Blog Layout

Does the NHRA Actually Care About Nostalgia Racing

I am going to write this as a stream of consciousness. For nearly a dozen years I had the distinct honor and pleasure of writing a monthly column for Drag Racing Online, owned and operated by Jeff Burk. Jeff and his lovely bride Kay have since retired, and now I will be bugging Al and Rob here at Nostalgia Drag World.

For me, the operative word in that description is “Nostalgia”. Thus, for most of us when the word nostalgia is used in conjunction with drag racing, many of us conjure up thoughts of front motor top fuel dragsters, and funny cars running bodies as per the NHRA Rule Book which states “Limited to 1965 to 1979 American-made bodies. Bodies must resemble the original mass-produced make and model. Corvette roadster and Jeep bodies permitted. Bodies may be made of fiberglass or composite material. Body must lift off as a one-piece unit. (2022 Hot Rod Heritage Racing Series Rules Supplement, Page 47.)

Now in the past, many racers have stretched those rules to almost the breaking point. (Honestly, I have no beef with that, it is the race teams’ job to get everything they can within the confine of said rules.) Bend them as far as you can without breaking them.

Back a few years ago Canadian racer Ron Hodgson commissioned Victory Chassis to create a new 1969 Camaro. (I called it a Cam-aero) The car had more in common with modern-day Pro Mods, than nostalgia funny cars.)

Nevertheless, the Gang from Glendora gave the body its blessing, and it was allowed to compete. There was a great deal of hate and discontent with many of the other teams who stated the Victory Body was “not in the spirit of the nostalgia vibe.” A valid point. Nevertheless, during competition the advantages of aerodynamics and the lightweight of the body became apparent. As the season went on many other teams decided to take the road of, if you can’t beat them join them. More and more of the Cam-aero showed up.

This brings me to my point of this opinion article. Once again Hodgson has collaborated with Victory Race Cars, to come up with a 2.0 version of the “Cam-Aero”. We will call it the Firebird Trans-Aero. Once again, the nose and front end resemble a Pro Mod 69 Firebird, aka “The Crow from Street Outlaws.”

Furthermore, like the Cam-aero before it, the new Trans-Aero is going to raise eyebrows and some people’s blood pressure. Once again I don’t have heartburn with either Mr. Hodgson or with Ron at Victory. They are stretching the rules to the utmost, it is the sanctioning body that is supposed to have a clearly defined set of rules and enforce said rules.

This is an image released on social media of the car, and it is a stunner.

(Hodgson Racing/Pacemaker NFC)

My question is in regard to the rear spoiler. The NHRA Rule Book states “SPOILER-Rear spoiler limited to roof height and body width (modern-type spoilers or spill plates prohibited). (2022 Hot Rod Heritage Racing Series Rules Supplement, Page 48)

This image is a closer look at the rear deck lid.

That rear spoiler is… Modern. In addition, the next line of the rule book states,” Spill plates may not extend forward of the bottom of the rear window or extend past the trailing edge of the rear deck lid. If one looks closely the spill plate does in fact appear to extend past the trailing edge of the rear deck lid.

Sources tell me there are other “enhancements” to the body that might raise the ire of other competitors.

Hodgson and Victory have done their due diligence and stretched the rules.

What they have done is no different than what happened in 1997 when Hendrick Motorsports crew chief Ray Evernham and an engineer named Rex Stump. The car was called the “T-Rex”. What Stump and Evernham did was find every gray area of the rule book and exploited said rules, stretching them to where only fibers were left. The result was at the 1997 Winston All Star race T-Rex was nearly two seconds a lap faster than the rest of the field. However, NASCAR’s President Bill France wasn’t having his show stunk up and outlawed the design of T-Rex the next day. Hendrick pushed the envelope, hard. However, NASCAR felt it was detrimental to the sport, and ruled against the T-Rex.

