It seem that all these people are building drag cars that conform to the new rules out there. Will the Hot Rod class die because people think it is easier to win in SFWD. I would like to see it a true street class. Maybe like the mustang folks do it. Everybody takes a 45 mile drive the day of the race. It seems like more and more people are building drag car that can "fit" into that class. I am thinking about getting into this class, but i really drive my car. Im not hating, but I thought thats what this class was intended for, Hot Rod will get smaller and people will find ways to run in a class that is supposed for street cars to gain an advantage. How many Hot Rod guys will convert to SFWD this year, and will it kill the hot rod class?

 

SFWD has not been real street cars for some time and without severely ridiculous rules, it won't go back. This has been a topic for quite some time and theres really nothing to do about it unless all the participants set their own rules to follow as well, but then it just takes one person to foul that up.

Hot Rod will not die, its just going to a whole other level....look for some news from the class later today.

 

if you go from "hotrod" to "sfwd" with the thinking that its "easier to win" you sir are mistaken. (NuRv)

*slightly* smaller budget, yes.

easier to win, NO

 

Plus the payouts suck ***.
I agree kinda with what he is saying, but hey racing is racing. Its the competitive nature in all of us that makes us want to win and for some they will take what steps are necessary to do it. Those steps are basically building a full out drag car to fit within the rulebook. I dont see any possible way showing that these are actual street cars. Doesnt make sense to take a 45 minute drive cause every car runs a radiator and runs on gas and bolting street tires on the car is effortless. Every car is supposed to be registered with the dot and supposed to be legal for us streets.....but i dont think nhra/nopi will be checking to see if the car has valid tags and insurance papers.
Get over it already, this topic has been beaten to death. Almost as bad as the hotrod guys with not being able to afford a trans that'll hold up where some have the funds to get that trans and go a lot faster without as many breakage problems.

 

How many of these "street" cars are actually legal to drive on the street? How many people have bogus regristration because they cant pass emmissions? Do they all have to have regristration and proof of insurance? Its all about pushing the limits that the rules allow. I wonder if the NHRA folks intended this class to be full out drag cars with glass instead of Lexan. Also the comment on it being non problem for these guys to run a lap or so around the city to prove they are indeed street cars. Why not do it. Just cause they can bolt street tires on dont mean guys will be willing to do it. They come in a trailer, they leave in one, how many really get driven? I also realize that most of the class will probably have real daily drivers, its just the trailer queens that i think will ruin the class.

 

SFWD i think is more competitive than HotRod just because it seems like HotRod has gone to sponcered backed teams that are in the lead

 

i understand where you are coming from man. I used to drive my car like 50k a year before i did the fully built motor and turbo set up. Now that the car is out and is making about 400 on low boost and soon to be 600-650 on race gas, the car is lucky to see 50 miles a week if it is even good weather. Well to compete you have to make some sacrifices and there is alot of them. But to be honest i was given a choice, my boy told me "you want to compete or have a fast street car". You can always braket race. And having a fast street car only results in alot of tickets. I plan to drive my car to close events but also trailer it so i dont have to change all my **** when i get to the track. Its all about what you want out of your car. I want my moneys worth meaning that i have to compete

 

Thats my point, To be competetive in the street class you have to make a descision whether you want to be competetive or have a street car. So basically the only way to compete in the street class is to have a car that is not street driven, Ironic.

 

I said the same thing when my boy told me that i am going to have to take my heat out of my car to drop weight and put a 10 point cage in the car b/c it will see over 135mph+. Then they told me it would be best if i ran 1000lb springs in the rear which really suck on the street. I hear your fustration but maybe you might need to consider braket racing b/c its gonna be almost impossible to change how things are. Its either roll with it or change your goals. I have alot of money in my car and i wanna see something out of it and if i drive it on the street alot it might get stolen, a soccer mom might take me out, or a ton of speeding tickets. Thats just my .02. Good luck with your decisions

 

personally i think SFWD cars are streetish cars, or full unibody cars with full glass that are meant to go fast....

im sure it is hard to drive a 10 second car daily, and it wouldnt be cost effective to have it on the street every day, things break, cops are hogs, and your local ricer are a few things that might increase your spending, i think that not driving it everyday might be saving you a few pennies

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by alloutmotor &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">personally i think SFWD cars are streetish cars, or full unibody cars with full glass that are meant to go fast....

im sure it is hard to drive a 10 second car daily, and it wouldnt be cost effective to have it on the street every day, things break, cops are hogs, and your local ricer are a few things that might increase your spending, i think that not driving it everyday might be saving you a few pennies</TD></TR></TABLE>

it's better to save the parts for when it counts...

