Re: NHRA Stock Eliminator budget friendly
[Re: Roughbird72]
#2591042
12/12/18 09:13 PM
12/12/18 09:13 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 15,439 Val-haul-ass... eventually
BradH
Taking time off to work on my car
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Taking time off to work on my car
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 15,439
Val-haul-ass... eventually
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By upper indexes do you mean higher numerically indexs, the slower classes?.
Yes No, say A-D Fixed it for you. Oh, and I think the answer to your original question is: The faster classes can cost LOTS of $$$ to be competitive, even for the older stuff. The price of a new 2015 Drag Pak was $100K-$110K, if you wanted to jump into the deep end of the pool, and I have no idea how far off from being competitive one straight from the dealer's showroom is.
Last edited by BradH; 12/12/18 09:19 PM.
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Re: NHRA Stock Eliminator budget friendly
[Re: Roughbird72]
#2591060
12/12/18 09:51 PM
12/12/18 09:51 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 20,335 Park Forest, IL
slantzilla
Too Many Posts
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Too Many Posts
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 20,335
Park Forest, IL
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Buying a used stocker you really have to do your homework. Some cars are for sale because the combo got hammered with horsepower. Also, the year end reviews are about to come out and you can see if the combo you're looking at is going to get whacked.
Also, you can check the archives on NHRA.com or DragRaceCentral and see if the owner is being honest or not.
Lastly, you have to remember that other than class or heads-up runs you are simply bracket racing.
"Everybody funny, now you funny too."
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Re: NHRA Stock Eliminator budget friendly
[Re: Dave Hall]
#2591105
12/12/18 11:20 PM
12/12/18 11:20 PM
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Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 20,273 PA.
pittsburghracer
"Little"John
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"Little"John
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 20,273
PA.
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Expensive bracket racing at NHRA National Events were you show up Wednesday to get treated like crap and are the first to get bumped to Monday if the weather turns bad for a low payout
IHRA treated you a little better but now runs brackets only.
1970 Duster Edelbrock headed 408 5.984@112.52 422 Indy headed small block 5.982@112.56 mph 9.38@138.67
Livin and lovin life one day at a time
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Re: NHRA Stock Eliminator budget friendly
[Re: Roughbird72]
#2591138
12/13/18 12:43 AM
12/13/18 12:43 AM
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Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 4,114 Yes
sixpakdodge
master
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master
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 4,114
Yes
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There are only two times where money comes into play as far as the car, Indy, and a heads up run in eliminations.
That being said, you need to earn grade points to run a National, and even though the National will have a quota for entry, it is an all run field. The only place you have to worry about not qualifying is Indy.
I raced at five divisionals and one open this summer. I get to the track Thursday evening, and was home every Sunday evening. An average weekend cost me around $500 with my entry. Only one weekend was more than that, but most were less. I always viewed it this way, if I went away for three-four days on a "vacation", I'd spend around the same amount of money. Of course, it helps living in D-1 where I have four races within three hours of me.
In the end, it's all in what you want to do with your money. Some people like to go to their local track 20-30 miles away every weekend, some like to chase big money races, and some of us are content running half a dozen divisionals every year, with a little bracket racing mixed throughout. If you honestly want to learn more about class racing checkout Class Racer, or take a weekend and go to an Open or Divisional.
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Re: NHRA Stock Eliminator budget friendly
[Re: dvw]
#2591215
12/13/18 10:34 AM
12/13/18 10:34 AM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 5,903 Florida
Locomotion
master
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master
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 5,903
Florida
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What's the entry and payout at a Divisional? If I remember correctly, it's about $160-$170 entry & $1000 to win + contingency. Contingency has dropped over the years. But it can add several hundred to a couple thousand or so. Some complain about issues getting paid, but the sponsors sometimes have specific guidelines you must follow: i.e.: register a product, receipts, product may qualify for only a limited amount of years, etc. It's frustrating when you buy a product one year, then they don't relist it for the following season. I built a K/SA Aspen wagon a few years ago, but haven't run under the index consistently enough to be competitive. I chose K/SA, the heaviest that particular combo is legal for, because it seems like there are less K/SA cars to worry about getting into a heads-up race than in I/SA or J/SA. My car has good stuff in it, but not some of the high-end, "grey area" tricks. But I still thought that it should run 3-5 tenths under the index under the best conditions. Working on a Thermoquad has also been a steep learning curve. Still working the bugs out and hope to see if I fixed the problem soon at a test & tune. As mentioned in a previous post, it's a bracket race until you run a like-classed car. Then it's heads-up. But you still have to run the index or faster to have a chance because you can't dial slower than your class index. (Minimum performance standard.) Even if you buy a good, fast car, you have to have the resources AND knowledge how to keep the performance level up.
