Re: NHRA screws the little guy once more
[Re: Phil Saran]
#557126
12/19/09 07:12 PM
12/19/09 07:12 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 6,266 Renton Washington
Triple Threat
OP
master
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OP
master
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Posts: 6,266
Renton Washington
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Quote:
AS a former stock eliminator racer (from the 80's) who gave up due to the cost, one factor you are leaving out is the cost of attending a divisional or national race.
No I have accounted for that, I know how expensive it can all be. I just think this new change will do away with a lot of the little guys. The casual racer who only attends a few races every year is being priced out. Now instead of attending another race next year, some guys will have to make the call to spend that money to hopefully pick up a tenth so they can still run fast enough to qualify.
Last edited by Triple Threat; 12/19/09 07:14 PM.
-Dustin 67 Dart, 9 second, 392" G3 Hemi 68 Barracuda 340 F/SA
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Re: NHRA screws the little guy once more
#557127
12/19/09 07:38 PM
12/19/09 07:38 PM
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Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 4,954 northwest USA
NANKET
master
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master
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 4,954
northwest USA
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Quote:
and all this to just be first round cannon fodder
I invite you all to watch Dustin bracket race, then tell us about cannon fodder.
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Re: NHRA screws the little guy once more
[Re: r69cuda]
#557130
12/19/09 08:38 PM
12/19/09 08:38 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 6,266 Renton Washington
Triple Threat
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Currently it is a '67 with a late 68 build 340/904/8.75
Car isn't even close to be stock legal nor competitive as it sits. Needs front seats, bumpers and a whole bunch of weight loss. And of course a stock legal 273 or 383 to stay a 67. If I turned it into a 68 or 69 clone this opens up the engine options quite a bit.
-Dustin 67 Dart, 9 second, 392" G3 Hemi 68 Barracuda 340 F/SA
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Re: NHRA screws the little guy once more
[Re: Triple Threat]
#557134
12/20/09 08:33 AM
12/20/09 08:33 AM
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Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 1,226 Peoples republic of clackamas ...
atoetly
pro stock
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pro stock
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 1,226
Peoples republic of clackamas ...
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Quote:
Quote:
There will be a handful of guys who won't be able to qualify at all now because they don't have the resources to find .3, or qualify above their index, which is a minimum dial" for eliminations.
This has been my point this entire time. Some just don't get it.
I'm not sure they don't get it Dustin or that they just don't care? Trust fund baby racing at it's finest.
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Re: NHRA screws the little guy once more
[Re: atoetly]
#557135
12/20/09 10:45 AM
12/20/09 10:45 AM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 20,334 Park Forest, IL
slantzilla
Too Many Posts
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Too Many Posts
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Posts: 20,334
Park Forest, IL
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Quote:
I'm not sure they don't get it Dustin or that they just don't care? Trust fund baby racing at it's finest.
No, the point is that class racing has always been expensive, and your combination is always in jeopardy. The guys doing the 1000' racing are not only protecting the fast guys, but are more importantly protecting the slow guys who can't/won't make their cars fast. If those guys ever ran it all the way out 50% of the cars in that combination would instantly become dead players.
Couple years ago a guy made a banzai run in A/SA with a Hemi car. (Henson maybe?) It got the combo some big HP and some guys even sold their cars because they could not be competitive in class anymore.
It's always been that way, and always will be, in any heads-up racing. Do the research and pick a good combo and you can be relatively safe, but you're still always at risk of getting put out of business by some other racer with a big ego/wallet, especially in the heavily populated classes.
"Everybody funny, now you funny too."
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Re: NHRA screws the little guy once more
[Re: Hemiroid]
#557137
12/20/09 12:14 PM
12/20/09 12:14 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 990 Vacherie, Louisiana
SuperStocker
super gas
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super gas
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 990
Vacherie, Louisiana
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And what's wrong with him wanting to try stock eliminator? Why all the negativity? To each his own but, 90% of the people on this post have no idea what they are talking about anyways.
