I Love Pro Mod But... (1 Viewer)

[SoCal Racer]

13 of 16 qualifiers are Camaros. I was afraid of this trend. Everybody gravitates toward the best design, and right now I guess it’s the Camaro. Same for Alky FC. Thank God PM has 3 engine combos to spice it up.

Same for NFC. Thing is if you look back to the years represented by nostalgia cars, there were very few Camros and a lot of variety.

 

[Z28LT1]

When it was first created, the Super Gas class was one of my favorites, because of the incredible variety of cars. Now, I think they ought to change the class designation to C/R, for Corvette Roadster.

I'd like to see SG be a door car/full roof class only and send those roadsters to SC.

 

[DrRocket]

Iffen I were the rules czar, and it was up to me, I'd make 'em dump the electronics.

 

[Randy]

I'd like to see SG be a door car/full roof class only and send those roadsters to SC.

SG should move to 8.90. Fontana ran an outlaw SG race last weekend and a guy with a 63 Corvette roadster won it running a perfect 8.900 in the final. SC should be 7.90. Heck, you can go to the Dodge dealer and buy a car off the lot that will break out in SG.

 

[Z28LT1]

SG should move to 8.90. Fontana ran an outlaw SG race last weekend and a guy with a 63 Corvette roadster won it running a perfect 8.900 in the final. SC should be 7.90. Heck, you can go to the Dodge dealer and buy a car off the lot that will break out in SG.

I know a lot of SG cars are capable of running 8.90, but some aren't. What do you do with those? The reason I propose moving the roadsters to SC is because they have a advantage over door cars because of the added vision, plus most roadsters are newer cars and are more than capable of running 8.90, where as a bunch of the door cars, older cars in the class, aren't capable of running much more than 9.1's or 9.20's.

 

[mick]

question: why is the left side roll cage all the rage in today's SG roadsters? as apposed to center chassis roll cage

 

[Ice Bucket]

Promod is still bad ass, but lost some appeal when they started using converters and automatics.

 

[PJ]

I'd rather see them dump the super classes and go to one big...or if I have to, 2 et classes. Pick your number and run it.

I was at a race last year people were going nuts watching this 14 second truck go rounds as cars much quicker kept trying to run it down. Several second headsets, lots of fun. All kinds of variety. You don't have to dump a ton of money to go faster, just be consistent.

Mike Larson: I'm sure someone who knows more will correct me if I'm wrong but foggy memory seems to tell me it's a rule thing to be driver side. If centered then they would have to move to SC.

 

[Frank]

Nate, essentially what Randy is saying is just move the indexes down a second for all the super classes. SC goes to 7.90, SG goes to 8.90, SST goes to 9.90, and so on. If they did that they should also get rid of the stupid .90 thing. What is the idea behind that? I'm guessing it was based on certain safety equipment/chassis certification back then which is irrelevant now. Just make the indexes 8.00, 9.00, 10.00, 11.00, 12.00 and be done.

PJ, you are correct. Super Gas is required to be a left hand steer vehicle, meaning you have to be sitting to the left of the engine/drive shaft.

And to the original topic, Pro Mod is still bad ass to watch. Super entertaining.

 

[Z28LT1]

question: why is the left side roll cage all the rage in today's SG roadsters? as apposed to center chassis roll cage

I believe the rule is they have to be left hand drive in SG.

 

[Z28LT1]

Nate, essentially what Randy is saying is just move the indexes down a second for all the super classes. SC goes to 7.90, SG goes to 8.90, SST goes to 9.90, and so on. If they did that they should also get rid of the stupid .90 thing. What is the idea behind that? I'm guessing it was based on certain safety equipment/chassis certification back then which is irrelevant now. Just make the indexes 8.00, 9.00, 10.00, 11.00, 12.00 and be done.

I'm all for getting rid of throttle stops and and going dial in racing 8.00-8.99, 9.00-9.99, 10.00-10.99, etc. Maybe have an ET cut-off for delay boxes... Who knows...

 

[SundayNiagara]

I'm all for getting rid of throttle stops and and going dial in racing 8.00-8.99, 9.00-9.99, 10.00-10.99, etc. Maybe have an ET cut-off for delay boxes... Who knows...

Top Dragster & Sportsman rule. Get rid of the so-called "Super" classes.

 

[Jeff]

I think you guys are forgetting that a big part of the appeal of drag racing is the participation aspect. Drag racing dominates as the largest participant based motorsport. I think the super classes have their place and should not be fundamentally adjusted, from a participant standpoint it is some of the closest racing you'll ever see. TD/TS bring the crew and crew chief more into the picture and those classes are great for people like me and my wife. I think the spectator appeal really starts with the heads up classes.

Electronics broadens the group of highly skilled racers and brings more parts builders into the sport .... electronics are for racers, not for spectators.

 

[vegasnitro]

I think you guys are forgetting that a big part of the appeal of drag racing is the participation aspect. Drag racing dominates as the largest participant based motorsport. I think the super classes have their place and should not be fundamentally adjusted, from a participant standpoint it is some of the closest racing you'll ever see. TD/TS bring the crew and crew chief more into the picture and those classes are great for people like me and my wife. I think the spectator appeal really starts with the heads up classes.

Electronics broadens the group of highly skilled racers and brings more parts builders into the sport .... electronics are for racers, not for spectators.

This is the correct answer. As has been stated on here many times, the Super classes are PARTICIPATORY classes, NOT spectator classes. You don't like it, don't watch. Go get a burger or walk the pits. I have never understood the constant hand wringing on this board about throttle stop racing. I am not a big fan of it either, but dammed if I am going to tell someone else how they should race or let it ruin my day at the track pissing and moaning about it.

