Jim Head interview.

[Sean D, shondoo]

As for those who would never attend a race that's less than 1/4 mile. Fine, see you later and don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out! The idea that anything less than 1/4 is somehow unfulfilling is completely ridiculous. How many times have we seen cars run nearly identical elasped times yet one was only going 280 at the strip while the other was going 310... and you wouldn't know the difference if not for the scoreboard!!!

Greg,

As one that said I wouldn't attend a 1/2-track National Event, your post seems contradictory. In one sentence you say make everything 1/8-mile, in another you point out the obvious, the fact that if it weren't for the scoreboards, you couldn't tell the difference between 280 and 310. If that's truly the case, there is just as strong of an argument to slow the cars down as there is to shorten the track because both measures will accomplish the same things with regards to safety and cost.

I think many of your posts are pretty sharp and spot on, but I would have to respectfully disagree with your logic on this one.

Sean D

 

[stanman]

...there is just as strong of an argument to slow the cars down as there is to shorten the track because both measures will accomplish the same things with regards to safety and cost.

I think many of your posts are pretty sharp and spot on, but I would have to respectfully disagree with your logic on this one.

Sean D

No, because you still have the short shutdown issue at a lot of tracks.

 

[Sean D, shondoo]

No, because you still have the short shutdown issue at a lot of tracks.

If you slow the cars back down, how is the "short" shutdowns still an issue?

Sean D

 

[stanman]

If you slow the cars back down, how is the "short" shutdowns still an issue?

Sean D

Short shutdowns can be in issue no matter what speed you're going. I nearly put my S-10 in the sand at Pomona one time because I was a bit tardy getting on the brakes after a very close race in Super Gas... and that was 9.90 at only 153.

 

[Bobby]

I have never been to Englishtown.

Could someone please explain to me why the sand trap area was configured as it was? Why was the k-rail curved around the back of the sand trap?

And why is the sand trap so stinking short? Why is the safety net only 3 feet tall?

I was dumbfounded when I saw the configuration of the sand trap area. It appeared to me, the set-up was needed for placement of the camera highlift.

As for those who would never attend a race that's less than 1/4 mile. Fine, see you later and don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out! The idea that anything less than 1/4 is somehow unfulfilling is completely ridiculous. How many times have we seen cars run nearly identical elasped times yet one was only going 280 at the strip while the other was going 310... and you wouldn't know the difference if not for the scoreboard!!!

I say, make it all 1/8th mile... every single class on the track!

BTW... the 1/8th mile fuel car show George Howard put on last year was a roaring success. The fans didn't mind one bit it and the racers loved because they didn't hurt parts.

they do road racing events there. The wall is curved because the strip is part of the road course as far as I can tell.

And what wall was moved I 'd like to know as someone else said?

 

[TJ]

1/8 mile drag strips would kill the sport as there is not enough length of track for paying customers to sit in the stands. And c'mon...very boring to most-

I have a 2b license to drive a TA/FC and the last half is the most fun that I look forward too.....even on short shut-down venues.


Lets see; over 9500 successful safe passes this year on the NHRA tour from every class and 15 cars have crashed so we change everything?

Read the 'Snake's' comments as he feels nothing is wrong w/ these cars or the tracks it is just 'occupational hazard'.....If you are scared/hesitant then hand the keys over to someone else.

Sad situation but no need for any change IMO.

 

[stanman]

...I have a 2b license to drive a TA/FC and the last half is the most fun that I look forward too.....even on short shut-down venues.

Then I'd have to say you're doing it for the adrenaline rush and ego and not for the sport or the competition.

1/8th mile is just as exhilerating as 1/4 mile for myself and most of the guys I race with.

...If you are scared/hesitant then hand the keys over to someone else...

It's not about being scared or hesitant. It's about being proactive.

How many fireball-type explosions have any of us seen prior to the 1/8th mile? I know I can probably count them on one hand... and that's over 30+ years.

NHRA tried to slow the cars down and the only thing it did was make it worse for the teams because of parts breakage.

If they aren't going to shorten the tracks then they need to come up with a solution to slow them down that doesn't cause the carnage.

 

[Rexfiles]

I have a few friends with Alky FC's and there name is not on draglist either but that doesnt mean they dont drive/own one...

I'm amused that this came up at all.

I attended Hawley's school in Late May/early June of 1986.

I had never ever driven a car down a quarter mile at the time (drag bikes only) , let alone a 1500hp blown injected methanol funny car.

I did well enough in that car that I was invited (of course at my expense ) to come back for the TAD class, which I also passed.

I drove the F/C like it was natural to me, and almost put the TAD on its top.

the cars left w/3.5g's on the launch, and ran low 7's at a little under 200mph.

I then drove a hobby car (alky dragster) that broke into the 6's almost by accident but became much too expensive to run the car.

