This was posted on the Mopar site by Freiburger the current Hot Rod mag editor (managing ed.?): http://board.moparts.org/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=&Number=439042&page=0&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=2&fpart=1

I love the idea...I'm quite interested in the race format. I already posted on the Mopar site telling David my interest in the race.

I guess I'll have to start buying Hot Rod Magazine to keep tabs on when the applications become available (not my favorite rag).

Well, I was actually going to post here next, but someone beat me to it by putting the link to my announcement at Moparts. Here's a slightly edited version of what I posted there regarding the first HOT ROD Pump Gas Drags. Here's the quick version: show up, fill up with pump gas, drive 30-50 miles to the with no support vehicle, make three passes, the guy with the lowest average e.t. wins.

Now here's the long version. But these are not the complete official rules. Those, plus an entry form, will be in the January issue of HOT ROD magazine and hotrod.com


HOT ROD is throwing the first-ever Pump Gas Drags in 2004, and we think it's the least limiting, most legit street-car shootout yet. No trailers allowed! Complete rules will be posted at hotrod.com in a few weeks, and they will be printed in the January issue of the magazine. So don't take this as official, but here's the gist of it:
- Race will probably be sometime in May in Memphis
- All years, makes, and models are allowed. No dragsters or flopper bodies, and only '34-and-older may be fenderless.
- No limits on weight or cubic inch or heads or induction
- Must be street legal, registered, insured
- Full interiors required
- Entire event must be run on one set of four DOT-legal tires of your choice
- Here's the catch: All cars must be presented for tech with empty gas tanks. HOT ROD will supply 15 gallons of 93-octane unleaded pump gas. No other fuel source or additives are allowed, and we will tech the fuel after the race.
- All competitors will meet at Comp Cams for tech and will be impounded for the night. In the morning, the cars must follow the Comp Cams lead van at least 30 miles to the track and may not drop behind the chase van for any reason. No trailers are allowed to follow the cars and no trailers or support vehicles will be allowed at the track. All the people and equipment you need must be in the car.
- At the track, there's 30 minutes of cool-down. Each car will make three passes down the track, and at the end of the day, the car with the quickest average e.t. wins.
- There will also be awards for Most Legit 11-second car, 10-second car, and so on.
- It's free to enter, but HOT ROD and Comp Cams will select only 50 cars to participate, like an invitational. Entry forms will be in the January HOT ROD, and must be submitted along with photos of the car, the engine, and the interior. Proof of e.t. is also suggested. Entries will be due around the end of the year and cars will be announced around the end of January.
- Every car that passes tech will get a photo in HOT ROD.

Once again, understand that these are not the official rules, and they are not complete. But close enough for you to start thinking about it. Bring it!

DF

Also, COMP Cams is our partner in this, which is helping a LOT. If you are interested in the race program, please make sure to thank them if you are a customer.

DF

DF,

News travels PDQ here on the net graemlins/thumbsup.gif .

I'm definately interested in hearing more about this event graemlins/hurray.gif .

I'd love the chance to be able to compete.

Hey Freiburger,i posted this on that mopar board before i saw you were here
I know everyones going to have there say in what they think would be a good class

So heres my idea of a good class of racing. Keeps cost down for us guys who dont have the money for a turbo or supercharger or money to go through motors on nitrous and shows whose got a REAL street car. up to 468 cubic inch motors, your choice or bore/stroke. Single carburator, but any intake, factory style heads {no high port, crazy runners with offset rockers and such} for instance a SBC would have to have 23 degree heads but any brand, matirial or CC runner etc with only cleanup and port matching allowed, no porting, no power adders of ANY KIND, relaible on pump gas, cam is limited to a hydraulic or solid grind of your choice,no rollers of any kind, maximum 10" DOT approved tire, mods to the factory wheel well ok, but no tubs of any sort, factory style transmission {richmond 5 speeds and Tremecs, etc are fine, just no pro shifted clutchless, jerico or liberty stuff}, proper safty equipment,no electronics except Ignition box with maximum 2 stage rev limiter and top end retard, Rearend is your choice. Chassis has to be of stock nature, but cal tracs and other bolt ons allowed. Must go on a 50 or so mile highway/side street, cruise with "pace truck" or what ever, must keep up and not drop back for any reason, go straight to track, 1/2 hour for prep time, fill up on 93 like you said and only tools you can have are in your car and go HEADS UP ELIMINATION for 3 classes, Class 1 small block {0ci-408ci} Class2 Big block {396ci-468ci} and Class 3 Unlimited {0ci-468ci}. This in my opinion is a real roots style race, it would get alot more people into racing again and there would be alot of good 11, 10 and maybe 9 second runs and it would be a real deal, not tainted with money, because anymore we just cant afford to run with the big dogs who in turn have big pockets, This is my idea of race rules and i think it very well describes most of the Hot Street cars that i actually concider to be street cars, it makes it affordable to get into the sport and be very competitive. What do you think?
-Nick

Not bad, Freiburger. Is this your idea? BTW, I fell in love with your cheap street, real world format.

Freiburger, i want your Super Bee! hehe, ever start working on it yet?

