New for 2026- TAFC / TAD

[Sherman, Sherm, & Sherm Gun]

WILL TOP ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR REMAIN IN NAME ONLY? | Competition Plus

The injected nitro combination is not new to NHRA, which legalized the combination again two years ago to stimulate participation in the Top Alcohol Funny Car

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[Cliff]

BOBBY BENNETT: MAYBE IT'S TIME TO REPLACE TOP ALCOHOL NAME WITH PRO COMP | Competition Plus

Drag racing sometimes comes full circle. In watching the recent additions to the Top Alcohol Funny Car division, and most recently, both categories, we are

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[JohnnyNitro]

I have always thought that adding the Heritage series Nitro Cars to the big show would be a great crowd pleaser.

 

[timebombkal]

Could one of these new funny car jump up to the AA/FC class if they had a short field ?

 

[z28]

Could one of these new funny car jump up to the AA/FC class if they had a short field ?

seems possible to me and they might be able to win some rounds on a hot track.

 

[Ponyhntr]

Could one of these new funny car jump up to the AA/FC class if they had a short field ?

Yes

 

[Randy]

Someone somewhere has a heritage car that wants to race more in the big show has pull in nhra- Sean they keep saying to improve the car counts the only way to do that is to pay more!The purses has been bad since day one.My first nat.event we made 16g with contingency my last was total of6g backward inflation

The last race we ran in TA/FC, the 2012 Winternationals, we won it. I had every contingency sticker possible on the car. Total winnings including NHRA purse? $7,200. In the semi finals against Sean's boss, Tony Bartone, we dropped an intake valve, and it did a fair amount of damage. Afterwards, the bill to fix it was more than we got paid to win the event. In the final against Jay Payne, one of the chutes wrapped itself around the rear end, caught the body and screwed everything up. Besides all the normal stuff you'd expect, it was an expensive weekend, but worth it to me.

Back then, when I made the decision to quit TA/FC, I could see the writing on the wall. Mike Buonocore and I were talking about this last week. We saw owners aging, no new blood so to speak coming into the class, great racers (Manzo, Pat, Bucky, etc., leaving or left), lack of interest, empty grandstands, plenty of other things to do. I'm thankful for the nearly 25 years I got to do it, and we had a lot of fun. But it was time to move on before the lights went out. And they did.

I'll say something that'll probably ruffle a few feathers, but winning today isn't like winning before. The Wally's have lesser meaning in my opinion. Back then, in one event just to reach the finals, it's likely you had to go through at least Pat, Bucky, Manzo, Payne, Bartone, Mickey Ferro, Lombardo, Miner Bros, etc., which we did. Today, singles, 6 car fields (instead of 25 to 30), bye runs, maybe a lucky round or two, and one dominant car puts you in the winner's circle.

I'm sorry, but I'm not the only one who has quietly said this. I remember races where if you didn't have your act together in qualifying, you went home on Friday. Now, anything that makes a pass and gets past the scales and fuel check is running on Sunday.

Let me dig out my fire suit before you light me up. But it's sad, and I wish things were different, but it's reality now. And I'm not sure there is a fix.

 

[sutton]

Randy
I totally agree with you "KID" just look at the average age of the members on this site, 70s. I think I am one of the senior members. drag racing has lost the younger generation due to the type of cars they drive today. many of the younger kids don't know what end of a screwdriver to use let alone build or race a car. They go to the races for the sound and excitement. not the competition, and it is only going to get worse. I have said on other issues to build a track today is a bad idea unless you plan on running it like a circus and not true drag racing. The GOOD old days are gone for ever.
Larry Sutton---

 

[twostep]

The last race we ran in TA/FC, the 2012 Winternationals, we won it. I had every contingency sticker possible on the car. Total winnings including NHRA purse? $7,200. In the semi finals against Sean's boss, Tony Bartone, we dropped an intake valve, and it did a fair amount of damage. Afterwards, the bill to fix it was more than we got paid to win the event. In the final against Jay Payne, one of the chutes wrapped itself around the rear end, caught the body and screwed everything up. Besides all the normal stuff you'd expect, it was an expensive weekend, but worth it to me.

Back then, when I made the decision to quit TA/FC, I could see the writing on the wall. Mike Buonocore and I were talking about this last week. We saw owners aging, no new blood so to speak coming into the class, great racers (Manzo, Pat, Bucky, etc., leaving or left), lack of interest, empty grandstands, plenty of other things to do. I'm thankful for the nearly 25 years I got to do it, and we had a lot of fun. But it was time to move on before the lights went out. And they did.

I'll say something that'll probably ruffle a few feathers, but winning today isn't like winning before. The Wally's have lesser meaning in my opinion. Back then, in one event just to reach the finals, it's likely you had to go through at least Pat, Bucky, Manzo, Payne, Bartone, Mickey Ferro, Lombardo, Miner Bros, etc., which we did. Today, singles, 6 car fields (instead of 25 to 30), bye runs, maybe a lucky round or two, and one dominant car puts you in the winner's circle.

I'm sorry, but I'm not the only one who has quietly said this. I remember races where if you didn't have your act together in qualifying, you went home on Friday. Now, anything that makes a pass and gets past the scales and fuel check is running on Sunday.

Let me dig out my fire suit before you light me up. But it's sad, and I wish things were different, but it's reality now. And I'm not sure there is a fix.

