Junior Stock vs IHRA Pure Stock

[X-TECH MAN]

Originally Posted by Dan Fahey

The reason being ..

I think IHRA has a marketing opportunity here.

With Stock being a Camshaft/Valve Trane away from being Super Stock.
The complaints have been rampant regarding the expense for gasoline, seats, roll bars, seat belts and even the helment requirements.

I remember post Junior Stock all the tracks had weekly Stock and Super Stock racing before Bracket Racing became the rage.

Think this is an opportunity to recruit the new bread of cars with Junior Stock of old. I know many of the cars are out there and serviceable enough to bring back to life.

Considering all the new aftermarket body parts available and the rise of restoration shops all over the nation.

Pure Stock a good class and renaming Junior Stock should bring benefits.
Yet still using the existing Pure Stocker rules.

Renaming it Junior Stock would revive the nostalgia for the class and bring the past and future together.

FWIW PS is a more fun class than Stock as your anore stressing the platforms as much.

How many Stockers today can you put back into Street Condition without a major overhaul?

But another advantage you can move a Stocker into Junior Stock using the less expensive Pure Stocker Valve Trane.

Tech Inspection would be less time consuming.

Except maybe the Camshaft requirement.
This could be solved by having the Cam Builders Certify their cams are Junior Stock Legal.

IHRA ..think about reviving Junior Stock !!

Think you will get a lot of converts..

Dan Fahey

LOL............Now that is funny ! Especially the less tech time consuming part. Most tech specs printed since 1990 do NOT even have duration and overlap cam specs along with valve spring pressures. Checking spring pressures is time consuming. Ed Wright and 442 Olds are correct. In time it will all be combined and I would NOT be surprised to see NHRA combine the two either. Stock is wilder than S/S was just 10 years ago and getting worse. You cannot go to a local drag strip and race stock, S/S or anything close unless the is a local circuit race anymore. Other than circuits, points races, opens, national events where can you go ? Racing every weekend and staying close to home was one of the attractions. With a good car and better driving you could become a local hero to car "Nuts" in your area. A decent purse vs expense was part of it and very important. Its become a game for those who love to spend money or forever be in debt. The car culture socity is almost non existant. Todays youth is into s**t boxes with a fart can mufflers. The Jr. stocks of yesterday and the rivalry between brands, the left and right coast, "Grumps Group" and the "Valley Boys" is old history. As much as I loved that era of drag racing and Jr. stockers Im afraid its gone for good. Things change and we cant go back. If im wrong I would start on mine today. Todays racing association (IHRA & NHRA) are concerned with putting on a circus act. They dont care about the little guys at all except for filler for the fuel cars and what they can get out of their pockets. The purse is lousy at best for what you put into you equipment. Travel has become a very expensive deal. How many can afford toter homes, 40 ft motor homes and stacker trailers these days plus have the room at most race tracks for all the support equipment. Does anyone go today and not have a golf cart to ride around in all day? Its all about "One upsmanship" and ego. Where have all the guys and gals gone that used to squeeze the last drop of performance from their car. Today is about changing the rules for a better advantage. Not working on your stuff. Even the factory has done it for you these days. Just look at the $100,000 plus so called stockers of today. 8 second "Stockers" with blowers.......makes me puke ! Its nice to dream but I wouldnt hold my breath for very long.

[danny waters sr]

Originally Posted by X-TECH MAN

LOL............Now that is funny ! Especially the less tech time consuming part. Most tech specs printed since 1990 do NOT even have duration and overlap cam specs along with valve spring pressures. Checking spring pressures is time consuming. Ed Wright and 442 Olds are correct. In time it will all be combined and I would be surprised to see NHRA combine the two. Stock is wilder than S/S was just 10 years ago and getting worse. You cannot go to a local drag strip and race stock, S/S or anything close unless the is a local circuit race anymore. Other than circuits, points races, opens, national events where can you go ? Racing every weekend and staying close to home was one of the attractions. A decent purse vs expense was part of it. The car culture socity is almost non existant. Todays youth is into s**t boxes with a fart can mufflers. The Jr. stocks of yesterday and the rivalry between brands, the left and right coast, "Grumps Group" and the "Valley Boys" is old history. As much as I loved that era and Jr. stockers Im afraid its gone for good. Things change and we cant go back. If im wromg I would start on mine today.

hey stranger , you coming to PRI next week ?

[Dan Fahey]

how do you delete this

[Dan Fahey]

X-man you said what you really felt in your last sentence and you are NOT ALONE !
I get and understand that sentiment.

I am not talking about a new Class.
Rename Pure Stock to Junior Stock and make some rule adjustments.

I do see brand competition coming back with GM, Ford and Chrysler..
Hell add BMW and Mercedes to the list of cars..
Should add the new ricers to compete since they are the new breed of cars.

