End of Stock and SuperStock Racing??

[Dick Butler]

Originally Posted by Billy Nees

Dick, you just keep beating that drum!

Billy, Same answer is always the correct one....people cannot hide from all the facts forever. Selfish wish to be on stage whatever it costs the S or SS eliminators keep people hanging on to their one of a kind. Not being allowed to run SS or S because someone likes a capri, a pick up, a FWD, a 4000 lb wagon is not an Unconstitutional issue. Recreating an eliminator to re earn excitement, support, sponsors could be a good thing.
Thanks for recognising I got rythm.

How about No Break out CIC.

[Tony Janes]

Stock is not in trouble, the problem is there a a few who do not like the way NHRA runs the eliminator.

[Billy Nees]

Originally Posted by Tony Janes

Stock is not in trouble, the problem is there a a few who do not like the way NHRA runs the eliminator.

I have no problem whatsoever with how Stock and SS are run. How NHRA is run? That's a different story.

BTW Dick, 106? Stockers at Lebanon Valley LODRS and a decent number of them M/S and down. ALL of Stock is doing just fine.
I don't feel that I have a "Constitutional Right" to run Stock Eliminator, I believe that it is my decision. At the same time I don't feel that it is a "selfish wish" of mine to be "on the stage" with a "one of a kind Capri, pick-up, FWD, 4,000lb. wagon" either. Just for curiositys sake, would you please refresh my memory as to just what kind of combo you are currently racing? I'm at least, in my crude, humble, cheap way doing my part to support my sport! I'm sorry that I don't measure up to your standards!

[81camaro]

I sure hope the end of stock is not here...my wife and i have always liked this class...we are in our late 60ths and retired..we tried class racing 40 plus years ago..couldn't do it because of family and jobs...went bracket racing..we ran ihra crate motor class the last 3years...wanted nhra...so we just purchased gary norman's camaro and will be Seeing you all soon

Bill and barbara bricker ( 2 retires living their dream )

[Dick Butler]

Billy, Dont get nervous. I cannot affect NHRA. I cannot even convince you to read the concerns of those who post here. I cannot get you to have an open discussion about things "I believe" could help get more people in the stands, More sponsors, more fun.
You are correct I do not contribute to NHRA entry funds by racing a car currently. I did support THREE SS/GT cars for several years. Age and life changes have encouraged me to change my activities and direction. I still have a right to respond to questions regarding the sport. I know that without a car it is so much easier to see the issues while not paying entry. Correct, maybe it should not matter to me but having worked hard to organize, manage and run 7 or 8 TOP/SS, and later a TOP/STK events where racers spoke how much they liked it , I have some reasonable input. We did this with only a space to race after many left for the motels. Even Sponsors contributed to these races.All I have spoken to about this project would do it again in a heart beat.
Please do not take my discussions personally. These are supposed to be open to ideas from all people who have best interest of S and SS in mind.
Thank you for understanding.
" All of Stk is doing just fine". How many non racer family were in the stands? How much round money was paid? How many sponsors paid the 3rd place car? This should not be a participant only sport if it is to gain support.

[Dick Butler]

My age is showing but I attended the original SportsNationals in Bowling Green KY. and many follow up races. What a weekend. Racers, entertainment(the park) Crowd there for holiday week end.
Several years ago I excitedly hurried my wife out the door to travel to Columbus for the later addition of the race. Having painted the picture of the BG events we arrived at the gate. No spectator cars in the fields, No people in the pits, They allowed us to enter the PITS with our Motor Home and park for the week end. THats what is wrong in my opinion. Maybe with the age of computers, and iphones and no lack of other events it cannot change back but from what I hear NORWALK does it up with the package of entertainment.
From many racers view as long as they have a place to race and see their friends it doesnt matter but those here discussing see this could be limited arrangement.
NHRA, track owners, and racers could more optimally plan the events to include not only the supporting racers but get money support from crowd and sponsors. It would take work and cooperation.