I have made many passes down the 1/4 mile, of course now that was over 20 years ago, on bikes mostly.......... but a return may be in the works sooner or later to at least match racing.

like I said, this is all amusing.

If someone does not like the message, attack the messenger.

I never stated I was a seasoned drag racing veteran, only that I had DRIVEN Alky cars.

I've been pretty damned quick.......... and no......... no one with no experience can even come close to relating. i'm sorry, but that is just how it is.

And I based my opinion from those experiences, whether they meet anyone else's expectations is moot.

Anyone w/a alky car care to let me prove it?

REX

 

[clwill]

Why not have a driver released hook on the back of the car or wheelie bars. Like aircrafts on an aircraft carrier.

Have 3 cables across the track to give more chances of "catching".

If it can stop a jet that weighs many tons it can stop a car that weighs 1 ton.

The outcome would not be worse than Saturday.

Someone like Jim Head could design this and make it work.

Leave the sand trap and net as last resort.

Also it seems like a short track like Englishtown could have had ten rows of those water filled barrels to cushion the impact.

Anything better than a concrete barrier.

Mike

Any system that involves the driver or the car doing something is prone to have problems -- you get a large boomer and the driver could be knocked out, blinded, or otherwise incapacitated, and the car could be damaged beyond control.

I think whatever it is, it needs to be part of the track -- escalated shutdowns, nets, soft barriers, sophisticated safety systems like the SAFER barriers in circle tracks. Something that can handle a car and driver that are completely incapacitated.

 

[hotrod]

It really is all part of racing. These guys put their lives on the line every time they climb into the car. As long as there are daredevils, there will be people out there willing to pay top dollar to see them do their thing and NHRA knows that.
This isn't the last tragedy that we will witness. There's plenty more coming. We still haven't seen a car go into the stands...it will happen...eventually.
We still haven't seen a nitro car come back to the line at full speed...it will happen...eventually. (I lost a good friend that way in Tulsa)
We still haven't seen parts fly into the stands and kill fans...it will happen...eventually.
It's all an eventuality and we're all part of it. My racing in my funny car and four dragsters has been limited to small tracks, but I knew the risks each and every time I climbed into that car. My wife knew the risks. My children knew the risks. And, every driver out there knows the risks. Doesn't change a thing.
I agree with making the shutdowns longer. In this instance, I think that it would have saved Scott's life. But not all accidents involve high speed endings. How do you prepare for every concievable accident? You don't.
If I had the money to race, I guarantee you that I would be at Englishtown racing a fuel car in a heartbeat even knowing the risks.

 

[FABMAN]

Good points, Mike and Wes. I guess that's what I was trying to get at with my ramblings before. The shutdowns aren't the problem. What is leading to the need for longer shutdowns is the problem........

Sean D

The last few months ESPNCL has been showing 03 and 04 races, F/C were running high 4.80's 320+mph and there had been no serious problems. It seems that there's a catastrophic explosion in F/C happening every week now. Like Tim W. said Sunday teams need to get band together and take control of where this sport is headed. There has been a lot of safety issues at tracks this year from track conditions, gates being opened to early, the racers and crew chiefs are the brains of this sport and it time for them to get involved and take control of their destiny.

 

[stanman]

1/8 mile drag strips would kill the sport as there is not enough length of track for paying customers to sit in the stands. And c'mon...very boring to most-

Terry, this a pretty bogus statement... with a few exceptions, most national event tracks don't have stands that are much past the 1/8 miles as it is.

Joliet and Vegas as examples... the only stands further down track are the smaller stands for the racers.

And I'll repeat my earlier statement that George Howards 1/8th mile fuel show last year was a roaring success.

 

[TJ]

Georges event is held in an area that has limited entertainment opportunities for most.
Pomona/Vegas/etc would go bankrupt w/out those stands filled.

And there are WAY more 1/4 mile dragstrips than 1/8 mile. I have been to every track on the tour and 90% have stands past the 1/8 mile.
If the top-end is boring for you and a concern than step away.
Like the 'Snake' indicated on his tribute to Scott that he feels there is nothing wrong w/ the cars or the tracks.

I am no dare devil but I enjoy running thru the light @ 240 mph....like Pulde told me when he signed my license @ LACR...'LIFE BEGINS AFTER THE LIGHTS'

 

[davey]

It really is all part of racing. These guys put their lives on the line every time they climb into the car. As long as there are daredevils, there will be people out there willing to pay top dollar to see them do their thing and NHRA knows that.
This isn't the last tragedy that we will witness. There's plenty more coming. We still haven't seen a car go into the stands...it will happen...eventually.
We still haven't seen a nitro car come back to the line at full speed...it will happen...eventually. (I lost a good friend that way in Tulsa)
We still haven't seen parts fly into the stands and kill fans...it will happen...eventually.
It's all an eventuality and we're all part of it. My racing in my funny car and four dragsters has been limited to small tracks, but I knew the risks each and every time I climbed into that car. My wife knew the risks. My children knew the risks. And, every driver out there knows the risks. Doesn't change a thing.
I agree with making the shutdowns longer. In this instance, I think that it would have saved Scott's life. But not all accidents involve high speed endings. How do you prepare for every concievable accident? You don't.
If I had the money to race, I guarantee you that I would be at Englishtown racing a fuel car in a heartbeat even knowing the risks.

