Jerry Eckman speaks out! (1 Viewer)

[john]

People serve less time for murder, NHRA should waive the fine and let him race.
10 years????? No racer has ever had to suffer that.

 

[TJ]

Bobby...gotta agree w/ you on the last post in regards to the NHRA.
As far as Eckmans issue there is always two sides to every story involving more than one person.
It seems we/most people are more sorry we we/they are caught doing something wrong than asking for permission.
The only way they got caught was because of the explosion (two people went to the hospital) and there is more to the story that Eckman did not explain.
The main reason they were suspended because after the explosion they put the car in the trailer/locked it and left the grounds. A Marshall/security was hired by the NHRA on the spot w/in minutes and 2 NHRA vehicles were parked in front and back of the transporter to keep em on the property while they contacted their legal dept.
They (NHRA) asked Jerry and Bill for a inspection/teardown and they refused.
In the meantime oil samples were taken from the asphault and taken to a lab for testing. The NHRA made it very clear to them that if they refused a teardown the fines could be huge and the legal side of NHRA had no rights to cut the locks to the transporter and teardown the car themselves.
They knew the consequences if they did not cooperate...


On another subject w/ the NHRA.
I worked w/ an independent fuel flopper team out of Texas in the early 90's that ran fairly well. The sponsored cars we were paired up w/ first round knew if they even so much had a hiccup, or were off pace from qualifying, then we'd beat em. So this owner/driver would be drug (random pick, according to NHRA) tested @ almost every race we entered.
If you have the gold then NHRA will not bother you much...thats old, old news..

 

[mach9]

I have a question. If, because nitrous was not specifically listed as illegal in the rule book, and somebody therefore assumed it was LEGAL, then.....why go to all of that trouble to hide it. If I REALLY thought it was legal, I'd have a big ol' bottle and about a 300 shot myself. That argument just doesn't hold water. MJ

 

[Joker]

Since this is a Eckman/NOS thread I have a question about NOS. Obvisously when you use it like the nitrous cars do its really helps increase et/speed. With the way the pro stock cars were having to use it, how much do you really think it helped et wise?

 

[john]

Just enough.

 

[ozfuel]

Just enough.

Yep, just enough to win 2 championships

Mark.

 

[.]

Since this is a Eckman/NOS thread I have a question about NOS. Obvisously when you use it like the nitrous cars do its really helps increase et/speed. With the way the pro stock cars were having to use it, how much do you really think it helped et wise?

In a class where thousandths of a second matter between winning and losing all it takes is a very tiny amount. Think of how much time and money they spend trying to find enough HP to give them just a couple hundredth's of a second.

 

[Reese]

The only way they got caught was because of the explosion (two people went to the hospital) and there is more to the story that Eckman did not explain.
The main reason they were suspended because after the explosion they put the car in the trailer/locked it and left the grounds. A Marshall/security was hired by the NHRA on the spot w/in minutes and 2 NHRA vehicles were parked in front and back of the transporter to keep em on the property while they contacted their legal dept.
They (NHRA) asked Jerry and Bill for a inspection/teardown and they refused.
In the meantime oil samples were taken from the asphault and taken to a lab for testing. The NHRA made it very clear to them that if they refused a teardown the fines could be huge and the legal side of NHRA had no rights to cut the locks to the transporter and teardown the car themselves.
They knew the consequences if they did not cooperate...

Thanks, I believe most people forgot about that part of the story. Anyway they should drop the fine, like others said, 10 years is long enough.

 

[camaro]

i wish someone familiar with the rules can explain this loophole to me . I thot pro Stock has always been naturally aspirated motors, and doesn't Nitrous have to be injected or forced in under some pressure ? so how could u possibly get around that Rule unless perhaps N2O does not necessarily have to be injected in order to be effective. anyone feel free to clue me in !!

jf

 

[john]

There is no loophole. If you could freeze it into little pellets and delivered it to the engine with a PEZ dispenser it still isn't legal.

 

[Chuck]

I seem to remember another pro stock driver who was "banned for life", came back after a couple of years, was reinstated and drove for several more years. He was banned for, what I consider, a helluvalot worse offense than using nitrous. I can live with a cheater much easier than a drug trafficker. 10 Tears is long enough. NHRA needs to forgive Jerry and let him have some fun. Good luck Jerry.

 

[Bobby Hill]

Scott,

I don't remember Jerry working for Whisnant, but you might be thinking of a black car and it was probably Dick Sherman's car or when he was working for Ben Watson. If you could tell me what year, that would probably help.

Michael

Sorry for the late post I know that you posted yesterday but too many computers to build and the snow blower decided to quit working today.

 

[millertime]

In a class where thousandths of a second matter between winning and losing all it takes is a very tiny amount. Think of how much time and money they spend trying to find enough HP to give them just a couple hundredth's of a second.

Also, keep in mind that additional oxygen content introduced into the system will increase hp in an amount that is directly proportional to the current VE percentage of that engine. That being said, a 1.25 or 1.5% increase in oxygen content on a ProStock engine will provide far more increased HP that if it were added to...oh...say a stock 502. Therefore, they used very small amounts in order to acheive the desired effect. The canister and delivery system used is much smaller, and easier to hide. So from a cheater's standpoint, it's an easier HP gain than hours of dyno time and R&D.

