I just read this thread and im going to state my opinion and I don't care if you don't like it . 1/8 mile racing is for jr dragsters as someone said earlier , drag racing has allways been a 1/4 mile and allways should be . Sometimes I think that people run 1/8 mile just to say they have done a 4 second pass . 1/8 mile racing is crap . You can all have your opinion but thats mine .
1/4 mile or 1/8???? (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Toejam
- Start date
In some venues, where real estate is scarce, 1/8 th mile tracks can be a viable alternative to no racing at all. Plus it will hone "leaving" skills, as there is less room to make up a poor leave. JMO
Nitrohaulic
Nitro Member
I'm pretty much over 1/8 mile bracket racing due to being much more interested in a current project, but I enjoyed it for five years and have nothing but respect for the people who do it. Part of that was done here at Bristol where we hardly have to use the brakes at all, coasting through the uphill shutdown area.
We have six bracket tracks within a two hour drive that are all run on the eighth. Eighth mile might be crap in your opinion, but I'll all but guarantee you the majority of bracket racers around here are just fine with what they're doing. I don't see them being interested in more wear and tear on their stuff if the payouts are the same.
If you could pass a law that said that all tracks had to be quarter mile, I'd say the majority of the ones I'm talking about would be out of business due to lack of room to expand. Most have had residential housing creep in since they were built in the 60s. I know at least one is already dealing with an 11PM curfew. People will move in next to a #$%&*!!! airport and complain about the noise!
I'll bet a lot of peoples' liveliehoods depend on making parts and assemblies needed to support weekend 1/8 mile bracket racing. I'll bet some people on this board would be looking for a job if not for it.
Last edited:
You show your ignorance of drag racing history with that statement!
Crazy
Nitro Member
Agree with ya, there. The first track I raced on, in 1961, when I was 14, was a 1/5 miler in Ohio. There was also a 1/3 miler not too far away.
Crazy
Nitrohaulic
Nitro Member
So, now we know that drag racing events have been done on 1/16, 1/8, 1/5, 1/4, and 1/3.
Wonder what it is that's always made "QUARTER MILE!" always sound so special? We just get attached to it? Would be like debating why the names of some parts manufacturers always sounded cooler than others. You know? If you had a so-and-so sticker in your window in the 70s, your car was how much cooler? ( and faster!
)
While I love what I've had the experience of doing, I'll bet I'm not the only person who doesn't exactly volunteer to anyone outside of drag racing that we race on the eighth. An outsider always assumes it's 1/4. How many of you have had someone ask you what your car runs in the quarter, and you have to go through the whole explaining about the eighth thing? It IS a little humiliating!
Should just make up a number next time.
Wonder what it is that's always made "QUARTER MILE!" always sound so special? We just get attached to it? Would be like debating why the names of some parts manufacturers always sounded cooler than others. You know? If you had a so-and-so sticker in your window in the 70s, your car was how much cooler? ( and faster!
)While I love what I've had the experience of doing, I'll bet I'm not the only person who doesn't exactly volunteer to anyone outside of drag racing that we race on the eighth. An outsider always assumes it's 1/4. How many of you have had someone ask you what your car runs in the quarter, and you have to go through the whole explaining about the eighth thing? It IS a little humiliating!
Should just make up a number next time.
Rollout96
Nitro Member
How many of you have had someone ask you what your car runs in the quarter, and you have to go through the whole explaining about the eighth thing? It IS a little humiliating!
Should just make up a number next time.
Well I heard that Morgan Lucas tells everyone he races 7/32 of a mile!!!
(Just a jokiepoo folks)
Joker
Nitro Member
Well I heard that Morgan Lucas tells everyone he races 7/32 of a mile!!!
(Just a jokiepoo folks)
Thats funny Jay!
My apologies about my previous statement Im still trying to learn everything I can about the history of drag racing , here in new zealand it is quite hard to find out information on its history . So I take back what I said about drag racing always being a 1/4 mile . Yes 1/8 mile racing is good when you don't have the room for the full 1/4 mile . Oh and could somebody please tell me where i can learn more about drag racing and its history . I really want to learn as much as I can about it.
Mr. Jean
Nitro Member
Here is a short story (3 pages) Also just do a search for "Dragracing History" and you'll get plenty to read. Hope that helps.Drag Racing History, A Look Back by Auto Media
Also just do a search for "Dragracing History" and you'll get plenty to read. Hope that helps.Drag Racing History, A Look Back by Auto Media
Last edited:
Nitrohaulic
Nitro Member
No problem. I'd defend your right to your opinion as quickly whether I agreed with it or disagreed with it. If I disagree, I'll only do it with reasoning and without personally attacking you.
There's no way you could realize just how much 1/8 mile bracket racing is part of the culture in this part of the country without visiting. The fact is, if someone around here even WANTED to 1/4 mile bracket race, I wouldn't know where the closest track they could do it at would be.
I remember a few years ago Scotty Richardson making over $200,000 just in one Winter via 1/8 mile bracket racing.
Even in the 1/8, the most thrilling part of the run that pulls you the hardest is in the first half of the track. I often equate the last half with a motorcycle ride, out in the air and all, because aerodynamic drag kicks in and acceleration slows down so much.
