How are the new cars remaining in Stock classes going to affect your racing this year

[Ed Wright]

Originally Posted by Jeff Teuton

I am building a stick shift DP, and plan on running one of the new v10 cars. And I am going to race as much as I can.

You going to drive it Jeff?

[X-TECH MAN]

Originally Posted by Jeff Teuton

I am building a stick shift DP, and plan on running one of the new v10 cars. And I am going to race as much as I can.

Jeff......How are ya going to hold yer beer while trying to shift gears? Ya might spill some of it......Heh Heh

[Eric Merryfield]

Originally Posted by Jeff Teuton

I am building a stick shift DP, and plan on running one of the new v10 cars. And I am going to race as much as I can.

I too will be racing as much as I can, with as many of my cars and trucks as I can in stock, superstock and will try my hand in Super Street too....new car or old, they are all fun....

[SS Engine Guy]

Originally Posted by Jack Matyas

How many of us have been involved in heads-up races ( new car vs old car ) during eliminations ? Can there be that many I don't know about .................

If it only involved one it was one too many. Underfactored by 10-30 hp is one thing. Being underfactored by 100 -125 hp is another. People will spend 15 k in the winter trying to make up that 10-15 hp. in performance improvements. They won't waste anything trying to make up a couple tenths when they are being outrun by a half second. Most racers aren't in the dark about spending money that is how most can afford to race. ie: disposable income.

[Jack Matyas]

Originally Posted by SS Engine Guy

If it only involved one it was one too many. Underfactored by 10-30 hp is one thing. Being underfactored by 100 -125 hp is another. People will spend 15 k in the winter trying to make up that 10-15 hp. in performance improvements. They won't waste anything trying to make up a couple tenths when they are being outrun by a half second. Most racers aren't in the dark about spending money that is how most can afford to race. ie: disposable income.

SS Engine Guy -- Because I don't know you or even who you are I'll go under the assumption that your business is building engines - that being said you make some valid points in that 100hp is too much to be underfactored .But you need to tell your customers that they should continue development on their engines as no one combination will have a stranglehold on a class forever .When these new cars get caught up with the right HP your customers will be ready to take them on .

On another note - don't blame all of your customers not spending money on new engines or rebuilds as you hit the nail on the head -- they need disposible income and the economy is to blame for that -- not Ford or Chrysler .

[SS Engine Guy]

Jack I appreciate the reply and I agree. I have been telling my customers not to give up on their programs. So far none have, they just aren't going to spend any money on "go fast" experiments. I do about 2 to 1 SS vs. S engines. So far SS has yet to be affected as much as stock but customers are concerned that they don't want the way underfactored stuff in SS either. Not that they don't like the new cars. They just don't like the new factors and with the latest enhancement of the ahfs they aren't as concerned with going fast which equates somewhat to spending less money on technology and in testing and dyno time which effects my bottom line.

Now for the poor economy. As we know, several factors (actually hundreds) have caused a poor economic outlook. But one that sticks in my mind is bail out money. This is a two edged sword because unemployment is a viscious circle. However, the Big 3 car companies should have never been granted bail out money. I wouldn't qualify and you and most others here wouldn't have a chance at getting a Gov. bailout based solely on the fact that you offered an inferior product or service. This bailout was necessary to avoid a big spike in unemployment. But did it really do anything? The Big 3 still layed off lots of workers and most are still unemployed. That is better than all of their workers. But what about the downturn economic effect...partly caused by other auto unrelated businesses to lay off workers and therefore adding to the unemployment spike. Its a vicious circle. I'm not going in to any more economic opinions as this is not what this thread is about. However, I do think that car companies did have and are still having a negative effect on class racers.. I don't think that you can say its the economy any more than you can say it is the car companies that are partially at fault. And I'm talking dollars and jobs here. Forget the junk hp factors for now. Personally I am glad to have any major manufacturers support in drag racing or any other motorsport. However, not at the expense of other competitors. ie: underfactored experimental race only applications. This is stock class racing not "run what ya brung".


Now on in-sight into what my customers are willing to do:

-- start another santioning body
-- run heads up runs light and possibly illegal (which I certainly don't agree with)
-- run another association and to hell with the extra traveling
-- change their combos to SS/mod
-- all kinds of other goofy but not impossible stunts

You all know what kinds of ideas racers can come up with benchracing....haha

[X-TECH MAN]

Originally Posted by Andys dad

We are actually looking at running SS/DA to keep you guys from hating us so much and being able to run it all out

It probably would make a great S/G combo.....LOL.

[Adger Smith]

Ed, there are 2.

[Ed Wright]

Originally Posted by Adger Smith

Ed, there are 2.

I'm a little slow Adger, two what? Or should I ask? lol