Hello everyone,

Below is and excerpt from a letter that I sent to NHRA in regards to the very stringent index that was given to the front wheel drive cars in the EX class I have been running. As you can see I am pushing for all of you guys around the country so that the index is within reason and attainable. If you could drop Bruce Bachelder ( bbachelder@nhra.com ) a quick e-mail and tell him you would participate in whatever division you are from IF he could bring the index into a reasonable range. Also, please re-enforce my plea that my car is the exception to the rule and not the baseline of the common All Motor guy as I have stated.

Thanks for all your help and please think logically and globally when writing the email and re-enforce the points I have made in the e-mail. It will show solidarity within the community and it will show WE ARE serious about participation at the divisional and national level!


Bruce,

I am finally getting to write this e-mail in regards to the index for the Super Stock EX class. As I have explained to you in person, the class index is way off from any other class within the Super Stock division. Here are a few examples of why it is completely out of whack. Under the current Super Stock MX rules there are 4 classes that are designed for normally aspirated cars.

SS/AX - 8.5 - 10.99 lbs per cubic inch - Index = 9.80 --- Class Record 8.68 (1.12 under the index)
SS/BX - 11 - 12.49 lbs per cubic inch - Index = 10.85 --- Class Record 9.47 (1.38 under the index)
SS/CX - 12.5 or more per cubic inch - Index = 11.10 --- No Class Record - Bad weight break, see below
SS/EX - 11.5 lbs per cubic inch - Index = 10.20

So as you can see the EX class has to be .5 lbs per inch heavier than the BX class and the index is .65 faster? That makes no sense whatsoever. All of the classes within Super Stock have an index that exponentially get slower depending on the weight. If you use an average between the classes it breaks down as follows.

AX to BX is 2.5 lbs per inch more and the index is 1.05 slower or broken down .21 slower per half pound per cubic inch.
BX to CX is 1.5 lbs per inch more and the index is 0.25 slower or broken down .08 slower per half pound per cubic inch. (This is one that does not make sense)

AX to EX is 3.0 lbs per inch more and the index is .40 slower or .066 per half pound per cubic inch. When you look at these EX is the absolute worst weight break per cubic inch within the MX class. CX is not too far behind and why NO ONE has run this class in years and why there is no record holder!

Now the intent of creating the EX class for the front drive cars is to have as many of these displaced Sport Compact racers come on out and run this class around the country. However, there are only 5 cars in the entire nation that are capable of running sub 10 second passes. Most of the normally aspirated cars run in the 10.50 - 12 second range. NHRA must come up with a happy medium to allow these cars to come out and have an index that is a reasonable goal. My car is one of the elite cars and should not be the benchmark of front wheel drive normally aspirated cars. If you look at the qualifying sheet for the last 2 National events the qualifiers are as follows

Winternationals - 82 cars - the top 38 cars were 9 tenths or better under the index! That is 46% of the entire field.
Phoenix National - 55 cars - the top 25 cars were 9 tenths or better under the index! That is 45% of the entire field.

I personally qualified as follows

Pomona - 64th out of 82
Phoenix - 49th out of 55

It seems to me that all of the National Record Holders in ALL Super Stock classes seem to be well over a second under the index. Now since I have participated the best I can do at the weight given 11.5 lbs per inch (158 Cubic inches @ 1815 lbs) is a 9.685 or .515 under the index. If you average the two National record Holders for AX and BX you come up with 1.25 under the index (See above for the class records). Logically the index should be slower than the BX class because of the half pound per inch more and IF we could add 1.25 average to the class National Record (9.68 which I set this past weekend) that would make the index 10.90 bringing it in line with the correct weight break in relation to AX, BX, CX and EX.

Here is how they would look in the rulebook.