Thus, getting to the crux of the matter, the question becomes how far this sanctioning body is willing to go, in allowing teams to pummel the “spirit of nostalgia”, and actually enforce the printed rules already in place. Or is the sanctioning body going to turn a blind eye towards these rear aerodynamic enhancements? Many others would ask that same question.

Does the sanctioning body really give a damn about nostalgia, or are they ok with nostalgia transforming into “Big Show Light” or “Big Show Zero Sugar”? Will this latest creation of the Trans Am, spur other teams to also start stretching the boundaries of the rules and starting “an arms race?”

Now, this opinion is based on the basic NHRA Rules. Therefore car(s) that decide to run in otherwise sanctioned or independent events may not have to worry about the body rules that may or may not come into play. Thus, what Victory and Hodgson have created is above board.

Again, I feel race teams are to push the boundaries, it is up to those who make, and supposedly enforce those rules to act. And if those rule-makers fail to act or engage, then why even have rules or a rule book.

The other question I will reiterate is with this development force those teams who don’t have the resources to just fold their tents and do something else thus making the fields smaller? Doing something like sprint car racing, or competitive BBQ rather than run a nostalgia nitro funny car?

We shall see.

Photos courtesy of Brian Losness

< Older Post Newer Post >

MUSCLE CAR AND CORVETTE NATIONALS 2024

February 4, 2025

PHOTOS by RICHARD JAESCHKE WWW.HOTRODONLINE.COM

MOUNTAIN MOTOR MADNESS!

