Halfway and Top Fuel is a big suprise (1 Viewer)

[I was NITRO BREATH]

Dever is here and we are halfway through the season. I don't think too many of us could have predicted the standings in top fuel. Doug, Antron, Tony and Steve are struggling to make the cars perform (we could add Prock and Langdon). Most surprising is Antron. Two of the best minds in drag racing can't get the car past second round. Alan J hardly has a handle on Doug's car. The Sarge is looking like Private Gomer Pyle. And the Capco boys have not grown into manhood. So, what's going on??? During the Friday night qualifying show after Greg Carillo made a fantastic run (and Antron wasn't even in the show!!) Tony P said something to the effect of "why can't all those high priced crew chiefs do better than a guy with a crew of volunteers". Good Question.....

 

[ironpony]

just thinking out loud here

all the teams have access to the same parts and all the cars are closer in performance. more on the personnel and yea it is Denver so nothing works right anyway.
Hagan and Pruett have something on the line being a Dodge race, the others just want to get it over with and get back to sea level. Hagan had said everything they ran in Denver last year was brought home and put on a shelf then brought out for this year.
I kind of feel a few of the teams are trying new stuff and not too worried being after Indy with the points reset everyone will be bunched back up. Then the real season starts.
Watching Torrence I get the impression his attitude is hold on to 2nd or 3rd, points do not matter now, after Indy it will only be 20-40 points anyway.

 

[aakar]

Dever is here and we are halfway through the season. I don't think too many of us could have predicted the standings in top fuel. Doug, Antron, Tony and Steve are struggling to make the cars perform (we could add Prock and Langdon). Most surprising is Antron. Two of the best minds in drag racing can't get the car past second round. Alan J hardly has a handle on Doug's car. The Sarge is looking like Private Gomer Pyle. And the Capco boys have not grown into manhood. So, what's going on??? During the Friday night qualifying show after Greg Carillo made a fantastic run (and Antron wasn't even in the show!!) Tony P said something to the effect of "why can't all those high priced crew chiefs do better than a guy with a crew of volunteers". Good Question.....

Really the most surprising are Corradi and Oswald, no idea what to think about AJ, the tune up on Brit's car their last year together was pathetic @ best, not sure what is going on now. Kudos to Grubnic, Flynn and Greene. Keep an eye on Ron Douglas

 

[Butch]

Remember the reason for the CLOWN-DOWN was to make it exciting? Looks to me like it created a TEST & TUNE
for 3/4 of the season = NOT EXCITING.

 

[Nitro Cane]

I think you will see different performances once the countdown starts

 

[Ramjet]

Remember the reason for the CLOWN-DOWN was to make it exciting? Looks to me like it created a TEST & TUNE
for 3/4 of the season = NOT EXCITING.

The thing about that is it is important to show the Sponsors that “I am a player” all year long if you promised them that you are a top tier team. Sponsors know everyone can’t be number one but nobody wants to say “MY guy can’t run with the Big Dogs and maybe he should stay on the porch”. Another situation this year is if you can’t get parts all the money in the world won’t help.

 

[z28]

I think Torrence is saving his money and parts for the countdown. At the start of the year AB said they were trying some new parts. So far Coradi hasn't figured them out. The Sarge needs a new Master Sarge. Hard to say whats up with Kalitta cars. You have to start looking at chassis on those cars. Right now it looks a year for a new winner.

 

[I was NITRO BREATH]

The thing about that is it is important to show the Sponsors that “I am a player” all year long if you promised them that you are a top tier team. Sponsors know everyone can’t be number one but nobody wants to say “MY guy can’t run with the Big Dogs and maybe he should stay on the porch”. Another situation this year is if you can’t get parts all the money in the world won’t help.

on the sunday broadcast Brittany said they always want to be at the top of the pack. So im wondering if the 'waiting for the countdown to begin' theory holds water???

 

[qualified17th]

on the sunday broadcast Brittany said they always want to be at the top of the pack. So im wondering if the 'waiting for the countdown to begin' theory holds water???

Exactly. Not a complete reset, 10 points per position after Indy. Remind me again how many times a championship has come down to less than 10 points? Oh yeah, pretty often

 

[z28]

Exactly. Not a complete reset, 10 points per position after Indy. Remind me again how many times a championship has come down to less than 10 points? Oh yeah, pretty often

it's always better to be #1 but you don't want to sacrifice improvement when #1 doesn't mean much until the end. If NHRA really wanted a competitive show every week all they need to do is make it monetarily effective to do. Each team has their own strategy based on return of investment.