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CHANGES NECESSARY

I wholeheartedly agree with (Jok's) article on the changes to the Super class electronics rules.

Just last September Don Davis finished my new 2002 Corvette roadster. Guess what? I have a Mega 450 and a dual channel playback tach from AutoMeter. The wiring job that Scott Anderson did is truly a work of art and now I've had to go in and mess with something that shouldn't need to be touched! The extent of my changes was not extreme. I unhooked the tach wire going into the mega. Instead of adding a momentary switch to trigger the recording function of the playback tach I simply hooked the trigger wire up to my 'bypass' button that I use to back the car up without cycling all of the timers in the box.

Even though the changes were not drastic I am still mad as hell over this entire fiasco! Like you, I do not believe that this will change anything pertaining to alleged cheating. IF the NHRA has proof of cheating and IF this rule change ends the possibility of cheating then the NHRA should tell the world exactly what was going on! Then we could at least see the reasons for the rule change.

I also find it interesting that the playback tach function in the box is now illegal whereas playback tachs and data recorders are still just fine.

People who win often will always be scrutinized by those who do not win often. Personally, I have a hard time believing that the alleged 'high tech' cheating is really going on.

Bottom line for me though is that I have no alternative. I've put all my eggs in the Super Gas basket so I have no choice but to play by their rules. I have expressed my feelings to NHRA (with no reply of course), that's about all I can do.

Good luck this coming season. I really enjoy reading your column. Your subjects are insightful and right on target. Your article on contingency payouts was spot on! I have had companies in the past either never pay or take up to a year to finally pay.

Thanks for reading my ramblings!

John Steffen

BACK TO TECH SCHOOL

Jok, I couldn't have said it any better! I run in Super Street in Div 6 and use a mega 400 box that took me months to pay for. I could have stayed with my old equipment if I realized these people were braindead. What's wrong with surprise inspections or protests? I'm sure racers would welcome that. Now I have to dig deep again. Will it end? Educate the tech guys, don't make us pay!

Steve Lowe

DOESN'T SOUND DERANGED TO US

Loved (Burk's) latest editorial regarding factory involvement. NHRA has their over-inflated heads up their butts on many issues (living in California I'll take your word on IHRA) and the "sanctity" of their rule book is just one. They need to shoot the paleontologist that keeps digging up the prehistoric rules they're holding onto for dear life in Pro Stock. I realize the racers have a powerful voice but they are only interested in what's best for them, not the sport.

Drop the min. weight of the cars, make them run late model production based engines (i.e. 421" LS-6 with unlimited mods), and give them EFI...maybe even turbos. I don't think performance would suffer much, if any (especially if turbos were allowed). And it would open the door to getting "import" motors approved for competition, thus involving the import manufacturers like you've suggested.

Of course these are just the opinions of a deranged Super Class racer... Keep up the good work!

Greg Stanley

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