New Classes Comp Elim

[Cliff]

https://www.dragracecentral.com/DRCStory.asp?ID=348124&NewHash=LODRS-SUMMIT#indextop

I had never heard this before. good news for Comp, more entries.

 

[sammi]

Shouldn't we be adding classes that encourage new blood to start drag racing at the divisional level and national level? Junior dragster racers running a junior comp car were hoping NHRA would allow that car to be upgraded to big kids competition eliminator. Also, there is a world of classes that could be created using crate engines and or older dragster or car platforms. I don't see how allowing $200,000-$500,000 cars to run comp will help the current lack of interest in this category.

 

[Cliff]

Years ago, NHRA created the "Econo" classes for dragsters & funny cars. Idea was to take an old chassis and put a V-8 engine with one 4 barrel carb, Glide trans and go racing. I think 3-4 classes. Well that morphed into cars that went way past what the class was supposed to be. A/ED today can run 6.50's at 205 plus with what is basically a Pro Stock motor with a 4 barrel. Nothing "econo" about it. Not too many "econo" cars racing today cuz of cost. I can't think of a single class in Comp that wouldn't cost minimum of $100,000 to build. Would very much like to see a crate engine class and even a Junior Comp class in Comp. Motorcycle engined dragster would be cool for Comp. Have seen those run in the 9's. Cool to watch, high RPM and they shift it about 5 times during the run. I guess you'd have to wonder, if NHRA did include those classes in Comp, how long would it be before the costs would go to the moon, like everything else.

 

[Nunz]

Years ago, NHRA created the "Econo" classes for dragsters & funny cars. Idea was to take an old chassis and put a V-8 engine with one 4 barrel carb, Glide trans and go racing. I think 3-4 classes. Well that morphed into cars that went way past what the class was supposed to be. A/ED today can run 6.50's at 205 plus with what is basically a Pro Stock motor with a 4 barrel. Nothing "econo" about it. Not too many "econo" cars racing today cuz of cost. I can't think of a single class in Comp that wouldn't cost minimum of $100,000 to build. Would very much like to see a crate engine class and even a Junior Comp class in Comp. Motorcycle engined dragster would be cool for Comp. Have seen those run in the 9's. Cool to watch, high RPM and they shift it about 5 times during the run. I guess you'd have to wonder, if NHRA did include those classes in Comp, how long would it be before the costs would go to the moon, like everything else.

You’re right, but that’s the very nature of racing.

 

[TooTall999]

Years ago, NHRA created the "Econo" classes for dragsters & funny cars. Idea was to take an old chassis and put a V-8 engine with one 4 barrel carb, Glide trans and go racing. I think 3-4 classes. Well that morphed into cars that went way past what the class was supposed to be. A/ED today can run 6.50's at 205 plus with what is basically a Pro Stock motor with a 4 barrel. Nothing "econo" about it. Not too many "econo" cars racing today cuz of cost. I can't think of a single class in Comp that wouldn't cost minimum of $100,000 to build. Would very much like to see a crate engine class and even a Junior Comp class in Comp. Motorcycle engined dragster would be cool for Comp. Have seen those run in the 9's. Cool to watch, high RPM and they shift it about 5 times during the run. I guess you'd have to wonder, if NHRA did include those classes in Comp, how long would it be before the costs would go to the moon, like everything else.

Yup, bunch of big money comp racers saw the soft indexes in the "econo" classes and look what happened....

 

[FABMAN]

Years ago, NHRA created the "Econo" classes for dragsters & funny cars. Idea was to take an old chassis and put a V-8 engine with one 4 barrel carb, Glide trans and go racing. I think 3-4 classes. Well that morphed into cars that went way past what the class was supposed to be. A/ED today can run 6.50's at 205 plus with what is basically a Pro Stock motor with a 4 barrel. Nothing "econo" about it. Not too many "econo" cars racing today cuz of cost. I can't think of a single class in Comp that wouldn't cost minimum of $100,000 to build. Would very much like to see a crate engine class and even a Junior Comp class in Comp. Motorcycle engined dragster would be cool for Comp. Have seen those run in the 9's. Cool to watch, high RPM and they shift it about 5 times during the run. I guess you'd have to wonder, if NHRA did include those classes in Comp, how long would it be before the costs would go to the moon, like everything else.