Actually Larry, I think most if not all of those things have happened.

 

[stanman]

And there are WAY more 1/4 mile dragstrips than 1/8 mile.

Want to bet! Let's do a count of all the tracks in the country... not just NHRA. A large number of NHRA sanctioned tracks are 1/8th mile. In Division 3 the majority of the the NHRA sanctioned tracks are 1/8th mile. Then let's talk about IHRA tracks and all the non-sanctioned/outlaw tracks. And note that I said 1/8th mile racing not 1/8th mile tracks. A lot of your NHRA tracks that are 1/4 mile run 1/8th mile programs.

I have been to every track on the tour and 90% have stands past the 1/8 mile.

Really!?!? 90%, huh? Let's see... I said "most national event tracks don't have stands that are much past the 1/8 mile..." Let's take a little look at where some of the tracks' grandstands end.

Joliet... spectator grandstand end right about the 1/8th mile, small racer stands farther down track
Sonoma... main grandstand just past 1/8th mile, same for temporary stands
Vegas.... main grandstand ends just passed the 1/8th mile
Bristol... grandstand end before the 1/8th
Bandimere... main grand stands end before 1/8th, small number of non-pitt side go to about 1000'
Houston... right at the 1/8th
Texas Motorplex... pitside just past 1/8th, southside well short of the 1/8th, a small finish line grandstand
Norwalk... main grandstand well short of 1/8th, smaller stand just past 1/8th
Virginia.... grandstand ends right at the 1/8th
Zmax... the new facility will have stand that are just past the 1/8th

Gee Terry, my math may be a bit off but since there are only 22 tracks that host national events, I don't think your memory is very good if you think 90% of the national events have spectator stands that go much past the 1/8th.

Average spectator capacity at the national event tracks is about 30,000 from what I remember... a large basketball arena can seat that many.

 

[Bobby]

I don't think it's necessary. The shut down area at Etown had problems. We all see that. Fix that.
Don't change something that doesn't need to be changed.

 

[stanman]

I don't think it's necessary. The shut down area at Etown had problems. We all see that. Fix that.
Don't change something that doesn't need to be changed.

Bob,

I'm in complete agreement. I'm just debating the idea that somehow 1/8th mile would kill the sport. But it may become necessary if insurance companies aren't placated by other corrective actions in the future.

 

[Jim]

they do road racing events there. The wall is curved because the strip is part of the road course as far as I can tell.

The road course is not part of the drag strip and is on a different section of the property.

Jim

 

[Bobby]

Greg,

I've been a fan for 38 years. I 've never been to an 1/8 mile event. I have no idea if I 'd like it. I 'm pretty sure I'd feel like something was missing.

On television, it would just be ridiculous. sub 3 second runs? The runs look short enough now as it is.

Slow the cars down. Max Cackle and Pop. 1/4 mile.

Gosh you just think about it. How dangerous 200 mph funny cars were back in the day. If you slowed em down to 250 today they would be the safest race cars on the planet.

300+ is just NOT NECESSARY.

It's almost faster than you can comprehend. I'm pleading here.

Please slow them down. Nitro cars are damned entertaining enough at 250 they just don't need to be going 300 to be interesting. They'd still be the fastest closed course race cars on the planet.

I know I'm just a PITA fan mouthing off, but I really hurt over this stuff. Don't even think I can comprehend the hurt the families and friends feel.

I can't , but I can't get the image of what happened out of my brain either.

These drag racers are my heroes in more ways that one. One of the main things that amazes me about them is their humility and ability to be regular guys , good people, and treat their fans so well, despite the fact that they are performing incredible feats by getting in those cars and putting on such an amazing show. If any stick and ball player thinks he's got the right to be a snob , why wouldn't these guys? But they don't.

I think about Gary Scelzi sharing his grief with us on TV the other day, and then I think back to several years ago when my wife asked him if she could see his champions ring, and he was happy to show her. And didn't even seem like he was showing off the way he did it. She said to him ' I hope you get your third' He said ' I don't know it's tough, we'll see' Well he did but that's beside the point. The point is what kind of people these guys are .

Please . Keep them as safe as possible.

 

[Bobby]

The road course is not part of the drag strip and is on a different section of the property.

Jim

I guess I just thought why else would a curved cement wall be there...