Hemi Cars @ US Nationals: Can someone explain? (1 Viewer)

[Mike]

Hey everyone. There is something about Super Stock and the Hemi Challenge that I've wondered about and hope someone can clarify.
I remember pre-Covid when SS Class eliminations were Friday morning, Alan mentioned that Round 1 of SS Class eliminations also doubles as the final round of SS qualifying. Is this still the case?

Now in the post-Covid era, both Stock and SS class is on Thursday..... except SS A/H. SS Round 1 is now on Friday morning.... before the Hemi Challenge. So, if SS class is also the final qualifying round, how does this work with SS A/H since their class is after Round 1? My understanding may be off, but I wondered about this.

Also, as of 10PM EDT, 8/6, the US Nationals Entry list shows this:
Under Super Stock A/H:
138 SS/AH Wendell Howes
2009 SS/AH Terry Earwood
2113 SS/AH Anthony Rhodes
484B SS/AH Cleve Stewart
5651 SS/AH Rick Johnson
5748 SS/AH Marlin Bogner

However, under Hemi Challenge, it shows this:
114 HC Matthew Welker
1945 HC Gary Wolkwitz
1968 HC Stephen Comella
2113 HC Anthony Rhodes
4300 HC Lloyd Wofford Jr
498Z HC Benjamin Kimberly

More entries should be added, but other than Anthony Rhodes, it's a completely different slate for the same class of cars. Are the ones under SS (minus Rhodes) skipping the Hemi Challenge, and the others (minus Rhodes) skipping SS eliminations?
It seems last year several Hemi Cars may have skipped R1 to run the Hemi Challenge a little later. Anyway, I understand the appeal of the Hemi Challenge and enjoy it.... but on the other hand it seems disrespectful of NHRA to single out one class out of all the different SS classes. Could someone unwrap the mystery?

Thanks!

 

[TSK]

The SS/AH cars are the the most exciting cars in all of SS. Don’t get me wrong, I really like the SS class.
But, they are probably the most expensive of all SS cars.
There’s not a better sounding gasoline burning engine than a Hemi on a top end charge while drawing in air from the surrounding county.
Mopar puts up the prize money for the Challenge.
The Hemi is the ultimate engine, and was legislated out of PS because they were unbeatable.
Maybe NHRA is trying to make amends by holding the Hemi Challenge.

 

[Mike]

Regardless of Mopar putting up $, SS A/H is still one of many classes within the SS category. How does this class fit in with everyone else in the 128 car Indy SS qualified field?

 

[TSK]

It’s a specialty race within a race. Similar races are held at other events for TF and FC.

 

[none]

Many of the HEMI guys come to run Class Eliminations AKA the HEMI Challenge (It's the same thing) but not the US Nationals. When MOPAR put up the extra cash, it was given the name. Many believe that those cars/engines are to fragile to bracket race, they just want to run the "Heads Up" part. Charlie Wescott comes to mind, he would come in to prove his engines/cars were the best in the country then go home. He never ran SS at the US Nationals.

Every year there would be as many as 20 SS/AH cars that would run Class then go home, leaving the first round ladder with all those holes to fill in with alternates. There were also times where a guy who was #14 alternate would go home, then find out he could have raced because of all the round one no shows, many of which were SS/AH cars.

So NHRA simply asked the HEMI guys to declare if they are running the US Nationals, and if not, they will not be put on the qualifying sheet or the ladder for round 1. They will all run the HEMI Challenge, those who want to compete in the US Nationals will go on the qualifying sheet, and the others will not.

Alan

 

[pwedge]

Many of the HEMI guys come to run Class Eliminations AKA the HEMI Challenge (It's the same thing) but not the US Nationals. When MOPAR put up the extra cash, it was given the name. Many believe that those cars/engines are to fragile to bracket race, they just want to run the "Heads Up" part. Charlie Wescott comes to mind, he would come in to prove his engines/cars were the best in the country then go home. He never ran SS at the US Nationals.

Every year there would be as many as 20 SS/AH cars that would run Class then go home, leaving the first round ladder with all those holes to fill in with alternates. There were also times where a guy who was #14 alternate would go home, then find out he could have raced because of all the round one no shows, many of which were SS/AH cars.

So NHRA simply asked the HEMI guys to declare if they are running the US Nationals, and if not, they will not be put on the qualifying sheet or the ladder for round 1. They will all run the HEMI Challenge, those who want to compete in the US Nationals will go on the qualifying sheet, and the others will not.

Alan

Thank you Alan. I figured that after all these years they finally made accomidations for the racers that just ran the Challenge.