The return to the heads-up, 4 speed, straight axle racing just like the Gassers did it in the 1960s has been incredibly popular. There are generations of folks who go to cruise ins and car shows who have never been to a heads up racing with no handicap event. Even starting lines with a flagman/girl - trees weren't widespread back then, since there was no reason to start each lane with a handicap. Winners and losers, not an attempt to run unmatched cars with a handicap start. The Southeast Gassers Association was started by Quain Stott, world champion Pro Mod racer. It certainly seems unlikely that someone used to running 200 mph would be the creator of the idea to leap backwards FIFTY YEARS! To a time when there were NO CLOCKS! (big electronic scoreboards) Just a win light - who cares how quick you got there, you beat the other guy! But the idea caught fire, both with the racers and the fans... from a handful of cars a few years ago to full Gasser shows in 2017. Younger fans can experience the excitement that older folks like me had back in the day. If only we'd had today's amazing video and picture equipment back then.... The Southeast Gassers have a web page which has the rules for the several Gasser classes - at www.southeastgassers.com There are many Southeast Gasser build threads here on the HAMB - doing a search will come up with dozens. For racers building gassers to compete in the Southeast Gasser competition, most of your questions about the 'rules of the game' will be answered in these build threads, along with pictures... and we know that pictures are worth 1,000 - 10,000 words, usually more. Mitch Stott, Quain's brother and also a world champion drag racer, started a series called the 'rules of the game'. That's what I'm trying to do here. give encouragement to folks who have always wanted to build a car but were overwhelmed with modern (super expensive) computers, superchargers, transmissions, engines... WELCOME BACK TO THE 1960s Gassers were simple, engines and cars were built at home... AND RACING WAS FUN!!!
I'll keep going... Wheelstands - remember them? Not wheelstand matches, like today... but wheels up on the launch? The Southeast Gassers WANT you to get the wheels up at the start. The crowds love it!
GASSERS......... today run on........ mostly NOT gas but alcohol, etc. Methanol is pretty gentle on engines, the tuning is pretty much perfected and engines run lots cooler on meth. BUT... Southeast Gassers..... RUN ON GAS! Wow, what a concept!
You are aware that the tree had nothing to do with handicap and everything to do with safety right? They were keeping time clear back into the '50s. No offense intended.
You're right! I never saw a flagman get run over but there were some close calls. Also, when Art Arfons was exhibition running the Green Monster, the flagman stayed out of the way... The little track I went to just had a win light beam for a long time. No clocks. Chrondek soon was affordable enough that they'd bring in the clocks for race day and take them home afterward for safe keeping, since the track wasn't fenced in. Handicap racing started in a big way when I was away at the TET party in Viet Nam during 1968. I believe Quain Stott's idea of just just having the win light is a perfect way of backing the clocks up 50 years to 1967! By the way porknbeaner, have you seen some of the youtube videos of the racing? It's great!
When they started that dial in bracket stuff I was outta there, as I built my 37 for heads up best men wins Not computer racing, dumb And all four were on the ground hazing the 10 hundred rears DND
crowds love it but they are not gonna pony up and replace your trans or rear when you do those wheelstanding clutch side steps
Those SEG guys don't have any complaints. Most guys are running a Hightower,a Jerico,or a G-Force trans,so durability isn't an issue. Run 35 spline axles and 1350 U-joints,and that's a pretty bulletproof drivetrain. You should check out some of the videos on you tube Scott Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Just ran through the rules. A/G no superchargers or 10'' wide wheels? Too many things on mine that wouldn't let me in, but curious about these 2 things.
You can run 10 inch wide wheels and no supercharger and be ready to run mid 5 second 1/8th mile passes. A/Gas is not for the faint of heart . Those are some serious race cars. C/Gas is very competitive and those boys don't play either. D/Gas will be interesting with a bunch of new cars this year. I am building a Morris Minor to run with the group. I have still not decided whether to run C/Gas or put some weight in the car and run D/Gas.
The interesting thing to me is Quain Stott's very strict rules on his build guidelines. The old school driveline and ladder bar requirements make it easier for a Gasser to wheelie, I think. Back in the day, noses were up - crankshafts had to have a 24" limit above the track. Those guys would have had 4 foot high engines if they were allowed, to get more traction. No 'mole, nose nearly into the ground' modern day aerodynamic racecars with huge wheelie bar(s) out the back. We all know that today's 200mph doorslammers would flip over backwards with a towering stance like the 1960s Gassers usually had... BUT.. The fans love the old high stance! And the wheelies come easy with the modern traction-action track glue. 4 speed? 5-6-??? thousand rpm launch? Search this forum for 'Bad Banana' if you want to see Southeast Gasser crowd-thrilling wheelstands.... 55 Chevy, smallblock! Any of the youtube Southeast Gasser videos will show action like it was in the old days... Straight pass? Maybe 1 in 5 or 10. Wheels up on the launch? You betcha. Sideways and crossing the centerline? Happens every now and then. Never know what it's gonna do next? Every pass!
My SS/C racing friend Eddy Capullo told me stories about her..... Bless her heart, I think she's still involved in racing!