So what if you can only run the index? So you can't win class? How many times do you actually see a heads up run in eliminations anyway? Yes, they do happen but aren't often.
So you think it'll break the bank to run stock class do you? Yes, I can see where that comes from. Again, if your like the 90% on this post and must pay someone to do everything for you, then yes it would be expensive but what isn't? It doesn't have to be. I'll be the first to say that I am a thrifty racer and it may take a whole year for me to think out, find and purchase parts, and build a stock or superstock engine. But, I do most everything myself as it's the only way for me to afford it. I enjoy WORKING on my car and EXPERIMENTING with things and FINDING a few horsepower here and a few there. I do what it takes for me to do what I want. Why couldn't anyone else?
When I first decided to try stock, at my first race I was only one tenth faster than the index. I went four rounds before I redlighted so don't say that its impossible to be able to compete if you aren't fast. Yes the indexes may have changed but, so have the times.
I'm not against others having no interest in stock or superstock; do your own thing and bracket race if you want. Don't talk bad about the man because he's wanting to try something new. Why all the discouragement and negativity?
I for one encourage Dustin to try stock, especially since its been a dream of his. Dustin, please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or need anything.
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Re: NHRA screws the little guy once more
[Re: SuperStocker]
#557138
12/20/09 01:05 PM
12/20/09 01:05 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 20,334 Park Forest, IL
slantzilla
Too Many Posts
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Too Many Posts
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 20,334
Park Forest, IL
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I guess the point that I have not been able to make is that he does not even have a combination picked yet and is already whining that the NHRA is screwing him.
I have provided a great example of someone who has done the work to run Stock, started in a hole, done very well, and has not broken the bank. A good plan and some hard work do go a long way.
If you plan to run index or just under you will always be at risk of your combo being kicked to the curb.
"Everybody funny, now you funny too."
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Re: NHRA screws the little guy once more
[Re: SuperStocker]
#557139
12/20/09 01:31 PM
12/20/09 01:31 PM
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Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 705 Michigan
Hemiroid
super stock
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super stock
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 705
Michigan
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Quote:
And what's wrong with him wanting to try stock eliminator? Why all the negativity? To each his own but, 90% of the people on this post have no idea what they are talking about anyways.
So what if you can only run the index? So you can't win class? How many times do you actually see a heads up run in eliminations anyway? Yes, they do happen but aren't often.
So you think it'll break the bank to run stock class do you? Yes, I can see where that comes from. Again, if your like the 90% on this post and must pay someone to do everything for you, then yes it would be expensive but what isn't? It doesn't have to be. I'll be the first to say that I am a thrifty racer and it may take a whole year for me to think out, find and purchase parts, and build a stock or superstock engine. But, I do most everything myself as it's the only way for me to afford it. I enjoy WORKING on my car and EXPERIMENTING with things and FINDING a few horsepower here and a few there. I do what it takes for me to do what I want. Why couldn't anyone else?
When I first decided to try stock, at my first race I was only one tenth faster than the index. I went four rounds before I redlighted so don't say that its impossible to be able to compete if you aren't fast. Yes the indexes may have changed but, so have the times.
I'm not against others having no interest in stock or superstock; do your own thing and bracket race if you want. Don't talk bad about the man because he's wanting to try something new. Why all the discouragement and negativity?
I for one encourage Dustin to try stock, especially since its been a dream of his. Dustin, please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or need anything.
Maybe read what he wrote a little more carefully and you might understand why he got some of the responses he did. Here's some of his earlier posts:
Quote:
I'm not surprised a lot of you guys don't understand that there a bunch of younger racers or those without a bunch of money who don't run that far under the index, but enjoy racing at divisionals at the like. All NHRA has done is raise the cost of entry into an already expensive sport.
And its plain ignorant in my opinion to say that you're a door stop, or that you didn't belong if you can't run a second under the index. Apparently no one knows who Jody Lang is, even though he led both stock and super stock points this season and finished top 5 in both nationally. Having a slow car might not win you class, who cares, its just a wally. Eliminations are where its at and what all the real racers are there for. The purse itself might not be large, but factor in contingency payouts and everything, and you can easily win 10K plus if you know what your doing.