Everyone knows Drag Racing is addictive. We all want to make car or dragster run as quick as possible it's nature of the beast, and cost isn't an issue. No matter what class is started, if there's interest it will become expensive.

 

[Jeff]

Unicorn -- heads up economy drag racing

My 24 Hours of Lemons car started as a $500 BMW .... I will have roughly $10k in it when it goes to the track, all within the rules....

 

[vegasnitro]

Unicorn -- heads up economy drag racing

My 24 Hours of Lemons car started as a $500 BMW .... I will have roughly $10k in it when it goes to the track, all within the rules....

Don't they still have claiming rules for any car in the race?

Do they also still randomly crush 1 car at every event?

 

[nwspeedshots]

Don't they still have claiming rules for any car in the race?

Do they also still randomly crush 1 car at every event?

Their website says the claim rule exists, but only the organizers, not fellow competitors can claim. And they've only done it twice. No more crushing.

 

[Jeff]

It looks like a lot of fun. A couple years ago I got invited by a SS/AH buddy to drive with some of his friends and started looking an the sanction and started shopping for chassis .... then last year my youngest son found out his future father in law was going to give a 2006 BMW 325is 6 speed to charity ... his son literally had a dent in every body panel and the interior was trashed, no dealer would give him anything in trade for it, but the drivetrain was great .... BMW people just aren't much on the hammered dog shit look evidently .... perfect race car, rented a trailer and towed it home from Denver. The money adds up pretty quickly .... there is no limit on safety items (cage, seat, brakes, etc) and the tires have to be a certain minimum tread wear and are also considered a safety item .... do the math and you've got some real money spent there. We'll have some spares, and we really don't care if they start us on lap negative 100 we are just gonna do it to have fun and be safe.

Unfortunately, I now seem to attract Lemons cars .... there is another one parked outside my race shop right now, dude will give it to me. and, yes, another kids car. Thankfully, I also own some remote acreage with an old barn. Had a 69 camaro drag car and 54 truck in there, both sold .... now that's my Lemons curing area.

Man, I hope neither David or Carinena Nickens ever come across this thread .... I'd be fired as a client if they knew I derailed a comp eliminator thread to Lemons. It is cool what Roger Brogdon is doing for the class in D4 this year. $150k pop to the purse will make a difference I bet, interesting article on Comp Plus.

 

[sammi]

Maybe Comp Eliminator could used a few "Lemons" classes. A/LA-car must be purchased for under $500, auto trans, safety updates OK. Wouldn't it be cool to see a guy line up against a $500k mini prostocker with an '86 Buick LaSabre that had been partially converted into a Cuisinart machine using paper mache and tempura paint with an 18 second index.

 

[AC]

I think SS/AH ran in comp last year in d1. It will be interesting when you have 6 second cars flying up on a 750 car on a 9" slick and the stocker hits the brakes to not kill his index.

 

[Cliff]

http://classracer.com/classforum/showthread.php?t=72105 This is from classracer.com. Thought the comments were interesting.

 

[sammi]

14 cars at Pomona.....no AH/SM or FS/SM cars.
31 cars in 2010
I really would like to suggest the focus needs to be on easing entry into Competition Eliminator, not shaking the tree and hoping a few more cars will fall out.
One would think if you sat people like Bill Maropolis, David Nickens and Bruno Massel in a room with a few pizzas and drinks, you might get a pretty reasonable plan for Comp's future.

 

[Cliff]

There is a guy running Comp that has a dragster with a Honda 4 cyl engine. Maybe more cars with "modern day engines" could help. Or motorcycle engine dragsters (which I have seen), cheap & easy to race.

 

[DG]

"Cheap and Easy" are just the opposite of today's Comp racers.

While you can qualify with almost anything, you need a car that can run at least 50, if not 60, under that classes index to be able to consistently go rounds.