Stock Eliminator,,,Boon or Bane?

[Billy Nees]

Originally Posted by Mark Yacavone

What will the next five years see ?
Curious about your thoughts...

Ya know, that's hard to say because NHRA has forgotten it's roots. There are no more "entry-level" classes or eliminators. When I first started this addiction Stock and Jr. Stock were the "entry-level" classes. Then came the local Bracket programs and then the .90 classes particularly S/ST.
Fast-forward to today and the average person trying to get started in any of these types of racing can't afford to build or buy a car. Stock isn't even remotely close to "stock" with apparently legal ported "stock" intakes and heads and aftermarket heads not to mention the Factory Stock stuff. The local Bracket programs are withering away because the average Racers aren't going to spend (or can't afford to spend) what it takes to keep up with the "Pro Bracket" Racers. S/ST was NHRA's last (NHRA proclaimed) "entry-level" class when the Racers could only run one class if it was S/ST. Now S/ST Racers can run 2 eliminators and we have 160 MPH S/ST cars. Entry level. An "entry-level", young up-and-coming Racer is only going to lose for just so long before he gives up or quits.