I need to vent !!!

[Crew Chief]

So you do the research and decide to build a stocker. You work hard getting your combo perfected and even set the class record. Your bigger goal is to win your class at Indy.

You show up at Indy ready for heads up competition but through no fault of your own you find you are the only one in your class. It seems that since you are so fast in your class no one wants to even try running you. While everyone else is racing heads up for their class win, you have to run in a "fartherest under the index eliminator" for your shot at a wally.

In class eliminations you come up against a pickup truck that is so underfactored it can run a few seconds under the index. You try your best in the combo class runoff but there is no way you can catch that pickup truck. Even though you are the fastest in the country in your class, the pickup truck in a much lower class gets the glory of winning the wally.

Try explaining that to the friends and family back home who have watched you toil night after night out in the garage on your racecar. Thanks a lot NHRA.

[7423]

Originally Posted by Crew Chief

Try explaining that to the friends and family back home who have watched you toil night after night out in the garage on your racecar. Thanks a lot NHRA.

And your friends and family respond to this by sayin, " You should be racing a pick up truck".

[The Hawk]

I`m surprised how many people are so upset about this pickup deal. I`d like to think it`s a way for some to get into Stock Eliminator in a little less expensive manner. Would it be less offensive if it was a front wheel drive car with a turbo? Pretty funny I think.

[Mark Yacavone]

Originally Posted by The Hawk

I`m surprised how many people are so upset about this pickup deal. I`d like to think it`s a way for some to get into Stock Eliminator in a little less expensive manner. Would it be less offensive if it was a front wheel drive car with a turbo? Pretty funny I think.

Lane, there will always be oddball combos. and guys who search for them.
Guys who do ,deserve credit for taking a chance by researching and perfecting those cars.
This 350/4bbl deal is a whole other story...There are 305 4 bbls that are rated over a 100 hp higher..
This is gross incompetence and ineptitude on NHRA's part. Believe me, they were not trying to increase participation with a budget combo...Since when did they ever care about that?
Meanwhile, they let a few token 50's cars back in, and then hammer them so hard with HP, they can barely run the index.
You guy should expect more for your money (notice I didn't say OUR money).

Sorry for going o/t , Louie...You are 100% correct, and still the man!

[The Hawk]

Originally Posted by Mark Yacavone

Lane, there will always be oddball combos. and guys who search for them.
Guys who do ,deserve credit for taking a chance by researching and perfecting those cars.
This 350/4bbl deal is a whole other story...There are 305 4 bbls that are rated over a 100 hp higher..
This is gross incompetence and ineptitude on NHRA's part. Believe me, they were not trying to increase participation with a budget combo...Since when did they ever care about that?
Meanwhile, they let a few token 50's cars back in, and then hammer them so hard with HP, they can barely run the index.
You guy should expect more for your money (notice I didn't say OUR money).

Sorry for going o/t , Louie...You are 100% correct, and still the man!

I understand Mark. I realize the truck`s way underfactored,but let`s just look at it as a "budget" Cobra Jet,Drag Pak or COPO Camaro that car be put together for about $100,000 less and could possibly out qualify them.

[rseibenick]

Hope NHRA would at least consider this ,if they want to make more $ and have more cars attend , at least at the National events that have class Stock or Super Stock. How many more cars , would show up if they knew they had a chance to win a Wally and get their picture in the National Dragster for a class win, even if they they are the only odd ball combo car in the class. Will not cost the manufactures anything , unless you opt. to run the combo for the contingincy money , and win it. Again , would only cost NHRA a Wally. You still would have to qualify for the eliminator , like it is now. May work ? How about it NHRA?

[tommy d]

Originally Posted by louie conkey

I know I said "no more National Events" & I'm entered for Indy. (An old habit)
I seldom post on this forum, but I'm breaking down tonight & adding a few comments:
I pay my NHRA fees to be a "Class Racer". NHRA now presents a racer who is the single competitor in a class represented at a national event with a combo race, which includes all these single cars. We pay to run a national event "class race", not a "combo" winner-take-all bracket race. The single trophy is an insult to the car owners/drivers who have researched, developed & campaigned their unique combinations.
Due to my feelings on this matter, I will have a petition with me at Indy to present to NHRA. If you agree, please find me there or I'll find you to sign my petition.
The Class Racer traditions in NHRA is long standing and of historical importance to the traditions of this racing body. I think we have let NHRA do this to us and I'm not happy about any of this.
Of course, mentioning what I'm not hapy about open a few cans of worms. Consider the mandatory subscription to "National Dragster" to be spoon fed a constant diet of the John Force & Don Schumacher's boys & girls. And consider that we pay an ever increasing fee for insurance coverage we have never seen in policy form and probably have never used or needed....
I know most of this has been said before, but I feel better now.
SEE YOU AT INDY, PROBABLY IN "TEAR DOWN"... LEW

Sorry, but the "tear down" comment......thats funny! More like I'm nervous for ya" but still funny!

[tj310]

How many of the inspectors at Indy are volunteers ? ---Trevor

[Evan Smith]

Lew makes a valid point, but I will respectfully disagree. I have singled for Class a few times and the trophy means nothing to me. I would rather race someone and lose than single for a trophy.

I've gone home with those and my friends ask "how many cars did you beat" and when i say i singled they look at me like I'm crazy. That ain't racing! The few bucks you get now for a class win is virtually irrelevant as well. I agree it is not the racer's fault for showing up and having no one to race, but you should have to actually race someone to be considered a winner. There is something to be said for tradition as well, but I suppose in these economic times that NHRA doesn't want to hand out dozens of trophies over the course of the year to "singles."

Whether the combo race is the right thing to do or not is not my decision, but it is still racing.

Evan

[D.Johns]

Originally Posted by Evan Smith

Lew makes a valid point, but I will respectfully disagree. I have singled for Class a few times and the trophy means nothing to me. I would rather race someone and lose than single for a trophy.

I've gone home with those and my friends ask "how many cars did you beat" and when i say i singled they look at me like I'm crazy. That ain't racing! The few bucks you get now for a class win is virtually irrelevant as well. I agree it is not the racer's fault for showing up and having no one to race, but you should have to actually race someone to be considered a winner. There is something to be said for tradition as well, but I suppose in these economic times that NHRA doesn't want to hand out dozens of trophies over the course of the year to "singles."

Whether the combo race is the right thing to do or not is not my decision, but it is still racing.

Evan

This is my sentiments. Getting a Wally without actually racing someone is a hollow victory and not to exciting to tell the kids and friends about.

Just win the whole thing and problem solved on getting a trophy