Nostalgia Super Stock (AKA NSS) is among the most popular, and fastest growing forms of drag racing. The Class recreates the style of drag racing very popular in the 1960s with drivers like Ronnie Sox, Dick Landy, Butch Leal and Judy Lilly.
NSS' roots go back to the early 1980s, when retired Super Stock racers Dave Duell, Arlen Vanke and others started exhibition racing 1960s style Super Stock at Nostalgia racing events. The popularity of the class evolved into a category of drag racing with hundreds of cars and drivers competing in Championship series, and large Nostalgia Drag Racing events.
The spirit of NSS drag racing has the same models of cars that raced Super Stock between 1959 and 1969—but with certain safety equipment updates. The cubic inch displacement of the engines in Nostalgia Super Stock is not a tech item, and motors as large as has these cars running as quick as 8-seconds in the quarter mile, at speeds over .
While there are many different series, clubs, and events running NSS—the rules most run were developed and agreed by representatives from most of the clubs, and Universal at most NSS events.
The largest annual NSS race is the Dave Duell Classic (named in honor of Dave Duell), which has seen as many as 90 Nostalgia Super Stock cars compete in what is considered the Class' National event. The event is currently run in the fall at Beechbend Raceway in Bowling Green, Kentucky, in conjunction with the National Muscle Car Association. Dave Duell's son, Doug, organizes the event which draws competitors from all over the country.
Some of the more popular cars currently running in NSS include Drag'n Wag'n, Texas Whale, Hustling Hooser, and the Big Red Ram.
Class Description
Nostalgia Super Stock is an index-style foot brake only class for the year models, body styles, and engine combinations which raced in the A/FX and Super Stock classes of the ’60s. Exceptions in the authenticity of these cars will be allowed, for instance those relating to safety, equality in performance, availability, and durability. Sandbagging, excessive braking near the finish line or excessive mph for a given e.t. is subject to result in a disqualification. The class will qualify by elapsed time closest to index, be paired according to qualifying positions, and then advance to eliminations.
Eligible Year Models & Body Styles
The following is a list of cars/engines, which are allowed to compete in the Nostalgia Super Stock class:
AMC AMX: 1968 - 1969; 390
Chevrolet Full Bodied: 1959-64; 348 & 409s, Z11 427
Chevrolet Full Bodied: 1965-67; 396-454
Chevrolet Chevelle: 1964 - 1967; 396-454
Pontiac Full Bodied: 1959-67; 389-455
Tempest/GTO: 1962-67; 389-455
Ford Full Bodied: 1959-67; 390-427
Ford Thunderbolt: 1964; 427
Fairlane/Comet/Cyclone/Falcon: 1963-67; 390, 427
Dodge/Plymouth Full Bodied: 1960-67; 383-440 wedge
Dodge/Plymouth Full Bodied: 1964-67; Hemi
Buick Full Bodied: 1960-67; 401-455
Skylark GS: 1964-67; 400-401-455
Chevelle: 1964-67; 396-454
Oldsmobile Full Bodied: 1960-67; 394-400-455
Cutlass/442: 1964-67; 400-455
Dart/Barracuda: 1967-69; 383-440
Dart/Barracuda: 1968; 426 Hemi
Dave Duell Classic
The Dave Duell Classic is World's largest drag racing event for Nostalgia Super Stock drag racing. It is considered to be the NSS Nationals, with as many as 90 Nostalgia Super Stock cars competing.
The event originally began as the NSS Racing class of the Monster Mopar Weekend back in 1990, and was administered by Dave Duell, who was a Super Stock racer (and then Chrysler/Plymouth dealer) back in the 60s. It was the only class of drag racing at the Monster Mopar Weekend open to all makes of race cars that fit in the strict Nostalgia Super Stock rules. The Monster Mopar Weekend was held at Gateway International Raceway the week after Labor Day each year, just outside St. Louis. The event grew to over 60 cars when Dave Duell last raced in the event in September 2005.
Dave died a few months later, in December 2005. For 2006, the NSS racing portion of the Monster Mopar Weekend was renamed the Dave Duell Classic, and Dave's son Doug took over the administration of the event.
In 2010, Gateway closed, forcing the Monster to move to the race track in Indianapolis, In. About 90 NSS car competed in the last Dave Duell Classic held in conjunction with the Monster Mopar Weekend at Gateway. One of the secrets of the success of the Dave Duell Classic, was its central location. As such, the event moved to its new home with the NMCA's race at Beechbend Raceway in Bowling Green, KY.