I'm Done

[NHRADeuce]

Is it a surprise that everyone who thought they were going to hate it, did?

I would bet a steak dinner that not only can 9 out of 10 people couldn't tell the difference between 300 and 330, but those same people probably couldn't eyeball 1320' within 150' either way without timing cones to help them out.

 

[FABMAN]

That was nothing but a line of bull you just made up.. Like you ..because you are the sport ? If they care they would not be on here wineing.. I not a average eye .. I have worked on fuel cars and allky cars and owe a flew bracket cars,,,,don't understand the physics of it ????? what the heck does that mean ??? who said it had to be 1/4 mile ??? I know life ends because of 320 ft/...you realy don't know how dumb this is to read !! you peeps need to get a life....

LINE OF BULL, well kid i have spent over thirty years in Drag Racing, I've taking straight pieces of moly and turned them into a first class race car, physics you obviously don't understand or you wouldn't question the comment. Are you still working on fuel and alky cars now, probably not ,with a short fuse like you have you would not survive on a quality team. Dumb, do you really know what dumb means, it is something that comes out the mouth that says it. Peeps, never heard of that, must be something you heard on the Boom channel. Why don't you get a life, people come on here to express their feelings and thought about a subject, not to insult people, I'm sure there is a forum somewhere that would fit your needs.

 

[Bobby]

Is it a surprise that everyone who thought they were going to hate it, did?

I would bet a steak dinner that not only can 9 out of 10 people couldn't tell the difference between 300 and 330, but those same people probably couldn't eyeball 1320' within 150' either way without timing cones to help them out.

you're right about the speed, that's why I've been arguing for slowing the cars as opposed to shortening the track since this bull**** started.

But don't tell me I can't tell the difference between 1000' and 1320'

320 feet is more than a football field. Have you been to any football games lately? It's a significant distance and you nhra insiders can wish it didn't matter until hell freezes over.

it matters.

and this sport will no longer be considered a legitimate motorsport if it stays 1000' as far as i'm concerned. there are enough people already who think drag racers don't do any real driving. This doesn't help.

I'm done arguing about it. I 'm not watching the race tonight, and I'm sure I 'm not the only one tuning out.

too bad I'm not a pro stock fan.

 

[Bobby]

Is it a surprise that everyone who thought they were going to hate it, did?

I would bet a steak dinner that not only can 9 out of 10 people couldn't tell the difference between 300 and 330, but those same people probably couldn't eyeball 1320' within 150' either way without timing cones to help them out.

by the way thanks for reminding me I gotta take one out of the freezer for later...

 

[Paul]

Wow, some of you guys kill me. Are some of you blind and don't realize this is an interim step until the cars can be slowed down? I love drag racing and I will not turn my back on the sport while the sport sorts out its problems.

 

[megadeth]

That was nothing but a line of bull you just made up.. Like you ..because you are the sport ? If they care they would not be on here wineing.. I not a average eye .. I have worked on fuel cars and allky cars and owe a flew bracket cars,,,,don't understand the physics of it ????? what the heck does that mean ??? who said it had to be 1/4 mile ??? I know life ends because of 320 ft/...you realy don't know how dumb this is to read !! you peeps need to get a life....

Who do you owe bracket cars too?
I think what he meant was referring to being a fan which without there wouldn't be.
Why does everybody who claims to work as a crew guy (not implying you didn't) know more?
All they are is mechanics who do one specific job on the team they are not scientist!
A lot of the fans who have watched the sport over the years get what is going on.
The fact that the cars are heavier do the constant safety changes and traveling at such a higher rate of speed it's getting much harder to stop them if something goes wrong as was the case for Scott.
The big dollar teams brought this sport to were it is today with their own machine shops making their own blowers, heads, blocks, pumps and the two car team concept John Force started well now they are at a crossroad!
That is what the 'Snake" was referring to in his interview and it's made the sport unaffordable and the cars much faster.
My hat is off to Tim for doing such a stellar job with his meager budget.
So the logical thing to do is slow them down which they will do and once they sort it out they will be back to 1320 and back to the basic integrity of the sport.

 

[d'kid]

Is it a surprise that everyone who thought they were going to hate it, did?

I would bet a steak dinner that not only can 9 out of 10 people couldn't tell the difference between 300 and 330, but those same people probably couldn't eyeball 1320' within 150' either way without timing cones to help them out.

Projecting now,

Do I expect to see a difference from the 60ft block on Friday? nope...
Do I expect to see a difference from the 330 block on Saturday and Sunday? Nope...

Do I expect to be able to see the finish line from the stands at Richmond? yeah, Finally... if the G/A stands [E thru H] would keep their (^)'s in their seats. At least I'll be able to see all the way down in the Right Lane.

side note, if PP hadn't said 1000 on every pass, last night, i would have wondered about 'Hot Clocks'... talk about a lot of good side by side passes. TV LOOKED the same.

d'kid

 

[Bobby]

Wow, some of you guys kill me. Are some of you blind and don't realize this is an interim step until the cars can be slowed down? I love drag racing and I will not turn my back on the sport while the sport sorts out its problems.

