Maple Grove- Sunday Eliminations

[yoda]

Late 60s- early 70s, there were a rash of front tire incidents (Zookeeper, Dickie Harrell to name two) , just as the cars were starting to see 225mph.
Couple of front wheel/tire incidents already in the past few months; maybe it's time to review that area of equipment as speeds and downforce have increased radically in the past decade...

 

[T.Smith]

Just to back up what Alan said. There is dialogue between the teams and NHRA. Some discussions can be very complicated, and both don't always agree.

I remember when F1 received a fair amount of push back over the halo's that are now attached to the cars to protect the driver's heads. That push back ended when
Romain Grosjean sailed through a triple armco guardrail and didn't get his head ripped off. So sometimes, you never know about anything.

 

[none]

I don't like the idea of that at all. The odds of it getting tangled in the chute lines, pieces of it breaking off and becoming entangled with the chassis or the tires - or the car in the other lane - (in my opinion) could cause a much more catastrophic situation than the body simply blowing off the car. Unless I've missed something, not once in the history of drag racing has a funny car body flown into the stands.

You mean like this?
Alan

 

[TSK]

I don't like the idea of that at all. The odds of it getting tangled in the chute lines, pieces of it breaking off and becoming entangled with the chassis or the tires - or the car in the other lane - (in my opinion) could cause a much more catastrophic situation than the body simply blowing off the car. Unless I've missed something, not once in the history of drag racing has a funny car body flown into the stands.

I don’t remember the specifics of where this occurred, or the car involved.
In the late ‘60s, a funny car body flew into the stands and several people were killed and hurt.
I saw the video of the crash back then and still can see the image of the body mowing people down.
If I’m not mistaken it was at an outlaw track.
I’ve lost too many brain cells since then to be more specific.

 

[scratch]

...a story best not told...

 

[Rajunz]

How does that make any sense
Greg was only 20 points behind Dallas with 6 races to go, including Reading.

I dunno, ask Tony Pedregon to explain it to you!

 

[Nitrobug]

I do remember the Pisano Cutlass ending up in the stands at Pomona in the 90's we were sitting on the street side of the track, and it landed in the pit side stands. I do not remember if any one was hurt.

 

[Just Paul]

I don’t remember the specifics of where this occurred, or the car involved.
In the late ‘60s, a funny car body flew into the stands and several people were killed and hurt.
I saw the video of the crash back then and still can see the image of the body mowing people down.
If I’m not mistaken it was at an outlaw track.
I’ve lost too many brain cells since then to be more specific.

That was the entire car, not just the body. Yellow River 1969

 

[Nitro79]

I don't like the idea of that at all. The odds of it getting tangled in the chute lines, pieces of it breaking off and becoming entangled with the chassis or the tires - or the car in the other lane - (in my opinion) could cause a much more catastrophic situation than the body simply blowing off the car. Unless I've missed something, not once in the history of drag racing has a funny car body flo

I do remember the Pisano Cutlass ending up in the stands at Pomona in the 90's we were sitting on the street side of the track, and it landed in the pit side stands. I do not remember if any one was hurt.

That happened at the 92 finals after this body launch. Mostly landed in the occupied walkway in front of the stands.

 

[Nitro79]

That happened at the 92 finals after this body launch. Mostly landed in the occupied walkway in front of the stands.

It was Dale Pulde in Pisano's car.

 

[TSK]

That was the entire car, not just the body. Yellow River 1969

Thanks Paul. I found the video after your post.

 

[Billy]

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

I assumed it was about one of the announcers.

 

[Billy]

Good thing they decide to only broadcast 3 PS pairs per show, no one will know.
Seriously, why would anyone sponsor a PS car these days with little or no TV exposure on race day?
Who made this decision? NHRA? Fox? Sucks either way.

Exactly why I only watch races on streaming.

 

[Billy]

How does that make any sense
Greg was only 20 points behind Dallas with 6 races to go, including Reading.

When you see the Laugh Emoticons, generally means he was joking.

 

[Billy]

Summernationals - and some aren't. This one definitely was!

 

[twostep]

They never show 1st and 2nd rd of pro stock in its entirety,nhra is trying to kill the class. BUT they can show 5 diffrent reruns of nitro cars and have highlights of nitro rounds we just saw 30 min ago over amd over again.

You mean like this?
Alan

Well, Alan....looks like I missed something after all.

 

[ZWeinstein]

Obviously we can not have parts and pieces flying into the grandstands, saw it one time with tragic results. In my opinion it seems like the problem is when the bodies stay in one piece. Twice Robert Hight had bodies fly into spectator areas, once was what Alan posted and the other was back in 2018(?) in St. Louis where it hit the video board right above a group of spectators both times the body stayed in one piece. It seems "safer" when the bodies shred apart for both driver and spectators. I've always assumed that when a body is blown off, even when staying in one piece, it was trashed anyway. For the crew guys on here, is that the case?

 

[Nitrobug]

That happened at the 92 finals after this body launch. Mostly landed in the occupied walkway in front of the stands.

Thank you for the clarification. It was only my 3rd race going to as a kid. Great photo by the way.

 

[timebombkal]

Since Connie and Doug are very well-healed financially, I wonder if they offer to pay for the repairs to the Tony S. car. Yes, Tony Stewart is worth many millions too, but it seems like the right thing to do for the Kalittas. If so, would us fans even hear about this sportsman-like gesture?

It was a tire or wheel that caused this crash, should they ask the maker of the tire or wheel to pay ?