It's Official: NHRA 1000 Foot For Fuelers in 2009 (1 Viewer)

[.]

...Still havent seen bleechers past a 1000 except the fairgrounds...

I sat in section 26 all day today, where the new finishline is.
The overflow seats (smaller bleachers at 1300 ft. mark) were fenced off and late today, massive AAA of SoCal banners/signage were draped over the seats. Looks like no one will be able to sit there anymore.

 

[megadeth]

The economy is in the toilet, sponsors are pulling out right and left and all some of you are concerned about, a lousy 320 feet? Sheesh!!!

How about the drivers themselves? They have little if any control at all in this matter. Are you going to abandon them too? That's silly. I'm more concerned about Hillary Will keeping her ride than I am the fuelers racing 320 feet less. I'm also interested in the funny car points battle, whether it's 1000 feet or 1320.

All of a sudden, to some of you, ANYTHING is better than the Powerade/Full Throttle series. Let me get this straight, so far drag boats, sprint cars, nostalgia cars, ADRL, and Austrailian drag racing has been mentioned as better than the NHRA. I probably missed a few. Did Nascar get mentioned yet? IRL? How about RC cars? Mongolian Ricshaw Racing?

Thanks for the suggestions, but I'll stick with the NHRA!!!

I do agree on one thing though. If 1000 feet becomes final, ....then they should reinstate the national records and make it retroactive, which would make Schumacher and Hight the record holders at the moment.

JMHO, ....(I'm probably the "hydrant" in this one...LOL)

This is a down cycle in the economy we have had plenty of ups and downs and it will recover eventually.
I'm not abandoning the drivers I don't know them personally so I couldn't care less!
You don't comprehend very well do you? I SAID thank god they are staying at 1320 I never said it's a better show all they lack is a big enough field and Funny Cars.
They have an awesome Pro Mod program though. Money isn't an issue for me it hasn't been for a long time. I also never said I wouldn't attend a future NHRA event either I will wait till they make a concrete decision on either 1000' or 1320' once they do I will too!
I'm willing to wait till they sort everything out I'm for safety I just think 1000' was the quickest way to give them time to figure it out but I want to see them back to 1320' and apparently a lot of others feel the same way learn to live with it!
As far as sponsors go Drag Racing will always be the step child they have always had problems even when the economy was good.
Has anybody notice the entry #'s at the Finals all fields over 20 cars last hurah!

 

[megadeth]

Drag Boats more exciting then NHRA? What have you been smoking. If I wasnt working on a boat I wouldnt be @ a boat race, NOT very spectator friendly kinda like watching paint dry.

At least there will be 1320 @ the nostalgia races.

It takes more balls in my book to get in a Top Fuel Hydro then a T/F Dagster or F/C. Those things get really squirrely!

 

[my friends call me Zappy]

To the die hards wanting the 320ft. back, are you willing to give up the cackle to get it?? I'm thinkin they will have to drop to 60 - 75 % nitro to hit their target of 300 - 305 @ 1320.

Face it they just took .7sec away and only slowed them less then 20MPH. If nhra goes back to 1320ft it will be such a watered down fuel car that I dought you will enjoy. Just something to think about guy's.

 

[d'kid]

You know, I'm not sitting in the top end bleachers at The County anymore. In fact, I sit at the sixty foot block Friday and Saturdays, or about the 330 block on Sundays...

I still think I enjoyed watch low seven/ high six second better than four second flopper runs... but, that's me. A 6.5 T/F was just as enjoyable as 4.5 T/F pass.

Robert's 4.00 at VMP was impressive, I'm Glad I saw it, but I headed back to the pits right after Zippy & Ron ran... didn't even see princess run...


If Hillary and Robert go out before the semis this Sunday, there's a good chance I'll just turn the audiocast off and just look at the results before I go to bed... has nothing to do with 1000 vs 1320... just that if my peeps are out, there's no more reason hang...

to be honest, I could give a flying Rat's if they were only running 660 feet...

d'kid

 

[clwill]

the word hero is a very powerful word...

Hero generally means someone who is admired for their achievements and noble qualities. Just because you limit it to people who risk their lives for others doesn't mean that some can't feel that those they admire and respect aren't worthy of being their own "hero". For example, many people feel one of their parents are their own hero.

 

[Raconteur]

I sat in section 26 all day today, where the new finishline is. The overflow seats (smaller bleachers at 1300 ft. mark) were fenced off and late today, massive AAA of SoCal banners/signage were draped over the seats. Looks like no one will be able to sit there anymore.