Paul,


I 'll be back when 1320 is back. If I really trusted that it would be maybe I wouldn't be so vocal, but I don't . I think they'll take the cheap easy way out and just hope the average ignoramus in the stands won't notice.

I promise you Paul if they aren't back to 1320 next March, I 've been to my last Gatornationals. I have no doubt it won't matter. Most people are there to hear the sounds and feel the thunder and 1000' ain't gonna change that much.

People who say I 'm not REAL fan, well screw you, yah I am. I 'm a fan who'll watch 12 boring races just to see the one where the finalist goes up in smoke, and then watches his opponent break, and chases him down just to nip him at the 1320 mark. I'm the fan who can still see the run Doug made to win the gators a few years ago, carrying the front wheels to half track.

do you all remember that run ? he never lifted, and if the car hadn't settled down when it did he'd have had to

wtf does this have to do with anything? These drivers can drive. Don't cramp their style. give them 1/4 mile back.

i'm getting tired of hearing myself talk about this. I think I 've said everything I can say about it.

 

[FABMAN]

Bob i agree with you on the 1000' and i agree slowing cars down may help them if they have problems on the track. The bottom line issue is how do you stop a fuel car in trouble, thats what needs to be fixed. Think about it, they have no problems stopping a fuel car running 330 mph unless he has problems and 99% of the time it still stops safely. That 1% can be fatal and they need to figure out away to stop that 1%.

I am going to watch tonight cause I'm a Pro Stock FAN.

Boy, hope i don't make anyone mad on this post.

 

[NHRADeuce]

But don't tell me I can't tell the difference between 1000' and 1320'

320 feet is more than a football field. Have you been to any football games lately? It's a significant distance and you nhra insiders can wish it didn't matter until hell freezes over.

Yeah I get that 320' matters, we agree on that. I would love to see 1320' back ASAP, but I am willing to live with 1000' if that's what it takes. My point is that if you stood at the starting line with a walkie talkie and I started walking away from you, there is no way you could tell me when to stop at 1320' and be anywhere close on a consistent basis. At that distance there is just no way to judge accurately without landmarks to gauge by.

by the way thanks for reminding me I gotta take one out of the freezer for later...

You're welcome.

 

[davey]

Most everyone here has valid points. Just respect everyone's opinions. Don't tell me what I can and can't see. Don't tell me what I like or dislike. I CAN tell the difference. If you can't, don't tell me I can't. Don't tell me if I'm a real fan or not. I'm hardcore and have been for almost 40 years. I can live with the distance for now. I waited until I saw it before I ever commented. Like I have said on other posts. I would rather see 4.90 @ 1320' than 3.90 @ 1000'. It is simply more racing with more distance for the cars to duke it out. The question I have is why did everything need to get so out of hand before anyone thought of doing anything about it. I, and thousands of others, have seen this coming for years.

 

[JAG]

Most everyone here has valid points. Just respect everyone's opinions. Don't tell me what I can and can't see. Don't tell me what I like or dislike. I CAN tell the difference. If you can't, don't tell me I can't. Don't tell me if I'm a real fan or not. I'm hardcore and have been for almost 40 years. I can live with the distance for now. I waited until I saw it before I ever commented. Like I have said on other posts. I would rather see 4.90 @ 1320' than 3.90 @ 1000'. It is simply more racing with more distance for the cars to duke it out. The question I have is why did everything need to get so out of hand before anyone thought of doing anything about it. I, and thousands of others, have seen this coming for years.

Good obervations Dave! Here's my take. From the begining, we have seen the "Run what ya brought and hope you brought enough." Tracks have evolved over the years, engines, drivetrain, wings, fuel systems and such. However, when you take a look at some of the tracks, they were built when cars were running 200-250 mph. The things that have not kept up in my observation are the tracks (older ones not built for these speeds), as well as the chassis, brakes and such. Look back before John Forces crash. The chassis was the same basic design from 20 years ago when they had 3000 hp. Now with 7000 - 8000 hp those just weren't up to the task. There appear to be many ways to slow the cars down. Do I mind the 1000' racing? Not right now because it's the best thing for the sport in my opinion at this point in time. Do I want to see 1320' racing come back? You bet! Would I like to see the "Run what you brought and hope you brought enough" again? Sure, but only if things are brought up to some standard that will be safe for them to do so. The only issue with that is, the cost. I would rather see 20 or more cars in the class with good competition and close racing.

 

[Gordon]

Everyone is certainly entitled to their opinion, and they're more than welcome to post them here for all to read. The disrespect gets old, as has been mentioned, but it, too, is a part of life.

From my perspective, whether the reduction to 1,000 feet is temporary or permanent, I can say, without any reservation, that I'm not going to lose my passion for this great sport.

A lot has been made about car counts, specifically, the dwindling numbers in the fuel categories. Let me remind everyone - perhaps we'd have 16 Top Fuel cars in Denver if Darrell Russell were still among us. We'd have 19 Funny Cars in Denver if Eric Medlen and Scott Kalitta were still with us. For a long, long time NHRA's safety record was awesome - deaths in race cars were extremely rare in the pro categories. Slowly but surely, the trend has changed and it's time to reverse it. I'm in no position to know how, but I'm willing to allow the folks who do know how the time to do it, regardless of how they do it.