 

It is what it is. The way the street classes are run is grassroots old school import racin w/ budgets dependent on the driver/owner and small sponsors

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 1fastgsrturbo &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">i understand where you are coming from man. I used to drive my car like 50k a year before i did the fully built motor and turbo set up. Now that the car is out and is making about 400 on low boost and soon to be 600-650 on race gas, the car is lucky to see 50 miles a week if it is even good weather. Well to compete you have to make some sacrifices and there is alot of them. But to be honest i was given a choice, my boy told me "you want to compete or have a fast street car". You can always braket race. And having a fast street car only results in alot of tickets. I plan to drive my car to close events but also trailer it so i dont have to change all my **** when i get to the track. Its all about what you want out of your car. I want my moneys worth meaning that i have to compete </TD></TR></TABLE>

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 1fastgsrturbo &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I said the same thing when my boy told me that i am going to have to take my heat out of my car to drop weight and put a 10 point cage in the car b/c it will see over 135mph+. Then they told me it would be best if i ran 1000lb springs in the rear which really suck on the street. I hear your fustration but maybe you might need to consider braket racing b/c its gonna be almost impossible to change how things are. Its either roll with it or change your goals. I have alot of money in my car and i wanna see something out of it and if i drive it on the street alot it might get stolen, a soccer mom might take me out, or a ton of speeding tickets. Thats just my .02. Good luck with your decisions </TD></TR></TABLE>

Well said!

 

If you want to compete you build a car that goes fast. If that means you can't drive it on the street then thats what you have to sacrifice to try and win. I have 2 cars that we are running this year. The SFWD car, and a car that I drive everyday, to and from work, that will be in the power street and maybe goof off in SFWD. With my daily driver we've seen 11's, and we are going to try and get 10's by the end of the season. With the purpose built SFWD car we are shooting for a lot faster then that. It's all relative.

To me, SFWD is a class that is around for the guys that don't have the big budgets that want to build a car in the garage and go have fun with it. Steve Locket, myself, Anth and Mark are going to have a blast this year running some home grown Dodges. We will do our best to be the quickest, but if not, we'll have a hell of a time trying!!

 

I THINK JUST BECAUSE YOU PULL UP IN A TRAILER DOESN'T MEAN YOUR A QUEEN JUST THINK SOME OF US HAVE TO DRIVE 100'S AND 1000'S OF MILES TO PLAY FROM TOWN TO TOWN SO WE NEED TO SAVE OUR MOTORS FOR PLAY TIME BUT BACK HOME ME AND THE BOYS DRIVE OUR CARS EVERYWHERE CUZZ NOT EVERYBODY HAS MONEY FOR TWO RIDES BUT SOME DO.

 

It sucks when you have 1 car and that 1 car is gonna be your SFWD car. I think the only way you can compete and go all out is have a daily driver or some other mean of transportation. I was pissed about everything until about 2 weeks ago when my brother gave me his 97 Cx hatch. So now my 99 coupe can go through the drastic measurements to get it ready for the season. To be honest with everybody, when i was driving my car daily it wasnt that fun b/c you never see any other fast cars on the street worth the gas and you know your **** is fast so it feels like i am always doing 60-65 waiting for somebody to come and play. (asking for trouble). Now my car stays parked with a car cover over it and i drive my daily around that gets about 35mpg

 

I went though this a few years back when I was racing "Improved Touring" with
the SCCA. Same deal, "street" car rules. All street equipment, full cage, mild
engine mods, any suspension work. These were cars that could drive on the
street.

When I first started I went with my street car and was pretty much a back
marker. As my driving improved I did a little better but the car was holding me
back. Then the work started on the car, long story short if you wanted to WIN
you had to go all out and build a race only "street" car.


Moral of the story, if you want to do well in the class you need to build the car to
the limit of the rule's. If you don't someone else will.....

Steve

 

Hot rod(the sportsman) made import drag racing what it is today factory money came in and ruined it.

Then thanks to the sanctioning bodies that be made a class that a "sportsman" could race heads up. Inturn saving the ture roots of the sport.

Now once again factory money is going to come in and ruin import drag racing.

 

This year at least I really don't see the factory money you are talking about.
The only one close is Brian, I look at his deal like he has a realllllly good sponcer,
not factory backing.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by RacerStev &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">This year at least I really don't see the factory money you are talking about.
The only one close is Brian, I look at his deal like he has a realllllly good sponcer,
not factory backing. </TD></TR></TABLE>

And Brian does not have a factory backing anyhow.....he is affiliated with Saturn Motorsports of San Diego, which is no different than getting sponsored by any large retailer.

ssc_thomas; would you be upset if Full-Race, or something like that got involved? I highly doubt it since they have and you have not gotten upset about that.