Like I said, I don't expect you guys with multiple racecars, toterhomes, stackers and such to understand where a little guy like me is coming from. I guess I'm just a wannabe door stop who doesn't belong.
Quote:
I guess I still don't understand what you mean by this. In eliminations if you can go .1 under you've got as much of a shot as someone who goes 1.10 under, its just bracket racing. This 3 tenth bump changes nothing really other than a couple of the big boys have room to go faster now if they want to during qualifying. Everyone is still going to back down the timing, add weight and go into "bracket mode" for the race.
His focus is bracket racing. His words, not mine. He thinks the only "real" racers are those in the Eliminator, not the fast guys in class. He's complaining that it will take an effort on his part to actually be competitive in class to get to the bracket race. He has no interest in stock, only bracket racing.
Again, why bother with stock if you don't care about class? The answer is he wants into the eliminator to bracket race, but doesn't want to spend the time or money to be competitive in class to do it. S/ST just seems like a natural fit for him, as he has no interest in class racing.
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Re: NHRA screws the little guy once more
[Re: Hemiroid]
#557140
12/20/09 03:23 PM
12/20/09 03:23 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 6,266 Renton Washington
Triple Threat
OP
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OP
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Renton Washington
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I enjoy the bracket racing aspect of it, and that is what interests me because that is what I have experience with. Class racing is fun, I'm always impressed by the guys that go fast, but I don't have the bank roll at this point to be top player with them. I've never said I wouldn't want to have a car that runs a second under. Everyone would, but it just takes more time, and more money. As a recent college graduate, the money is tight and for me, and to come out of the gate running .5+ under will be difficult. As for why not super street? All the real racing I have done is off the bottom bulb and footbraking. I'm sure I could easily put a brake and delay box in the car and go super class racing but that doesn't interest me nearly as much as running in stock or even Super stock. Besdies, stock pays more and is contested at all national events. This thread wasn't started with intention of it being about myself. I know I referenced wanting to run stock in the first post, but it was meant to be taken as a passing note to show I have some, albeit small interest in the matter. I was simply sharing the news and voicing my opinion. Its obvious many of you don't agree with me (Dennis, Jimi, Marc) which is fine, everyone can have their own opinion. No hard feelings on my end. To those who have offered assistance to me, It is greatly appreciated, and I may take you up on that someday. To those of you who have done nothing but bash me without trying to look at it from my perspective . See you kids later. Winter is gonna be a long one.
-Dustin 67 Dart, 9 second, 392" G3 Hemi 68 Barracuda 340 F/SA
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Re: NHRA screws the little guy once more
[Re: Triple Threat]
#557141
12/20/09 03:54 PM
12/20/09 03:54 PM
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Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 705 Michigan
Hemiroid
super stock
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super stock
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 705
Michigan
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I hope you don't think I'm bashing you Dustin, because I'm not. I hadn't considered the electronics in S/ST versus the footbraking. I agree with you that the bottom bulb racing is fun, so I can understand why you wouldn't race S/ST. Ironically, like you, I too would love to go Stock racing but am held back by the time and money required to be competitive. I guess the difference between us is that I would lust after the class win and have less interest in the bracket race. It seems to me you really don't want to race a stocker, more that you want to footbrake bracket race at Div./National events and want to use Stock as a way in without having to sell your house to do it. Nothing wrong with that, just not sure that's what NHRA was thinking about when they started stock. Anyway, good luck with whatever you decide to do
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Post deleted by Defbob
[Re: slantzilla]
#557143
12/20/09 07:17 PM
12/20/09 07:17 PM
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Anonymous
Unregistered
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Anonymous
Unregistered
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Re: NHRA screws the little guy once more
#557144
12/20/09 07:20 PM
12/20/09 07:20 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 32,394
Quicktree
I Win
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I Win
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 32,394
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Quote:
Quote:
You think this is bad? Read Quicktree's "Dave Morgan" thread.
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