Lets Root Cause the Detriment of Class Racing

[Mike Volkman]

Pozzi brought up a good point in the AHFS thread that I believe needs expanded on. What are the root causes of why class racing is the way it is now verses 12+ years ago. Just brainstorming so don't shoot the messenger. Just reporting the facts as I see them and are echoed by many of those who were there. Also, is there any of these we can counter or ask NHRA to remove?

Would also like to say that having spoken to Lonnie and Ned, they both want to bring it back to racing as we know it but their hands are tied because 1) they aren't stk/ss guys - never claimed to be - and try to react to what he racers want or were told they want. They also know they need a stk/ss experienced person/people who know what's really happening and can read between the lines. It be no different if they threw me in super comp. Would take time to figure it out and then multiply that by all the classes and their agendas who believe they are most important. Tough job for anyone.

No particular order and a * indicates that there was probably a class racer pushing his agenda in the background. Feel free to add.

1. Bruce retired
2. No one with stk/ss experience who is willing to make the sacrifice so we can play. Try finding someone.
3. *Aftermarket heads, cranks, valves, etc. Some was needed, many not. Needed someone in NHRA to call BS.
4. NHRA people not being consistent in application of the rules. Some divisions allow, some don't.
5.No weight stickers so we can police our own.
6. *The alphabet cars - reminds me of IHRA at the close. What class is he or she in? Use to be class was identified by specific size decal on windows, before it went thru tech.
7. Changing class after tech card was turned in. I saw a racer jump on his scooter in the lanes and had his class changed because of the fast guy in it.
8. Bracket racers coming into class racing and wanting to change the rules to fit their needs. Just saying. We love you, want you and want you to try not to change what has worked for years.
9. *SRAC - members with their own agendas rather than trying to be impartial and what is good for the sport.
10.*Removing shipping weights and only allowing GT car to move 250 pounds from it. More hiding places, less heads up.
11. *Allowing Traditional SS vehicles to run GT when equipped with engine that came in the car.
12. *Bob Dennis - Get well Bob - No slam on Bob. Good guy that we named process after. Claiming a different combo because of a .001 difference in head gasket. Use to be you would claim the best package from what yr/model you had. Use to be basically 4 - 318 combos in SS - now over10.
13. Limited tech and tear down - lots of reasons for this
14. *AHFS - not going down this road
15. NHRA's inability to recognize a "soft" combo and gently, gently, gently bring it back into line.
16. *Stock with SS heads and cranks
17. SS - Separating FWD to RWD GT hp factors/ratings.

I'm sure there are more. Tired of typing. Feel free to add. And lastly, the disclaimer - Thread is not personal to any racer, friend, official, etc. I'm more interested in seeing what we can suggest to be changed.

[GUMP]

Mike,

Lots of good points.

I think that one of the biggest issues we face is that there isn't a lot of incentive to go fast (I am still after one of your hats). The points chase would be better if class wins, qualifying, and records had bonus points.

I agree that there are now way to many ways to dodge a heads-up run

[Frank Castros]

Has Lonnie Grimm made a positive difference?

[Frank Castros]

It's so complicated;
New age Electronics
Aftermarket Parts
AHFS mess
Bastardized Rule Book
Not enough Tech people to enforce it
SRAC effectiveness

Who has the answers?

Farmer, Cloy, Greg X and others are gone and can't be replaced.

What a ****ing **** show.

[Frank Castros]

Who was the National Tech Director 1985 to 1995?

[Robbie Draughon]

I say do away with half pound classes. Make them a whole pound to move classes. Then you do away with half the classes. No where to run from a heads up. Run sticks and autos together also.

[MR DERBY CITY]

First off, I would like to commend the Volkman family for their generous postings for number one qualifier in both stk/ss in D 2. Unfortunately, WE are never going to REPAIR stock and super stock racing. Too many classes, too many agendas, and getting the racers to AGREE on anything would be like….like herding CATS….Its not going to happen. Decades ago my close friend Charles Norton wrote a summary detailing the inevitable demise of stock/super stock racing. At the time, his diatribe was quite alarming. Many racers dismissed his doom and gloom report. Now, fast forward years later ….. I think Charles pretty much nailed it…..Like everything in life, ENJOY it while it’s here. NOTHING lasts forever …..

[ken robinson]

Just my opinion the 3 tenth hit to the indexes in 2009 , and the mineshaft safety net was the 2 big changes that I saw .

[Mark Yacavone]

Originally Posted by ken robinson

Just my opinion the 3 tenth hit to the indexes in 2009 , and the mineshaft safety net was the 2 big changes that I saw .

How so? Please elaborate.

[ken robinson]

In 2008 I forget how fast you needed to go to get HP. But if you could go 1.20 under in 2009 than you would have been 1.50 under in 2008. Just saying . And after the 3 tenth hit it seamed to kill the car count . The mineshaft rule and the 3 tenth hit just seamed like a way out , to not to give out HP to me at least .