My lighter and my gasoline remain where they are, Randy. Hate to see it but I know you're right. There's a few exceptions such as big-payout no prep events that bring out a lot of people - guess you can credit Street Outlaws for a lot of that - but many people have simply transitioned to things other than drag racing. TAFC seems to have been hit the hardest but I see signs of less interest in drag racing, period, from Top Fuel to the lowest Stocker.

Back in my high school days the 2 topics at hand were who had the coolest/fastest car and who had the hottest girlfriend. If you had a GTO or an SS396 and a cheerleader riding shotgun you were THE DUDE. Myself, I had a '56 Chevy Wagon and only about 3 girls that even liked me. Nowadays it's more a case of who has the newest I-Phone and who the hottest Tik-Tok influencer is. We're not gonna change that; we just have to roll with it - and it's not just limited to drag racing, either. NASCAR suffers the same problem and for the same reasons.

 

[ch streetcars]

My lighter and my gasoline remain where they are, Randy. Hate to see it but I know you're right. There's a few exceptions such as big-payout no prep events that bring out a lot of people - guess you can credit Street Outlaws for a lot of that - but many people have simply transitioned to things other than drag racing. TAFC seems to have been hit the hardest but I see signs of less interest in drag racing, period, from Top Fuel to the lowest Stocker.

Back in my high school days the 2 topics at hand were who had the coolest/fastest car and who had the hottest girlfriend. If you had a GTO or an SS396 and a cheerleader riding shotgun you were THE DUDE. Myself, I had a '56 Chevy Wagon and only about 3 girls that even liked me. Nowadays it's more a case of who has the newest I-Phone and who the hottest Tik-Tok influencer is. We're not gonna change that; we just have to roll with it - and it's not just limited to drag racing, either. NASCAR suffers the same problem and for the same reasons.

You guys are definitely correct about today's lack of interest by many youth. I Joliet 66 race this year, but I

My lighter and my gasoline remain where they are, Randy. Hate to see it but I know you're right. There's a few exceptions such as big-payout no prep events that bring out a lot of people - guess you can credit Street Outlaws for a lot of that - but many people have simply transitioned to things other than drag racing. TAFC seems to have been hit the hardest but I see signs of less interest in drag racing, period, from Top Fuel to the lowest Stocker.

Back in my high school days the 2 topics at hand were who had the coolest/fastest car and who had the hottest girlfriend. If you had a GTO or an SS396 and a cheerleader riding shotgun you were THE DUDE. Myself, I had a '56 Chevy Wagon and only about 3 girls that even liked me. Nowadays it's more a case of who has the newest I-Phone and who the hottest Tik-Tok influencer is. We're not gonna change that; we just have to roll with it - and it's not just limited to drag racing, either. NASCAR suffers the same problem and for the same reasons.

 

[ch streetcars]

You guys are definitely correct about today's lack of interest by many youth. I missed Joliet 66 race this year regrettably, but I really had a great time at Eddyville ,Ia. Funny Car Chaos. I think they had 25 cars with a few being fuel altereds. Plenty of young people both watching and helping on cars. The Farm truck guy brought several young people in , I'm sure, but after seeing Vega, Camaro , Mustang and mopar nostalgia funny cars with catchy names and candy paint, some of the young people were completely Blown away ! Lots of t-shirts sold @20 bucks. Gave me optimism.

 

[z28]

You guys are definitely correct about today's lack of interest by many youth. I Joliet 66 race this year, but I

people go to the races for excitment. Nothing better that a full bodied sprung car can run over 250 while while driving all over the lane (ie promod) or 2 funny cars blast down the track. You never know what will happen. The alcohol cars are to much like pro stock. They usually just motor down thru there. Adding a little more nitro may save them.

 

[Nunz]

people go to the races for excitment. Nothing better that a full bodied sprung car can run over 250 while while driving all over the lane (ie promod) or 2 funny cars blast down the track. You never know what will happen. The alcohol cars are to much like pro stock. They usually just motor down thru there. Adding a little more nitro may save them.

I'd have to disagree, the alky cars are nothing like PS. I like just about every category including PS, but IMO alky FCs are a whole lot wilder than Pro Stockers. But that's the cool thing about drag racing, you get a little of everything!

 

[Butch]

Nunzio, as that saying goes If it's too loud you're too old. Well, I'd say many of us older folks 70+ prove that line is false. lol

 

[Topfuel386]

I wonder if any part time TF/FC teams will step back to this new combo in the alcohol class.

 

[Just Paul]

I wonder if any part time TF/FC teams will step back to this new combo in the alcohol class.

I also wonder if they will require the latest TF Front half specs, there are some old TF cars sitting around that would make a good start....

It says "Requirements and specifications for both blown nitro combinations are the same as those for Top Fuel and Funny Car" so I doubt it, but something that came to mind for someone with an older car to run this class without having to front half the car.

 

[Chili]

I wonder if any part time TF/FC teams will step back to this new combo in the alcohol class.

It would make sense to use it as training for a young driver like Haddock’s son.

 

[Ponyhntr]

I also wonder if they will require the latest TF Front half specs, there are some old TF cars sitting around that would make a good start....

It says "Requirements and specifications for both blown nitro combinations are the same as those for Top Fuel and Funny Car" so I doubt it, but something that came to mind for someone with an older car to run this class without having to front half the car.

Gotta be current chassis spec.

 

[Just Paul]

Gotta be current chassis spec.

Yeah I figured.

 

[Randy]

I wonder if any part time TF/FC teams will step back to this new combo in the alcohol class.

I think #17 and #18 non qualifiers in FC get paid more than the winner of TA/FC.