The Importance of Class Runoffs

[Bobby Fazio]

In order to grow the class racing brand, the performance muscle-car show, one that performs on stock components, who else thinks we need to showcase class eliminations in front of a crowd? Heads-up, performance based, easy to understand, no dials/breakouts, just wheelies and first to the finish. The Thursday format at Maple Grove is not conducive to what we are trying to accomplish here. As recent as 2015 we always ran class on Friday at Etown and Maple Grove. We need eyes on us, then we have an angle/pitch to attract sponsors and increase contingency participation. We have a handful paying class contingency now and we are headed back in the right direction there but NHRA should give them their monies worth! We have to show NHRA that there is a rather large interest in watching our classes that they may not have known about years prior. I do think they are starting to notice as they are interviewing Stockers regularly on the starting line and posting way more videos. What say you?

[Rory McNeil]

Absolutely, I am one of the few that leaves the stands when the Stock and Super Stockers are done with their session, and the Nitro cars start running! Since I mostly lived on the West Coast of Canada most of my life, until recently, I was only able to watch Class Eliminations a few times, at Pomona, Sonoma , Vegas, or Gainesville, the closest of which was over 1000 miles each way. In 1994, when I went to Gainesville, there were over 128 cars in each category, it was fantastic.

[Glenn Briglio]

I'm sure this will go over like a lead balloon. Run the eliminator on Friday and Saturday. Run class eliminations on Sunday. What day is your biggest audience. Like I said lead balloon. Lol

[RonB]

Considering the overwhelming response to the heads-up A/SA race, Gray vs Shaul, may I suggest that at least some upper-class runoffs be included on final elimination day - even replacing the stock eliminator finals would be OK with me. Fans want to see heads-up races as it is exciting and simple to understand. Heads-up racing is the avenue for growth in Sportsman racing.

Ron B.

[rk3800]

CLASS, CLASS, CLASS is what it is about anyway. We are not a bunch of Bracket Racers, although many guys running class are. Nothing wrong with that because they increase the fields and that's good, they really don't care anything about class. Most class racers are older guys who grew up in the performance car era and can relate to a 428 Mustang competing with a 427 Biscayne or a Road Runner. I thought those days were gone forever, wrong, I now own a Dodge Hellcat and the performance is incredible, the ride and handling are amazing and lot's of fun to drive.

[rboyle]

ABSOLUTELY! Class runoffs and heads ups are why most of us chose these classes. If not we could just run brackets on weekends or one of the Super categories.

Indy for me is as "old school balls out heads up cool" as it gets. Every car is pushed up to the starting line, ice bags and dry ice and hoods popping open and shut all over the staging lanes as every racer tries to squeeze a few more thousandths of a second out of their car. Trying to become the Class legend by running fast or winning class or Qualifying in the top half of the field or just making the field. It is like Grumpy & Dick Landy spreading the gold dust rosin and doing dry hops. It's the coolest thing you ever seen.

That is why many of us run the class. I for one may never be able to run a true heads up class like Comp or Pro Stock or something but for one fleeting moment at any time during eliminations at any given race I may be able to pretend to be one of the "Big Dogs". It's what we all aspired to be when we first pulled up to a Stop light in our beater street cars with a new license in our wallet and a guy in the car next to us inched up and gave the nod.

Keep heads ups, class eliminations, and promote them NHRA!

[Mike Pearson]

There is no good answer for the class run offs. With the quota being so low at most national events there is only a few classes that have class runs. Everyone else ends up in the combos. Seems NHRA has decided that top dragster and top sportsman should run in the time slot that we would like to be in. over the past 20-30 years NHRA has added many different eliminator groups that were not part of NHRA. maybe there could be a rotation in the schedule at different events.

Super Gas, Super Comp and at some nationals Super street
Top Sportsman and top dragster
Pro Mod
Mountain Motor pro stock

Adding these groups has watered down the classes and taken time away that was once used for class eliminations.

As many of you know the class eliminations at the Gatornationals has been moved to the divisional race the weekend before the Gators. Not really a bad thing as there are more cars at the baby gators than the national.

[Larry Hill]

I want to run against the fast guys heads up.

[jmcarter]

Mike is right, the current quotas have largely made it a combo deal which removes the thrill of having heads up runs. Granted, combos are competition and we’re all competitive (with the possible exception of 5 who’ve taken the poll) so Indy and the Baby Gators (plus possibly a very few others) are the only places that feature “true” class competition. I’m not sure the Nitro junkies who attend on Friday would understand a combo run any more than they do the .90 classes but any exposure is better than what we’re getting currently.

[Bobby Fazio]

As much as I hate combos and have never stood a chance in them, they are easy to understand for the novice spectator because there is no breakout. They can actually be kind of fun to watch at that point.