Maybe Frank Hawley should look into doing self-drive vacations much like the ones I want to do in Ireland someday. Packages that include airfare, car rental, and bed and breakfast lodgings. He could lump it in with Disney tickets.
Last edited:
Randy
Nitro Member
My daily driver is a 2003 PT GT turbo with a Mopar stage one kit. By daily driver, I mean I drive it. It has 131,000 miles on it.
About a month ago I was bored on Thursday night so I went to Irwindale Raceway and ran the 1/8th mile with it. I made 6 time-only runs and then entered the money bracket race for kicks. I dialed it in at 9.88 and got paired up with a guy who was dialed in at 7.21 first round.
I've never done 1/8th mile before but did a lot of bracket racing at OCIR's 1/4 mile in the 1970's. My last run in anything before this was in my TA/FC a hundred years ago where I ran a 5.83 in the quarter mile. Well, I got to 1/2 track with the PT and started looking over my shoulder for the guy I was racing. When I turned to look back ahead, I was already on the finish line. I said out loud to myself "You IDIOT. You just took the stripe by about 3-4 car lengths." My car (now in cooler night air), in spite of smoking the tires at the Christmas tree, ran a 9.81 meaning I broke out big time by running .08 quicker than it did on any other pass and -07 faster than my dial-in.
Thinking back, the 1/4 mile would have given me a chance to pace my race a little better, but I really liked the 1/8th mile...for three reasons. #1 a 9.88 dial-in in shoe polish on your windshield looks cool on the freeway going home, #2 my tired ol' PT Cruiser didn't need to go the extra distance for an estimated 14 seconds at almost 100 miles per hour WOT every run, and #3 it was still just as much fun catching a light, shooting the bull in the staging lanes and having the opportunity to chew on race track concession stand food.
RG
About a month ago I was bored on Thursday night so I went to Irwindale Raceway and ran the 1/8th mile with it. I made 6 time-only runs and then entered the money bracket race for kicks. I dialed it in at 9.88 and got paired up with a guy who was dialed in at 7.21 first round.
I've never done 1/8th mile before but did a lot of bracket racing at OCIR's 1/4 mile in the 1970's. My last run in anything before this was in my TA/FC a hundred years ago where I ran a 5.83 in the quarter mile. Well, I got to 1/2 track with the PT and started looking over my shoulder for the guy I was racing. When I turned to look back ahead, I was already on the finish line. I said out loud to myself "You IDIOT. You just took the stripe by about 3-4 car lengths." My car (now in cooler night air), in spite of smoking the tires at the Christmas tree, ran a 9.81 meaning I broke out big time by running .08 quicker than it did on any other pass and -07 faster than my dial-in.
Thinking back, the 1/4 mile would have given me a chance to pace my race a little better, but I really liked the 1/8th mile...for three reasons. #1 a 9.88 dial-in in shoe polish on your windshield looks cool on the freeway going home, #2 my tired ol' PT Cruiser didn't need to go the extra distance for an estimated 14 seconds at almost 100 miles per hour WOT every run, and #3 it was still just as much fun catching a light, shooting the bull in the staging lanes and having the opportunity to chew on race track concession stand food.
RG
You will have to excuse me if I say something and im totally wrong . I got interested in drag racing by watching main event video drag racing videos , and I have no family history in drag racing and am pretty much trying to learn about the sport through my own research and I think we all know that not everything you read is true.
Nitrohaulic
Nitro Member
Again, no problem (even if you still had the same opinion--a lot of people over here think 1/8 is crap, LOL). Weekend sportsman drag/bracket racing is HUGE in this part of the country. I've long said that most bracket racers are just drag racers who can't afford it. There's a lot more of us than there are the John Forces in those videos. Come over for a vacation someday, go to Frank Hawley's (School of Drag Racing), and see what an awesome and unbelievable rush it is. How many tracks are in your country?
Ill definitly come to america at some point , ill need to to follow my dream of owning , tuning , and driving a nitro funny car . I have to get one first of course but since I have no money that wont be happening very soon . There a about 5 or 6 drag strips in New Zealand ranging from small and not that great to really great and big , I could write big post to explain what drag racing is like in new zealand but the best thing to do would be for me to send you KIWIDRAGRACING HOME PAGE . There are lots of good pics and videos there .
mike
Nitro Member
Nitrohaulic
Nitro Member
Cool stuff. That Champion Dragway looks a lot like the backwoods tracks we run at.
If you ever figure out that little money part, do us a favor and let us know?
Just come to our little corner of the world and we'll get some biscuits and gravy in you, ASAP. You'll have no interest in seeing the rest of the country.
Shan
Nitro Member
Oh, that's just wrong, Jay.Well I heard that Morgan Lucas tells everyone he races 7/32 of a mile!!!
(Just a jokiepoo folks)
Bob
Nitro Member
I race all over the country, both 1/8 and 1/4. 1/8 is easier on the engine but other than that it's all the same. I've had to spot cars 4 seconds in the 1/8 and that's not easy. I also enjoy watching 1/8 mile events.
I think for the driver or the spectator it's all about the competition. The 1/8 mile races have plenty of that.
I think for the driver or the spectator it's all about the competition. The 1/8 mile races have plenty of that.