Wow, the great and mighty King of Cheap has come to our TC forum! graemlins/waving.gif


I think it's a HELLUVA idea and one that I wish I could participate in. I have a couple of questions. Will there be any limitations on what can be done to the cars between the cruise and the race?

Things such as a quick swap of springs or different ratio rockers arms to compensate for radical cam and valvetrain profiles that might be harsh in the extended cruise mode? Ya know, all the stuff that innovative guys might do to make their combos appear streetable, but wouldn't run in race conditions.

I think that cruise-to-drag tweaks need to be kept at a minimum to ensure the validity of a quick, pump-gas street car.

So....how is the Super Bee comin'? :confused: And how about the El Camino that you guys put together for like $1200? :cool: Man, I miss those days...... smile.gif

The only problem I see is that it will cater to specific applications that can make big power on pump gas, ie high dollar intercooled turbo or centrifugal engines, or super big NA big blocks. Or something real light which takes out a full interior Nova, Chevelle, etc. I know several people making 1200 HP on pump gas in streetable or even street cars.

None-the-less should be interesting. No matter what rules you have, if it is heads up, especially just the fastest car without R/T, big bucks almost always wins. Wish I could enter my car, but low 11's ain't gonna even come close to being enough, I would guess 8.50's or 8.7's average time for some TT car.

Heck, I quit racing stock class 5 HP Briggs karts because of the crazy engine mods people did. No racing is cheap unless it is bracket racing and you chose not to spend a lot of money.


David,
If the winner just gets a jacket like they used to for FSC races, I think that is the best thing you can do. Give 5-10k to win and contingencies, and then you start to lose it again. Too many people build 100k cars to win 5k.

Thanks for the props from some of you who seem to remember the Car Craft days! Here are some answers to those who posted questions:
- Will guys be able to swap parts between the drive and the race? We are torn on this. Currently, we are considering letting guys wrench during a 30-minite cooldown and DQing them if they fail to come when called. But we may also have a closed-hood policy. Not sure yet.
- I agree that a power-adder car will win. However, that's why we have Editor's Choice awards for 11, 10, 9, and 8-second cars. It spreads the glory.
- No cash to win. Just jackets, glory, and coverage.
- My Bee: still on jackstands in the garage.
- The El Camino: is becoming a PSCA Limited Street car, and may also participate as exhibition in the Pump Gas drags.

DF

Hee hee hee. The thought of pump gas 8-second cars gets me all giddy. graemlins/clonk.gif

This is a great idea... How 'bout something for us right-coasters!

Wonder if LPE's TT427 C5 will show up. That sucker has done 8.95 on DOT slicks, full exhaust with cats, full interior, and I believe pump gas. Garanteed that would be one of the most streetable cars at the event. smile.gif

Hey, somebody mention pdq???

He, He!!

pdq67

Cool graemlins/thumbsup.gif

One vote, for the closed hood policy.

If you were to run on the street, (which none of us would ever do.) you wouldn't tell the guy in the next lane, "hey, lets go over to that parking lot so I can tune my carb first".

Bring it back, to the old days, let guys get out raced, not out spent.

By the way, the artical you did on your the Super Bee (Tale of a 10 second street car ?) was one of the best I've ever read.

Sounds good to me, I'll read about it in the mag. It would be cool if you could set a few up in 4 or 5 regions around the country.

Sounds very similar to the "True Street" event held at Fun Ford events, with the exception of the pump gas requirement. I believe MM&FF puts it on.

Sounds like a very neat event.

I vote for a closed hood policy as well.

Doug also brought up a good point. Keep the rewards to a minimum. Personally, bragging rights mean everything to me. If you race professionally, then that is your living. A shootout like this is a "Pump-Gas King of the Street". You can't put a price on being able to swagger around with a title like that.

What are the details on the El Camino (ie. combo, E.T.'s, etc.)?

Do you guys accept freelance stories or features? No seriously. smile.gif

i got another idea for a cool race a few people might want to see- get all the most badass cars you've ever featured in all the car magazines in the Primedia magazine empire over the past couple of years- Chicayne and that wild 88 Vette with the same engine as Chicayne as well as a few magazine project cars come to mind right off the bat- and have a shootout amonst all those cars. those cars and all the other cars like them that are said to be the "ultimate" cars that do it all and do it with style need to get together and duke it out in a format just like the deal you got going on here. same rules- except with a 100 mile fuel economy check or something like that to see how real world they truly are- and the same prizes- a jacket, and the honor of being the "best" car.

Would LOVE to participate :D :D :D :D Might not have enough cubes to be competitive though . . .

I think I would even drive it from Michigan to Tennesee . . .

I'm a street car guy & I like the closed hood thing. If your car can't drive 30 miles then race down the track it is by no means a street car! Dave

OK--we're likely going with the closed-hood rule. Official rules should be posted soon at hotrod.com--I'll re-post here when the time comes.

DF

PUMP GAS DRAG RULES HAVE BEEN POSTED!!

http://www.hotrod.com/upcomingevents/113_0401_pump/

Maybe I'm just missing it. But where is this event going to be held?

Memphis, TN

Andrew