Maple Grove- Sunday Eliminations (16 Viewers)

[stitcherbob]

For those who don't or won't Facebook ...

 

[LoPony]

Prior to the tethers being required NHRA has discussed several solutions to keeping the body and parts out of the stands/spectators. One of which was the installation of "netting" like they have at baseball games. That idea was scrapped due to the cost that the tracks and/or NHRA would have to endure along with spectator's view being "blocked". Tethers are not the answer as witnessed by the Force accident along with those of Capps, Hagen et al. NHRA needs to revisit this before a fatality happens due to the tethers. NHRA needs to ask the chassis builders, the body builders, the drivers, crews and crew chiefs for their input not just listen to one or two people who have their "ear" when making rules.

I dunno, it seems like whatever solutions they have in place right now are doing fine? Did I miss something? Did somebody get hit with something today? ALMOST everything has stayed within the walls this season, and for most events that I can remember, with only a couple of exceptions that were way down track. I know a spectator in a motorhome was hit with a tire part from Shawn Reed’s crash near the top end, and that’s unfortunate, but rare. Wonder if there was a lawsuit pending from that?

I’m not challenging you viewpoint here, but for those of us who aren’t really familiar, please explain why the body tethering is a hazard.

For the record, I’m fine with watching them lunch bodies in the air. Ha!

 

[LoPony]

What a weekend! Congrats Shawn Reed, Dallas Glenn and Cruz Pedregon!

 

[jgrigz]

He has a good point, this has been an issue for years. Johnny Gray wasn't a fan of them after his explosion in Sonoma and that was over 10 years ago. We also can't have bodies going into the stands, not sure what the right answer is.

As I recall he was trapped in a burning car wasn’t he?

 

[Tim]

Anybody know what this is in reference to?

https://twitter.com/x/status/1967305302572925188

 

[NitroLuver]

I don't know. Easy for me to say as I've never experienced a flying body or any car part coming at me.

But I think they should remove the tethers or do something different. Just as a fan has to keep their head on a swivel while in the pits avoiding scooters, golf carts, and crews bringing cars to and from the track...one needs to do the same when on the fence or in the stands. Pay attention to what's going on.

 

[chop]

Anderson DQ'd for burning across the starting line twice...........what's this world coming to?

 

[Just Paul]

In the early 90’s Austin Coil designed a body ejection system where in case of a fire the body would be ejected with air cylinders off the front of the car and then there was a cable that tied the rear tree to the chassis. I’m pretty sure John only ran it at a match race and then it was shelved for weight and other reasons.

I’m wondering if a spin off of that cable system would be ok. You could still have teathers to keep the body together as much as possible, but they would connect in the rear tree area of the body instead of the front. You can still blow the body off and get the chutes out and just have the body drag well behind the car far enough with the cable where the chutes could still be open. And also long enough to not just rip the cable off the chassis / body when it came off. I’m sure there is a possibility of the chutes getting tangled in the cable but at least the body would be off the driver, not in the crowd and the chutes would be deployed.

I’m sure it’s not that simple, but it comes to mind for me when this topic comes up.

 

[Chili]

Anybody know what this is in reference to?

https://twitter.com/x/status/1967305302572925188

I’m just guessing that it’s about Stewart’s interview following the crash being it was a Kalitta car. He didn’t point fingers or say anything negative about the incident.

 

[ResidentEvilRock]

Anderson DQ'd for burning across the starting line twice...........what's this world coming to?

Yeah….. I noticed that as well. Dad looked at me and goes: “Ain’t that his team mate”?

 

[Paul]

Anybody know what this is in reference to?

https://twitter.com/x/status/1967305302572925188

Hagan tore into NHRA about tethers in his interview with Courtney or maybe Prock saying he was driving like a dickhead?

 

[Ponyhntr]

Anderson DQ'd for burning across the starting line twice...........what's this world coming to?

That has been a rule forever.

 

[jsracz]

No doubt. Cars all over the track, blowing up left and right, body shredded, crashes, funny cars almost in the sand trap. Man, I wish I’d been there in person for this one.

Honestly, it was painful to sit there and watch today. There was so much downtime between pairs running down the track it just wasn't fun. First round the left lane was clearly a struggle, I think maybe two fuel cars won from that lane. (I could be wrong on the exact number). Just a long day sitting through it all. First time I wanted to leave early, ever in over 40+ years.

 

[Tim]

Hagan tore into NHRA about tethers in his interview with Courtney or maybe Prock saying he was driving like a dickhead?

Very well could be. At first I couldn’t tell if JR was miffed by what a track announcer said then with the Kalitta post made me think it was comments from a driver.

 

[z28]

In the early 90’s Austin Coil designed a body ejection system where in case of a fire the body would be ejected with air cylinders off the front of the car and then there was a cable that tied the rear tree to the chassis. I’m pretty sure John only ran it at a match race and then it was shelved for weight and other reasons.

I’m wondering if a spin off of that cable system would be ok. You could still have teathers to keep the body together as much as possible, but they would connect in the rear tree area of the body instead of the front. You can still blow the body off and get the chutes out and just have the body drag well behind the car far enough with the cable where the chutes could still be open. And also long enough to not just rip the cable off the chassis / body when it came off. I’m sure there is a possibility of the chutes getting tangled in the cable but at least the body would be off the driver, not in the crowd and the chutes would be deployed.

I’m sure it’s not that simple, but it comes to mind for me when this topic comes up.

why don't we try to make the blowoff panel bigger. Seems to me that might prevent some of these full front-end blowups and maybe give the driver an opening to see out of if the whole front end comes up.

 

[LoPony]

Hagan tore into NHRA about tethers in his interview with Courtney or maybe Prock saying he was driving like a dickhead?

Prock was referring to himself with that one.

why don't we try to make the blowoff panel bigger. Seems to me that might prevent some of these full front-end blowups and maybe give the driver an opening to see out of if the whole front end comes up.

Regarding the blowout panels, yeah, they could put it around the whole perimeter of the car in front of the driver, that might help, I don’t know.

Regarding Anderson and the starting line, he didn’t know he went over the starting line, even though his crew were jumping up and down and waving him off. He completely ignored them. He took it all on himself, though as far as responsibility. He said, live and learn.

 

[LoPony]

I’m just guessing that it’s about Stewart’s interview following the crash being it was a Kalitta car. He didn’t point fingers or say anything negative about the incident.

Yeah, nothing anybody could’ve done about that one. The tire came off and he just went into him.

 

[J. S.]

Honestly, it was painful to sit there and watch today. There was so much downtime between pairs running down the track it just wasn't fun. First round the left lane was clearly a struggle, I think maybe two fuel cars won from that lane. (I could be wrong on the exact number). Just a long day sitting through it all. First time I wanted to leave early, ever in over 40+ years.

I just followed the race on DragRaceCentral, but my impression was similar. Waay, waay too many tire smokers in the fuel classes this year. It seems much worse than in the past. This makes for very bad racing, other than the occasional "pedalfest" between two drivers, but this is not how it is supposed to work.

I have been thinking a lot about this problem. Is it time to allow traction control devices? I know this has been a taboo subject for decades, but it sure seems to me that it would make for a much better show if the fuel cars did not constantly go up in smoke.

 

[camaro]

if i may ask a silly question! why does the tether need to be so short? why not design it to be long enough to allow the body to separate from the car, but not long enough to allow the body to fly into the grandstands

 

[J. S.]

if i may ask a silly question! why does the tether need to be so short? why not design it to be long enough to allow the body to separate from the car, but not long enough to allow the body to fly into the grandstands

Maybe, but then how do you keep the body from getting tangled up in the parachute as it drags behind the car?