The NHRA’s technical department plans to maintain parity in the forthcoming Factory Experimental division, also known as Factory X, through adjustments to the respective engine combinations of the Chevrolet, Chrysler, and Ford competitors.

All three car combinations to run in Factory X will begin at a universal weight of 2,650 pounds and run supercharged engines. The COPO Camaros will run the 630-horse Magnuson 2.65L supercharger, while the DragPak Challengers will utilize the 630-horse, 3.0L Whipple. The Cobra Jet 327 Mustangs will battle with the 610-horse, 3.0 Whipple unit.

The adjustments will not come due to perceived aerodynamic disadvantages but rather performances on the track themselves. It doesn’t appear that minimum weight adjustments will be part of the initial equation.

“This being a supercharged category, there are ways for parity. It’s not your normal Pro Stock, naturally aspirated; everybody’s only got a small window to conform to,” NHRA National Tech Director Lonnie Grim explained in an exclusive interview with CompetitionPlus.com. “In the supercharged application, we have a number of ways to make parity. The intent is to have 2,650 as the weight across the board for all three or more brands, but currently, that’s three. But they’ll all be at 2,650.”

Because NHRA’s tech department plans to abstain from adjusting weight, Grim has ways to level the playing field.

“Each supercharger combination has its unique characteristics,” Grim explained. “Some have drive pulleys front and rear. You also can control it by the harmonic balance or size drive pulley, so there’s many ways to control it.”

CompetitionPlus.com has learned NHRA will employ similar measures to maintaining a level playing field as is done in Pro Modified, Factory Stock Showdown, and Pro Stock Motorcycle, where there are multiple diverse combinations.

As it works, the NHRA’s parity review usually comes after each national event when analyzing the run data from the classes where there are multiple combinations. All the individual combinations are separated in and studied. In season’s past, NHRA has primarily focused on quarter-mile run data.

Grim confirmed NHRA now explores all incrementals in the decision-making process. If there’s a combination running a little bit behind, and there’s room for improvement, NHRA will provide the opportunity for the combination to improve before providing a “break.”

On the other end, if a team shows a significant advantage with even more room for improvement, they will adjust their combination.

However, other variables measure into the equation.

“Because you’re going to run through all seasons, you’re going to have seasons of good air,” Grim explained. “Last season was a little screwed up. It’s kind of like we raced all summer, but in the normal year looking into 2022, we’re going to have a spring season. We’re going to have a short summer season. And hopefully, we get a really nice fall season. So there’ll be certain combos that run better in those conditions, and as long as the opportunity is fair for the championship across the board, then you’ve done a good job.”

Grim said NHRA wants to be fair in the process, carefully considering each decision.

“What I would like to do is I like to make sure that we aren’t making quick changes,” Grim explained. “Make changes where necessary, but don’t be too quick to make a change, just make sure because we are a championship organization where championships are involved, you just want to make sure the parity is making sure that everybody, all your competitors, had an opportunity to win a championship.”