 

Yes full race and titan and some real bigg hitters have backed some cars.

But the cars and racers there backing had setups and cars in place well before any help came along. I'm not saying help and money in the class is bad, it's great. I want to see some kick *** numbers and racing in the class between hondas, mopars, gm's, whatever. But were the factory backing hurts is in the way they spread the money in our series. One or two cars get it all and the budget is normally nothing compared to a large retailer or company

In my opion if you want to market your vehicle thourgh drag racing you sponsor and help everyone who runs your product. 10 neons or cobalts or whatever at the track running good looks better than one or two. whether those cars have your company name on them or not.

 

Bottom line is: To win you either have alot of your own money or you get sponsors.

Regular average Joes with a basic setup will never be able to compete when the Top guys are around.
The only way to really regulate this class is by limitations, like what they are doing now.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by ssc_thomas &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Yes full race and titan and some real bigg hitters have backed some cars.

But the cars and racers there backing had setups and cars in place well before any help came along. I'm not saying help and money in the class is bad, it's great. I want to see some kick *** numbers and racing in the class between hondas, mopars, gm's, whatever. But were the factory backing hurts is in the way they spread the money in our series. One or two cars get it all and the budget is normally nothing compared to a large retailer or company

In my opion if you want to market your vehicle thourgh drag racing you sponsor and help everyone who runs your product. 10 neons or cobalts or whatever at the track running good looks better than one or two. whether those cars have your company name on them or not.

</TD></TR></TABLE>

Are we still talking about SFWD here? Show me where the Titan car was running on its own, or did they just build a kick-*** car specifically for the class? Its national-level racing, not kindergarten.

There are a couple of things wrong with your other ideas; in a fairy-tale world they are perfect, but in reality, there are a few holes. Companies want to win, whether it be a small, or large company. If you want to win, you put all your eggs in one basket....it then starts to overflow and you can help out a few other little things, but you never let go of your basket. The other major thing is having to deal with 1-2 people, or 10. What would you want? To be 'fair' to 10 people, or be #1 with 1 person and show that you know what it takes to win?

Some companies do agree with you though and so they set up contingency programs to help out everyone (Honda included). The only problem there is they get bad-mouthed for 'making' people buy their product, and then when they win, they get bad-mouthed for not paying because they didn't get the win reported to them. Don't get me wrong, I love contingency; it is what made us able to keep racing 100%, I just have to agree that it may not be the best thing for all companies.

But once again, there is none of this happening in SFWD anyhow, so maybe I do not understand your arguement.

 

Street tires all around, softer springs in the rear and speakers/head unit. What else do these cars need to be used as street cars? Lights/blinkers/horn/interior/full exhaust/stock gas tank- all that stuff is there in sfwd trim.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by ssc_thomas &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Yes full race and titan and some real bigg hitters have backed some cars.

But the cars and racers there backing had setups and cars in place well before any help came along. I'm not saying help and money in the class is bad, it's great. I want to see some kick *** numbers and racing in the class between hondas, mopars, gm's, whatever. But were the factory backing hurts is in the way they spread the money in our series. One or two cars get it all and the budget is normally nothing compared to a large retailer or company

In my opion if you want to market your vehicle thourgh drag racing you sponsor and help everyone who runs your product. 10 neons or cobalts or whatever at the track running good looks better than one or two. whether those cars have your company name on them or not.

</TD></TR></TABLE>

Titan didn't build or pay for that car per say - That car was built out of my pocket and John Ferguson's pocket - Titan just supplied travel expenses while i worked for the company and a place to work on the car in exchange for the primary location on the car for their logo and i can't thank them enough for what they did give us - in all honesty, if titan would have paid for that car to be built - it would be been a lot sicker than it turned out to be, as you can see with their other ventures no expense is held back

since i have left titan there will be no titan civic anymore, it is john ferguson's, darin dichiara's and my car as it has always been with the help of sponsors and for the 2004 season titan happened to be the title sponsor - for the 2005 season GSC Motorsports will be the title sponsor along with many important associate sponsors who we couldn't do this without

as for "factory" backing - if you can get it great, if not don't cry about it - just the nature of the beast, jealousy i guess you could call it that others have a killer opportunity and it is not on your table, just my two cents - i know for damn sure if someone wanted to come and give me a lot of money to run a car i would jump on it in a heartbeat


James Innes