Stick vs. Auto index

[SS Engine Guy]

Originally Posted by Jeff Lee

Since SS Engine Guy brought up money, tell us how much money Youngblood would have to spend to find the extra 40 HP needed to obtain that #1 qualifying position?

Gee I have no idea of how much money someone would have to spend in order to pick up 40 hp. in order to qualify the same in that senario. I guess it depends on how scienced out the car is and how long it has been thrashed. Somewhere between $40.00 and $40,000 in the engine compartment I'm guessing. Chassis would be a little higher. Might be something as simple as the brakes dragging.

[Jeff Lee]

OK, so throw the record runs out with the trash. But I really don't know how to compare performance with any substance. Be that as it may, it all boils down to not seeing one argument made that can support there being any difference in the comparative indexes; other than there are those wanting to protect their advantages. I'm not suggesting an advantage for one group over the other, and am not suggesting a rule change. Just simply suggesting equality.

[Mike Dahl]

We race based on elapsed times and the current records do not show an advantage to the stick cars. In fact, most Super Stock records favor the automatic.

As I see it, the largest advantage the automatic has is the ability to buy or build a proven combination that has been tested and enhanced by many, many more racers and engine builders. When you run a stick, you are almost alone on the island with regards to camshaft, clutch, and tire choices; and yes it's all different.

In short, more advances will be realized with a larger group testing and enhancing a combination. I hope there is no debate with this statement.

To be fair, maybe the stick could run faster than their automatic counterparts. Maybe not. We just need a larger test group to prove it. Until then, let's even them up and see where we are.

A final note... Sometimes an implied consensus is interpreted on these forums based on the volume of posts that support one side of a discussion or another. I would hope that the imbalance of stick vs. auto racers is taken into account.

Mike