top 3 things i miss the most about stock

[Frank Castros]

I too miss the old days. I wish NHRA never changed the cam rule which in my opinion changed everything. But, I envy everyone of you that stills races today. I sold my race car 15 years ago for all the right reasons and I have regretted it everyday since.
Guys, enjoy it while you can!

[Robert Swartz]

Originally Posted by Frank Castros

I too miss the old days. I wish NHRA never changed the cam rule which in my opinion changed everything. But, I envy everyone of you that stills races today. I sold my race car 15 years ago for all the right reasons and I have regretted it everyday since.
Guys, enjoy it while you can!

As someone hoping to return to racing. I've found this thread to be quite interesting. I cut my teeth cut as a pup on stock eliminator. The guys that took me under their wing were a couple of the hardest working guys I've ever had the priviledge to know, Toby and Kenny Meek. They worked their collective as@%$ off to earn their stripes. It paid off with quite a few class wins and a handful of national records in both NHRA and IHRA in the 70's. Back then the national record WAS your standard. Any car able to run under the record was a car to reckoned with. Teardown at a national or divisional was something you expected and dealt with. It wasn't a pleasent thing to be bounced from tech.

Looking back in reflection. Their car wasn't that trick. Back then, you could still build a car from junkyard parts. It's a lot more difficult today. 90% of what I've ammassed(sic?) for my 79 Firebird IHRA car has been swap meet "junk" and other peoples castoffs. As well as pieces I've acquired over the internet forums (both here and on RJ). With everything I keep reading, I wonder IF it's going to be worth building this car. Yes it is an IHRA crate motor car, which that seems to be looked down upon by many on the forum. A), I can afford, at least think I can, to build it, B) once I get the ball rolling, it will take less time to get it to the track.

I'll admit racing was always a lot of hard work and cost a tremendous amount of money. In fact not too very long ago, Toby Meek asked my wife, WHY is Bob building another race car after 20 years? Doesn't he remember how expensive it was? The thing is, racing was fun.

Maybe I should have my head examined. The cost factor started making it less fun back then. Not just the cost of a car but tow rigs added to the cost. I remember when a crew cab pickup was the thing (late 1970's), then the enclosed trailers came into vogue (1980's). When we were bracket racing in the late 80's, most people had more in their tow rigs than I had in my whole operation. Now I go to the track, I see motorhomes and semi's, LOL! If I were blessed with that kind of cash, I could have a killer operation.

I too remember when cars were driven to the track. I won a couple of class trophies with my 74 Pinto. Through the muffler, Crager SS wheels with street tires. Trickest thing about that car was the tuneup. Even back then at the local track, you had to race 3-4 rounds just to get into the eliminator. I even remember when it wasn't unusual to see steel wheels on SS and MP cars.

It isn't the 1970's anymore or even the 1980's for that matter. I have realised, one axiom is still true about racing, "it still hasn't gotten any cheaper"!

Not certain I've added anything to the thread but guess I've had my vent for the day. I feel I understand where Jack is coming from.

[FINESPLINE]

Originally Posted by frank castros

i too miss the old days. I wish nhra never changed the cam rule which in my opinion changed everything. But, i envy everyone of you that stills races today. I sold my race car 15 years ago for all the right reasons and i have regretted it everyday since.
Guys, enjoy it while you can!

Thank you Frank-----it opened up Pandora's box.