Commentary: It's time for 1000-ft. Across the board (1 Viewer)

[JF]

If racing to 1,000ft saves 1 life in the Alcohol categories, than it is worth the change. I am not saying Niver would have been fine if they would have been racing to 1,000ft, but it certainly would not have made the situation any worse.

Your all missing the point! 1000 ft is safer BUT your not fixing the problem!

Let me give you an analogy. Guns kill people because people pull the trigger. Your solultion ie: (1000ft) Smaller bullets
My Solution ie: (safer tracks) Don't pull the trigger

We can't hide 320ft further away from the problem and pretend its not there. We need to fix the problem. The money is there to do it. We just need to get the people (NHRA) to spend it. REMEMBER NHRA "WAS" started as dedicated to safety NOT

Dedicated to Revenue

If it takes taking NHRAs check book down to $1 then that what needs to be done.

 

[Jer]

I doubt you will be missed.

lol if others think the same way we will all be missed lmao

 

[JF]

lol if others think the same way we will all be missed lmao

Exactly!

 

[cephus]

maybe the suits at glendora culd spare some change of their outragous
salaries to help fund safety, but don't hold ur breath,, corp's and money go hand & hand, saving lives r way down the list on the profit & loss statement if 1000ft saves lives do it common sense,, nitro racing has survived so with alky's and pro stockers

GK

 

[Professional Fan]

If they go 1000 ft all across the board then im done going to the races and im sure im not the only 1. NHRA needs to step up and fix some of the racetracks if they cant fix some of them then dont go to those tracks.

That doesn't seem to be a practical solution. Pomona can't be fixed do to its location. Do you really think cutting Pomona out of the rotation is practical? What about E-town? I can't imagine people in the East want to cut it out of the rotation.

Maybe one short term solution is to have the alcohol cars go to 1000 ft. Given the speed of the alcohol cars and the toughness of driving them, especially the funny cars, does it make sense that they still go to 1320 when they are not that much slower than the fuel cars.

I still want to find out what NHRA did after the Seattle Pro Stock fiasco to make the track work for both Pro Stock and the fuel cars. I'll get this question answered in Sonoma unless someone on this board answers it first.

I'm not in favor of Pro Stock Cars or Bikes going 1000 ft as it would really skew the results in favor of reaction time vs performance of the car/bike. But they have to solve the glue issue for the PS Cars if they are going to continue going 1320.

 

[the zone]

Disagree with 1000 foot racing vehemently.
Perhaps with the two top classes, if they can't find a way to slow the cars down that all parties can agree with.

Top Fuel and Funny Car were all going 270 mph back in the 80's and 90's and there was no issue at that time about slowing down the cars.

Marks tagic death had nothing to do with the speed he was going. There are way more crashes in the net at a higher speed where the driver was fine.
The issue is with the net and what is does to a dragster (more so that a shorter car).
If the catchment system had a barrier system with say 50-100 feet of safer barriers, foam or dense sponge blocks or even tires the cars inertia would be slowed down in a system like that without it getting hooked in a net. A net could be put at the very end of a catchment system but would likely never be used. The only thing you would have to replace would be a few of the blocks that got tore up from the car entering it.

The only issue that would have to be dealt with if 1320 feet stayed for all classes (except TF and FC) is the prep that had to be done for the final 320. There are options for sure. But 1000 feet is too knee jerk.
And people who think 1320 are not dumb, they are passionate and would like to see changes that required the NHRA to use their resources, not just taking the easy way out.

I have not problem slowing down the top two classes so they run 4.80-5.00 @ 290-300 for TF and 4.90-5.10 @ 290 for Funny Car


I did an editorial on the whole catch net sand trap issue
SPEEDZONE MAGAZINE ONLINE

Dean

 

[Meeks]

It does all come down to money...for everyone! I don't have the answer and neither does anybody else here, including Bobby. 1000ft, slow the cars down, better shutdown, effective chutes, better tech? Nobody knows. There may not be one right answer. I still stand by the opinion that NHRA needs to fork out the money for some expert opinions on how to make this sport safer and what changes might need to be made for the purposes of saving lives. "Dedicated to Safety", remember?

