S/SS - Lower the index -0.50 & run Pro ladder

[Troy Henderson]

I nice stepping stone would be to run qualifying off our index. It doesn't hurt anyone but brings a little more performance back to the classes.

[randy wilson]

we can only run ..9 under and still think running off of a real index would be more exciting and real to the fans. the local dirt track boys do not dial in and they have way bigger crows than local dragstrips. bracket racing is not racing, it is consistency driving.

[randy wilson]

we can only run ..9 under and still think running off of a real index would be more exciting and real to the fans. the local dirt track boys do not dial in and they have way bigger crowds than local dragstrips. bracket racing is not racing, it is consistency driving.

[Ed Fernandez]

Originally Posted by randy wilson

we can only run ..9 under and still think running off of a real index would be more exciting and real to the fans. the local dirt track boys do not dial in and they have way bigger crowds than local dragstrips. bracket racing is not racing, it is consistency driving.

If the format changed to running off the index how many 1st rd. losses because you're only .90 under would it take to convince you to stop beating your head against the wall and going to surrender?

Ed F.

[Ed Wright]

Originally Posted by Troy Henderson

I nice stepping stone would be to run qualifying off our index. It doesn't hurt anyone but brings a little more performance back to the classes.

If you mean handicap qualifying runs off the indexes, we do that at Div 4 points races right now. It is fun, and interesting.

I would be for dropping the Super Stock indexes 1/2 second. Have no opinion on Stock. 1.05 under is the best I have been so far, but would still be in favor of it.

I would also be in favor of the higher qualifier getting lane choice instead of a coin flip.

It doesn't always cost money to go faster, much of it comes testing and working on the car more.

[Troy Henderson]

Originally Posted by Ed Wright

If you mean handicap qualifying runs off the indexes, we do that at Div 4 points races right now. It is fun, and interesting.

Yes!

[randy wilson]

if i knew fastest car won i would not quit, i would cocentrate on trying to go faster. and no we do not run as much as you guys on the national and divisional level. but once a year we go to one. set one record in nhra in 03 at ohio valley in ss/cs, but we run local at bethany mo.in a spec head class. if you think that is easy come over and try it. we have been 6.28 at 10.5 pounds and we are behind in performance to a car at 11.5 that has been 6.37. try that with an untouched brodix spec head on a 276. our web site is www.headsup-racing . com. we have bigger crowds than any local track usually.

[art leong]

Lowering the index's would be a great Idea. In a perfect world, Where nhra would uphold rules that are already in place, and not be wishy-washy. as soon as someone seeks legal advice.
But it's not a perfect world. And the index's are the only thing that separates the "mega racer" from the little guy.
For all you guys that hate the breakout so much. There is a partial solution. Build a car that fits in a large (heavily contested) class. This way the odds of a heads up run are much greater.
I have raced back when it was go fast. And liked every minute of it. But back then I truly believed that nhra was watching out for the little guy (back then maybe they were?). WE won some races lost a lot, Worked hard and gained a great amout of knowlege
With go fast racing in the present day. Somewill always "outspend" you or find a car on paper that will be able to give a bunch away at the starting line and get to the stripe first.
At the Class Nationals in Rockford Il. a few years back I had a bad plug wire. Ran on 3 cylinders. Still ran better than a second under. Got back home fixed the problem and ran better than 2 under spinning the tires. I'm not blowing my own horn because I'm sure others out there could have done what I did and maybe even quicker.
The breakout is necessary and without it the sport would be dead in 2 years.

[Ed Wright]

Originally Posted by art leong

For all you guys that hate the breakout so much. There is a partial solution. Build a car that fits in a large (heavily contested) class. This way the odds of a heads up run are much greater.

The breakout is necessary and without it the sport would be dead in 2 years.

I'm in SS/JA, several in Div 4, where there are several fast ones, so I do have heads-up races. Love them, which ever way it turns out. GT/AA is another very popular class, there are others.

Dropping the SS indexes (I don't mean stock, I don't have a dog in that fight.) won't do away with break outs. Might stop some stockers from coming over and running way under. That alone shows the indexes are too soft to be meaningful. Those guys might be the biggest objectors about lowering the SS indexes, not being competitive in another eliminator. If one could still run under the SS index with them dropped 1/2 second, more power to them. The only reason for an SS car not being able to run more than 1/2 under would be wrong car, sombody doesn't know enough, or ain't tryin hard enough. Probably the latter.

[Dick Butler]

Moving the index .5 does not affect anything except the "appearance". It looks so common to run 1.0 under now that some are tired of it. There are not many who are not .5 or more under so it would not affect much.
Having Big classes like AH, GT/AA B/SA etc MAKES class racing important. Having fewer classes would condense the OTHER cars into bigger classes also. Then MORE racers, spectators and ...... could have the fun of the heads up part of S and SS. Everyone could still have the Bracket Mode eliminator to run on Sunday or at points meets but INDY and Nationals in general could become more competitive for the group that asks for Heads up racing to be more frequent.
Fewer classes does NOT affect cost to race, distance to the track or limit new racers. Everyone can still make eliminations at a Nationals by making the Qualifying list...Even the first year car. A lot of class losers ran elimination on Sunday at Indy I believe.