In you opinion who is the Best Clutch person in the business today (1 Viewer)

[Jimbo]

To me it appears that the team who can find a good clutch person in the key to performing on race day.

I know that some times the tuner also does the clutch but in this day and age being able to get a handle on the right clutch set up appears to be the ticket.

With the track changing with each pass learning what to do or not do is the difference between winning or going home.

Who do you see right now as the most knowledgeable person in the business?

Jim Hill

 

[camaro]

Alan Johnson

 

[Raconteur]

Nicky Boninfante

 

[Muddy]

It seems to me the clutch is just one part of the package. If the tune up isn't correct it won't matter how good the clutch setup is and vice versa along with the right tires, blower etc. If one part of the package is not correct it becomes at best a filler car.

 

[mick]

mike neff....for 10 years now this guy wins with whatever and whoever he is associated with;
scelzi/driving/force/hight. he reminds me of alan johnson when he won with his brother/scelzi/schumacher.

 

[Just Paul]

To me it appears that the team who can find a good clutch person in the key to performing on race day.

A good clutch person is one that can build it and set it up the same time and time again after the crew chief decides how he wants it. Just being overall consistent on doing everything. I don't think many (any?) "clutch guys" have any say in the actual settings as far as weights, lever stops, etc.

If you are talking over all good tuners that make the calls, any of the guys that have been doing it awhile with good results over the years. Prock, Neff, Tobler, AJ, Mike Greene, Kalittas, etc.

There is a lot of clutch stuff going on in the pits right now, guys changing things back and fourth. I think getting some of the disks to act the same is holding a lot of people up right now.

 

[Jimbo]

Some really great replies to my question but maybe I should have stated the question a little differently.

I should have asked who is the best at reading the information the race pack is providing you with after each run? The person who can take the data and then set the tune up and clutch is really the most valuable person on the team in my mind.

Some guys can really read the data and understand exactly what's happening with the track conditions and weather conditions and always seem to know just what the car needs for the next run.

Some are very good at it while other teams really struggle with the set up on every run it seems.

Jim Hill

 

[MHayes]

Some really great replies to my question but maybe I should have stated the question a little differently.

I should have asked who is the best at reading the information the race pack is providing you with after each run?

It sounds like you're asking who the best crew chief is then........I'll stick with Alan Johnson on that one, but I would say that Zippy is pretty damn good as well! You can't really compare the two when it comes to career success given the number of championships and wins Alan has, but in terms of talent, I would say those are two of the top 5 active crew chiefs.

 

[mick]

IMO guys like wilk and cruz are who really deserve a tip of the cap; these guys own/tune/drive and pay the bills, yet they both
find the wherewithal to not only race the whole tour annually, but can be ultra competitive. when they know they can not put
a new one of everything in their car after every run and their crews may be subject to frequent turnover, yet go rounds
and not unusual to see these guys win every now and then; now that is very impressive.

 

[Muddy]

Alan Johnson and Zippy both make the most of what they have and adapt to the conditions as well or better than anyone but Alan Johnson has the ability to develop new and better equipment about as well as anyone in recent history.

 

[parrotwhisperer]

It takes a whole team. Every member has to do their work, their area of responsibility EXACTLY as the tuner would do it himself. Only then can the tuner have confidence in the decisions he makes. The clutch guy has to set the clutch up exactly the way the tuner wants it but it doesn't mean anything unless every other job is done the way the tuner wants and expects it to be done. If even one crew decides to do his work the way he hears Force's guys do it (just for example) then the tuner is off and he has no idea why he is off. Am I explaining it well enough? At the hit the whole car has to be as if the tuner did every job on it himself.

 

[TF CREW]

Reading the RacePak is the easy part

 

[funnycarguy]

that is where the carchief comes in. he needs to deliver what the crewchief wants to have happen. All very precise and no place for guys that go it alone

 

[Randy]

Reading the RacePak is the easy part

...and proper interpretation of the information is not.

 

[Jimbo]

Randy Goodwins comment of "...and proper interpretation of the information is not." is right on the money.

Yes I suppose your right anyone can read the RacePak but knowing what to do with the data and how to apply it for the next run is another thing.

Jim Hill

 

[Toejam]

maybe the car who gets down the track the most consistently?

 

[Rajunz]

Zippy gets my nod for sure, even over Alan Johnson. I'm pretty sure Zippy would be just as successful running a Top Fuel dragster.

 

[none]

If I understand correctly, top fuel has to deal with rev limiter. Funny car does not......??

 

[Just Paul]

If I understand correctly, top fuel has to deal with rev limiter. Funny car does not......??

Funny cars have it but the retard rate is not as aggressive, and start RPM is higher last I remember.

 

[TF CREW]

If I understand correctly, top fuel has to deal with rev limiter. Funny car does not......??

need to get away from this "rev limiter" thing, the MSD Box is a Timing Retard