 

[racer83]

If racing to 1,000ft saves 1 life in the Alcohol categories, than it is worth the change. I am not saying Niver would have been fine if they would have been racing to 1,000ft, but it certainly would not have made the situation any worse.

Paul I don't always agree with you but you hit the nail on the head with this post. Thanks.

There are many reasons why across the board 1000 foot racing would be safer at no or little cost but I have not seen ANY reason why continued 1320 ft racing is a good thing. I have seen no suggestions that 1000 ft is less safe so why not ?

Something needs to be changed sooner than later and right now 1000 feet is an across the board change that will make things safer today. How long and how many dollars would it take for every team to switch to new systems that allow them to run slower ? All for 320 feet of tradition.

Some of you want to put tradition over safety. If not tradition then why 1320 ? Better racing ? - No, Cost savings ? - No, Safer ? - NO

just my 1.75 cents

TK

 

[farmje]

Let's face reality. No one is going to be happy with any decision here.

For those of you who want 1000 ft. racing:
Nitro classes are still going over 300+mph. How much difference does 320' of extra space give you when that ground used to be covered in .5-.6 seconds? Not a lot, especially when many pros don't get their chutes out until well after the 1320' line. The cars will just get faster and faster and we'll just have more and more wrecks because technology improves, and people will find a way to go faster. It's just a fact of life.

For those of you who want 1320 ft. racing:
Those cars on short shutdown tracks are going fast when they cross the stripe, you know this. And we increase the risk (albeit small) when we push people to go full pull on racetracks like ETown, and Pomona. We've lost too many great competitors of the sport, and the first one was too many.

All:
I have heard almost every accident described as a "freak" accident. No one knows why Niver died and Eaton didn't. No one knows why Dejoria was safe and Parker wasn't. No one understands why ESPN had to have that damn camera stand there for Scott's car to make an impact with. No one gets why people couldn't have had foresight enough to think of putting head padding in the cockpits to save Eric Medlen's life. No one thought of putting auto shutoffs on cars to prevent accidents like Shelly Howard from happening.

Here's something we all can agree on. We need to come up with a list of the worst possible case scenarios. Because if you can THINK it to happen, it probably can in one of these cars. We need to compile that list, send it to NHRA, Ford, DelPhi, Force Racing, Kalitta Racing, everywhere that we can find. Exhaust every resource so that the next accident won't be described as "preventable, but a freak accident...everything just went wrong."

1000 ft or 1320 ft accidents are 100% unpreventable. Worst case scenarios are 100% preventable. The answers are in front of us. We just all have to be smart enough to put thought into them to come up with solutions instead of griping about the problems and how much track we think people should run.

To those who are going to leave the sport because of the distance: good riddance. You are a coward who does not wish to be a part of any solutions to make our sport safer and better. We'll be better off without you.

To those who just want to sit around and complain: don't waste your time doing that. Find solutions. You're a self-proclaimed expert. Figure it out.

Let's all find common ground here: we hate that people are dying and we want our sport to be safer. Period. Let's put all of our focus, energy, time, money and resources there, instead of everywhere else that we've got them.

Make NHRA listen. Rather, give them something to listen to rather than "we hate your sport, we're never coming back if you go to 1000 ft., help people stop dying for the love of God!" If I were them, I wouldn't listen to us either.

Make them listen, racefans. Make them listen.

 

[clwill]

So, all you "1000' across the board" folks, riddle me this. What do you do with the 60 or so classes that have indexes based on 1320? What about the super classes (.90)?

And don't tell me: "I didn't really mean 'across the board', those folks would still go 1320. Just the alky and pro classes". So at divisional and national events we'd still have two different track lengths, with different preps, and still have incidents like the one that nearly killed Steve Iverson in Seattle two years ago.

 

[Speed1288]

So, all you "1000' across the board" folks, riddle me this. What do you do with the 60 or so classes that have indexes based on 1320? What about the super classes (.90)?

And don't tell me: "I didn't really mean 'across the board', those folks would still go 1320. Just the alky and pro classes". So at divisional and national events we'd still have two different track lengths, with different preps, and still have incidents like the one that nearly killed Steve Iverson in Seattle two years ago.

Hell some comp cars go almost as fast as pro stock, some super comp guys have mph in the 190-200 range.

 

[Old Guy Rookie]

1320' is not the root problem, it's the length of track necessary to safely stop an object in motion after 1320'.

 

[FuelFC]

Old Bull...You rock! Wish it was that SIMPLE. But, we are talking about the NHRA here... Nothing is SIMPLE..you know this

Ahh Timmah it is that simple.

Just need to put me in Glendora and we'll have liftoff. I'll work for 1/2 of the salary and an incentive bonus plan.

Roll back to say about 1995 times and speeds for everything with today's safety standards and be done. If it doesn't slow one or some of the classes enough roll in the company issued restrictor plates.

32 car fields for everyone!
Entertainment.
Put the hype and show back in the show.

 

[clwill]

Hell some comp cars go almost as fast as pro stock, some super comp guys have mph in the 190-200 range.

Then we need every 1/4 mile track in the country needs to add 1000' MPH sensors and change their timing systems.

I'm not vehemently opposed to 1000', I'm vehemently opposed to different lengths on the same surface. To pretend that "1000' across the board" is free or fixes everything is naive. To me, the easiest fix is to slow the 50 or so cars that are too fast to work within the existing 1320' infrastructure.

 

[DaveRenk]

What would be more safe: Running to 1000 at 300 mph with the engine exploding or Running to 1320 @ 300 with a limited engine that stays together.
For that matter, what would be cheaper to run and what would be the value of eliminating oil downs?

 

[racer83]

So, all you "1000' across the board" folks, riddle me this. What do you do with the 60 or so classes that have indexes based on 1320? What about the super classes (.90)?

And don't tell me: "I didn't really mean 'across the board', those folks would still go 1320. Just the alky and pro classes". So at divisional and national events we'd still have two different track lengths, with different preps, and still have incidents like the one that nearly killed Steve Iverson in Seattle two years ago.

No I for one DID mean across the board, National, Divisional, weekly, Street Legals - everything the same (ok except the jr's). As for the index and Super classes - how about this - do some math or use the 1000 foot clock as a basis. The numbers are already there, every National and Divisional et slip has the 1000 foot et on them. I hope it wouldn't be hard for NHRA to figure out what the index for a K/SA should be . Besides if they were off on an index it would only happen for 1 event and then they would change it.

TK

next riddle...

 

[racer83]

Then we need every 1/4 mile track in the country needs to add 1000' MPH sensors and change their timing systems.

I'm not vehemently opposed to 1000', I'm vehemently opposed to different lengths on the same surface. To pretend that "1000' across the board" is free or fixes everything is naive. To me, the easiest fix is to slow the 50 or so cars that are too fast to work within the existing 1320' infrastructure.

You are correct all the NHRA tracks would have to have 1000 ft clocks - There could be some that don't have them now but are there any at the Points Meet or National Event level ?

1000 feet does not fix everything however it allows for a larger margin of error with todays cars and tracks. It is an improvement. Will it prevent accidents, injurys or deaths ? No but it will increase the oppertunity to prevent them.

I would love to see everything stay at 1320 however if the quicker cars are having trouble getting stopped (for a variety of reasons) in the currently allowable shutdown areas then something has to change.

I totally agree that two different lengths is a problem. It needs to be 1 length to me 1000 feet is the distance.

TK

 

[mick]

technology and speed of cars has changed, not the tracks.
i can understand reasoning to change track, but when ONLY changing track
slightly ........isn't that kind of shoe-horning a fix?....temporary at best?

if the cars are what changed over the last 2 decades to performance levels
exceeding the safety capacity of certain venues, then for crying out loud
why can't the car's performance levels decrease if they wish to race at
same venues!?

have stated this before - close racing exists at any distance.
5 seconds @ 1320' - slower, more entertaining, just as safe on present
tracks as 4 seconds @ 1000'..........and possibly less expensive.

IMO it is foolish to think nhra will continue to allow present performance
levels at 1000'........i may be wrong, 1000' may be here forever, but i
really think a decrease in performance is what will save this sport as
far as the public perceiving nhra professional drag racing and nhra's
ability to continue with their historical yet short distance venues.

when i was young - drag racing's allure was speed, sound and fury
just as it is today, but there was never a magic number - it was just the
coolest thing on the planet; i think 300mph is magical number to market
with, but aside from that, who cares what the e.t.'s are.....just give
me two (sometimes 4 ) cars and let em' race, with the majority of races
NOT being up in smoke one-sided affairs.

 

[JF]

No I for one DID mean across the board, National, Divisional, weekly, Street Legals - everything the same (ok except the jr's). As for the index and Super classes - how about this - do some math or use the 1000 foot clock as a basis. The numbers are already there, every National and Divisional et slip has the 1000 foot et on them. Im hope it wouldn't be hard for NHRA to figure out what the index for a K/SA should be . Besides if they were off on an index it would only happen for 1 event and then they would change it.

TK

next riddle...

BUT we still haven't fixed the problem Ok try this:

Stand at the starting line and look at the end of the track.... There it is, the shutdown area & sandbox & catch nets
Now
Stand at the 60ft and look at the end of the track.... There it is, the shutdown area & sandbox & catch nets
Now
Stand at the 660ft Line and look at the end of the track.... There it is, the shutdown area & sandbox & catch nets
Now
Stand at the 1000 ft lineand look at the end of the track.... There it is, the shutdown area & sandbox & catch nets
Now
Stand at the 1320 line and look at the end of the track.... There it is, the shutdown area & sandbox & catch nets
Now
Stand In the next county if you want too, If the track and shutdown area are unsafe then you can race from Indy to Pomona Or from the Pre-stage beam to the Stage Beam and you STILL HAVE NOT SOLVED THE PROBLEM!

Its not the speed, its the shutdown area. People day everyday in 40 MPH crashes. It would only be a matter of time before someone dies again in the shutdown area.

 

[racer83]

BUT we still haven't fixed the problem Ok try this:

Stand at the starting line and look at the end of the track.... There it is, the shutdown area & sandbox & catch nets
end of the track.... There it is, the shutdown area & sandbox & catch nets
Now
Stand In the next county if you want too, If the track and shutdown area are unsafe then you can race from Indy to Pomona Or from the Pre-stage beam to the Stage Beam and you STILL HAVE NOT SOLVED THE PROBLEM!

Its not the speed, its the shutdown area. People day everyday in 40 MPH crashes. It would only be a matter of time before someone dies again in the shutdown area.

Your right we haven't fixed the problem BUT we have made the safer for all. (and at little cost to the racers)


Your also right it IS only a matter of time. And it could be at 40 mph or 340 mph. And it could happen at 1320, 1000 or even 660.

BUT if the tracks have stayed the same, the safety equipment (belts,helmets,chassis protection) is better and the cars have become quicker and faster then how is it speed not the factor ? Pretty simple to me, If I am going SLOWER then I require LESS room to stop. Faster = More space. Therefore if you can't (or won't) change the shutdown distance then you must slow down.

Were the tracks unsafe before and everyone was just lucky ? (some probably were)

So in your opinion does 320 MORE feet not make a better shutdown area ? How does it make it worse ?

Don't get me wrong, I don't think that 1000 is the end all, be all. In my opinion it wouldn't have changed anything in the Kalitta accident but MAY have in the Niver. I will take the may before the wouldn't.


TK