Diving championships started?

[none]

Yea....... I never saw that coming. Robert Hight taking a round one dive. An obvious intentional tire smoke

 

[none]

yup and if memory serves, those wins were all 'gifts'

You're probably right, but then she has eight round wins against the Harleys as well. Were those all "gifts" too?
You line up and race, sometimes you win on performance, sometimes on reaction time, sometimes it's just right place right time. But to dismiss someone's effort just because she's racing a teammate (or in this case husband) isn't fair the the competitor who is putting in the effort.

Can you imagine what the talk would be today if Billy Torrence had smoked the tires yesterday against Steve? But when Antron does it against Brittany it's just hard racing.
Alan

 

[Nunz]

Anybody watch Formula One? Team orders are legal there, sometimes you can hear (from the radio communication) the order given for a driver to let a teammate go by or whatever. It's legal, but, it's no more popular over there.

 

[TK]

^ I totally understand what you are inferring about team orders and diving, etc. To me, the big contrast is the substantial difference in the sheer number of contestants in general, and COMPETITIVE contestants specifically; in professional drag racing! Just a marginal number of contestants, and the pro classes are saturated with the big teams and their control is paramount. Therefore, "diving" becomes more ominous!

 

[camaro]

You're probably right, but then she has eight round wins against the Harleys as well. Were those all "gifts" too?
You line up and race, sometimes you win on performance, sometimes on reaction time, sometimes it's just right place right time. But to dismiss someone's effort just because she's racing a teammate (or in this case husband) isn't fair the the competitor who is putting in the effort.

Can you imagine what the talk would be today if Billy Torrence had smoked the tires yesterday against Steve? But when Antron does it against Brittany it's just hard racing.
Alan

wow i'm actually shocked that u acknowledge the funny business that goes on between a and m smith, when they race. When ever a racer 'tanks', your normally a staunch defender, that the race was straight up !

 

[ironpony]

Ummmmm I think I sense a little sarcasm in Alan's answer

 

[Jeff]

We need a sarcasm font!

 

[mopain]

Angie's first National Event win at Epping in 2014 was the most obvious dive I've ever seen.
I was sitting at half track when Matt actually looked back to see if she was going to catch him.
When he figured out she wasn't going to, he lifted.
On the broadcast Dave Reiff actually said "He let her drive by him"!

 

[Cliff]

How about this as the official sarcasm color? Or maybe this color?

 

[PJ]

Of course she dove in the first round, it would have been stupid for her not to. Do I like diving? hell no. Do I get why it happens? of course. At least she made it entertaining.

Eddie can't complain, he had his shot in the final and didn't get it done

 

[Huge]

I wish I could find the video of when Gary Beck broke and Larry Minor had to jump on the brakes so hard that he had the car bouncing. I would like to see NHRA remove the diving rule from the rule book. Dive or no dive...congratulations to Matt Smith for a hard fought and well deserved championship.

 

[Z28LT1]

I wish I could find the video of when Gary Beck broke and Larry Minor had to jump on the brakes so hard that he had the car bouncing. I would like to see NHRA remove the diving rule from the rule book. Dive or no dive...congratulations to Matt Smith for a hard fought and well deserved championship.

Does it matter that the rule is even there? A. Smith's dive was so obvious that I do not understand how anyone can defend that (Alan). There have been other dives that have been just as obvious; maybe harder to prove. Yet, not once has the rule ever been enforced. Is there even a protocol in place as a diciplenary action? Probably not. So, why remove it? It's obviously a ceremonial rule meant to give us a warm and fuzzy feeling, but still completely meaningless. I hear some say that because Matt's bike was so dominate on Sunday, she wouldn't have won anyway. Well... run it then. Don't be a chicken $h_t.

My $ .02

 

[Sean D, shondoo]

I hear some say that because Matt's bike was so dominate on Sunday, she wouldn't have won anyway.

While that may be true, wasn't that the pass the air line for the shifter blew off/broke?

Either way, the rule has no merit and should just be eliminated. Like I said before, the fans aren't stupid.

Sean D

 

[Huge]

Does it matter that the rule is even there? A. Smith's dive was so obvious that I do not understand how anyone can defend that (Alan). There have been other dives that have been just as obvious; maybe harder to prove. Yet, not once has the rule ever been enforced. Is there even a protocol in place as a diciplenary action? Probably not. So, why remove it? It's obviously a ceremonial rule meant to give us a warm and fuzzy feeling, but still completely meaningless. I hear some say that because Matt's bike was so dominate on Sunday, she wouldn't have won anyway. Well... run it then. Don't be a chicken $h_t.

My $ .02

I didn't see the race so I don't know what went down but there is a big difference between being a chicken and using smart business sense. I wonder how many of the fans that are against it would change their mind if they were in the position to make that decision. I wouldn't expect anyone to admit they would do it though. Now, if you have an unlimited cash flow and you don't care about the championship then maybe you would admit to it.

 

[Sean D, shondoo]

Dive or no dive...congratulations to Matt Smith for a hard fought and well deserved championship.

That's a fact. It was entertaining to watch the build-up throughout the race, to what was an awesome final round for all the marbles.

Sean D

 

[Chili]

I don’t like the diving but I understand why it happens. Winning championships is why they race. I’m sure the drivers don’t like being in that situation either but they have to do what is best for the team. Watch the Nomex effect with J.R. Todd and Shawn Langdon. They did a show Saturday from the pits with Shelly Anderson as their guest. The subject came up with the possibility of Langdon and Todd running in round 2. They more or less said that J.R. had to win if they meet up. They did and J.R. won.

 

[none]

Does it matter that the rule is even there? A. Smith's dive was so obvious that I do not understand how anyone can defend that (Alan). There have been other dives that have been just as obvious; maybe harder to prove. Yet, not once has the rule ever been enforced. Is there even a protocol in place as a diciplenary action? Probably not. So, why remove it? It's obviously a ceremonial rule meant to give us a warm and fuzzy feeling, but still completely meaningless. I hear some say that because Matt's bike was so dominate on Sunday, she wouldn't have won anyway. Well... run it then. Don't be a chicken $h_t.

My $ .02

I'm not defending it, they came up with the intention of Matt winning the round and they used Angie's bike to put on a show for the fans. They did what they set out to do, and I'm fine with it.

Alan

 

[camaro]

........... They did what they set out to do, and I'm fine with it.

Alan

i wonder if ed krawieck was fine with it, ..... on the other hand its very hard to have any sympathy for the harley team, given their favorable rules status and the fact that they have been guilty of team shenanigans in the past also.

 

[PJ]

Does it matter that the rule is even there? A. Smith's dive was so obvious that I do not understand how anyone can defend that (Alan). There have been other dives that have been just as obvious; maybe harder to prove. Yet, not once has the rule ever been enforced. Is there even a protocol in place as a diciplenary action? Probably not. So, why remove it? It's obviously a ceremonial rule meant to give us a warm and fuzzy feeling, but still completely meaningless. I hear some say that because Matt's bike was so dominate on Sunday, she wouldn't have won anyway. Well... run it then. Don't be a chicken $h_t.

My $ .02

I believe, unless they flat our say they dove, then the bosses go by the standard that they can't prove it so no sense enforcing it.

Good or bad, It is a by product of multi-car teams.

 

[PJ]

i wonder if ed krawieck was fine with it, ..... on the other hand its very hard to have any sympathy for the harley team, given their favorable rules status and the fact that they have been guilty of team shenanigans in the past also.

He only has himself to blame, he had his chance in the finals