 

[twok4hd]

Does any one remember that this is Denver and the speeds are going to be slower. Wait till they get to sea level and the 320 runs will be back even at 1000'.

Geez, it is amazing that some people put their personal satisfaction before driver safety. I honestly believe that the safety team will come up with a viable solution to slow the cars down and when they do, 1320 racing will resume. Until then, if you want to say your done with drag racing, fine, don't let the gate hit you in the ass.

 

[T.Smith]

chill out? tune out is more like it.

I just dont care. I 'm not watching it. I see how it played out. It sucks. It's like watching sex in the city on tnt. it aint' quite the same as it was on hbo , is it.

Hey Bob, I've always had a lot of respect for you and your posts and our shared interest in F1 racing. I hope you feel the same.

Since my Dad took me to see the Chi-Town Hustler vs the Chicago Kid at U.S.30 Dragstrip in 1975, I've been as big a fan as anyone of nitro or alky racing. If there is a weekend where there are nitro or alky cars racing and we aren't racing, I'm am there as fan watching, because I love the sport....Don't believe me, just ask someone who knows me personally.

I'm not a fan of the 1000 feet deal, but as a fan and a racer of big show nitro cars, if NHRA and the racers feel like this what they need to do for the time being, then I'm all for it.

Who knows what the future holds, but for now I'm not going to throw the sport I love under the bus, because of this change.

 

[Rich]

Wow, some of you guys kill me. Are some of you blind and don't realize this is an interim step until the cars can be slowed down? I love drag racing and I will not turn my back on the sport while the sport sorts out its problems.

I hope you're right. But it's also true that sometimes interim steps become permanent, and that's what concerns me. Of those opposed to 1000' racing I have yet to see even one person here say that they want things to returned to the way they were with no changes. There's obviously a great deal of support for finding a way to slow the cars down to make the sport safer for the drivers and less expensive for the owners. Nonetheless, I think it's important that drag racing fans voice their concern that 1000' racing doesn't become a permanent solution.

 

[dip****]

it only makes the strongest teams stronger, team $humacher 1 and 2 in top fule and all 4 f/c in. bring back the 1320!

Kinda hard not to make it into the show with only a 17 car field in funny car, and Tony and Cory have been running consistent all year long in Top Fuel so i dont see what all the crying is about Go figure , wondered how long we could go without somebody complaining about the " Evil Empire" lol

 

[Bobby]

Hey Bob, I've always had a lot of respect for you and your posts and our shared interest in F1 racing. I hope you feel the same.

Since my Dad took me to see the Chi-Town Hustler vs the Chicago Kid at U.S.30 Dragstrip in 1975, I've been as big a fan as anyone of nitro or alky racing. If there is a weekend where there are nitro or alky cars racing and we aren't racing, I'm am there as fan watching, because I love the sport....Don't believe me, just ask someone who knows me personally.

I'm not a fan of the 1000 feet deal, but as a fan and a racer of big show nitro cars, if NHRA and the racers feel like this what they need to do for the time being, then I'm all for it.

Who knows what the future holds, but for now I'm not going to throw the sport I love under the bus, because of this change.

I 'm not exactly throwing it under the bus either. I 'm going to vegas, because the top elim tickets and plane tickets are bought and paid for.

the key words in your post are 'for the time being'

well I don't get that vibe from austin and alan johnson, just for two prominent examples. Sounds to me like they'd be fine with 1000' forever.

I have to speak up. I love the sport, but I 'm not watching the show tonight.

As far as I 'm concerned NHRA and ALL of the teams should be more emphatic about the temporary nature of this change, and asking us to bear with it TEMPORARILY

not saying oh 'we only race to 1000' feet anyway.

Thanks Tony I hope we see each other at a race someday.

 

[yoda]

I'm wondering who will be the first pair to drive it out the back door and shut off at 1320....

What's the fine gonna be for that one?

 

[hairdog]

you're right about the speed, that's why I've been arguing for slowing the cars as opposed to shortening the track since this bull**** started.

But don't tell me I can't tell the difference between 1000' and 1320'

320 feet is more than a football field. Have you been to any football games lately? It's a significant distance and you nhra insiders can wish it didn't matter until hell freezes over.

it matters.

and this sport will no longer be considered a legitimate motorsport if it stays 1000' as far as i'm concerned. there are enough people already who think drag racers don't do any real driving. This doesn't help.

I'm done arguing about it. I 'm not watching the race tonight, and I'm sure I 'm not the only one tuning out.

too bad I'm not a pro stock fan.

So I guess all the racers all around the world that are racing 1/8 mile are not true drag racers? Get a grip. All you whiners are blowing this all out of proportion. You act like this is a permament thing. The wheel wasn't invented in one day. Give them a chance to come up with a permament solution so they can get back to 1/4 mile drag racing.