Cobra Jet Controversy at NHRA (1 Viewer)

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Cobra Jet Controversy at NHRA - Stang TV Forums

 

[sdwarf36]

I had a raised eyebrow about a new car coming out + winning right out of the box like they did-but I kept my keyboard crewchief mouth shut figuring someone closer to the game would step up + say something. I'm sure NHRA will straighten out the situation reall quick to make it fair for the other racers that have years of R+D into their combos. Unless Ford is the "official car of NHRA".....

 

[mw6789]

I can imagine that many of the stock racers are more than a little concerned about this. Actually, I was amazed that some of the cars were actually being raced and not on eBay (there is at least one already on eBay) or stashed away waiting for Barrett-Jackson next year. Same with the Mopar ready made racer. It would seem to me that these type cars may need a class of their own. Its great to see factory participation again--with the financial crisis they all face, who knows how long it will last.

 

[Joker]

Ok, I guess I'm lost here. I dont understand what all the b*tching is for. In Stock and Super Stock you run you class first. Thats the only part thats heads up. So all the cars are in the same boat there. Then when you go up against all the other classes, its just a bracket race. So what am I missing here?

 

[JL]

Ok, I guess I'm lost here. I dont understand what all the b*tching is for. In Stock and Super Stock you run you class first. Thats the only part thats heads up. So all the cars are in the same boat there. Then when you go up against all the other classes, its just a bracket race. So what am I missing here?

I am with you Justin... With that being said, if I am an "A" class racer, I am pissed that these cars have the potential to flat bury me. They may need to be moved into a AA class or possibly create an AX class or AF (A Factory) class which they compete together.

As a point of reference, the AA cars of Robert Pond and Bobby D ran in the 9.70's and 80's where the stangs ran in the ten-teens.

Just my $.02

 

[dave]

I can imagine that many of the stock racers are more than a little concerned about this. Actually, I was amazed that some of the cars were actually being raced and not on eBay (there is at least one already on eBay) or stashed away waiting for Barrett-Jackson next year. Same with the Mopar ready made racer. It would seem to me that these type cars may need a class of their own. Its great to see factory participation again--with the financial crisis they all face, who knows how long it will last.

The guy who owns the car that won Pomona is a die hard ford/drag race history fan. Money is not really an issue with him, which is the cool part about it. They were made to race, and luckily a few of them are being raced.

 

[Bill]

Ok, I guess I'm lost here.

Well, at least you admit it; that's admirable!!!

In Stock and Super Stock you run you class first. Thats the only part thats heads up. So all the cars are in the same boat there. Then when you go up against all the other classes, its just a bracket race. So what am I missing here?[/QUOTE]


Yesterday, perennial Stock champ Dan Fletcher had no less than FOUR heads-up races on his way to his runner-up position in Stock Eliminator.

That's in ADDITION to the heads-up races he had in CLASS Eliminations.

You see, it's not necessarily "just a Bracket race" for the money; you can always come up against a car that is in your class on your way to the Final round in Stock or S/S. When you do, it's heads-up/no breakout and all things (R/T's) considered equal, the quicker car will win.

The 2008 CJ's that were raced at Pomona were 4 of 50 that are being built ostenisbly for racing, though lots of them will never see a drag strip.

The ones that WILL, have been given a HP factor that is unreasonably low (425hp) according to the scuttlebut on the Class Racer Forum, a venue (BB) for folks who follow Stock and S/S very closely.

Even John Calvert, who won Stock Eliminator Pomona with his 2008 CJ has been quoted as saying that with a little tweaking, these cars are capable of seven-hundred horsepower...

Therein lies the rub. NHRA has factored them in at 425, just like a '69 Camaro iron-head 425hp 427, which is pretty much maxed out at 620 hp.

How would you like to race somebody heads-up, pulling the same weight per (identical) factored HP as you, knowing they had 80 HP more than you can muster???

There's NO WAY you can win... barring their red light, crossing the centerline or other driver error on their part.

THAT is what the hubbub is all about. It's ALL about the so-called "bogus" HP factor... not much else.

Maybe Ford IS the official NHRA car..... LOL!

 

[mw6789]

The guy who owns the car that won Pomona is a die hard ford/drag race history fan. Money is not really an issue with him, which is the cool part about it. They were made to race, and luckily a few of them are being raced.

Yeah, I know the guy who bought the first 10 is a real racer, but probably the other 40 will be sitting around with the original air in the tires and zero passes on the clock. I guess they could be like the Corvette Challenge cars of a few years ago and be worth more with racing "history".

 

[sdwarf36]

I think its great that modern iron is being put out there worthy of running with the classics--and even better that there is factory involvement in the door slammer class. My problem is that other A/S--A/SA cars that have been supporting the class for years + years -and have been ruled + factored under a microscope. Nobody has 50 extra hp hidden in their big blocks. Along comes FI + a blower-with a very soft hp rating---and a long way to go in development.
Now picture how this must have began. There had to be meetings with the NHRA about the car before it even got started. Was there alot of haggling? Someone try to sneak anything by under the watchful eye of the tech dept.?
Or did a major sponsor wanting to tout wins cut deals like midway space-vehicles-future incentives etc. get preferential treatment? Don't think it can happen? I got 2 words...
Harley Davidson.

 

[Bill]

Harley Davidson.

Jeeze, Sherman... I wish I'D said that!!!




Bill

 

[Mike]

"Yesterday, perennial Stock champ Dan Fletcher had no less than FOUR heads-up races on his way to his runner-up position in Stock Eliminator".





