Index Classes in Import Drag Racing - opinions?
 

This event at Etown has a few index classes, a 11.50 and a 10.0. I've talked to a few forum guys and they are against any form of bracket racing so I started this thread to get more opinions.


Here's some quotes from others that are for index racing..


" Iv been saying/hoping for a few years now, this style of racing needs to be brought to import drag racing. Hopefully it will catch on the car counts will get back up. This gives alot of people a chance to come out and do some competive racing with a limited budget. The domestic guys have been doing it for years, hell sometimes they have 100 car fields and $10,000 payouts for these races. I think this is great and i hope it really takes off. My car isnt done yet so i wont make it to this race but i'll damn sure be at the next one."




"Is this the first year for the index classes? I have always been a firm believer in having an INDEX CLASS for SPORT COMPACTS. This is the next best step in having a heads up class without all the B.S. rules. So there is no more excuses for cars to not come out and no crying that they don't fit into a class."




"Special Thanks to Javier Ortega for believing in these classes and making the class payouts larger!!
Just wanted to make all those 10 and 11 sec cars out there aware that there WILL BE A 10.00 and 11.50 INDEX CLASS at the 2009 Fall Nationals at Etown this Oct 3-4.
I've been a major supporter of getting Index racing into the sport compact drag world as its a huge success on the domestic side with tons of participants and very close racing. I know it will become the same on the sport compact side as more become aware of it. "

"This thread was intended to get the awareness level out there of this class being offered at this event and educate those who don't know what Index racing really is...

Index racing is old school heads-up drag racing. Any combination at any weight is allowed (just like in bracket racing). Its a heads-up race with the only stipulation being... you can't go faster then your index. It gives more car owners another avenue where they can build a car to run a certain ET and basically leave it up to the driver to win the race.

To win at index racing you have to accomplish two things very well, 1) cut a light and 2) run close to your Index. Index racing puts the excitement back into side by side racing and gives everyone a chance to win.

Index racing gives the faster, modified street cars and race cars who currently can only run brackets, a chance to run a heads-up style race without have to dump a ton of money into their car in order to compete with sub-10 second full race cars.

INDEX CLASS RULES
• Open to all Import/Sport Compact Cars
• Any Combination allowed at any weight
• No Throttle Stops or Delay Boxes allowed
• No Sandbagging
• NHRA safety rules apply
• 16 Car Field (Top 16 running closest to the Index qualify, running below the index in qualifying (11.49 or Quicker) will not put you in the field)
• .400 Pro Tree
• No Deep Staging allowed
• Sportsman Ladder (1 vs. 9, 2 vs. 10, 3 vs. 11. etc.)
*Must have 16 cars for full payout"




"This is a great idea! I hope the turn out is good for both classes. There are ALOT of 10~10.9 street cars around."




"its an 11.50 index so that means you cant run FASTER than 11.50. that pretty much opens it to anyone who wants to try to run heads up with the basic safety equipment.
-Roger"




"i think this could get an excellent turnout. just make sure everyone knows what index racing is and that they are doing it. many of the new racers have no idea what it means so to be safe, they just do fun runs."



What do you guys think?

for our inconsistant cars (turbo rotary-shifting them) bracket racing is GAY! Now if I had a all out drag car it would be easier to dial it in for these types of racing. But I still think bracket racing is unfun to watch!

You not giving up on this huh anthony? bracket racing IS gay, it DID NOT save NHRA. FACT IS bracket racing is booring to watch. if spectators are bored they dont show up. and guess what? no spectators, no more events... its so damn simple, i can't believe youre buying Javier's brainwash bullshit.

why don't top fuel and funny cars bracket race??

bracket racing only helps car owners pockets, its not a benifit for spectators. you're gonna say that if racers can't afford to race the sport will die right? WRONG! we don't need 3 billion dollar cars to have healthy sport. if the big $$ guys run out of money, the sport will still be strong, just maybe not with cars as fast. so what? we don't need 5 sec imports to pack the stands. remember the first pan ams with 11 sec cars as the fastest thing you'd ever seen? remember how packed the stands were?

ppl like things they can relate to. ppl relate to heads up racing and cars they can one day aspire to build/drive. loosing some of the big $$ cars might not be a bad thing at all. lets have heads up racing with high 7 second cars all day instead of having 6 second cars bracket racing...

you know i'm right. just admit it.

