Strongest Divisions in NHRA

After briefly looking thru the results from the 2003 points meets, I'd say that Div 3 has the toughest TAD fields (averaging about 17-18 cars per race with tough bump spots). Divisions 7, 6, and 5 have also had tough fields in every race, with Div 4 close behind with 3 out of 4 races having a great bump spot. Before Baton Rouge their worst bump was a 5.75. Divisions 1 and 2 trail behind the rest; however both of those divisions had really good fields at their last race so maybe that is a sign of good thing to come.

For TAFC's, Division 7 is the hands down winner with 3 of 4 bump spots in the 5's. Some of the faster cars reside in the east, but from top to bottom the quality is best out in Div. 7. Div 3 is probably 2nd best because they are the only other Division to fill out all of their fields. Division 6 could make an argument for 2nd best as their last 3 bumps have been 6.10, 6.12, and 6.01. All of the other divisions have inconsistent car counts in TAFC, although the last Div 1 race at Lebanon Valley, NY did have a 5.999 bump spot.

Any other opinions out there?

 

Division 6 TA/FC is strong because a number of division 7 cars head up there to race, ie Weavers, Gordon, Gasparrelli. Take those away and how does it look? Bucky is really having his way up there since Walt and Pat quit.

I'd sure like to see a guy like Marc White drive a car in Division 1 tuned by a guy like Bob Newberry. Man, that would be something. The New'b makes a lot of power, and he isn't ashamed to throw it around.

 

Will, you make a good point on the "top 4" thing but I also think it is easier for a "big guy" to lose to a 5.9 car than a 6.5 car so he has to make a good pass in the first round to go on. Also, from a fans perspective, it's nice to have a half way decent first round because it accounts for over 1/2 of the races during eliminations.

It is certainly hard to win a Div 1 race with Newberry and Manzo at almost every race so I guess it depends on your definition of "strongest". Personally, I'd rather attend a race with a tight field than one dominated by 2 cars though.

I'll tell ya, the most impressive race was the Div 3 race in Joliet - over 20 TAD's and about 17 or 18 TAFC's - I wish we could get that kind of car count down in Div 2.

Good luck and have a great day.

 

TAD - Division 3
TAFC - Division 7
Comp - Division 3
SS - Division 1
S - Division 1
SC - Division 1
SG - Division 1

 

TJ, I was at the Joliet Division 3 race and it was probably the best divisional meet I've attened. Fantastic car count at a great track.

Division 3 point races usually have good turnouts of TA teams. One of the reasons I think the car count was so high at Joliet was that it was the same weekend as the national event in Bristol and the TA classes weren't run there. Hence all the Division 3 teams showed up in Joliet along with the usual contingent of Division 5 teams (Moats, Wells, Williams) and a smattering of Division 1 racers (Bartone, Paul Lee).