By “Animal” Jim Feurer • January 3, 2025

For 1984 , I switched from SB Nitrous Cleveland to a humongous 675 CI Mountain Motor we dubbed the “Monolith”. ( I have to explain hear and now, “Motor” is not the proper name. “Engine” is. But “Mountain Motor” has a better limerick cadence to it than “Mountain Engine”. Look up definition of “Motor” and “Engine”. Or how about “Elephant Engine”? Too clumsy! My engineer mentor Bob Olmsted would flip in his grave, if he read this. Never called an engine a motor around (Bob! ) RIP BOB! This 675 Jon Kaase Engine sported Allen Root special Aluminum Block 11.2 Deck Ht. Steel Chrome Mollie Sleeves with O rings. Bore was 4.635 , steel BRC crank ,Arias pistons and Venolia aluminum rods, with 5” stroke X 0.7854 x 8 =675. Had AR Aluminum Hemi Heads. Worked over by Jon. AR Tunnel Ram worked over with two Holley 1100 dominators and MSD Crank Trigger Ign. Dynoed 1150 HP @ 7,000 RPM. Jon called me all excited about the results. Winter of 83/84. Cost was $25,000! Remember-This was 40 years ago! That engine also included a special .800+lift cam and 2.500” diam. Intake and 2.00” exhaust valves. All 16 were Manley Titanium valves of course. Funny story: Shortly after Jon called, some dude called from Chicago area telling me he developed a Ford Cammer using Gilmer belts instead of timing chains. He wanted to team up with me putting his Cammer in Zeke. Then, before I could respond he insulted my persona telling me I would have to cleanup, starting with cutting my hair. Then!!! I responded. I told him about my Kaase 675 Boss Hemi, and Jon calling with results. I added, “As for my grooming .I would not cut my hair for my mother, let alone for you! You insulting joker!” And I hung up. I do not recall a name. Once I did trim my hair a bit. Promoters, media and fans did not like that. Especially the late great Bill Bader. And my little girl cried when she saw my hair trimmed. 2. First time out with the “Monolith” 675 was not successful. One problem was the new fiberglass doors. That big engine had so much torque it would twist Zeke out of shape launching the driver door. It would fly off. It happened twice in a row. I had orange duct tape, and had my crew chief Cliff Sturm tape me in next run. Door stayed put. But had to wait for Cliff to come untape me at top end. Tech would have had a cow if they knew. (At US 30, perhaps not) Another problem was starter was not strong enough for that engine. I could see some other matters would need looking after with that much power. So we loaded up and went home. I never experienced so much brute power. At my shop at home we cured the starter problem by connecting another battery and solenoid to create 24 volts just when cranking, and included a MSD retard with momentary toggle switch. And just a cheap rebuilt starter worked great. Until two years later and went to a dry sump system, and had to use a mini starter do to different pan. Amazingly that Hamburger mini starter and MSD retard and 12 volts worked fine. For the next three years, 1984,85,86 and first race in 87 we ran pure Mountain Motor Pro Stock , mostly in UDRA and Match Races . We did ok, winning several UDRA events, and went rounds at a couple IHRA Nationals. One of my most memorable IHRA Mountain Motor runs was Aug. of 85 at Norwalk, Oh. I had Bob Glidden first round. I took a shot at the tree and cut a spectacular .002 light. I was way ahead of Bob. Then by fourth gear I saw that Thunder Bird nose appear. We went through the traps side by side. Bob got the win light by .001. While waiting for our tow vehicles, Bob came over and asked if I had a pretty good run. I said it was good. When I got my time ticket I realized I had run a career best et. But, so did Bob. He had won by .001. However, during my 3 year pure Mountain Motor Pro Stock effort, as I told earlier, I won several UDRA , match, and special events. 3. One of my favorite wins was August 10th. 1986. I had the unbeatable Bob Olsen in the final. I was still driving my trusty Mercury Zephyr with the Monolith 675 engine. This event was The Annual Pro Stock/Funny Car Open at Byron, Il. Rules? Ha! It was “Run what you Brung! And you better Bring Enough!” I went to finals, caught a great light and beat that Steward and Olsen Pontiac by a fender. Then another big change happened. My friend, Wild Bill Kuhlmann, In March of 77 put A NOS Fogger System on his new Sonny 632 bb Chevy. Bill entered Top Sportsman. Nitrous was legal there. Bill’s motive was to be the first ever door car to go 200 ! Which I witnessed him doing so at IHRA Nationals at Darlington SC. OH! OH! Nitrous was also legal in UDRA, No one had ever taken advantage of it with a killer mountain motor till Bill. Bill Kuhlmann had gone ahead with his dream we both shared and discussed back in December. While I was side tracked with other matters. I had no choice. I had to go same direction to compete from then on. UDRA was my main arena. So hello NOS. My old friend. My Kaase/Allen Root, 675 Ford Boss Hemi loved it! It sure did! We estimated we went from 1200 hp to1700hp with just a basic single NOS Fogger system. And basic tune up. Just hitting the Nos during second gear on, would net 5 tenths quicker and 10 mph. It felt like a powerful passing gear. We won many races and the U DRA Outlaw Pro Stock Championships 88 and 89. I consider 87,88, and 89 , The formative days o Pro Modified. Wild Bill had kicked that door wade open! I ran our next car the same way. By then, we were running Pro Modified. The 90 Probe was one of the first cars purpose built for Pro Modified. Built and sponsored by Rick Jones. Officially it was the first Ford door car to go 200 mph. 4. I was still using old engines, the Kaase Monolith 675 Ford Boss hemi and the Jim Ehlen 666 we called Damian! And it ran high 6 second runs, still on a basic same Fogger system. But I was now hitting nitrous right after the launch. Better late than never, August of 91 we put a new Kaase 698” beast in the Probe. We won a third championship with Probe with the USSC. That made 5 championships for me altogether. In 92, came the fabulous Haas Thunderbird Super Coupe we named Wunder Bird! We set many records and won many races. With son in law Doug Fennell’s awesome design and paint job, it won IHRA Best Appearing/Engineering two years in a row. Which was unheard of. With this car we used nitrous on the launch, and a second system @ .5 second timer , producing 1800/2000 hp. Running 6 sec/200 +mph runs at will. Ronnie Sox, Wane Torkelson and I, swapped records of quickest Ford door slammers on the earth for several years. Well, it seems I am getting ahead of myself. My next chapter about my Pro Modified years will be my next article. Written by ANIMAL JIM FEURER. MAY GOD KEEP YA ALL.