As I remember that grandstand is not used on Thursday & Friday since it is almost directly under the glidepath approach into Bracket Field across the street from the Fairplex. I sat in row 24 yesterday and will sit there again on Saturday.

Let's see if the far grandstand opens up on Saturday & Sunday as it is usually open on weekends when there is less air traffic.

 

[TF CREW]

It takes more balls in my book to get in a Top Fuel Hydro then a T/F Dagster or F/C. Those things get really squirrely!

I will tell you that since the success of the twin drive a Nitro Funny car is much more of a handful to drive than a fuel hydro.

If your anywhere near Phoenix, AZ. November 21-23 come to Firebird there will be at least 11 fuel boats there.

 

[mikey]

Good-bye NHRA....

Where is Dr. Kevorkian when we need him most ? Been a great 40 year passion for me....but I'm done ! Go kinda fast or go home !

 

[Leebone]

I'm a racing fan. That means that drag racing and the NHRA are not the only forms of racing that I watch and follow. There's an excellent dirt track not more than ten minutes from where I live that offers great racing. Moreover, I enjoy attending the Dirt Cup and the World of Outlaws races every bit as much as I do the NHRA Northwest Nationals.

But, for the record, I wouldn't attend a baseball game if the powers-that-be shortened the base paths to 70 feet nor would I attend a football game if the field was shortened to 80 yards. But to each his own. I'm sure that there are those out there that feel that Arena football is essentially the same game as the NFL. If 1000' drag racing floats your boat, then who am I to disagree? It's just not for me.

If you feel that 1000' is not racing, then fine, no problem, but like I said in a previous post, don't let the door hit you on the way out!!! By the way, 1000' racing does NOT float my boat, but I accept it for the love of the sport and those awesome 8000 horsepower machines.

Seeing how I live close to Pittsburgh, an 80 yard field would not bother me, as long as it's the same for ALL teams and venues. That would just mean that Hines Ward gets down the field that much quicker.

 

[Leebone]

To the die hards wanting the 320ft. back, are you willing to give up the cackle to get it?? I'm thinkin they will have to drop to 60 - 75 % nitro to hit their target of 300 - 305 @ 1320.

Face it they just took .7sec away and only slowed them less then 20MPH. If nhra goes back to 1320ft it will be such a watered down fuel car that I dought you will enjoy. Just something to think about guy's.

Paul,....thank you, thank you, thank you. You just said what I've been trying to say the whole thread. Obviously you're better and more effecient at words than I am. What you said is true though. How much are the 1320 diehards willing to give up??? We already HAVE top alcohol. Face it, the "cars" themselves are the main attraction of the show. If the NHRA takes away the ground shaking power in favor of the extra 320 feet, you will REALLY see the stands empty out. The NHRA would be stupid to take the horsepower away.

 

[my friends call me Zappy]

Thanks Lee. I just don't think the 1320 rs realize what the fuel cars at 1320ft will sound like. If they (nhra) gets them back to 300 - 305mph It's gonna be a whole new deal I think.

The sound will be different, less or no fire out the pipes, not to mention the HUGE cost to figure out all the changes they atre talkin about: one mag-one pump-less nitro-less comp ratio, ect.

I really don't think these guys would like the new watered down 1320 NITRO CARS.

Lee, just think how much leg and elbow room you and I will have with these guys staying home, short lines at the restrooms, food lines, pit ropes.

I hate the count down, but I didn't leave the sport over it. They are drag fans, they will be there next year at 1,000ft you watch.

 

[megadeth]

To the die hards wanting the 320ft. back, are you willing to give up the cackle to get it?? I'm thinkin they will have to drop to 60 - 75 % nitro to hit their target of 300 - 305 @ 1320.

Face it they just took .7sec away and only slowed them less then 20MPH. If nhra goes back to 1320ft it will be such a watered down fuel car that I dought you will enjoy. Just something to think about guy's.

The Nostalgia Cars are louder then the current Fuel Cars! The Cackle that I miss so much left when NHRA dropped the nitro percentage years back!

 

[George.]

Guys and Dolls relax....

Most of us keyboard crewchiefs have never been strapped in a late model nitro car...EVERY man and woman grabbin' a butterfly for a living WANTS 1000 feet....WHO are we MATERs to deny them........Alan,Coil, et al...HATE 1320 rev-limit tuning and racing.....?

