Indy -SS first round hemi car no shows

[Alan Roehrich]

Originally Posted by jmcarter

down to #141 got in, looking below them it appears the alternates who wanted in got in. I'm with the Jordan (Holton) clan, the Hemi cars are a whole special deal and deserve special consideration, which in turn would also benefit the other Super Stock competitors who are trying to qualify and compete at "the big show".

I disagree completely, just because they have a Hemi car does NOT make the special at all. They're no better, and no more important, than any other competitor. Just because they want to spend $250K+ on a particular car doesn't make them anything other than just another Super Stock competitor.

Those cars are no more special than a Thunderbolt, a 427 Fairlane, a ZL-1 Camaro, a Max Wedge, or a Corvette with a 427 L-88 or L-72.

If you want to be "special", turn pro and join the big circus.

[Gary Merrick]

Byron Worner
Re: Indy -SS first round hemi car no shows
Why were there so many singles? Where were the alternates???


I asked the same question. I was told that they had gone through all the alternates, evidently, a lot of people had already left to go home.

Back in the day, when we were an alternate, we would sit (with the car) at the back of the staging lanes and wait to see if we could run. Of course, we never did, and then the NHRA guys would tell us to leave because they had all the spots covered.

My how times have changed, back in the 70's when I first started, they would have to kick us out, now folks just leave or choose not to race.

Gary Merrick

[Julie Jordan]

Originally Posted by Alan Roehrich

I disagree completely, just because they have a Hemi car does NOT make the special at all. They're no better, and no more important, than any other competitor. Just because they want to spend $250K+ on a particular car doesn't make them anything other than just another Super Stock competitor.

Those cars are no more special than a Thunderbolt, a 427 Fairlane, a ZL-1 Camaro, a Max Wedge, or a Corvette with a 427 L-88 or L-72.

If you want to be "special", turn pro and join the big circus.

At that event they are "special". Hemi Challenge, racing the final round under the lights on Friday night, a big payday. You would not see that number of hemi cars show up for any other national event.

[boostedf22c]

Personally I think they are special. They are the only cars that sparked my interest into Superstock years ago. I know a lot of people come to watch the HEMI Challenge, so it would seem that many others think they are special too.

What they do with those cars is amazing in my eyes.

[Alan Roehrich]

Originally Posted by Julie Jordan

At that event they are "special". Hemi Challenge, racing the final round under the lights on Friday night, a big payday. You would not see that number of hemi cars show up for any other national event.

Don't get me wrong, I don't have anything against the cars, or the people who own them, the cars are cool, and I know a few of those people. But "special" was bought for them. And the truth is, there is nothing good about elevating a particular group of cars or people above everything else in the same class and giving them special treatment.

[Kevin Panzino]

Originally Posted by Alan Roehrich

I disagree completely, just because they have a Hemi car does NOT make the special at all. They're no better, and no more important, than any other competitor. Just because they want to spend $250K+ on a particular car doesn't make them anything other than just another Super Stock competitor.

Those cars are no more special than a Thunderbolt, a 427 Fairlane, a ZL-1 Camaro, a Max Wedge, or a Corvette with a 427 L-88 or L-72.

If you want to be "special", turn pro and join the big circus.

Agreed 100%.

[Dan Bernay]

This happens every year.
Why so surprised ?

[jmcarter]

The Hemi cars no more special than the others named? Any of the current SS/B cars (T-bolts, Vettes, etc), Gove's Daytona, Carey's S2000, Colvert's Mustang, (and I could name many more) are all indeed special but the AH cars represent the largest single collection and unique class of cars and therefore they've earned their own special class and status at Indy. I didn't make it so, the whole racing community made it so...end of story.

[Ed Wright]

Alan is right. Their "special" status at this race was bought for them. I love those cars, just as I love the T-Bolts. But they are no more special than any other factory race car from that era.

[Alan Roehrich]

Originally Posted by jmcarter

The Hemi cars no more special than the others named? Any of the current SS/B cars (T-bolts, Vettes, etc), Gove's Daytona, Carey's S2000, Colvert's Mustang, (and I could name many more) are all indeed special but the AH cars represent the largest single collection and unique class of cars and therefore they've earned their own special class and status at Indy. I didn't make it so, the whole racing community made it so...end of story.

No, MOPAR bought them their own show, and their own class, end of story. I don't remember any point in history where everyone in Super Stock was polled and asked if the Hemi cars were so special they deserved their own race and other special consideration.

Cool cars, owned by good people? Absolutely.

Deserving of any special consideration? Not in the least.