The History of the Hill-Boys' 1953 Studebaker Champion”

By HEMI-ROID • June 4, 2024

The year was 1961, and Don Hill bought the 1953 Studebaker as a parts car to his street 53 Studebaker. After pilfering all the parts Don needed off the Studebaker, one sunny summer day in 1963 Don and the family were having a picnic at their house in Ballwin Missouri. Don’s brother Jack Hill was there and the two of them were playing horseshoes and Jack made a bet with Don that if he threw the next horseshoe as a ringer Don would have to sell the Studebaker parts car for $25.00. Well Jack did just that and handed over the $25.00 to his older brother Don. You see Don and Jack Hill were not just brothers, they were also a team together as the Hill-Boys racing team out of the Midwest. After the second world war, the two of them started racing an open wheel stock car. The Hill-Boys were known coast to coast on dirt tracks and later, asphalt tracks as fierce competitors. It was their way of life. In 1963 by now they both were not racing open wheel cars anymore and Jack had the need to play around with the 1953 Studebaker that he had just bought from Don. Jack decided to put a 392 Chrysler Hemi with two four barrels, 727 torque flight transmission that all was put into the stock Studebaker chassis. Custom headers, Olds rear-end, ladder bars and a 4-point roll cage were added. The car was now ready to race, and the year was 1964. After a few runs the Studebaker took a back seat to work. Just a few years earlier Jack started a company called Precision Rebuilders which is still in operation today. In 1972 Jack gave the car to his son Mike Hill on his 16th birthday. The car sat around for a few years and in 1979 Don’s son Butch Hill and Mike became partners/owners in the Studebaker. In 1990 Butch decided to sell out to Mike to build a 1939 Ford Coupe so they could go racing together. In the late 80s during a race in Wentzville, Mo at MAR raceway, the Studebaker was having trouble creating real horsepower. Don Garlits was at this race and took a liking to the car and within one hour after sitting down with Big Daddy he spelled out all the tricks to make the Hemi perform like it should. In 1992 the car was chopped. Later in 92 Jack Hill lost his battle with cancer. In 1994 both Mike and Butch willed their cars to one another to make sure they stay in the Hill family. In 1995 Golden Hawk fins were added to the car. 1997 came along a new paint scheme from red to the Blue/Purple with flames. In 2006 the car was awarded Dupont’s paint of the year. In 2007 Don Hill lost his life to a stroke and in 2009 Mike Hill lost his 4-year battle with cancer. In 2012 Butch Hill willed the Studebaker to his children Cameron and Caitlin Hill to once again keep it in the family. Today Butch Hill is still racing the car in the Nostalgia Drag Racing League (NDRL). And the car is considered the World’s quickest all steel 1953 Studebaker. The car weighs 3,200 pounds and is still running a 392 Hemi. Although it does not run a steel block anymore, the aluminum Donovan motor from the 60s puts out 1,100 hp and 1,092-foot pounds of torque. Sitting on top of that Donovan is a 671 blower with a 4 port Hilborn injection running on alcohol. The car is still running a 727-torque flight, Ford 9” rear end with 4.10 gears and believe it or not, it is still running the same latter bars that were built in 1963. No electronics other than a trans button. Even though this car looks like it is a fiberglass car going 250 mph setting still. This car is truly old school in its body and power plant. The body is original Studebaker steel even down to the door hinges and steel chrome bumpers. .

NITRO CHAOS RETURNS TO ILLINOIS

May 6, 2024

By this point of the 2024 season, you can rest assured a heated points battle will be underway and it will all conclude with a return for the CHAOS brand to Midstate Dragway, formally Central Illinois Dragway, in Havana, Illinois for the Nitro Chaos Championship Finals, September 20-21st. CID was one of the original host tracks for Funny Car Chaos dating back to 2018 and after recent ownership and management changes, is very excited to welcome the CHAOS back to Havana to crown the 2024 Nitro Chaos Champion! This will be the largest gathering of nitro burning drag racing machines in track history, we assure you that.