...Still havent seen bleechers past a 1000 except the fairgrounds...and The Burkster said it best....BEST seat on the Planet...LVMS...wooden bleachers...1000 feet....nuf said...

You are missing the point.
Ofcourse the players would like to run 1000', but it's not going to fly for the fans. It's great for them, as it would be to cut your work load by 25% at your job.

It's like changing a football field to 80 Yards.
A bowling alley to 25'
A hockey rink to 60'.
The home run fence to 40 yards out, and the bases to 20 feet.
Everything that built the history and excitement into achieveing each and every record is now gone.
Years of those unachieveable numbers that drew in the fans....poooof.
Do you think a fan will identify with a 4.15 quarter mile time slip the same way they did when Eddie hill broke the 4 second limit?
Do you think the fans will even know what's fast and what isn't?
You don't change the foundation of your sport and expect to keep the fans interested.

I'm telling you, and mark my words, within 5 years, the NHRA will be on life support from this decision. The sponsorship interest has been waning for years, now the fans will become less hardcore. Add the economy and a lack of anything from the NHRA's past to hold onto.....
Bad move.

 

[James]

To the die hards wanting the 320ft. back, are you willing to give up the cackle to get it?? I'm thinkin they will have to drop to 60 - 75 % nitro to hit their target of 300 - 305 @ 1320.

Face it they just took .7sec away and only slowed them less then 20MPH. If nhra goes back to 1320ft it will be such a watered down fuel car that I dought you will enjoy. Just something to think about guy's.

When they were running low sixes at 240 they had plenty of cackle, some were louder then modern cars! (King Camaro) It would be VERY EASY to slow the cars a bit and have them cackle more then they do now. Limt compression, blower pulley size and take away the clutch timers. As I see it the problem is the NHRA is listening to crew chiefs who are afraid a competitor will get an advantage while they learn what it's gonna take to tune the new combos. There might be a small one time cost to doing this but the costs savings during the year (less cylinder pressure equals less carnage) would offset that. Like someone else said it would take leadership, something Drag Racing is seriously lacking these days.

 

[none]

As I said in the poll thread the thing that really gets me about this whole situation is what happened in the last quailfying session in Vegas. Jim Head, one of, if not the biggest advocates of 1K racing had header flames visable all the way down to the 1320 marker. Why would Jim do this if he felt his saftey was being compromised? He must have felt that the facilities at LVMS could safely handle quarter mile racing. To me 1000 feet waters down the product. If they have to run 1000 feet at short tracks like Pomona and Norwalk that is one thing, but to do it on tracks that can easily handle a quarter mile like LVMS and the Motorplex that is a different story.

 

[George.]

The drivers want to run 1000' because it saves them money.
I would bet that if you ask them "is it the safest alternative to slowing the cars down', they would say "it's the best for us"
It was the easy way out......
NHRA needed to step up and save the integrety of the sport and achieve safer speeds by other measures while still using the whole 1,320'.
Yeah, it may be hard on parts and the cost of equipment may increase, but there is no way they can sell NHRA drag racing now because the product is inferior..
The drivers and owners will soon see that they just killed drag racing as we know it at the cost of saving themselves some parts.

If you think sponsor pull out is problematic now, just wait until the crowds start slimming down.
You guys can flame away, but check back in in 2012....
There won't be a whole lot left to sell the public without years of 1/4 mile racing records as the benchmark.
How do you advertise it?
How do you create excitement?
The old guard like us can put it into perspective, but there is no way to translate that to the next generation of young fans.

Devils advocates can say that slower 1/4 mile speeds and numbers will do just as much damage to the sport, but I disagree.

 

[Raconteur]

The Nostalgia Cars are louder then the current Fuel Cars!

You really believe that?

A pair of 8,000 HP big show engines at 90% -vs- a pair of 3,000 HP nostalgia nitro engines at 95% - 99%... I have been on the starting line standing between both, and both are awesome, but you may need to rethink that statement.



.

 

[rollingthunder]

There is a difference between going for "THE SHOW " and going for the race.
If your going for the experience of 8000 hp and the smell and sound then start them in the parking lot. If your going for the race then like has been said 1/4 mile all the way.

 

[mike cummings]

yesterday was my first and last taste of 1,000 foot racing. It seemed more like exhibition runs rather than racing. The alcohol cars (btw, congratulations Randy Goodwin on that solid 5.66 pass) were far more interesting than the nitros were in my opinion.