First I never built my car to run NHRA. Its a STREET car that we bring to the drag strip for Test and Tune, which is exactly what we do. I also autocross it and do a "little" road racing. The car is FAR better than I am at the Across and RR. ie a better driver would be able to do more with it than me. But then again I'm an airline pilot and that is what I do well.
Second, how do you figure that a similar car with a 302 V8 that is BLOWN would be one class ahead of me? Perhaps in NHRA's convoluted thinking it might be but think about it.
For EVERY RPM a V8 gets 4 power strokes to make X amount of horsepower. While a V6 has only 3 power strokes to make the SAME horsepower. Obviously a 4 has 2. Or to put it another way. My Buick has 274 cubic inches and puts out 473 HP. That's approx. 1.8 HP per cubic inch. The bore and stroke are close to a 350 chevy. Which would have to put out 630 HP with fairly low compression and a 4 barrel. Oh and it gets to have that extra power stroke per revolution. A 540 BB would have to put out 972HP with the extra stroke.
Also, my original point was very simple. I never meant that putting a BB into a Cobra was wrong. I only said that putting monster motors into a Cobra didn't necessarily mean it would be FAST. I said that, IMO, the point of the exercise was to get the available power to be useful. Which is MY opinion. Doesn't make it right for everyone.
Oh, and regarding the "safety equipment" my last "street vehicle" was a Turbo Kawasaki that ran 9.30 @ 150 with only a wheelie bar so I could turn up the boost. It didn't have a "cage" either<G>
Come to think of it neither does the 747 although it does have a "hump".
Regards,