Take "Stock" or "Street" with a grain of salt......

Saw basically the same thing in two different magazines. Articles about cars run in the "Pure Stock" drags that are blisteringly fast but aren't really "stock" or steetable. Case #1 was a woman and her husband who won the Tournament last year with a scorching 11.54 1/4 mile time. Their car was a '69 "L88" Corvette. 1st off it wasn't a real L88 car-it was a 390 hp model that was built to L88 specs. The rules say engines don't have to be numbers-matching, it just has to have been an option on that model that year. For example you could run a 426 crate Hemi in a '71 Charger because although rare, the 426 Hemi was a factory option in 1971. Converseely, you can't run an LS6 454 in a '68 Chevelle because the 454 didn't become an option until 1970. That part of the rulebook I understand. But the rest of it-they say they borrow NHRA stock class rules-well the rules are skewed. For example-the guy was running 12.5:1 compression-reasonable-that's what the original L88 was back when you could buy 100 octane gas at your local station. However the guy bragged that he was well below what's allowed-the rulebook allows 13.7:1 compression!!. Excuse me? When did Chevrolet ever offer a big-block with 13.7:1 compression??!! The L88 was 12.5:1 and the over-the-counter-only LS7 454 was only 12.25:1. I'm sorry-but a compression ratio of almost 14:1 is not "Stock" in any way, shape or form. The cam has to be the original "type" which means a flat-tappet solid-lifter design- no rollers- But that leaves duration and lift-wide-open. They also allow electronic ignition conversions-like the Petronix setup that fits under a stock cap. And the guy was running 4.56:1 gears. Case #2 was a 1970 Pontiac Firebird Formula 400 built to Ram Air IV specs. The RAIV was a 400 inch V8 available in GTOs and Firebirds and Trans-Ams in 1969 and 1970. They had 10.5:1 compression, special round-port heads and exhaust manifolds, an aluminum intake, and a hot cam with 308 / 320 duration and .520 lift. They were grossly under-rated at 345 hp in Firebirds and 370 in GTOs. Same thing-only worse-your allowed to be within 15 inches of original displacement. This car had a custom 3.79 inch stroke crank ( stock is 3.75 ) which with a .030 overbore gave it 415 inches. It also had custom longer-than-stock connecting rods-6.800 inches-stock Pontiac rods are 6.625-and custom pistons which gave 12.4:1 compression when paired with the allowed 62cc chamber heads. Except stock RAIV heads have 72cc chambers. He's also running a custom Quadrajet that flows 1000 cfm and a cam with over .600 lift. And 4.88:1 gears. So yeah-it's ungodly fast-it runs something like 10.90 with slicks. But an engine with a custom crank, longer-rods ( small-block Chevy racers know this makes more power ) 12.5:1 compression with a .600 lift cam and a 1000 cfm carb is nowhere near stock!!  Stock would be 10.5:1 compression with stock rotating assembly,a .520 lift cam and an 800 cfm carb. Think this engine was a tad stronger than stock? By like 150 hp?!!  I applaud these builders for finding every last ounce and staying within the rules-I'm not slamming the car owners-I'm saying the rules are messed up. "Stock" should be a lot closer to stock. Like head cc / compression ratios, cam duration and lift, and carb size. I remember Car Craft pulling this 20 some years ago. They bragged about their "Stock" 5.0 Mustang that ran in the high 13s. When Hot Rod and Car and Driver and Motor Trend and everyone else recorded times between 14.72 and 15.29 for stock "5.0" Mustangs of '87-93 vintage. Yeah their test mule was stock alright-except for the K&N air box, Flowmaster "Cat-Back" exhaust, swapping the stock 2.73:1 or 3.08:1 gears for some 3.73:1s and swapping the stock P225/60VR15 radials for some M&H bias-ply 235 / 60R15 wrinklewall drag tires. Yep, bone-stock. Except for the improved intake and exhaust, stiffer gears and stickier tires!! Why do you have to be such a nit-picker?  Anyhow- next time you read about some unbelievably quick "stock" car-I think you'll find it's nowhere near stock. Mastermind