The Future Of Stock

[rick winchester]

Already done,its called Pro ET.

I like combining sticks and auto's. Maybe 1 pound weight breaks. Not sure about the crate motors. Not sure about GT stock.

The guys for the crate motors think it will be cheaper are in for a rude awaking. Guys will spend money on crates and the guys racing engines as purchased will be complaining about money and cheating. What ever happens to stock will happen.

With the top brass running the ship a ground and taking as much money as they can before it happens this sport is not long for extinction. Like some of the guys I work with, all they are worried about is retirement and nothing after.

[HR9121]

^^^^^^^ What Todd said and maybe move the Factory Shootout cars to Comp.

[David Lee]

i have no problem with any of his suggestions. I would actually add a pure stock section.

[House of Darts]

Stock Eliminator keeps changing. Cars go faster. Cars get more expensive. Costs more money to race with little payback.Turn S SS to NMCA? NHRA with higher round payouts and or car win payouts? More contingencies with cash not merchandise? New President and maybe some help.... You can declare yourself as a gambler and deduct you losses. This is an actual federal law. Change the tax code to allow racers, must race X amount of races per year to qualify, and the racer get to deduct from gross income 50% of their yearly race expenditures. Low payouts, contingencies, etc are problems of the past. With SEMA figures, the auto racing industries contribute big dollars to the economy. Now, massage the rules to allow substitution of parts and you have opened the door to new blood. Clear up the crazy rules. One day tech and qualifying. One day eliminations. Many problems solved.

[brent flynn]

GT Stock would be ok, as long as it would allow me to run my 400/327 combo in my '62 Catalina... I'd be all about that...

[Ed Carpenter]

Quotas are down to what 60 cars per event now. Why do anything you won't be able to get into a race anyway. I thought when Clifford came in he was going to do all this great stuff for the sportsman? He hasn't done anything. Hell we don't even have to tech before going down the track. Who would have thought that would ever happen?

[ALMACK]

I would think that GT/Stock would be the last final desperate step to take if Stock gets to the point that a 64 car field cannot be met on a regular basis at national events. Not a problem right now, but I would say GT/STK might be something to look into 5 years from now.

The immediate problem I see right now are the OBD II cars (1996 and newer) listed in the NHRA Classification guide. There are a bunch of 1996 and newer cars in great condition for sale ( at a very reasonable price) that would make great Stock Eliminator entries if the factored horsepower was not so high. Racers are afraid to build these newer cars because they do not feel they will be competitive. So, they do not get built.
Plus, the build cost is much less than a 60'-70's car which are increasingly hard to find at a decent price.

I did some research last year and found that not one single 1996 and newer Ford ( traditional Stocker) entry was given horsepower in the last 13 years. So it's not like racers are building new "traditional" Stockers right now and are going out blasting their index.

Solution:___If NHRA would give all 1996 and newer models currently listed in the classification guide (that have not ran at least 1 tenth under index ) a 15-20 % reduction on the factored h.p. then that would attract more racers that are fans of these late model vehicles to get out there and build a newer model Stocker.

That's the area that needs attention, IMO

[Billy Nees]

Originally Posted by ALMACK

Solution:___If NHRA would give all 1996 and newer models currently listed in the classification guide (that have not ran at least 1 tenth under index ) a 15-20 % reduction on the factored h.p. then that would attract more racers that are fans of these late model vehicles to get out there and build a newer model Stocker.

Good luck with that! That would have fallen under the "Obsolete Combo Rule" that Yac, Dwight and I tried shopping to NHRA a couple of years ago.
I'm beginning to think that the NHRA would rather just run ET-2. They don't need any knowledgeable personnel to run it.

[Dave Gantz]

Originally Posted by Billy Nees

I'm beginning to think that the NHRA would rather just run ET-2. They don't need any knowledgeable personnel to run it.

That's been my opinion for a while now. If the new regime feels they are running a business (not a "club" catering to it's members, providing detailed tech for just about any combo), why would anyone running a business want to deal with the intricacies of the current, aging, soon to be obsolete "antiques" that are now being run?
They're probably trying to find a way to kill Stock and replace it with a bracket of some kind without pissing off too many people and losing the participation, i.e. money.
I've loved Stock since I was a kid (I'm 58), but I can understand when something has outlived it's usefulness.

Edit: I was a partner on a car for 3 years in the 90's. I wouldn't get involved again, the way things have devolved.