Okay lol. That was $1700.00 bucks for his valve job. Took the car back to the track and went 10.48 at 127.90. .87 under in bracket mode. My point is it didn't cost me much to run and get started in stock at all ! I had less than $4500 bucks in the complete engine t/b to pan. So kids could go buy a junk yard 5.7 etc and camshaft and run 50- 60 under for way cheap ! Then work on it year after year gaining a little here and there and learning along the way. The class just needs to be advertised more I think. These big money class races are really cool and I hope they start getting bigger and bigger. Once you explain stock/super stock to people which can be difficult lol. They are like wait, you ran what with THAT how, LOL!
I work with a lot of guys that run the 5.3 turbo deal and when I tell them my stocker can run high 5's at what we have to use and weigh in the 1/8th there eyes get real big lol!
And once you get hooked into stock its over lol There is nothing like it IMO!!
And as far as the enhancements, new classes , and cars going faster and faster I think Stock eliminator is the best its ever been right now , just walk through the staging lanes sometime ,but I'm also only 49 years old