new indexes

[Michael Beard]

Great post, Myron.

Buff Daddy writes: >> It helps bring back some performance to two eliminators that were founded as "performance based".

How's that? So a -1.20 under car is a -1.00 under car, and a .60 under car is a .40 under car. It's all relative, like a barometer. The net effect is nothing except telling a scant few to spend more money or go home. True, there's not many, but it's some, and some of those go on to become the future of our sport. Hopefully you have not forgotten where you came from.

I got started in Stock with what I could afford, and was fairly competitive with the Turismo. Sometimes it was an index runner. I spent money on it, and eventually ran -.45 under. So... now it would be a -.25 under car. It's exactly as much "performance" as it was before. I say again, what has been accomplished? I've got a $20,000 Stocker like everybody else now. Yippee. It's not because of indexes, it's because I wanted to have something that I liked, and felt competitive in. They took .20 or .25 off the CM indexes a few years ago. It didn't make the categories any more "performance". All it did was make one guy change to another combination.

If I take my girlfriend's Cobalt out to a points race, and run under the index, will they lower the indexes another .20 because someone didn't spend enough money to satisfy the country club members? (Then again, it's an $18,000 car, too, right?) LOL

The only way to truly bring "performance" into the equation is to lower the indexes to where half the field or more can't run the indexes, make them so nobody can run them so you end up with Comp-style racing, or do something to raise the likelihood of heads-up runs. But no, people clam right up. They only want to set the indexes and AHFS triggers just outside of what *they* run.

Just my opinion,

[SS Engine Guy]

I thought this was already a done deal as far as Len's post a few weeks ago concerning changes to expect in 08'. Apparantly so did some others as I lost some work to be done and today they are calling asking to hold a place for them until something is decided. This the kind of BS that is keeping this S/SS class in a constant mess. First off the voting is BS. 3 choices and both concern an index reduction, the other just leave the mess the way it is. How about a 4th? Install a panel to review performances based on et. vs mph. And add or subtract HP accordingly. Too simple and far too accurate. Also what about this spec button deal? My trans guy says that "some" racers already know what will be allowed and have transmissions already done and are already using one of the "buttons" that will be legal.
I agree with those who think that lowering the indexes dosen't change a thing. It dosen't. Simple math. Yes WAY too many things have been "allowed" which should have gotten the offending racers time off but instead it was revised to a rule change. A rule change which resulted in a performance gain and more money to spend to keep up. More BS and a lack of sanctioning bodies inforcing their OWN rules and a lack of letting the tech guys do their job.
Several have expressed that these are performance based classes. They used to be. But that was when the average racer built most of his own stuff and was mechanically inclined. And you went thru a stringent tech inspection at every race. Also most of the time the winner and ru pulled a head in the early morning hours. Like it or not that is the way S/SS started out.
AHFS will NEVER work until every run down the track counts. And even then it still needs the human element to be even close to accurate.
Like I have said before, 50% car 50% driver/crew. Run off the index (or record) on a pro tree. Strict rule interpretation and enforcement. Grey area? Shouldn't be one if the rule book wasn't written like a legal document with loopholes to use as the situation arises. Or just factor from a performance base and leave things like they are. Its is already on the computer. Simple?
As for the rule change or interpretation of the month: Total worthless BS. plain and simple.


Why can't we get information in a timely manner? This is the time of year that racers are finishing up their seasons and planning stratagies/and or combos for the coming year. It would be nice to know what kind of button will be legal in SS for 08'. It has apparantly been voted on or opinions solicited. How long is this going to take? Feb. 08'? That has been the norm for the past few years.

[Jeff Lee]

Arizona Nationals: 1987 (Presently the CSK Nationals). Stock R/U: Joe Elias. Index:12.95K/SA - '77 Aspen 360/175~265 at the time.
Best ET in qualifying and eliminations: 13.07

Joe didn't use one ounce of shoe polish, the tower just dialed him on the index. He tree'd everyone and did what he had to do on the stripe. Lost in the final after tree'ing the opponent. Carb developed a float problem causing it to run very rich and would not pull high gear, loosing in the final round.

Any other problems that are "impossible" to deal with?