New cars, old cars and horsepower ratings.

[Greg Hill]

Since it looks like NHRA is not going to properly factor these new cars and Ford is going to continue to bring out slightly different combinations each year I would propose that the older cars should be able to run these motors in stock also. I think this is only fair since none of these new cars came with the motors they are running. All you would have to do is make the GM fast burn motor legal for GM cars at around 300 hp so we would have something comparable to the Ford 352 and the Dodge 360. I know this sounds like heresy coming from me but I think it's the only answer to keep a lot of the old cars and old guys competing in the next few years.

I truly thought about going to Indy this year for the first time since 2008, but I opened up the entries list and there was a new mustang and a new challenger in my class and that made my mind up not to go. Even though I have a pretty fast E/SA car I would be a half second behind these two new cars. Now if I would of had a fast burn crate motor it could of been a pretty good race. This probably sound pretty radical, but because NHRA has chosen to not properly factor these cars, I don't see any other way around the problem. I would much rather see these combinations factored where they should be, but it seems like that's not going to happen.

Just imagine Larry Hill getting to run one of the new hemis in his old Cuda. How about Verne Buchannan, Gary Glazner, or Tex Miller being able to run the Ford 352 crate motor? What about Robbie Shaw, Caleb McFarland, Jim Boudreau, or jimmy DeFrank getting the new Chevy 427. How about the Chrysler 360 in a duster or an old Cuda? Or how about one of the new blower motors in a 69 Camaro or a 68 Mustang? This is not my ideal fix for the problem of all these under rated combinations but it would go a long way to making a more level playing field.