Are you saying that the lever on the transmission has 1 or 2 inches of movement before it clicks to the next detent? Cuz that would speak to a broken rooster comb..
But if yur talking about the shift lever on the column, then you got serious problems, that need to be sorted out. You can't race like that! I would start by looking at the bottom-of-the-column bearing. Followed by the various bushings and pin-holes, and ending at the top of the column under the steering wheel. Or even simpler, what's retaining the column lever?