[YENKO DEUCE REGISTRY]

Tom/Rob;
No offense on the L89 discussion, I only know their background because I asked the same questions that you guys are asking! It is a difficult subject, if GM offered L89's in '69 then why couldn't they be offered in '68? This is the problem that confronts the race organizers, how do they separate these kinds of cars from the pack when they don't have the time or knowledge to pick them apart? The line was drawn specifically on the '68 L89 Novas (and Camaros, had one shown up), that had a TH400. This is because it is known that GM did not offer a solid lifter/TH400 combo until the Gibb cars.

The race is a premier event, and is a ton of fun. The competitiveness still causes owners to 'overprep' their cars, good thing there is no money to win!! It is not just the Chevy's; I know that the Buick cars are 'different', I watched as Chamberlain (12.57 @ 109mph in '98)changed his rear tires to sticky meats out in the back of the pits!! They asked him to change them back, but how many owners do this stuff after tech. and don't get caught? Everbody knows that Karakashian's Super Bee was an NHRA record holder in the early '80s, and Joe Mino's Firebird is a prep car, and the SuperCharged Studee is actually 'over-the-counter' built, and the 440 6-Pak, plum crazy cuda convertible and '69 T/A convertible were clones, and.....you get the point!! There is no way for the organizer's to police this event, and make everyone happy. Maybe two classes is the way to go, but how do they decide which class your car should be in? I wouldn't want to be the judge.

Most of the guys I have spoken with agree that the great equalizer is the tires, because the races are won and lost in the first 60 feet, and at the tree. I believe that the cars that have gotten trailered had siginificant mod's done to the springs, bushings ect. and were rightfully denied. I know that if you slip past the tech's, and your hood shoots to the stars at the launch and never comes down till you pull your foot out of it, they will ask that you not bring that car back the following year.

Bottom line for me is that I think they do a great job at this event. 95% of the cars are truly stock, but it only takes 5% to turn this thing against itself. The event has really grown, and it is hard to catch those 5%. I can't wait to take my car there, and hope that I can tree one them!!

Marlin