force / bode

[nitronoise]

I saw them Saturday Mike and to hear the excuse , my sock??? I am just so glad that no one was hurt as Bob is a great friend, but I wouldn't want that to happen anyone in the NHRA ,, Stay Safe Bonfire , see ya soon

Kevin

OMG those pictures just made my heart start pounding.
That's the first I've seen of how close they really were.

Thank God the worst didn't happen, that's my friend in that car and close calls like that make me sick to my stomach.

I'll be honest, Forces comment of "hell I'm going for it" is really rubbing me the wrong way right now.

Put your hand over your eyes to the point where you would "not be able to see the christmas tree", keep in mind the helmet strap prevents you from tipping your head back to get a better view. Now imagine yourself strapped into an 8000 hp race car, would you be willing to stab the throttle? really?
The more I talk about this the more upset I'm getting

 

[mick]

randy, thanks for the explanation, it does help with perspective.
i can see how a short wheel based fc would be more effected by this
than a tf, although i think hillary w. had a similar incident at
englishtown? a couple years ago?

nevertheless, this situation should be less apt to play out in qualifying
than on race day.

 

[.]

reckless

 

[woody]

If this would of been reverised and bob bode done this or terry haddock would of done this im betting nhra would of done something about this.

next johns on tv pushing funny car safety building better cars , then he does this and almost takes someone out, I love john force but come on.

 

[turbo ken]

The last national event Tim Grose won (the Winternationals, 1986 I think) when Tim was interviewed after the final he said his googles got fogged up (full face helmets were not manditory then) so he pulled them down so he could see, launched the car, then had to pull his goggles back up after he got clutch dust in his eye's, then he guessed when he had lift, and get the chutes out. So it wasn't (or he wasn't) the first, nor will it (or will he) be the last driver that "drove" (reguardless of what vehicle) with some sort of impaired vision on occasion.

 

[Rat]

So does this mean for example if somone red-lights and the winner then takes the green and crosses the centerline before the finish, there's no winner? I believe your allowed to cross the centerline on the burnout if i am correct by the bob gilbertson rule if i am correct

 

[NCC250]

The last national event Tim Grose won (the Winternationals, 1986 I think) when Tim was interviewed after the final he said his googles got fogged up (full face helmets were not manditory then) so he pulled them down so he could see, launched the car, then had to pull his goggles back up after he got clutch dust in his eye's, then he guessed when he had lift, and get the chutes out. So it wasn't (or he wasn't) the first, nor will it (or will he) be the last driver that "drove" (reguardless of what vehicle) with some sort of impaired vision on occasion.

I agree 100%...just dont go on ESPN and tell everybody..I dont want to hear that.

 

[Smiley]

A funny car that is spinning the tires in the lights will launch the direction it's pointed when you lift of the throttle.

Since not many FC drivers will log in here to offer an explaination I can. Years ago at Bakersfield I was running Dennis Taylor in qualifying. As we got to the finish line the rear end of my car stepped out like a sprint car sliding in a turn then started sliding back and forth for the last 200 feet with the nose pointing toward Taylors lane and then the wall several times. I had the steering wheel turned hard which kept it in my lane. When I lifted off the throttle to grab the chutes the rear tires hooked up and it immediately launched me hard into Taylor's lane and I almost hit him.

The momentum of the spinning tires when you lift off the throttle grabs the car and sends it wherever it's pointed no matter where the steering wheel is pointed. That's why you've seen many runs over the years where funny cars almost hit the wall or snap into the other lane after the finish line.

Multiply what happened to me by about 100 times and that's what you get. Bode knows it, and that's why he didn't beat up Force. Force knows it but is offering a light hearted explaination.

RG

Randy,
I've heard from more than a few drivers that a fair amount of driving the car down the track is done by a sense of what they feel and not as much by what they see. Now, this case is far to the extreme, but I would image that during a run your vision isn't the best (vibration/tire shake/etc). How well can you actually "see" while on a run?