A thought, chevydude... I just finally figured out, with Quain Stott's help, that you can race a period correct car, following all of his guidelines on doing a correct 1967 Gasser. Quain has a number of posts (AND BUILD THREADS) on here and the rules are at the website, www.southeastgassers.com. If you have the wheels, 4 speed and straight axle correct, you're pretty much there. The classes have a pounds/cubic inch assigned.... But here's the thing. IF you don't go faster than the e.t. set for your class, you won't get weighed (or P&G'd, I think)!!! You would be able to race old school Gassers in your class, heads up, in front of a really great group of fans. I may have to get spanked for saying this - but if you're 'close' on the wt/cu.in and are doing EVERYTHING ELSE period correct, I think the club would be happy to have you race with them. As your experience grew and you geared up your Gasser, you'd break into the top of the class when you're able. When you get to that magic e.t. for your class, get ready for the SCALES!
You guys are doing it right. Here on the west coast we have mostly pussys afraid of sticks , clutches and wheelstands. Lots of powerglide slush box Gassers but not all of us.. I run a Tex racing Mag case spur gear 4 speed and 35 spline '57 Pontiac rear end with 5.57 as my 1/8 mile gear of choice. Its a party in every gear!! I had a front tire blow out going thru the lights at the 2014 antique nationals and hit the k rail hard . So the party's been over for awhile but I almost got it back together. My buddies and I are planning of trying to organize a 1/8 mile Gasser bash for heads up sticks only Cars here on the west coast so we can have a taste of what the Southeast Gassers have been doing. Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Some folks can't remember hearing a 4 speed high rpm launch. Modern cars with automatics and rev limiters launch nose down and go insanely quick. And like a lot of modern technology have become everyday stuff. Tires over a foot wide hide under aerodynamic trimmed rear fenders. The cars look a lot alike, with the winning profile determined by the laws of physics. Just like at a distance, all airliners look a lot alike, since they're solving the physics of high speed, high altitude flight the same basic way. Then there's speed. I remember watching Don Garlits run at Dover dragstrip near Poughkeepsie, NY in the spring of 1964, over half a century ago. He was trying to break the TWO HUNDRED MPH barrier. Did 3 passes and got the second one up to around 199. Tipped the can too much and went up in smoke the 3rd round, trying to go at least 203 to get the record and back it up. A decade ago, Quain Stott was going that fast in a door slammer! A 4 speed Gasser, launching with some rpm way above reasonable at the drop of the clutch is the definition of unpredictable. Sometimes wheels up, sometimes sideways, once in a while straight like a bullet. Put two of them side by side and you have racing that the fans will come from even OTHER COUNTRIES to watch!
Thanks for the replies! One day I would love to come. However, my car wold not pass the rules. It seems close. Compliant: Big block, M22, Ram Rod shifter, magnesium Americans, pie crusts Not: tires aren't within 1/2'' of the wheelwells. Coil overs, MkV block and a 3'' axle relocation. The 6-71 blower planned doesn't get a pass, I seem to remember they were ok previously.
A couple of weekends ago I went to the local track here to watch some nostalgic drag racing. The stands were pretty much empty. They had gassers, super stock, altered and fed, but they were bracket racing within their classes. Boring as hell! I can't watch bracket racing, I get it, but it's not a spectator sport to me. It's a good way to keep the cost somewhat manageable for the owners and I can even afford it. It is fun for the drivers, like I said I get it. Now, I do watch the Southeast Gassers online. It would be a drive for me anywhere they race and I would have to miss work (no car money). I don't know of another group that is drawing this much attention. Just look at the amount of fans showing up and the amount of new cars being built (several on the HAMB). I can't wait to be able to catch a race in person. I even wanted to do one of my cars, but don't have the funds (it's quite expensive). So for now I will just watch them online.
Why not methanol? Much easier on the engine & safer all the way around. I understood why we had to run gas back in the day but those conditions don't apply, I keep thinking about building a blown 354 but the thought of running gasoline scares me silly.
I looked into this group over the winter and found that the rules only apply to new members as some of the founders are running automatics .
I love the idea and I am glad to see that someone is bringing back real "Nostalgia" racing. I have pondered building a gasser for this group but the closest race is a 2 day drive for me. I wish they would start another chapter in the SW.
I actually haven't. But for promotions sake it wouldn't hurt a thing to post some. My first experience with running on a dial in was in the '70s when I first started tuning for Netz. he didn't bother to explain it to me until after I set his '57 on kill and he broke out. LOL I may be mistaken but the first real tree didn't happen until about '63.One of the NHRA Nats, I want to say Indy but I would probably be wrong. I am actually pretty good at wrong. Anyway it probably wouldn't hurt to post a You Tube or two.
Yes WillyB its a M/T Crossram that I internally modified and added 1 1/2" spacers with dual 750 pumpers. Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Some of the original cars got "Grandfathered" in. It's pretty tough to tell a living legend like Gene Cromer that his '41 Willys built in the early'60's with parts bought from Holman/Moody (shocks/aluminum rad/etc) isn't a real gasser because it runs a C6 automatic. Quain worked on the restoration of that car to bring it back exactly as it was in the mid '60's,and I don't think anybody has any complaints about running against Mr Cromer and his automatic. Unless they get their feelings hurt when they get beat by a guy in his 80's. Scott Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
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