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Re: NHRA Stock Eliminator budget friendly
[Re: ss/la]
#2591363
12/13/18 04:21 PM
12/13/18 04:21 PM
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Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 3,570 Tulsa, Oklahoma
340Cuda
master
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master
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 3,570
Tulsa, Oklahoma
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[/i]And subscribe to Nitro Joe’s STATS to see who’s capable of running the big numbers.[i]
This is good advice, the 2018 stats are just coming out and you can get a copy"
From Classracer.com [/i]"The Nitro Joe End of the Year Stats Books will be soon in production. Any US non-subscribers who would like one can reserve a copy for $25 and receive a copy when they are bulk mailed. Canada orders are $30. You can paypal to bill@howellprinting.net or send a check to: Howell Printing, 345 Barnwell Ave., NW, Aiken, SC 29801. Be sure to include your mailing address. If you want a complete yearly subscription, please contact Nitro Joe directly
Also, you can call us with credit card orders at 803-649-2545[i]"
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Re: NHRA Stock Eliminator budget friendly
[Re: Roughbird72]
#2591549
12/13/18 10:58 PM
12/13/18 10:58 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 3,511 DFW
mr_340
master
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master
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 3,511
DFW
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http://www.nhraracer.com/archive.asp?offset=16Look for NHRA Releases Stock / Super Stock Slow Averages Through CN-2 10/19/2018. They list all the runs in the classes. Look for the combo you like and see how fast the others in that class are.
Floyd Lippencott IV
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Re: NHRA Stock Eliminator budget friendly
[Re: Roughbird72]
#2591862
12/14/18 02:46 PM
12/14/18 02:46 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,238 North Central, Indiana
Roughbird72
OP
pro stock
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OP
pro stock
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,238
North Central, Indiana
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Looks like the traveling part is a great deal of the budget. When it comes to the cost of a competitive car in the upper classes, I'm starting to understand why index racing and NSS are popular.
Last edited by Roughbird72; 12/14/18 02:46 PM.
72 Plymouth Roadrunner 11.08@123.25
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Re: NHRA Stock Eliminator budget friendly?
[Re: Locomotion]
#2592013
12/14/18 07:51 PM
12/14/18 07:51 PM
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Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 52,972 Romeo MI
MR_P_BODY
Master
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Master
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 52,972
Romeo MI
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That's why motorhomes and trailers with living quarters are popular with racers who travel a lot. It can save on hotel bills and travel time. But that's a big initial investment too. "IF" I can ever afford to do so, I'd like to be able to get a 42-44' gooseneck with a bathroom package and a sleeping area above the gooseneck to sleep at the track & truck stops. A small fridge and microwave would help but I always bring a BIG cooler filled with ice and food. You can still use a dually to go into town if time allows and is useful at home. Thats why I have a diesel dually and a 43' with LQ but I dont play with the stock or super stock.. just handy to stay in the fifth wheel
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Re: NHRA Stock Eliminator budget friendly?
[Re: Roughbird72]
#2592357
12/15/18 03:01 PM
12/15/18 03:01 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,238 North Central, Indiana
Roughbird72
OP
pro stock
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OP
pro stock
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,238
North Central, Indiana
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Good info ,but I believe competitive class racing is well beyond my budget and I was just asking the question in general. I would probably be better off setting up my current car for NMCA Nostalgia Muscle Car or possibly building another car for NSS and staying close to home. I'm 90 miles north of Indy, so there are a number of tracks/races within an 8 hour drive. This is just a hobby to me. As I get closer to retirement and my home is paid off, it could take up more of my time.
72 Plymouth Roadrunner 11.08@123.25
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