Also, the super classes have the highest car count, and there is NO WAY the NHRA or track owners are going to give up that back gate revenue at Divisional and National events. At the Divisional events, it is the ONLY revenue.

 

[Nunz]

This is the correct answer. As has been stated on here many times, the Super classes are PARTICIPATORY classes, NOT spectator classes. You don't like it, don't watch. Go get a burger or walk the pits. I have never understood the constant hand wringing on this board about throttle stop racing. I am not a big fan of it either, but dammed if I am going to tell someone else how they should race or let it ruin my day at the track pissing and moaning about it.

Also, the super classes have the highest car count, and there is NO WAY the NHRA or track owners are going to give up that back gate revenue at Divisional and National events. At the Divisional events, it is the ONLY revenue.

Great posts Jeff and Chris. And in addition, does making the super classes all 1 second quicker do anything to make them appealing to spectators? Nope. So leave ‘em alone. Like you guys said, they’re participation classes, and a big part of the sport.

 

[Bob]

question: why is the left side roll cage all the rage in today's SG roadsters? as apposed to center chassis roll cage

It's that way by the rules for the class. You also may have noticed that roadsters in Comp Eliminator, by the rules, have to have the cockpit located in the center.

 

[Jeff]

For us participants going to the races means MUCH MORE than just racing in our class or watching the pro's ... we watch our friends race, we visit in the pits with friends from all over the U.S. that we only know because we race. We cook out in the pits, we go out to eat at the great places near where we are racing (drove 72 miles to Jack's Stack in Kansas City ... great food, great service and a beautiful part of the city). We drove 1400 miles last week to race that national, fought a couple of relatively stupid problems all weekend, but in spite of the frustration I'm excited to go to Tulsa/Bristol on our next outing. No we are not a ton of fun to watch, but I'm certain I've never been to a national without talking to spectators in my pit for at least an hour. We play our part to entertain, but its not necessarily on the 1320.

Heck, earlier this year I was blessed to be in the staging lanes and put a face with that Nuncio Valerie Jr. name finally! Last weekend I talked tractors, pond building, and wifi with a stock/SG racer who I'd never met ... and yes his COPO Camaro make me want one.

 

[Randy]

Great posts Jeff and Chris. And in addition, does making the super classes all 1 second quicker do anything to make them appealing to spectators? Nope. So leave ‘em alone. Like you guys said, they’re participation classes, and a big part of the sport.

My idea about dropping the classes a tenth has nothing to do with spectators. I was told by some of the super gas racers at the Winternationals this year that they think super gas is dying a slow death. And for the record I just bought a Charlie Stewart Corvette to run super gas so I have skin in the game, so to speak. They are telling me it's mostly grey hairs running it. Not much new blood showing up.

There was a buzz in the pits about the upcoming 4 race series starting out at Fontana called "Outlaw Pro Gas" with sponsorship and a champion at the end of the series. The idea that racers could run off an 8.90 index instead of 9.90 without worrying about running over a dragster when most super gas cars could go that fast anyway was appealing to a lot of the racers.

Ken Mostowich drove all the way from Calgary, AB Canada, to run the first race last week at Fontana, CA, it and he won. Here's the final.

Here's a link to the story:

https://www.dragracingonline.com/agent-1320-5-22-18.html

 

[Randy]

I know a lot of SG cars are capable of running 8.90, but some aren't. What do you do with those? The reason I propose moving the roadsters to SC is because they have a advantage over door cars because of the added vision, plus most roadsters are newer cars and are more than capable of running 8.90, where as a bunch of the door cars, older cars in the class, aren't capable of running much more than 9.1's or 9.20's.

The first 8.90 index "Outlaw" race had one door car and one roadster in the final so I'm not sure it is as much of an advantage as everyone thinks. See picture of the "Outlaw" final in the above post.

FWIW, I ran 9.30's and 9.40's every weekend in a 1960 Corvette with a stock all cast iron 454 with nothing more than a roller cam in it back in the 1970's. It even had working doors and door handles. With today's stuff it wouldn't take much to knock a half tenth off and go quicker. This was 1975 at Orange County International Raceway when I was a teenager driving my neighbor's race car:

 

[Nunz]

For us participants going to the races means MUCH MORE than just racing in our class or watching the pro's ... we watch our friends race, we visit in the pits with friends from all over the U.S. that we only know because we race. We cook out in the pits, we go out to eat at the great places near where we are racing (drove 72 miles to Jack's Stack in Kansas City ... great food, great service and a beautiful part of the city). We drove 1400 miles last week to race that national, fought a couple of relatively stupid problems all weekend, but in spite of the frustration I'm excited to go to Tulsa/Bristol on our next outing. No we are not a ton of fun to watch, but I'm certain I've never been to a national without talking to spectators in my pit for at least an hour. We play our part to entertain, but its not necessarily on the 1320.

Heck, earlier this year I was blessed to be in the staging lanes and put a face with that Nuncio Valerie Jr. name finally! Last weekend I talked tractors, pond building, and wifi with a stock/SG racer who I'd never met ... and yes his COPO Camaro make me want one.

Hey Jeff, I really enjoy your posts, as you along with Randy, are two of not many racers posting here these days. And, I'm a fan of the TD/TS classes. One thing though, I haven't been to an event this year yet, so I'm not sure who you met! Having said that, I'm sure I will end up seeing you at a race eventually.