I think it is awesome that 27 or so FCs were at Bakersfield, and it got me thinking, could the days of a 32 car nitro show come back? The cool thing about the FCs is that you can take a late model chassis, and put on an old style body with a cool paint job and you've got a killer nosalgia FC. It seems the interest in building these cars is very high. It makes sense, for someone who dreams of racing a nitro car, but securing a 3 Mil budget is a stretch, this is a great venue. I'm not sure what the rules are, but hopefully they are kept in line, so that more and more people can get involved without costs escalating like in the big show. I know some people like Powers will show up with huge dollar transporters, cuz they can, but that's OK, a ton of Super class racers spend hundreds of thousands on all the toys, but it's not necessary. My point is, I think the March Meet proved there is a big audience for high 5 second nitro cars that are great looking, real loud, and put on a great show. You notice it doesn't seem like Bucky is in any hurry to go buy another TAFC? I'll bet he's having a blast.

I bet those 5 sec. Nostalgia cars are more expensive than you think? As more and more of them run in the 5's don't think the costs are escalating. A couple of years ago I was talking to this guy who's worked on NTF dragsters for years at Pomona, and he says differnece in costs from running 6.20's back in the 90's to the 5.70-.80's now is Huge!

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Shift for Brains!!!!

Joe, I agree, and believe me, I know these are not cheap cars. Heck, there are no cheap race cars! Nitro racing has always been expensive. My point is, I think that if the limitations are strict, these cars should at least have a much, much lower ceiling regarding expenses than even a big show car on a limited schedule. Running a supercharged car on nitro will always eat Benjamins, but I'm excited at the prospects of the Nostagia scene, especially the FCs. The FEDs are cool, but the new cars have the drivers sitting kind of high, and the tires look too small (although I know that is to help cap the performance). The FCs have so much personality. I may be wrong, but I'd bet the top guys in TAFC who are running 5.4s & 5.5s and chasing points have a budget that could equate to a competitive Nitro Nostagia FC running the Heritage series. Kind of apples and oranges here, but you get my point.

Nostalgia fuel racing will save nitro match racing. For an example, there hasn't been an 8 car fuel funny car race in Sacro in 20 years but thanks to the nostalgia movement there will be this year. My hope is that there will continue to be more and more built to the point where tracks will start booking them in like they are doing in Sacro. The NHRA cars have gone their own way to the point few tracks can afford them so the nostalgia movement is what we have all been waiting for.

I'm planning to go to a front engine alcohol car just as soon as I can sell my Rocketeer car. And the reason is match racing...I can start getting paid and race more too.

Nostalgia funny cars can become (re)popular if they hold onto the body styles and showmanship of the 70's nitro shows. If they(nitro NFC's) tour with 6 or 8 car shows that roam all parts of the US, all us oldies and newbies could re-live that era. There are plans in the works for mid-west and east-side NFC shows in 2008 at smaller tracks that maybe can afford to have multiple events with these cars. I personally think the rules need to be tighter on the motors, as I hear they are already following the NTF on rpm's and small C.I. The body rules need to reduce the size of the side skirts and spill plates usage. With the 125" chassis those stretched bodies look goofy, but that's just me being picky. Bring lots of nitro, big smokey burnouts, dryhops, and side by side flame shows to Texas and we'll show up!
Keep'm lit!
RO

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Texas Yankee

i'm all for bringing back booked in nostalgia cars at match races.
who wouldn't want to get paid to entertain?
and for dragstrip owners; grass roots drag racing seems to be doing just
fine across the country; so now the local owner can start to look
at adding more 'special' event weekends with booked in FC's, dragsters,
jets, wheelstanders, pro mods, etc.
hopefully the expected appearance fees and insurance premiums
will be low enough so that this can happen.

seems like history is about to repeat itself!
IMO the videos from bakersfield that have been posted lately and
other similar nostalgia action excite me more than
current nat. event coverage.

Joe,
It costs a lot more money to run 6.20s than 5.80s. One motor has it's tongue hanging out at 1000ft, while the other is happy, happy, happy.
That is a fact.
All in all it's just fantastic to see all of the "old" fiberglass forest racing again. And from what I've been told there are about 20 more on the way.

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KS

http://www.hotrodsbystith.com

Kevin,

Mark King and I keep a registry of Nitro Nostalgia Funny Cars... the count of those that are finished and under construction is currently over 45! I took photos for a midwest chassis builder to help with the construction of two more.



Here's the first of some March Meet videos you might enjoy... DRO Videos

Affordable Nitro racing? Depends on the size of your wallet, but these cars are more affordable than you'd think.

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Drag Racing Online

Hey guys, seems like we're all on the same page! Like some have said, the key is to keep the rules tight. It really should be like a spec fuel class (I know guys hate that word), fuel cars are so unpredictable, that even everyone having the same parts would result in different winners very often. To me, the variety should be in the body choices and paint jobs. Then let the drivers do half-track burnouts and dry hops, and the crowd, like Bob Frey says, will go crazy!

Having missed out on the original NFC movement and only seen pictures over the years, this is a blessing to me to see them running! I have followed the NHRA big boy races for years and until March Meet 2007, then the CHRR I dont think I will ever go back to a national event. So much more personality with the nostalgia cars (from TF all the way down to the slowest classes). I dont know what you guys consider "affordable". I dont think I could ever afford to build one, at last not to compete. But I probably could afford to build one right out of the 70's for Cackle Fest type of events. Any used chassis' out there that dont meet the current race specs that are up for sale?

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I'm sorry, I cant hear you over the sound of how awesome I am.

Kevin, I think your misunderstanding my point. A 5.80 car that Noses over to a 6.20 is going to kill something. I was referring to 10 years ago before they opened up the rules on Pro mags and Fuel pumps. I just can't see how a 6.20@220 car is more expensive than a 5.80@235 car.

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Shift for Brains!!!!

Del Worsham has some in-house chassis for sale and there are dozens more across the country.

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Drag Racing Online

For the uninformed, there are basically two approaches to nostalgia fuel funny cars. First one, most popular is building one based on the VRA rules. The rules are a set that were for the most part created by a handful of owners out west when they were working with Goodguys to create a class for them. Basic premis of the rules, min weight 2250, body style 79 or older, 3:90 gear, two speed trans, 3disk-6 lever clutch, single point style mag, single 21 gal pump with no O/D, NO LOCKING CLUTCH OR FUEL MANAGEMENT.6-71 blower spun less than 19%.

Those are the most important of the rules/specs to the class.

The other approach is more outlaw, no rule other than an old body,,, but only a few of those exist. The VRA rule seems to be a common and favorable platform to work with, not that there is anything wrong with the outlaw deal.

And if you think it's a cubic dollar deal, you will find the quickest car is the most basic car, down to the 1200 enderle pump,,, simple deal, just a bunch of knowledge on how to run one without killing it.

Brad, I'd bet you'd be surprised. The chassis design hasn't changed in decades, until just this past year since Eric's accident. I'm sure there are many rollers out there that would fit the bill. As far as affordabilty, obviously that's a relative term, but a lot of guys run nostagia cars on alky as well.

Here is a link to the 2007 NHRA Nostalgia Rules Supplement . These rules cover everything from the Hot Rod class to Nitro Funny Car and Top Fuel.

And there are four or five builders of fiberglass and carbon fiber '66 to '79 bodies out there too.

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Drag Racing Online