Drag racing classes?

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hemizach

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What class do you guys run your cars in? I have been trying to find a site all day today that has a run down of the different classes and a basic summary of what each class consists of but I have yet to find anything. Figured I would ask you guys for some help.

What are the most common classes that the muscle car guys are running? And can you give me a basic rundown of what the class is?

Sorry if I am not being very clear :angry7:
 
call the local tracks in your area and see what they offer...

there is surely basic bracket racing classes...
 
www.ihra.com
www.nhra.com

Both sanctioning bodies sanction tracks with a bracket racing program. Each track can have it's own, more detailed, rules and ET breaks. For the most part, you will find classes including:

* Street Legal
* No Electronics/Footbrake
* No Box (Trans brakes allowed but no delay box.)
* Super Pro (Trans brakes, delay boxes, throttle stops, etc. allowed.)

Lots of tracks in the PA/OH area. Look up the member tracks in each respective sanctioning body.

Getting into Stock, Super Stock, Hot Rod/Super Street - 10.90, etc. is a whole different ballgame.
 
Getting into Stock, Super Stock, Hot Rod/Super Street - 10.90, etc. is a whole different ballgame.

...and will cost truckloads of money if you want to be competitive. You'll be able to have more fun for lots less $$$ if you go bracket racing.
In fact, the less mods made to your car will make it more consistent. And consistent ET's is the name of the game in bracket racing.
There's 2 old sayings in racing that are oh so true:
* Speed costs money, how fast do you want to go
* The only substitute for cubic inches is cubic money
 
I only run a half dozen times a year,but i go to Nostalgia events at different tracks in Texas ,Missouri ,and Oklahoma (i just cant get into racing imports at the local track).The races i run at are special events at regular tracks ,but its for 64 and older cars.These events have classes like Gas Coupe/Sedan (which is basically street/ strip hotrods),Comp Coupe/Sedan (which is blown ,nitrous cars,or bad all out big blocks) ,Stock (which is an untouched factory car),and Dragster class.I am usually put into the Comp Coupe /Sedan class ,which i figure is based on my ET's not my car.Its not really fair because i usually get whooped badly in the first round of eleminations running 9 second cars.I am way faster than the comparable Chevy smallblock cars running in Gas class ,so i get the shaft for having a fast smallblock Mopar.Oh ,well i still have fun during the test and tun ,putting it on those Chevys.Click on the youtube link below for a perfect example of my Dart against a 355 Chevy powered coupe with a nasty solid cam and 2 fours...
 
I only run a half dozen times a year,but i go to Nostalgia events at different tracks in Texas ,Missouri ,and Oklahoma (i just cant get into racing imports at the local track).The races i run at are special events at regular tracks ,but its for 64 and older cars.These events have classes like Gas Coupe/Sedan (which is basically street/ strip hotrods),Comp Coupe/Sedan (which is blown ,nitrous cars,or bad all out big blocks) ,Stock (which is an untouched factory car),and Dragster class.I am usually put into the Comp Coupe /Sedan class ,which i figure is based on my ET's not my car.Its not really fair because i usually get whooped badly in the first round of eleminations running 9 second cars.I am way faster than the comparable Chevy smallblock cars running in Gas class ,so i get the shaft for having a fast smallblock Mopar.Oh ,well i still have fun during the test and tun ,putting it on those Chevys.Click on the youtube link below for a perfect example of my Dart against a 355 Chevy powered coupe with a nasty solid cam and 2 fours...

So the classes are heads-up, not handicapped?
 
So the classes are heads-up, not handicapped?
Heads up and lots of politics .I mainly go to race my internet freinds from another website and to challenge myself for a better ET each time.Its usually the same old bunch for the most part at all the events.Cars running 20's all the way to 8's in the 1/4.Its kinda screwed up ,but its just for fun .I run in the mid to low 11's on 8 inch slicks and i am racing backhalfed Chevys that run 9's and low 10's usually ,so you can guess what happens.The cars in the class i should be in run 12's to 14's ,so thats why they move me to COMP class ,pretty neat huh ? Did i mention im usually the only smallblock Mopar out of 200+ cars each time ? Not trying to hyjack this guys thread , i just wanted to tell you and him a little about this realm of racing ...
 
actually if you have never raced...go to a night went it is only test n tune...
 
actually if you have never raced...go to a night went it is only test n tune...
Thats acutally the best advise ,if you have never raced .Its lots more layed back and a good chance to get a feel of how it works on a test and tune night...
 
up here at our track we bracket race mostly

Sportsman-13.00 sec and slower
Pro-8.50 to 14.00
SuperPro-(Electronics)12.00 and faster, usually its the 9.00 and faster class but we have a few cars that run 11.'s but use electronics.

We also have a Friday night fun night where new racers can come out learn about racing from experienced racers. The evening starts with a beginners class where they walk you through the basics and then you get to make as many laps as you can all night.

Great way to learn without all the pressure of racing experienced racers.
 
yah i agreee w/braket racing, I wanted to do the superstock thing. Thats were I got into because you just cant outrun monnnney. Bracket racing kinda levels the playing field for me... no more running against crazy 60k cars built buy some retired guy spending his savings haha. And all and all its fair. besides the sandbagging... which does happen more often then not. But for me its a good class to race because they are door slammers.. no extra b.s.
Im in 12s class and rules are not too harsh until you get to 10.99 seconds.
every track and league is different though.. for my track 12.00+ is sportsman class and 11.00-11.99 is hot rod and so on..
 
hemizach. what kind or type of hotrod do you have? tell us all about it and let us know what your looking to do.

this - ..............also , will you be on drag slicks or not ?

Don't have anything yet guys... just go to the local POS track with my friends during the summer. I just want a better understanding of the classes.
 
Since you don't have anything yet, use someone's bone stock, auto trans car. Something that won't spin the tires or be fast.
This way, you can concentrate on how to race, and not be worried about a hyper car.
Just bracket race, you'll be AMAZED at how much you'll learn. Then you'll realize a slow car is the way to start. I'm 50, and I'm still learning how many ways there are to lose!
 
Since you don't have anything yet, use someone's bone stock, auto trans car. Something that won't spin the tires or be fast.
This way, you can concentrate on how to race, and not be worried about a hyper car.
Just bracket race, you'll be AMAZED at how much you'll learn. Then you'll realize a slow car is the way to start. I'm 50, and I'm still learning how many ways there are to lose!
Great advise here .I started out when i was 16 in the 80's in a mid 14 second car.I have worked my way down to mid 11's over the years,but i learned more in that mid 14 second car than all the others combined.Learning how to stage ,do burnouts the same ,cut good lights ,etc ,is the key IMO .If you have never been on a track ,you will still have a blast no matter how slow your car is ...
 
I run mostly the nostalgia and Mopar only events..i run in the street tire 9.00-13.00 class and 9.00-11.99 class..
 
I just want a better understanding of the classes.

Suggest you pick up a copy of your local tracks sanctioning body rule book. It will have all of the information about the various classes.
If your local track is a NHRA-sanctioned track, you can either join NHRA and get the complete rule book from Top Fuel/Funny Car on down to stock, or your can purchase a NHRA rulebook from their website:
https://store.nhra.com/product.asp?3=273

The NHRA Hot Rod Heritage (nostalgia) supplemental rules can be viewed here:
http://www.nhrahotrodheritage.com/rules-09.pdf
 
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