[Billy Nees]

Originally Posted by Dick Butler

Billy, Dont get nervous. I cannot affect NHRA. I cannot even convince you to read the concerns of those who post here. I cannot get you to have an open discussion about things "I believe" could help get more people in the stands, More sponsors, more fun.

Dick, more sponsors, more hassles! IMHO, the only things that are going to put more people in the stands are blood, guts and controversy. We have become a self supporting sport/hobby and we seem to be doing fine that way.


You are correct I do not contribute to NHRA entry funds by racing a car currently. I did support THREE SS/GT cars for several years. Age and life changes have encouraged me to change my activities and direction. I still have a right to respond to questions regarding the sport.

Yes, you do. Your cheap shots (not being allowed to run S/SS because you race a) kind of give away your intentions though, don't they?


I know that without a car it is so much easier to see the issues while not paying entry.

Is that like being a politician? You know how to spend my money better than I do? Maybe you should apply for a job in the "Ivory Tower". They're pretty good at that even though most of them haven't got a clue as to what is involved in racing a S/SS car.


Correct, maybe it should not matter to me but having worked hard to organize, manage and run 7 or 8 TOP/SS, and later a TOP/STK events where racers spoke how much they liked it , I have some reasonable input. We did this with only a space to race after many left for the motels. Even Sponsors contributed to these races.All I have spoken to about this project would do it again in a heart beat.

You, the IHRA and a cast of other characters have all tried TOP/SS, TOP/Stk and TOP Wheelbarrow with exactly the same results, not enough participation, not enough spectator interest, not enough prize/sponsorship money and TOO costly to compete! I absolutely love watching TOP whatever but it will always be a self supporting venue. NHRA is doing the "Factory Musclecar" deal right now and buried it in the middle of the rest of Sportsmen qualifying instead of showcasing it with "The Show"! And then, they couldn't even be bothered to prep the track! I guess that shows what THEY think of the idea. The only thing that came about from that little experiment is a soft index that lets the participants hide from the AHFS and makes it tougher for a regular Stocker to qualify at Indy.


Please do not take my discussions personally. These are supposed to be open to ideas from all people who have best interest of S and SS in mind.
Thank you for understanding.
" All of Stk is doing just fine". How many non racer family were in the stands? How much round money was paid? How many sponsors paid the 3rd place car? This should not be a participant only sport if it is to gain support.

Dick, as a matter of fact, I DO take it personally! I always selfishly refer to this as "my sport" because that is what I feel. I take it personally every time I see you, the NHRA or a know nothing that would just happen to be employed by the NHRA corrupt a rule or make an incorrect decision pertaining to "my sport". Believe me, I DO take it personally!

[Bobby Fazio]

Originally Posted by Jim Caughlin

Bobby, you don't need to explain it to the three spectators because all three of them are family members of the guy going down the track...

Hahah touché my friend

[Michael Colaluca]

What is hurting the future of stock and superstock? The cost!

Who in their 20s-30s is going to want to spend 10k+ on a race engine, when they can spend the same money and go twice as fast using other means?

The rules need to be reevaluated. If nothing happens, watch the classes disappear.

[Billy Nees]

Originally Posted by Michael Colaluca

What is hurting the future of stock and superstock? The cost!

Who in their 20s-30s is going to want to spend 10k+ on a race engine, when they can spend the same money and go twice as fast using other means?

The rules need to be reevaluated. If nothing happens, watch the classes disappear.

Michael, you are absolutely right! As the current racers retire(or worse) they aren't being replaced with enough younger racers. I've been trying for quite some time to show potential racers that it doesn't have to be silly expensive to race(Dime Rockets) but I also understand that a 20-30 yearold doesn't want to race a 30+ yearold 14 second car.
At some point in the not too distant future, NHRA is going to have to do either a drastic re-write of the rules(think early 70s type of re-write) or they are going to have to let the imports in in some way. If they don't I'm afraid to say that attrition is going to eventually do us in. And all of that being said, It seems to me that Stock is probably the healthiest of all the Eliminators. At least it is right now.