Qualifying yesterday. Obviously the air conditions are very good. But, a Mustang running 7.70@176. Camaros in the 7.7x as well. Challengers 7.8-7.9. Good thing Dodge got tagged with 50lbs last year. Obviously both Ford and Chevrolet have new combos. Amazing in that class they could pick up over .20 over the winter????
Doug

Yea I was shocked to see that. Turns out Chevy and Ford were allowed to change some parts on their cars -

Wonder if they will have to add 50lbs also… doubt it! Crying only comes when Mopars are fast!

Yeh, even when other Mopar drivers/owner are crying about a Mopar more dominate than theirs...

The Fords have a new BIGGER blower. All Dodge got was weight

Didn't the Camaro's get a new blower too? We all know the nhra isn't going to let the Dodges be the fastest cars in the class for very long.

I hate to say it, but I've lost a lot of interest already.

You could see where this was headed, into another big political infested big money game. The Ford and Chevy people were complaining about Schumacher and all the money he was bringing into it, which I thought was pretty rich when guys like Tasca was doing the complaining. Now you've got Skillman, Bo Butler, and even Summit involved in the game.

A fool could see this coming. Here we go again.....we've all seen this movie before.

I don't believe so, they did get some other pieces approved. Don't recall them mentioning a new blower though. Mountain View has their new FSS/A Copo out, they won class at the baby Gators. I don't remember their builder mentioning a new blower though, but maybe. I know the Fords got a much larger blower and it clearly is showing what it can do

Its been a rich guys class since day 1. If you have ever been to a race NMCA or NHRA where these guys compete there has never been a doubt about the money in the class.

Love the cars; hate the politics of the class.

Looks like nothing has changed in the NHRA. Just gives one another reason to stay away.

Remember, all this power on a 9" slick. Very impressive!

Yep. I was informed that a competitive car will run around $250K

I'm not sure about the Blower being bigger.. I think the Dodge and the Chevy 350 inch plus all weigh the same

My understanding is that the COPOs and the Cobra Jets do have the option of running a better blower, but if they use it they run at the same weight as the Drag Packs.

The Dodges may be holding back but if not they may not be low qualifiers much this year.

Lets face it just as it was in 1972 the Ford and GM factories have more money then Mopar and NHRA will kiss their butts to keep more people happy and let them win. Money and politics is still in NHRA of course and Ford and GM have more of it then Mopar. Ron

At that level of performance it takes quite a bit of HP to make up for 2 tenths, but chopping the tree and a little luck could help the Dodges make rounds.

.20 in ET at the level is a solid 100hp.
Doug

Pawuk made it to the final and had a better light, but Skillman drove around him at half track.

That’s a good starting point for that calculation. Lol

Both Ford and Gm submitted new vehicle combos for 2019. This got them different engine components as well..

Mopar did not submit a new vehicle for 2019 so we got all we are going to get for now.

After Gainesville next week it should be interesting to see if NHRA is interested in equalizing the field as they were when the Dodges were fast.

So what’s the cert on the cage good to, 7.50??? If so might have to jump up to a 6.50 cert soon

The rumor in Bradenton was, the Mustangs will be getting a Pulley change soon.

Yeah this is really a tough money class for sure. Have a very good friend that races a COPO & he is in totally. New engine, blower, converter, gear change & so on. But it's still cheaper than the alcohol funny he used to run. So close to the 7 second club this past weekend. Was really hoping to see them get there as independents. So many of these cars are definitely being helped by the parent companies. So sad to only see a cpl Challengers in the field. But hey Pawuk makes it to the final again. $100,000 for the car then let's tear it all down & start over.
I was mistaken, later in eliminations they bombed the 7 second barrier. Went 7.84@171 so impressive for a small tire car. especially on the 1st day out w/totally new combo
Great Job to Munroe Racing, Terry Munroe / driver-owner - Jim Boyer / Crewchief

For 2019:
CJ cars went up to 327" and have larger blower
COPO has a magnuson blower, no other changes or parts...

NHRA tagged any FSS/XX cars running the 2019 engine with the extra 50# so they are the same as the dodge at 3575. NMCA made the same rule changes.

Interesting how the Mopars were running 170+ in the heat of the summer last year, but Pawuk was 166-168 in Bradenton...

Good to see" Cowboy" going some rounds, glad he is back for another year

Does anyone know if Joe Welch will be running his FSS Challenger this season?

Rumor is Larry Morgan might be driving for Joe?

There is another thread that says he is building a Cobra Jet...

How is this the fault of the NHRA? They provide a safe race environment and rules then the chips, from there, fall where they may. There will always be people with deep pockets willing to spend on the thrill of beating other people with deep pockets. These guys race for $4,000 purses. It cost them that per run...at least. If one tries to justify the expenditure then he is in the wrong game.

I don't think anyone is necessarily complaining of the cost, it's the bending of the rules for one manufacturer over another. I'm pretty sure one of the original concepts of the class was to have it relatively fair by making everyone use the same supercharger. They've now altered that to favor one maker over another. The new Ford blower is obviously a killer, they've went from cannon fodder to way out in front in 6 months. I don't mind using new components but let all the manufacturers use it.

I watched those cars run NMCA finals at indy last year. jaw dropping! i'm old enough to remember T/F fuel cars not making the 7's. Chrysler had a hemi shoot out with a 10.00 index. guys were driving in and running 9.90's. i'm impressed!

[quote=lewtot184] jaw dropping! i'm old enough to remember T/F fuel cars not making the 7's.
I can remember when (1963 to 1965) they where running in the mid to low eights smoking the tires the entire run back before burn outs T/F Front engine cars with push to start and stage and race. Funny cars came up with electric starters on the blower drives and the changes started to occurred to where we are now today, factory stockers running the 7. on nine slicks

yep! push start no warm up. smokie runs and still 8's.