Is it time to fix Super Class Racing?

[Bill Baer]

Originally Posted by chebby2

Your still not getting it. YOU can win with what you have. There are lots of racers who don't have big mph. It happens every weekend.Don't try to change the whole structure because you THINK you can't compete. That motor doesn't win races.

Oh I hear you Carl I can and have won with what I have but if you don't understand or believe there is an advantage in big mph then from your perspective that's fine. I don't think it's realistic. But you entitled to your opinion and Your absolutely right the motor doesn't win races.
But I've seen better racing before we had throttle stops and we spent a lot less money than this on the stop for four seconds run like stink for the last five bull **** were doing now Im not trying to change things so I can compete. Im trying to stop this stupid HP/MPH escalation and the expense associated with it.

[BOO BOO]

I say NO... I run little mopars in both super comp and gas, mid 160's in comp and low to mid 150's in gas. I have been in the top ten in the div 3 many times. Hell I even WON the Div.3 super gas title in 2007. Why change a thing? I don't spend millions in my engines.
Just have a positive additude and believe you can WIN.
Chuck Siegler
2007 s/g champ div.3

[sc3912]

Originally Posted by BOO BOO

I say NO... I run little mopars in both super comp and gas, mid 160's in comp and low to mid 150's in gas. I have been in the top ten in the div 3 many times. Hell I even WON the Div.3 super gas title in 2007. Why change a thing? I don't spend millions in my engines.
Just have a positive additude and believe you can WIN.
Chuck Siegler
2007 s/g champ div.3

Isnt it amazing how us blind squirrels can find a nut every now and then? I personally dont like being one of the slower cars in S/C (158-161) and I really cant afford to spend the money to run faster. But you can win with slow cars, like Chuck and I did in '07. For next year, I might try stopping it at the top end and make the fast cars try to judge a few thousandths at a 50mph difference or force them to brake down to my speed.

[Jeff Beckman]

I both beleive and hope there will be a mile per hour cap soon. But it already is like restrictore plate racing. (So I cant spell, whatever.) People (fans) hate it. But Super Comp remains the hardest class to win in period. If you want competition you came to the right place (super classes). It is not now or ever will be for fans, thats what Pinks is for. It is for the best of the best racers. It aint broke so please stop tryin to fix it, just my O2.

[Chris Williams]

I'm sorry Bill, but going backward to the "old days" is just going backward. The sport is already stuck in the 80s (with carbs, pushrod V8s, and such), why make it even less attractive to people under 30?

In reality, a bunch of this is fixing itself, the bulk of the "testosterone" runners who insist on spending huge dollars want to run TD, where they can get in the 6s and maybe go 200. The SC fields in the Northwest are dwindling daily, while TD fields grow. Now that TD is showing up at the divisional and national level, this will increase.

People who like the tough challenge that is SC racing are still there, where we like happen to like it. You have to be deadly on the tree, damn good with the computer and the delay box, and very good at driving the top end. Tough racing, and fun as hell.

What I'd like to see is to knock almost a second off all the Super class times: go to 8, 9, 10. It has three great benefits:

1) The .90 may be cool for some folks, but it confuses the living heck out of the casual fan. Try to explain to someone who doesn't know racing that "we're trying to go 8.90 seconds" just gets a blank stare. And to explain to someone that 8.899 is too fast is just a pain ("how many 8s and 9s was that?"). If 8.00 seconds was the target, everyone would get it. 8.10 is clearly a 1/10 slow, and 7.999 would be too fast, that's easy to see.

2) It would also negate a lot of the MPH advantage. Because you'd be on the stop a ton less time, the ability for the fast car to come storming up on you would be greatly reduced. They'd still have some advantage, but it would be reduced significantly.

3) By being on the stop for far less time, it wouldn't look so ridiculous to the casual fan. Imagine what would happen if you were on the stop for not 25% of the run, but <10%?

One final change. Bag the car type restrictions in the Super classes. (You can run a door car in SC but not a dragster in SG.) That way, if I can't make 8 in my dragster, but run SC today, let me move to SG and still have a home.

I think this is the best plan, and fixes most of the issues.

