Super Comp

The quickest of the three heads-up Super Classes in NHRA sportsman racing, drivers in Super Comp compete on a fixed 8.90-second index. Unlike Super Stock and Stock, the rules for Super Comp are very liberal. Though just about any car is allowed in Super Comp, the class is primarily inhabited by rear-engine dragsters. There are also two main types of dragsters used in Super Comp; a fully sprung car with an adjustable four-link rear suspension and a non-adjustable car with a solid-mounted rear axle.
There are almost no restrictions on engine size or internal modifications though the use of exotic fuels such as nitromethane or nitrous oxide is prohibited. In a Super Comp race, a four-tenths pro start is used and the winner is determined by the first driver to reach the finish line without running under the 8.90 index. In the event the both drivers run under the index, the driver who is closest to the index will be declared the winner. With virtually no way to gain a performance advantage, driver skill is paramount in Super Comp racing as many contests are decided by as little as a thousandth of a second.
Though the concept of Super Comp racing is simple, the cars appear complex due to the large variety of electronic aids that are utilized. Those aids normally include an air-shifter, which automatically shifts the transmission, a delay box that helps control a driver's starting line reaction time, and a timed throttle stop, which helps drivers adjust the performance of the vehicle to match the 8.90 index. With many races decided by thousandths of a second, drivers and crews in Super Comp also spend a lot of time monitoring critical factors such as temperature, humidity, wind speed and direction, and track temperature.

Super Comp Fast Facts

The Super Comp class debuted as an NHRA eliminator in 1982 at Lucas Oil Series divisional events. It did not become a full-time national event eliminator until 1987. Steve Cohen was crowned the class’ first champion that year.

In Super Comp racing, it is often an advantage to run as much top speed as possible so it is not uncommon to see racers running over 180-mph while still running close to the 8.90-second index. During the early days of Super comp in the 1980s, it was rare for any competitor to run more than 160-mph.

In 2011, Gary Stinnett of Emporia, Kansas, won his fourth career NHRA national championship in the Super Comp class. Stinnett is also a former national event winner in Super Stock and Stock.

The JEGS Mail Order team has enjoyed tremendous success in the Super Comp category as brothers John, Mike and Jeg Coughlin have each won national event titles in the 8.90 class. Troy Coughlin Jr. has also won in Super Comp.

In 2009, Troy Coughlin Jr. became the first third-generation Coughlin to win a major drag racing title when he won the Super Comp title at the NHRA Las Vegas Nationals. In 2010, Troy Jr., also won the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals.

The quickest of the three heads-up Super Classes in NHRA sportsman racing, drivers in Super Comp compete on a fixed 8.90-second index. Unlike Super Stock and Stock, the rules for Super Comp are very liberal. Though just about any car is allowed in Super Comp, the class is primarily inhabited by rear-engine dragsters. There are also two main types of dragsters used in Super Comp; a fully sprung car with an adjustable four-link rear suspension and a non-adjustable car with a solid-mounted rear axle.
There are almost no restrictions on engine size or internal modifications though the use of exotic fuels such as nitromethane or nitrous oxide is prohibited. In a Super Comp race, a four-tenths pro start is used and the winner is determined by the first driver to reach the finish line without running under the 8.90 index. In the event the both drivers run under the index, the driver who is closest to the index will be declared the winner. With virtually no way to gain a performance advantage, driver skill is paramount in Super Comp racing as many contests are decided by as little as a thousandth of a second.
Though the concept of Super Comp racing is simple, the cars appear complex due to the large variety of electronic aids that are utilized. Those aids normally include an air-shifter, which automatically shifts the transmission, a delay box that helps control a driver's starting line reaction time, and a timed throttle stop, which helps drivers adjust the performance of the vehicle to match the 8.90 index. With many races decided by thousandths of a second, drivers and crews in Super Comp also spend a lot of time monitoring critical factors such as temperature, humidity, wind speed and direction, and track temperature.

Super Comp Fast Facts

The Super Comp class debuted as an NHRA eliminator in 1982 at Lucas Oil Series divisional events. It did not become a full-time national event eliminator until 1987. Steve Cohen was crowned the class’ first champion that year.

In Super Comp racing, it is often an advantage to run as much top speed as possible so it is not uncommon to see racers running over 180-mph while still running close to the 8.90-second index. During the early days of Super comp in the 1980s, it was rare for any competitor to run more than 160-mph.

In 2011, Gary Stinnett of Emporia, Kansas, won his fourth career NHRA national championship in the Super Comp class. Stinnett is also a former national event winner in Super Stock and Stock.

The JEGS Mail Order team has enjoyed tremendous success in the Super Comp category as brothers John, Mike and Jeg Coughlin have each won national event titles in the 8.90 class. Troy Coughlin Jr. has also won in Super Comp.

In 2009, Troy Coughlin Jr. became the first third-generation Coughlin to win a major drag racing title when he won the Super Comp title at the NHRA Las Vegas Nationals. In 2010, Troy Jr., also won the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals.