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Commentary: It's time for 1000-ft. Across the board (3 Viewers)

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Whatever. They're all in the top 5% of NHRA racers moneywise and could/would make changes if required to make the cars slower and safer.
 
I've got to disagree. It's not like Niver hit the net going 250 mph.
He crossed the 1/4 mile mark at 271 mph. It looked like the car was going less than half that speed when he hit the sand.
Sure, an extra 320 feet would have probably saved him but, there is no way to know for certain.
Where do you draw the line for safety? Do you keep moving it every time there is a wreck or fatality?
The only way to be 100% safe is to keep the cars in their trailers. You may as well go ahead and outlaw drag racing altogether to make sure nobody else gets hurt or killed racing.
It appears there was a cascade of bad things that happened all at once on Niver's fateful run.
As long as race pieces are designed, engineered and built by humans, there are going to be parts failures.
Minimizing the dangers should be the goal of everybody. But, there comes a point where you can only do so much and you either park the car or race.
If you decide to race, you need to hope you've been living your life right when you mash the throttle because there are no absolute guarantees you're going to make another run.
 
Registered member said:
On this...both Burk and I agree... however... 320 more feet to reduce that 'sudden stop' isn't going to hurt...is it??
Click to expand...

It isn't about the 1000 foot rule... how do you like those empty seats at most national events? Drag racing is an "entertainment business" - how those empty seats cut the profitability on both NHRA and to the track owners. There's a much better profit in holding local and specialty events (like Super Chevy, PSCA, NMCA & nostalgia) when a track owner doesn't have to split the gate with Glendora.

If it isn't profitable, why hold a Full Throttle event?
 
Registered member said:
It isn't about the 1000 foot rule... how do you like those empty seats at most national events? Drag racing is an "entertainment business" - how those empty seats cut the profitability on both NHRA and to the track owners. There's a much better profit in holding local and specialty events (like Super Chevy, PSCA, NMCA & nostalgia) when a track owner doesn't have to split the gate with Glendora.

If it isn't profitable, why hold a Full Throttle event?
Click to expand...

I agree Darr...the "BIG SHOW" is not a very "Profitable" show....In my opinion, The "Big Show" is busted and needs a significant overhaul including a renewed effort to improve safety across the board, (and promote it), creative marketing of the sport, lowering ticket prices, creative promotional opportunities with current or new marketing partners which might help to fill those HOT DOG Buying SEATS. Heck, it may be time to re-brand the NHRA.....?

but... how does reducing the racing distance to 1000' make the "Big Show" less profitable?
 
Registered member said:
I agree Darr...the "BIG SHOW" is not a very "Profitable" show....In my opinion, The "Big Show" is busted and needs a significant overhaul including a renewed effort to improve safety across the board, (and promote it), creative marketing of the sport, lowering ticket prices, creative promotional opportunities with current or new marketing partners which might help to fill those HOT DOG Buying SEATS. Heck, it may be time to re-brand the NHRA.....?

but... how does reducing the racing distance to 1000' make the "Big Show" less profitable?
Click to expand...

If you don't think that the 1000-foot rule has not lost a large portion of the ticket-buying spectator, i have some unmolested beach front Gulf of Mexico land for cheapo...

BTW... I know it is a difficult marketing concept for some people to understand, but those "HOT DOG Buying SEATS" don't actually buy anything, the ticket-buying spectator does, but when that spectator has had his nitro show cut by 25% without a 25% ticket price reduction at the gate.

If there are less people in the grandstands, the Nitro Owners also loose a corresponding amount of trash, t-shirts and signed piston sales.

Do the math.
 
Registered member said:
If you don't think that the 1000-foot rule has not lost a large portion of the ticket-buying spectator, i have some unmolested beach front Gulf of Mexico land for cheapo...

BTW... I know it is a difficult marketing concept for some people to understand, but those "HOT DOG Buying SEATS" don't actually buy anything, the ticket-buying spectator does, but when that spectator has had his nitro show cut by 25% without a 25% ticket price reduction at the gate.

If there are less people in the grandstands, the Nitro Owners also loose a corresponding amount of trash, t-shirts and signed piston sales.

Do the math.
Click to expand...

Send me the details on the Property Darr...:cool:

I'd love to see the evidence supporting the claim that 1,000-foot nitro racing has significantly lead to a reduction in ticket sales...

I'd suggest perhaps weather, scheduling, the economy, low car counts (due to the economy) might have more of an impact to the 'majority of the ticket purchaser' than the detail of 1,000-foot nitro racing....

...but again, I'd like to see the evidence to support that claim... but I have a feeling i'll be waiting for the GULF to be completely cleaned up before I see that.. :rolleyes:
 
Funny how two contributors to racing web sites just happen to support their bosses.

So Darr , why is Nascar and Indy losing their fans, Don't think the tracks or their series' are any slower or shorter than the last couple years.
Economy plain and simple is the major reason for the smaller gates.
The tracks that host a national event are making money at those events, don't kid yourself.
It might not be as profitable as two-three years ago when the economy was strong, but they are making money and way more money than that same national event track that hosts a PSCA race or Super Chevy race.
What is the avaerage atendance for the PSCA, 1000 people (other than crew) would be my guess.
Haven't been to a Super Chevy race in a few years, But I was only at one or two that saw decent crowds.

Oh ya, if you did any agent 1320 stuff in the last couple days you should check a couple stories, they are way wrong. (Jeff knows as I emailed him about them) they should be changed. Glaring errors

Dean
 
Newtons third law is an interesting one in that if you hit something or push on something or whatever that same amount of force you are applying to the object whatever it is is being applied to you in the opposite direction. You racer guys talk about being pushed back in your seat well the force of acceleration going forward is reversadly or whatever the word is pushing you in the opposite direction. So I would imagine that in a crash or an impact the force of the sudden stop is also being applied to your body in the opposite direction as in the vehicle suddenly stops but your body tries to keep going.

Like how a car crumples in on impact the front of the car stops but the rear of the car is still going forward like when towing a trailer and you slam the breaks on but the trailer tries to keep going.
 
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Registered member said:
Im not a racer and am not claiming to be one but this applies to anything whether it be falling over or having an accident in your car. Yoy may be belted into your road car hit something your body is strapped in but your insides still want to keep going.

g-force - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Apparent weight - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Specifically read newtons 3rd law

Newton's laws of motion - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Click to expand...

William, this is a very good point. Newton is correct and as a matter of fact, several of the 'causes of death' in auto racing accidents are directly related to this scientific fact. Others are not related to sudden Deceleration.

That is why it is VERY difficult for drag racing to come up with a solid solution to the 'fatality' issue since our vehicles are the quickest accelerating and decelerating vehicles in auto racing.
 
I can't understand all the scientific equation stuff of those links but the basic theory they are talking about makes sense. Heres a couple more interesting reads

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Impact_(mechanics)
Cushioning - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

It seems the secret is dissipating the impact energy before it gets to say the driver in the case of drag racing.

Im just a drag racing fan im not a racer or a scientist im sure all the smart guys will figure it out.
 
1000ft at tracks with shorter shutdowns


1/4 at tracks with longer shutdowns

or if u want to make drag racing as safe as it can be .. just get all the drivers to play a RT contest on the tree.
 
Registered member said:
I'd love to see the evidence supporting the claim that 1,000-foot nitro racing has significantly lead to a reduction in ticket sales...
Click to expand...

Tim, I have met about 7-8 former regulars who got bored with the 1000' and either quit going, or dropped about 2 races from their schedules! And these are guys who post here! I'm sure all diehards can think of a few friends that feel the same way. But...I also think the Economy is a Huge factor as well!
 
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