AX - 9.80
BX - 10.85
EX - 10.90
CX - 11.10

Personally I don't understand what the big deal is with giving a reasonable index as once eliminations start it is simply a bracket race. How far you go under the index is just an ego thing except for when you try to qualify for a big event like Indy. In fact just to qualify for Indy you had to run 9 tenths under the index! I would love to make the trip and participate and so would my sponsor Toyota but 5 tenths is just not gonna get it done. Let me know what you think and how I can help give you more information on front drive cars to make this happen.

I have randomly opened the rulebook to the first Super Stock classes and have their weight to index breakdown with national records as some more examples.

SS/A - 6.00 - 6.49 pounds per factor horsepower - Index = 9.95 --- Class Record 8.95 (1.00 under the index)
SS/B - 6.50 - 6.99 pounds per factor horsepower - Index = 10.20 --- Class Record 8.97 (1.23 under the index)
SS/C - 7.00 - 7.49 pounds per factor horsepower - Index = 10.35 --- Class Record 9.18 (1.17 under the index)
SS/D - 7.50 - 7.99 pounds per factor horsepower - Index = 10.50 --- Class Record 9.28 (1.22 under the index)

As you can see here the index increase per .5 lbs is about .15 for the index.

Thanks in advance for your help!

Scott Kelley

 

Scott, What do you think the index for SS/EX be? I dont understand why they want to give the EX class such a weight disadvantage. But then again , I do understand. I am going to put a letter together today and email Bruce tonight. I am in the middle of building another pro all motor car now and I think it would be a great thing if the NHRA changed a few things to make it worth racing.
Don Moody

 

Good luck Scott

 

I think Scott is aiming for a 10.85-10.95. We are asking for a lot...10.20 to a 10.90. It will take more than one car out there for NHRA to make that big of an index correction before July.

Why isn't Cluthcmasters/Bisi out there as well? I do not know the pro all-motor cars that well, but it seems like these two cars should fit in well with minor changes if Scott is out there.

 

First I am new to this index racing much less do I understand it 100%. Secondly, I agree with redboost and that i thnik if Sport compacts had more of a presence aside from Scott that our industry would have more of an influence to make an arguement. Not doubting Scott at all for trying but I think he needs some help from the other major teams. Scott do you know if they are going to make a class for 4 cyl FWD turbo cars?

 

good luck scot .

 

i am not saying nhra cant be persuaded with reason, but it will be much much easier if the other big teams were out there as well, especially that huge of an index change. If i remember correctly, you were running 9.70's...and with a 10.90 index you will be running -1.1 to -1.2 which will defiantely make you a top 10, if not a top 5 qualifier. how much weight are you thinking nhra will add with the index correction?

as far as i know, they have a class that we fit into (but not a specific class for us) in the nhra summit racing equipment series which is strictly bracket racing. thats it for now for street trim turbo/sfwd cars.

 

Guys if yo look at the NHRA qualifying sheet about half of the cars are 9 tenths under the index AND these are just the average car within that class! I am running ***** out making 2.6 h.p. per inch and I am barely able to run 5 tenths under the index! Norris and Bisi will probably make it out eventually but they will have to add 100 lbs to their cars with the engine they are running. Just to be clear, the index is an arbitrary nuber for that particular class and the qualifying sheet is based off how far you run under the index. When you start eliminations it is simply a bracket race. You also have to drive the cars to and from the lanes and you are filler to other classes and they hot lap you most of the time so put a big fuel tank and battery in the car.

 

George Bush didn't care about black people.

NHRA Doesn't care about FWD.

Scott, I admire your drive to make this sport better, but sadly, I think this may fall on deaf ears. I wish you all the best with the fight, and hopefully they will open their eyes to the situation sooner rather than later...

 

^^^^That's what I want to know has Bruce even wrote you back yet?

 

Scott, I sent you a pm asking you to call me about this very thing. I want to know if what the NHRA has told me is the same thing I think they're going to tell you. Give me a call.

 

Good Luck Scott. Hopefully the other teams will step in and start showing up.