And that will probably never happen again in his life. The mustang won Pomona because John Calvert is a great driver who can dial a car.

 

[Bill]

"Yesterday, perennial Stock champ Dan Fletcher had no less than FOUR heads-up races on his way to his runner-up position in Stock Eliminator".

"And that will probably never happen again in his life. The Mustang won Pomona because John Calvert is a great driver who can dial a car."

No argument there!!!

And you're probably right that he may never have four heads-up races again in the Eliminator, too, but ALL Class races are heads-up, and that much probably won't change. Class racing is just for bragging rights, though... It used to pay a few bucks if you won your class, but NHRA, in a "Rollerball"-type effort to downplay performance achievements, has undermined that situation by minimizing the importance of class wins and cutting the purses for that accomplishment, over the years.

But, in spite of it all, as long as it's still possible to have to face a same-class car in the FINAL ROUND (for the money), it behooves racers to have as fast a car as they can afford.

 

[haagar]

And that will probably never happen again in his life. The mustang won Pomona because John Calvert is a great driver who can dial a car.

Not to take anything away from him because your statement is true, but that day he was also a very lucky driver.

 

[Joker]

Ok, I guess I'm lost here.

Well, at least you admit it; that's amirable!!!

In Stock and Super Stock you run you class first. Thats the only part thats heads up. So all the cars are in the same boat there. Then when you go up against all the other classes, its just a bracket race. So what am I missing here?[/QUOTE]


Yesterday, perennial Stock champ Dan Fletcher had no less than FOUR heads-up races on his way to his runner-up position in Stock Eliminator.

That's in ADDITION to the heads-up races he had in CLASS Eliminations.

You see, it's not necessarily "just a Bracket race" for the money; you can always come up against a car that is in your class on your way to the Final round in Stock or S/S. When you do, it's heads-up/no breakout and all things (R/T's) considered equal, the quicker car will win.

The 2008 CJ's that were raced at Pomona were 4 of 50 that are being built ostenisbly for racing, though lots of them will never see a drag strip.

The ones that WILL, have been given a HP factor that is unreasonably low (425hp) according to the scuttlebut on the Class Racer Forum, a venue (BB) for folks who follow Stock and S/S very closely.

Even John Calvert, who won Stock Eliminator Pomona with his 2008 CJ has been quoted as saying that with a little tweaking, these cars are capable of seven-hundred horsepower...

Therein lies the rub. NHRA has factored them in at 425, just like a '69 Camaro iron-head 425hp 427, which is pretty much maxed out at 620 hp.

How would you like to race somebody heads-up, pulling the same weight per (identical) factored HP as you, knowing they had 80 HP more than you can muster???

There's NO WAY you can win... barring their red light, crossing the centerline or other driver error on their part.

THAT is what the hubbub is all about. It's ALL about the so-called "bogus" HP factor... not much else.

Maybe Ford IS the official NHRA car..... LOL!

Thanks Bill. I guess I never realized you could race heads up during actual eliminations. I thought it was just the preliminary class racing. If so I can understand that.

 

[Bill]

Thanks Bill. I guess I never realized you could race heads up during actual eliminations. I thought it was just the preliminary class racing. If so I can understand that.

Justin, you're welcome!

It's very confusing...

"Heads up with no breakout" is the drill in Class racing AND in Eliminator races IF the two cars are of exactly the same class (B/SA vs. B/SA... BUT, "B/SA" vs. "B/S" (stick) is a handicapped race, for example.)

Where it gets confusing is, if you're campaigning a B/SA car and dial it in at 10.5-seconds and I am in the other lane with my B/S "stick" car that may not run particularly well, and I have ALSO dialed in at an identical 10.50, even though we will leave the line at precisely the same time (our green lights willl flash simultaneously), it only LOOKS like a "heads-up" race because the breakout rule applies in this case because the cars are in different classes.

Clear as mud??? LOL! It's a "handicapped" race, although it's a de facto heads-up run, in appearance.

During that race, if I run 10.499 to your 10.501, even though I got there first, I broke out, but you didn't, so you win the race.

That type of race hardly ever happens, but it is always a possibility.

Hope this helps....

Bill

 

[mike]

I wonder if it would be as big a controversy if it was a factory Camaro that was as underrated as the Mustang is said to be?

 

[DrRocket]

Even if the new Cobra Jets never win another race, they've served their purpose in that they've got people TALKING and DISCUSSING Fords and Ford products.

That, in itself is probably worth it to the marketing people in Dearborn

They're not free, but the CJ's are certainly worth it to the factory, if they've got people talking about them.

 

[mw6789]

I wonder if it would be as big a controversy if it was a factory Camaro that was as underrated as the Mustang is said to be?

Are you kidding me? The Ford fanatics would be out with pitchforks and torches!!!

 

[funny1]

C,mon folks-----I am suprised at you people-where have you been?Dont you watch TV?

Ford would be the Official----"truck"---- of the NHRA


Thanks Ford--- for the 5R55E,A4ld,AODE,E4OD,AXODE,ect...-------I feed my family fixing those------and my family eats alot.
I dont know what I would do if not for Ford transmission failures-----I might have to turn into a diesel mechanic to work on the wonderfull new diesels Ford has out-----that would be a few yrs guaranteed work right there.
Hmmmmmmmm

 

[Ponyhntr]

All I know is there was a new CJ running out at KCIR last Saturday. It was bone stock from Ford Racing, right off the trailer. All he could muster was mid-11's all day. And it was a guy that is constantly at the track playing with his toys.