Stock and the late models, a solution.

Ken Miele · 10-12-2010, 07:33 PM

Below is a list of ideas and proposals on how to join the old with the new and still make Stock a great place to race.

The ideas below are not all mine, they come from many racers.

I would like to here more input and suggestions. Please do not turn this thread into a NHRA bash. I would like to here constructive ideas. I would also like to keep this thread civil, if your going to respond in a discourtesy way please do not post.

1: New classes specifically for late model performance vehicles.

2: Proposed name, Late Model (LM).

3: Classes are for 2005 and newer vehicles. Designed to allow late model cars to advertise real horsepower levels and compete with one another while keeping the older cars relevant in the Eliminator.

4: Bringing factories into the sport to showcase what they sell.

5: Make it cheaper and easier to build fast stockers from street cars. Parts are readily available and a 2005 Mustang can be had for a little more than $10k.

6:Real horsepower ratings (2011 Mustang is 412hp, 2010 is 315hp, V8 Camaro is 435hp I think, etc.)

7: Inclusion cars like CJ's and DP's can race in Late Model, but with horsepower factored higher. Instead of 400hp say 600hp. The rating would be more realistic, the way it would be if you bought them as crate engines from their catalogs.

8: No "natural" class - let people put the cars at the weight they want for their engine hp

9: No automatic class. Sticks carry an added 50lbs, but they all are the same class.

10: Any auto trans allowed. The Jerico is basically a Ford toploader and everyone runs it so why not let Ford or Chrysler guys run a Turbo 400? The bellhousing are readily available and more than half the internals on the auto transmissions aren't stock anyway or use another brand.

11: Any custom piston allowed as long at is measures correctly. Seems silly if everyone is buying aftermarket pistons to worry about a list. If it measures correct then it's good.

New Class Ideas:

Lighter weight breaks so cars are safer and more relevant to what's on the showroom (Corvette has a 3200lbs 638hp car from the factory)
ALM - 5lbs
BLM - 5.75lbs
CLM - 6.50lbs
DLM - 7.25lbs
ELM - 8lbs
FLM - 8.75lbs
GLM - 9.50lbs

LM cars still have to run factory suspension and have limit on cam lift. These are not SS cars. Just a natural evolution of stockers to keep up with the times and availability of parts. Why should we pay the same amount of money for an inferior part?

The biggest problem with this is that it adds more classes. There are too many already. There hardly any heads up runs in the eliminator and many classes during runoffs are either unopposed or
have no competitors.

I would propose changing the weight steps between classes. .75lbs steps where they are currently .5lbs, and 1.5lbs steps where they are currently 1lbs. There should be fewer classes than there are now even adding the LM classes.

Another idea is crate engines. This could really keep costs down and make parts easy to find. The manufacturers have crate engines that are equal power for their circle track programs.

This could be a Super Stock item but in the spirit of keeping costs down Stock seems like a better fit. We'd have to factor the horsepower differently so they are competitive but this could jump start some cars where parts are expensive or hard to find as well as allow cars that are dialed in to get engines capable of making them faster for higher classes. The crate engines would be just like the car came from the factory with that engine and could go into any like make body.

These ideas allow older cars to stay out there and be competitive while at the same time allowing the new cars to flourish. If we can get corporate support and young people interested in racing affordably, we can make Stock and Super Stock like it was in it's prime.

Thanks for everyone's time.

10-12-2010, 07:33 PM	#1
Ken Miele Live Reporter Join Date: Dec 2000 Posts: 4,862 Likes: 456 Liked 16,558 Times in 1,523 Posts	Stock and the late models, a solution. Below is a list of ideas and proposals on how to join the old with the new and still make Stock a great place to race. The ideas below are not all mine, they come from many racers. I would like to here more input and suggestions. Please do not turn this thread into a NHRA bash. I would like to here constructive ideas. I would also like to keep this thread civil, if your going to respond in a discourtesy way please do not post. 1: New classes specifically for late model performance vehicles. 2: Proposed name, Late Model (LM). 3: Classes are for 2005 and newer vehicles. Designed to allow late model cars to advertise real horsepower levels and compete with one another while keeping the older cars relevant in the Eliminator. 4: Bringing factories into the sport to showcase what they sell. 5: Make it cheaper and easier to build fast stockers from street cars. Parts are readily available and a 2005 Mustang can be had for a little more than $10k. 6:Real horsepower ratings (2011 Mustang is 412hp, 2010 is 315hp, V8 Camaro is 435hp I think, etc.) 7: Inclusion cars like CJ's and DP's can race in Late Model, but with horsepower factored higher. Instead of 400hp say 600hp. The rating would be more realistic, the way it would be if you bought them as crate engines from their catalogs. 8: No "natural" class - let people put the cars at the weight they want for their engine hp 9: No automatic class. Sticks carry an added 50lbs, but they all are the same class. 10: Any auto trans allowed. The Jerico is basically a Ford toploader and everyone runs it so why not let Ford or Chrysler guys run a Turbo 400? The bellhousing are readily available and more than half the internals on the auto transmissions aren't stock anyway or use another brand. 11: Any custom piston allowed as long at is measures correctly. Seems silly if everyone is buying aftermarket pistons to worry about a list. If it measures correct then it's good. New Class Ideas: Lighter weight breaks so cars are safer and more relevant to what's on the showroom (Corvette has a 3200lbs 638hp car from the factory) ALM - 5lbs BLM - 5.75lbs CLM - 6.50lbs DLM - 7.25lbs ELM - 8lbs FLM - 8.75lbs GLM - 9.50lbs LM cars still have to run factory suspension and have limit on cam lift. These are not SS cars. Just a natural evolution of stockers to keep up with the times and availability of parts. Why should we pay the same amount of money for an inferior part? The biggest problem with this is that it adds more classes. There are too many already. There hardly any heads up runs in the eliminator and many classes during runoffs are either unopposed or have no competitors. I would propose changing the weight steps between classes. .75lbs steps where they are currently .5lbs, and 1.5lbs steps where they are currently 1lbs. There should be fewer classes than there are now even adding the LM classes. Another idea is crate engines. This could really keep costs down and make parts easy to find. The manufacturers have crate engines that are equal power for their circle track programs. This could be a Super Stock item but in the spirit of keeping costs down Stock seems like a better fit. We'd have to factor the horsepower differently so they are competitive but this could jump start some cars where parts are expensive or hard to find as well as allow cars that are dialed in to get engines capable of making them faster for higher classes. The crate engines would be just like the car came from the factory with that engine and could go into any like make body. These ideas allow older cars to stay out there and be competitive while at the same time allowing the new cars to flourish. If we can get corporate support and young people interested in racing affordably, we can make Stock and Super Stock like it was in it's prime. Thanks for everyone's time.