 

[MoparBilly]

It's amazing after all these years, how much misinformation about that time in Pro-Stock still exists. It also is shocking how much misinformation about the proper use of N20 and it's capabilities, and how it works.
For those who don't understand why you would hide something from NHRA that may or may not be legal..WAKE UP!! This is a competitive sport, if you find anything that makes you more competitve, you hide it from your competitors with all due dilligence, and you hide it from the sanctioning body/tech even more fervently!!!!

I saw Jerry at the Phoenix Nationals, a couple years after the suspension, working on Harry Scribner's team, and shouted in surprise "Hey, Eckman!", he spun towards me and braced himself for whatever derision was about to come his way..."Good to see you out here again, Jerry, good luck this weekend" was my reply, and the quick smile and genuine look of gratitude was a hint at the burden he carried every day at the track. He managed a hoarse "thanks" as he turned away.

I still think alot of people have no idea how huge the problem was..and how helpless the NHRA tech dept. was to stop it. Jerry wasn't just the scapegoat, he was the example for all the other competitors, that's why the penalties were so tough.

There is absolutely NO WAY the supposed Rusty Glidden "HoodScoop" system would have worked effectively, and only someone with no N20 experience would have bought that line of crap that his Dad put him up to. Um... like the media, and the NHRA tech dept., and all the "Nitro" fans who barely know that Pro Stock exists.

 

[George.]

I don't feel sorry for Jerry Eckman.

His mistake had nothing to do with Orndorf, His mistake was letting himself down. I would bet that most of us may have made the same mistake in the same situation, but the blame would ultimately lay at our feet for not doing what was right.

We all come to the crossroads in live, and the choices we make may change our lives.
You know, when you are afraid to stand up for yourself against something that you know is wrong, then you are just as guilty and classless as the perpertraitor. Let this be a lesson for all of us.

I was at that race, and I remember the transporter locked up tight and the buzz around the pits.

 

[downtime]

Last I knew we all make mistakes. Some mistakes are more easily forgiven than others.

I do not know enough about the details to intelligently comment on anything specific.

However I am not a mechanic. I am a driver. Although I may "think" or "assume" something, I also know that I do not have the knowledge to always know the absolute truth.

What happens in testing does need to stay in testing. I know that one year I plaed around with an audio alert system, for the driver not the car, that technically met all requirements of the rules but was not exactly in line with the intent of the rules. I played with this in testing only and did not even have it on the premisis whenever I competed at an event.

I did not think it was ethical to even have it inside the gates where actual competition was happening.

It sounds to me like being human and being financially stressed got in the way of good decisions.

I think ten years is a long time, however a fine is a fine and I would think it does need to be paid. Perhaps in the future NHRA could establish a reduction of fine per year, like a prison sentence, as an alternative to a fixed amount... For example... $$$ to be paid prior to reinstatement, but if two years (or whatever the term is) has elapsed, and after 1/4 of the fine amount has been received, then the amount will be reduced by $$$ for a period of X years.

The penalties need to be high to protect our sport but their also needs to be a check and balance process in effect to take into account the vast array of situations. Cheating is bad, but it isn't like murdering someone and their needs to be a safety valve.

 

[Demon]

I seem to remember another pro stock driver who was "banned for life", came back after a couple of years, was reinstated and drove for several more years. He was banned for, what I consider, a helluvalot worse offense than using nitrous. I can live with a cheater much easier than a drug trafficker. 10 Tears is long enough. NHRA needs to forgive Jerry and let him have some fun. Good luck Jerry.

That driver was never "banned for life",nor was he a drug trafficker as you stated.

But NHRA should drop this whole thing and let Jerry get reinstated.

 

[scotty]

Scott,

I don't remember Jerry working for Whisnant, but you might be thinking of a black car and it was probably Dick Sherman's car or when he was working for Ben Watson. If you could tell me what year, that would probably help.

Michael

Mike, you are correct! It was Ben Watson and not Mark Whisnant. Both really beautiful black cars...always loved Reid's black and gold. It was 2001 or 02. Thanks for clearing that up and sorry about the confusion!

Sorry to threadjack.

For those asking about the amount of nitrous power "they" were getting, I remember it being in the ballpark of 35-50 hp. The system that was exposed used 1 orifice above each carburetor and they could change the "jet" somewhere earlier in the "line". This system was very similar to what NOS calls a Top Shot system and in my years of playing with nitrous, I think it would have worked. That is only my opinion because I have no idea how much volume they were sending through the system, and I know it must have leaked with the way lines fit together. Still, one of the biggest gains with nitrous is not the top end power, but the low end torque. Even a 20 hp "shot" could be worth a lot more torque down low and help get the car to front half very quick when you think about the clutch technology they were using back then.

 

[Mooseman]

It isn't just pro stock that have dabbled in N.O.S

 

[elvis]

It isn't just pro stock that have dabbled in N.O.S

I heard there are a lot of Pro Mod's using it too.