NOBODY wants to see pac and abel BRACKET race for the title right? :)

and yes i know abel sold the car, was just trying to make a point

It is bracket racing sort of but there is a difference.

In bracket racing a 10sec car could race a 12sec car depending on the class. One car leaves and then 2 sec later the 10sec car leaves. In index racing both cars leave at the same time so it is more exciting. In Index Racing you build your car for a certain index so you don't have to go crazy. In Index racing you are racing all cars that can run your time, you wont be paired with a suv like I see at some events.

In index racing you don't have to worry about weight and turbo size etc...

Don't forget that Pan Ams is ALL bracket racing yet is the one event that puts the most people in the stands.

Keep in mind for Fall Nationals next week there are no heads up classes for an Rx7/Supra/Evo etc, you would have to run an index class or Quick 32.

Anthony

Man i miss them days.

Consistant ET'S win races
 

Consistent ET'S win races even if is top fuel,funny car,pro stock what ever class it is.I know that in heads up racing it is usualy the quickest most consistent car wins the race.for us that don't have a truck load of money,the only way a heads up class would work is to have spec class's.in the rotary world you would have to have a N/A class with the same parts on all the cars in this class.let's say a pport with a stock 48mm weber,a turbo two trans,no electronic ET devices,a min weight,a class spec tire and so on.we all know a clutchless 5 speed would have an advantage,i am not a fan of weight penalties for not complying with the rules set because there is still an advantage with the best parts avalible,and auto in the N/A would be at a disadvantage.now for turbo classes you would all have to run the same year/generation engine, the same trans,a class spec turbo say 60-1,the same intercooler,min weight,every one running a stock unmodified engine/port work and so on.at this point heads up class would work,but then again the racer that has the most money will have an advantage with all the R&D he can afford.I live here on the west coast and we have several drag race body's PSCA,SCEDA,PRA,BOTI,IDRC just to name a few.there are not enough rotary powered cars to have heads up classes,if there were enough cars I would build a class spec car right now.I know that in the VW comunity they have tried to organize a VW class at BOTI events.heads up classes are the best.the next best thing would be index classes.thePSCA has a10.60, 9,60 8,60 7,60 index classes.the next time they are at California speedway Fontana I will run there 10,60 index class over any bracket class.I don't see any thing wrong with tuning a car to run a consistent ET.this is heads up as you can get with out a spec class.how many of you go out and watch a drag race with out knowing anybody with a car out that day any way? I do!it is all about supporting your local track is it not?these local track support our bad habbits!!!

Heads up cars?
 

Not to disrespect anybody here,do we know anybody building a rotary power heads up class car?the only heads up class I can see is at the local test and tune/grudge race nights.the only heads up classes for the rotary powered cars are in the BOTI and IDRC.hate to say it but these classes are ruled by the hondorks.Rene with his all motor car is the closest car here on the west coast to compete with the heads up class.as for turbo cars what class do we have?

I think Idex classes is a good idea, You need to have bracket racing because not all cars are in the same level, How is a 11.50 car going to race a 9.50 car and win? Heads up is good in NHRA pro-racing BUT what is there budgets to go racing? We need to crawl before we run.

It's a double edged sword.

First let's look at Heads up racing. Lets say a promoter wants to put on an event and have a heads up quick 16 class. First he thinks to himself "how can i get a lot of cars to race and a lot of people in the stands" The only two ways to generate revenue is from the drivers and the fans. No doubt the fans would love a heads up shootout so they will be there but the racer that is looking at the flier sees all the quick cars that are going to be there. Now anyone know that the fastest car should win so the racer asks himself "is it worth spending $50 to more than likely get eliminated in the first round? Is it worth the time and effort"? So then all the sudden you have the fans but you can't fill a 16 car field. No cars, no fans.


Then you have bracket racing. You will attract more cars because of the thought that any driver can win as long as they are consistent and know they machine. The organizers, counting on there being a lot of cars will lower ticket prices in order to attract fans. Lets face it though, most people don't want to see bracket racing, they want to see two cars pushed beyond their limit and may the best man win. So all the sudden the organizers have to start raising their entry fees or lower their payouts. Both of which will deter drivers from going trough the trouble. So then you have less fans and less cars. That doesn't really work.