New vs old vs Ricer vs American

The market is there already and add the history of barn hidden Junior Stockers will revive the lives of the cars.

Maybe NHRA will combine Stock and SS..

It is my opinion you will get a whole new breed of people into Junior Stock and bring back what we had.

Plus it would create a big upgrade market for those cars to compete and meet class rules.

Junior Stock was affordable and really competitive.
You had huge rivalries for each of the classes.

Just think we need to rethink some of the rules to make it work.
Plus you can drive your car to the track.

With all the nostalgia for Junior Stock I sense a movement to get back to Junior Stock racing !!

Just think you can use real street gas again !!

Dan

[Ed Wright]

Dan, I can tell you didn't race Jr Stock. Nothing cheap about it. My friggin pistons and rings cost (adjusted for inflation) as the stuff I use now in SS. They were not "pure stock" pistons. Money spent buying cylinder head castings for flow testing, since porting wasn't allowed (wink, wink) owning a rick of "cheater cams" to find the fastest, new valve springs every other race because the square lobe GK "cheater" cams kill stock (TRW lasted longer than GM's) valve springs in a heart beat. Cut & welded 3 speed cluster gears to get the ratios needed, etc, etc.
That, and we drove the tech guys nuts checking cams, policing heads, etc. Now, at least, only Stockers can lift is checked, right?
I don't see much Jr Stock & pure stock has that much in common, at least not my old Jr Stocker and the guys I raced. In my class I had Garley Daniels, Buddy Ingersol, Sonny Bryant, and the MPH record holders the Ronca Bros. (How the heck did they run that MPH??) nothing like pure stock. Certainly no picknic for the tech guys. Lmao

[danny waters sr]

Might as well accept it ................"Nothing is ever going to be like it was...." This may be the "quote of the year"
I feel really blessed to have grown up in the time that i did,, lots of good " memories " and was proud to be a part of it.....Just have to learn to go with the flow , like it or not....we do have a choice.... HAPPY THANKSGIVING to all......

[Billy Nees]

So Dan, instead of trying to re-invent the wheel why don't you just build a lower classed Stocker, call it a Jr Stocker and call it a day? I truly do believe that a car like my gold Nova IS a Jr Stocker. As a matter of fact, a famous husband and wife Jr Stock team borrowed it to do some nostalgia racing and are having a blast!
I remember being a kid and trying to figure out the whole Jr Stock thing and I can tell you that it wasn't easy or cheap and it was VERY time consuming.
What I'm getting at is if it looks like a Jr Stocker and sounds like a Jr Stocker, it's a Duck right?

[Ed Wright]

Smart thing to do (IMHO) would be build a car that can run either HRA. If one or the other folds up, or you have to move to another part of the country, you may not find enough tracks whete you can race if the other HRA doesn't have a class you fit.

[Dan Fahey]

Originally Posted by Billy Nees

So Dan, instead of trying to re-invent the wheel why don't you just build a lower classed Stocker, call it a Jr Stocker and call it a day? I truly do believe that a car like my gold Nova IS a Jr Stocker. As a matter of fact, a famous husband and wife Jr Stock team borrowed it to do some nostalgia racing and are having a blast!
I remember being a kid and trying to figure out the whole Jr Stock thing and I can tell you that it wasn't easy or cheap and it was VERY time consuming.
What I'm getting at is if it looks like a Jr Stocker and sounds like a Jr Stocker, it's a Duck right?

Billy, I have been running Stock since 19(and oh)72.
Started with a 64 Impala SS, then 68 GTO and then bought Bob LaSala 1969 Impala.
It is going though a full frame off restoration actually 3rd rebuild.
Been picking Bob Benders mind on what he has done to his ride.

Actually won Stock at Commerce in 1980 and NHRA Points Meet at Moroso in 1983 then had to leave travel racing for while.

In the meantime running PS with the 95 Impala SS.
Been racing as a Bolt On Racer with ECIRS for 10+ years.

The engine had 190K miles, been 13.30's so it was a natural fit for PS.
Had Jeff Warren build a Legal engine, cars was aleady class legal.

Things like a divorce, new jobs, new wife and kid and starting an IT Business sort of slowed things up.

Being a business guy always thinking about business, marketing, ideas.
Example, I played soccer in Central Florida, when I moved back to South Florida I could not find or start a team.
I did play pick up games with ABB, Motorola, Bendix and Racal Milgo.
So I started a Corporate Soccer league for them that is going strong today.

My idea was basically changing the name Pure Stock to Junior Stock.
Pure Stock in Roundy racing has their concept and image,
Junior Stock has a different but meaningful image for drag racing.

Then there is the complaining about the cost of Stock.
Especially the rule you have to use the track fuel.
Already got a few rules changed at NHRA and IHRA.

For example if IHRA would allow integrated Electric Water Pumps more Stockers could naturally move to Pure Stock err Junior Stock .

Dan