Sam, I am sorry you see the class this way. I feel like you are talking down to people and never thought I would see that out of you. Not everyone wants a TSM car, this class is for the guy who wants to try heads up racing and maybe has never had a chance, the guy who wants to keep a more factory look to his car etc.
See ya, Kip
Kip,
I think you know me well enough to realize I am not an intimidator. Nor would I put somebody down, especially on a public forum. I can see how my comment could be misinterpreted. Let me clarify my statement.
You and I have talked about this before. My wife and I wanted to race in TSM because we were bored of bracket racing the car. Once I got to know some of the guys racing this class my mind was set. (The people in the Buick community are the best in the universe). It took me two years to build the car. I made it faster than I really wanted to, but I had a burning desire to compete heads up. I was not feeling a sense of accomplishment by bracket racing. I wanted to run the car all out and not be penalized for making it go faster than I thought it would go. Letting off before the finish line is not racing to me.
In my opinion there are several other people that have a desire to race competitively in a heads up class. I believe several of these people do not want to modify their street car to the level it take s to build a TSM car. You told me yourself that you know people that have made their cars so fast that they do not enjoy them anymore. In my opinion you should keep these people in mind with this class you are creating. Decreasing the turbo size is the best way to do this. I see THS as a place to get experience racing, and create a learning step before running TSM. Driving a car that runs high to mid 10’s is a lot easier than one that runs mid 9’s.
2008 NHRA rules dictate
Any car faster than 11.49 must have a roll bar
Any car faster than 10.99 must have a complete roll cage.
I know several people that want to race heads up, but do not want to put a cage into their really nice car. In my opinion if you start off with the small turbo and drag radials you are going to attract all these people. In my opinion if you start off with the larger 67 turbo (which can hang with TSM in my opinion) you will scare these guy’s, and gals away that want to keep a more factory look to their car. I would not be able to drive a nice street car to the track with a 61mm turbo, drag radials and think I had a chance of winning against a car with a 67 turbo and slicks.
I do think a car with a 67mm turbo could hang with the TSM field. I know lots of people are going to say they could run mid 9’s with a 67. I say that would be difficult. It is difficult for guys running a 70mm. I do think some one with enough dedication and bank roll could pull off a mid 9 pass. For example; imagine how fast a car equipped with a set of your high flowing heads, a polished and massaged 67, in great weather conditions, and a perfect tune could go.
In my opinion if you start off with allowing slicks and the 67 turbo this class will become faster than most want it to be. Roll cages will be needed, and car count will decrease. I strongly feel you need to focus on trying to limit this to a low 11, high 10 second car field the first year. I say this because you are going to find a few people that are going to strive to be the record holder the first year. Then when you try to slow it down those that didn’t get the record but came close are going to be angry.
I hope you make Turbo Hot Street a class for cars that are to slow to hang with TSM cars. Had a class like I am explaining existed a couple of years a go I am positive my wife and I would have been competing in it. Then we would have stepped up to TSM racing.
These are only my opinions please don’t take offense to them. I saw you at every race I attended this year, except Reynolds. I am sure you quizzed those you recognized as potential racers in this class for their opinions. I understand that my opinion really means nothing because I do not currently have a car to compete in this class. I only tell you my opinion because I think that you would like to hear them. I do not mean to offend anyone, and I hope you take my recommendations seriously.
I know it is easier to criticize some one for what they have done then to actually accomplish something. I want to clarify I am not criticizing you. I am only stating my opinion. I really do applaud you for having the ambition to create another heads up class. I wish you best of luck with Turbo Hot Street.
Sam