The solution IMO is to have a quick 16 with a big payout (heads up) and several other index classes (IE 10:00 9:00 8:00) At least the drivers leaving together will give the illusion of a heads up race for the fans.

Anthony! What is going on? Dude it sounds like a good idea depending how much cash he is willing to put out! Just practice your reaction time :lol:

:lol: really? that has to be the worst example yet. No disrespect my man but they are all running 0.0XX secs apart from each other. What would be the point in bracket racing then? :)

Pan Ams are based on index racing, and I enjoy them...

I guess is all about the cars :)

This is the best idea I have heard to revive Import Drag Racing scene
 

If you look at how the Pan Am Nationals race events are run I believe they are basically bracket racing if my memory is correct. If you enter your car into a Index class you should be able to hang with your competitors. You could have $10-20K buckets (like mine) running against big name $100K sponsored cars and just make sure you bring your "A GAME" or else your going to get broke off by a consistent budget racer.

I really hope Import Racing gets better because the last couple of events I attended the racer and spectator turnout was really sad.

The last time I watched PINKS I thought this is how they run their show.

I personally like heads up racing. I don't like the bracket racing at all. The auto cars easily take it. The guys who like banging gears or have a total street car get the shaft. IMO...

But once you're in a specific index, there is no advantage to going any faster, which is the point of drag racing is it not?

Yes, but for the most part, you will only be as fast as your pockets allows you.

+1

Yea, and your pops is one of the exceptions :icon_tup:

Thanks knonfs, there are many exceptions out there aswell. :) There is so much to be said about this thread that I don't even know where to start without hearing criticism. :lol:

But pockets aside, why improve your time if there's nowhere to go and it makes you more inconsistent? That sense in itself takes away from the spirit of drag racing.

Anyways, neither here nor there, no one will ever please everyone. I think it's safe to say as long as people are out there racing it's almost all good

I have entered the last two all motor heads up events down here on the west coast. What I have seen is the guy with the most money wins. Sure there are very very few exceptions but for the most part this is the case. For example Bisi and his all motor Honda has all the major sponsors,money, fully enclosed trailer with all the bells and whistles and runs consistant 9.6-9.8's all day long. The next closest car is a 10.0. He has won every race this year except one time when Eric Darby won because Bisi broke at 3/4 track. So how is the average Joe like me going to compete against a guy like Bisi heads up? It aint going to happen.

So my only other option is to bracket race which I really don't like or just go out and have fun in the all motor class and except the fact that I aint' going home with a wally. lol

The money you get for first and second place is a joke anyway, so just go out and race and have some fun and support the rotary. The more people stay home not racing the sooner more events will be shut down.

Money earned is a major issue, just my opinion.

We all know each other in here so spill your guts! Let it out!! :)

This weekend was ETown Fall Nationals and the index classes had full fields. This was the first time every class had full fields in a while. There were 2 index classes, a 10.0 and a 11.5

The 11.5 index is great for those street Rx7s that have no cage, stock twins or small single turbo. You can run 11.5 all day long and not break anything and not have to spend a lot of money. You get a decent payout but more importantly you will have fun.

The 10.0 index is great for the larger single turbo cars or cars that are in the high 9s that can dial it down a bit and save their trannys etc... There were a few supras, a few FWD and a 900HP Bmw in the class this weekend, all running close to the dial in.

Speed_NYC was there sitting right next to me watching all the classes run but I'll let him post his side of things....

Anthony

Well what I originally wanted to get to was that racers attend a race that has a lot of hype, is paying a lot of money, and if there is a chance they can win. I mean if you look at the Pan-Ams, they pay 10k if you win. Even if you don't win, I believe you recieve (correct me if I'm wrong) 500-1000 bucks if you qualify for the field? Plus that number goes up after every round you move past... IDK maybe I'm assuming things, but I've noticed that here in Florida. We have a little 1/8 mile track that when they pay GOOD, cars from up north come down to race. What does that tell you? Its all about the money! :lol:

im watching this thread and gotta say theres some good opinions in here.
o went to the race this weekend and was supprised at the turnout and gotta admit that the index racing wasn't as booring as i expected. i still see flaws but i'm short on time right now. I'll have a more in depth post tomorow.