[Bob Verwold]

Chris,
I'm just curious, with the 8,9,10 thing I can see where S/C can move down to S/G and S/G moves down to S/St. Well what happens to the guys running S/St that can't run 10. do they spend MORE money just to keep playing ?
I think that one of the better ideas is the MPH limit for all classes, this would keep the racers from spending money to go faster and level the fields. But that's just my opinion.........


I should have put IF S/C could move down....my fault

[sc3912]

Originally Posted by Bob Verwold

Chris,
I'm just curious, with the 8,9,10 thing I can see where S/C can move down to S/G and S/G moves down to S/St. Well what happens to the guys running S/St that can't run 10. do they spend MORE money just to keep playing ?
I think that one of the better ideas is the MPH limit for all classes, this would keep the racers from spending money to go faster and level the fields. But that's just my opinion.........

Changing the index to 7.90 or 8.00 would force me out of S/C racing, unless they do like someone suggested and lift the restriction on what type of car is allowed in each class. My dragster is an 8.20 car at best and I wouldnt spend the money to build a bigger motor.

[Bill Baer]

Ok First of all I want to thank you guys for sharing your opinions:
· Carl And Boo Bo do make a valid point the a large part of MPH stuff is psychological
· Again Boo Boo & Jeff are absolutely two of the toughest guys to get past that I know of and their success underscores Boo Boo & Carl’s Point.
· Jeff’s Beckman’s point that Super Comp “Is not now or ever was for the fans” is absolutely true.
· Chris’ point about the “testosterone” runners going to top dragster especially when they start running them at national events has a ring of truth to it.
· I don’t want to see the index’s lowered as I have too many good friends who can’t afford to go that fast though I can see the possibility of a 7.90 class for the guys that can’t quite qualify for top dragster.
· And Bob’s point of a simple MPH cap could be the simplest solution of all.

So is it time to fix Super Class Racing??? Well based upon the opinions of Peers (Almost all of whom I know and respect)

Maybe not

[Ron Finney]

Why is it the fast guys are always trying to move the index faster??? Is it because these guys can't win? You never see Langdon, Edwards, Richardson, or any of the other "hitters" ever complaining about the class index....they are too busy winning. If you want to go fast, step up to top dragster or top sportsman. As far making understandable for the spectator you are dreaming! The whole idea of a drag racer going too fast is what they don't understand, it doesn't matter what the index is...they don't understand any of the breakout classes, whether its stock, super stock or top dragster.....then you have the comp guys who lift at 1000' ft. and coast....come on, be real, the only thing that makes sense in drag racing is the first one there wins....that's the way it is in the movies, on the street and has always been understood by the average person. "Fortunately" we have these handicap classes otherwise I would not be able to afford to go racing in the "pure" format.

I do agree with the MPH limit for classes....many of these cars are runing way faster than they are certified for....I agree it would keep the cost down and help people at least "feel" more competitive. I happen to be one that can win in S/C at 148....but I do also believe that the faster car has some advantage having the race in front of them. But again, if I am "on" they have to be too....carrying numbers is only going to send them out the back door sooner! Which I personally happen to like!!!!

And to those that know me.....the new 572 is not so I can run "fast" it's so I can run 8.90.....got into the "98+ soup" at Columbus and couldn't run the number.....not going to happen again....I hope.

See ya all at the Nationals!!! stop by if your close....

[JMatt]

Originally Posted by Ron Finney

Why is it the fast guys are always trying to move the index faster??? Is it because these guys can't win?

No. And I don't think it's the racers that care at all. Making the indexes faster cuts down the amount of time on the throttle stop. And throttle stop time is apparently what fans don't like. So if the index was closer to what most cars actually can run, theoretically the racing would look better to fans. Personally, it doesn't matter to me. I've run 5.40 1/8th mile no electronics, 8.50 1/4 mile no electronics, and 9.90 SuperGas.

I tell everyone that while they may not like watching SuperGas, for me it's the biggest adrenaline rush of any format.

I also think it's funny that people complain about going slow on the stop. Do they realize we are still accelerating harder on the stop than stockers are going all out?