They say you can't go back....but...??

[Mark Yacavone]

Mikey, so you are really advocating the NHRA adopt another IHRA class..
Won't be the first time.
I agree on the need for an entry level class, but it's not just the cost of a Stocker that's the issue.
How about the $305 entries? Membership, permanent number fees...I don't even know what they are now,,....$10 a gallon racing fuel ? Diesel fuel or pump gas for towing ,etc, etc?
NO money for a class win! NO money till 3rd round.....
Nobody on the outside, in their right mind, would want to jump in to that.

[treessavoy]

If you wanna go back then you have to run off class records which means rich guys win, just like the "good old days"!

JimR

[OLD INJUN]

this is what i think , listen to this.

[Ed Wright]

Originally Posted by treessavoy

If you wanna go back then you have to run off class records which means rich guys win, just like the "good old days"!

JimR

Jim, I raced then. It wasn't so much "rich guys" as it was guys with some ability doing their own work winning. We weren't running over with check book racers like we are now. Not nearly as many "rich guys" in the U.S. as there is now. Things were different, people were different.

[Jim Wahl]

Originally Posted by Ed Wright

Jim, I raced then. It wasn't so much "rich guys" as it was guys with some ability doing their own work winning. We weren't running over with check book racers like we are now. Not nearly as many "rich guys" in the U.S. as there is now. Things were different, people were different.

It's hard to argue with that! Jim

.

[treessavoy]

Originally Posted by Ed Wright

Jim, I raced then. It wasn't so much "rich guys" as it was guys with some ability doing their own work winning. We weren't running over with check book racers like we are now. Not nearly as many "rich guys" in the U.S. as there is now. Things were different, people were different.

Ed,

When I raced back then I would have to work (service station) for a month just to buy a set of headers whereas the moneyed racers had no problem buying parts and doing the work to crush records and make your car uncompetitive in a single night.

Back then you couldn't move to another class without buying another car because cars were classed by shipping weight and HP.

JimR

[Ed Wright]

You could change carbs to change classes with most cars. 2bl, 4bl, multiple carbs, etc. We usually put toll road money in the glove box when we left for out of town races just to make sure we could pay the toll to get back, and put back money for gas ahead of time to pay for the trips. Usually carried sandwiches to eat. I had to make traction bars, etc, because I couold not afford to buy everything. Built my own engines, trans, set up my own rear gears, etc, etc. I often held the record, and never had anybody "bury" it to where I couldn't run it.

[art leong]

Originally Posted by Ed Wright

You could change carbs to change classes with most cars. 2bl, 4bl, multiple carbs, etc. We usually put toll road money in the glove box when we left for out of town races just to make sure we could pay the toll to get back, and put back money for gas ahead of time to pay for the trips. Usually carried sandwiches to eat. I had to make traction bars, etc, because I couold not afford to buy everything. Built my own engines, trans, set up my own rear gears, etc, etc. I often held the record, and never had anybody "bury" it to where I couldn't run it.

Your quote brings back some fine memories. On Memorial Day weekend in 74 we won the National Invitational at York Pa. Once we got down to 4 cars we knew we were in the money, so we spent what we had for tolls and gas on a feast of food from the concession stand. Well we won tore it down were found legal. And given a check for the win. We had nowhere to cash the check on a Sunday night, everyone had left the track by then. So we had to camp out in the truck at York till the bank opened on Tuesday morning. With nothing to eat, and only the oily well water to drink.
But it was our first win and worth it.

[Ed Wright]

When Jeanie & I could finally afford a ramp truck so she could help with driving (she never could deal with towing (tow bar). We could not get off work long enough to travel early. Most always drove all night after working all day Friday, so worked all day then drove all night. Then drove all night Sunday to get home to work Monday. We finally traded my work car for an old 1 ton cab & chassis, I spent most of the winter extending the frame and building tool boxes, adding a big tank and ramps. I had to drive it to work & back as a second car, 18 miles each way. We could drive in shifts then. I think she watched the race car in the mirror while towing with the two bar. Very scary. LOL I'm way too old to race like that now. Pay outs were about the same as now, but went a lot further. My '56 Chevy Jr. Stocker paid a lot of it's own way. That money sure doesn't go as far now, does it?

[Billy Nees]

Originally Posted by Mark Yacavone

Mikey, so you are really advocating the NHRA adopt another IHRA class..
Won't be the first time.
I agree on the need for an entry level class, but it's not just the cost of a Stocker that's the issue.
How about the $305 entries? Membership, permanent number fees...I don't even know what they are now,,....$10 a gallon racing fuel ? Diesel fuel or pump gas for towing ,etc, etc?
NO money for a class win! NO money till 3rd round.....
Nobody on the outside, in their right mind, would want to jump in to that.

I can't think of any way NHRA could come up with any kind of "Entry Level" class in this day and age. They tried a few years ago to sell S/ST as "Entry Level" and it just wound up being 632s in old S/G and SS cars. Stockers can still be built reasonably but even with our best intentions (Dime Rocket threads) in hand I don't see any cars being built. I think NHRA has just thrown the whole "Entry Level" deal into the laps of the local tracks and are happy to collect their "Cut".