Run Stock/Super Stock like Comp??

[Pete Beau]

Originally Posted by Justin Graham

A few points in Darin?s post hinted at something I was sleeping on last night and thought I?d pose the question to catch opinions of other racers.

Would it make sense, or could it be possibly done, to run Stk/SS in a similar format that Competition Eliminator is running? Basically placing the brunt of the excessive number under on the driver, not the Combo. So it doesn?t penalize the masses, just the offender.

I?m not saying it?s a solution, I?m not a multi decade veteran, but I thought it?s a start to some sort of discussion on an issue that seems to be happening yearly. Kinda sucks when an entire combo is affected by a singular agenda.

Administrative nightmare. NHRA has already diluted tech. to minimum. They would not want the headache.

[Billy Hampton]

Originally Posted by Bill Grubbs

AND... Stock and SuperStock almost died! How many budget cars are in Comp? Hint...none. If you want to run Comp then I'm all for it...go run Comp!

$100K for a used COPO, $ 120K for a Mustang, $8,000 for a good trans. $3,000 for a set of decent heads, $5K+ for a competitive set. $10,000 for a rust-free chassis that has not been worked on. Most racing wheels and tires now cost more than a cheap used car. Motorhome, enclosed trailer, travel fuel, entry fees- weeks off work multiple times a year- tell me, who is this budget racer you refer to? I don't see 10 year old pick-ups and open trailers littering the pits at DIV & National events. The entire class is not for the middle class; it's upper or wealthy only already. The guys that have owned the same car since new could sell them now and pay off a mortgage (almost). Not complaining, just stating facts. Bracket racing is out of control, too. Pure Stock may be an option again for these few budget racers. It just ain't cheap, period.

Adjust indexes over 18 months and restore the roots of "class racing".

[JP1738]

Originally Posted by Billy Hampton

$100K for a used COPO, $ 120K for a Mustang, $8,000 for a good trans. $3,000 for a set of decent heads, $5K+ for a competitive set. $10,000 for a rust-free chassis that has not been worked on. Most racing wheels and tires now cost more than a cheap used car. Motorhome, enclosed trailer, travel fuel, entry fees- weeks off work multiple times a year- tell me, who is this budget racer you refer to? I don't see 10 year old pick-ups and open trailers littering the pits at DIV & National events. The entire class is not for the middle class; it's upper or wealthy only already. The guys that have owned the same car since new could sell them now and pay off a mortgage (almost). Not complaining, just stating facts. Bracket racing is out of control, too. Pure Stock may be an option again for these few budget racers. It just ain't cheap, period.

Adjust indexes over 18 months and restore the roots of "class racing".

Here's my set-up. I race on a pretty tight budget with some help from some very good friends. I probably could find a way to do it completely solo but the help with parts and things of that nature go a long long way. 20 y/o truck with an open trailer and stocker that I've built just over the last year and a half. It took me a while to save up and accumulate all this stuff, but pretty much everything I have is mine and I don't make lots of money. Just lots of late nights and saving money by doing as many things myself as possible.

If you love racing like I love racing, you will find a way to get to the race track, whatever it takes.

[1320racer]

Dawson, you’re the unicorn and one of the very few 20 something’s running a class whose participation is dominated by the social security and Medicare crowd. That said, if you had the disposable income for a motor home, nice enclosed trailer, a COPO, Cobra Jet or DragPak, that’s what you’d have.

[JP1738]

Originally Posted by 1320racer

Dawson, you?re the unicorn and one of the very few 20 something?s running a class whose participation is dominated by the social security and Medicare crowd. That said, if you had the disposable income for a motor home, nice enclosed trailer, a COPO, Cobra Jet or DragPak, that?s what you?d have.

Oh abso-freakin-lutely, in a heartbeat I'd have a toter and a stacker. Maybe one day after I hit the lottery.

Never thought I'd be so honored to be called a unicorn lol.

[1320racer]

You don’t need to hit the lottery, just keep working everyday while pursuing greater opportunities and the money will be there for that stacker, motor home and top shelf stocker but will the class be there? I say no. Maybe it’s combined with super stock and the name changed to “bracket stock/super stock”

[J.R. Haddad]

I hope 1320 doesn't moonlight as a counselor on the "Suicide Hot Line"

J.R.

[JGrossijr]

Stock eliminator was created in 1955, and has been supported by performance oriented racers and auto manufacturers ever since. I don't know how long bracket racing has existed, but the Christmas tree wasn't introduced until 1963.
The fact that so many racers of means and experience along with the OEM'S continue to invest so heavily in Stock eliminator is an indication of viability, not impending death. Stock & SS will continue to evolve as they always have.
It's a Class racing thing that outsiders don't understand, even if their friends do.

[1320racer]

The inevitable demise of class racing is a fact that the social security and Medicare crowd refuse to believe yet they’ve seen the rule changes over the past 50 years dilute their class from truly stock eliminator to bracket stock not to mention when they look around the lanes they see mostly gray hair guys.

That said, my advice is to enjoy what you have, while you have it and stop complaining about rule changes and every decision the NHRA makes. Stock Eliminator of the 1990s ain’t ever coming back no mind of the 1970s!

[GUMP]

All of the hard working young people will be rocking grey hair soon enough. If they too have a little disposable income in their twilight years, who's to say they don't have some aspirations to run with the COOL kids?