I don't know what to think about this . It is my ultimate dream to oneday have a and race a big show nitro funny car , its allready hard enough knowing that there will never be another E.T or Speed record but a spec motor . If this happens then if I ever accomplish my dream then I will wind up feeling like I don't know . I am one of those people who would want to change things and fiddle with things and innovate and make better . I am only 20 years old and have never raced anything before but have dreamed about going drag racing for a while now . I wonder sometimes whether I should just forget about my drag racing dreams and maybe dream about something like bonneville where I could do whatever I wanted .
Nitromater
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New NHRA Nitro 'Spec' Engine for Top Fuel and Funny Cars
- Thread starter Raconteur
- Start date
T.Smith
Nitro Member
Good...grab me a burger while your there.
They can't slow them down that much without having the alky cars catch up and there is no good reason to slow the alky cars down.
I think trying to halt progress is going to backfire. Imagine if they were that whipped by the insurance idiots in the 50's, we'd never see anybody go 175 mph. The ideal speed for insurance is stationary. Zero mph. Hard to hit anything if nothing moves. 5 mph is a risk. People are even killed in cars that aren't moving.
I think trying to halt progress is going to backfire. Imagine if they were that whipped by the insurance idiots in the 50's, we'd never see anybody go 175 mph. The ideal speed for insurance is stationary. Zero mph. Hard to hit anything if nothing moves. 5 mph is a risk. People are even killed in cars that aren't moving.
Bill
Nitro Member
William,
So.... you're 20.
When I was 20 years old (1958), I had a 17-second Stocker and was busy trying to gain an extra tenth, because that's what I needed to beat a certain '55 Chevy with my '50 Olds 88...
That was great "basic training" for me and stood me in good stead in the years to come as I built and raced a legal Stock Eliminator car, a few Gas Coupes and ended up with a supercharged motor in a bracket car after Modified Eliminator died.
I think you'd benefit from some hands-on experience like that. There's a LOT more to drag racing than Funny cars and Fuelers!! In fact, those cars are a tiny minority of the whole drag racing spectrum.
Get yourself an old V8 Holden and some slicks and see how fast you can make it without breaking the bank. You might be surprised how insignificant the problems of Professional racing look, when you're behind the wheel of your own racer.
It's fun.........
Bill
So.... you're 20.
When I was 20 years old (1958), I had a 17-second Stocker and was busy trying to gain an extra tenth, because that's what I needed to beat a certain '55 Chevy with my '50 Olds 88...
That was great "basic training" for me and stood me in good stead in the years to come as I built and raced a legal Stock Eliminator car, a few Gas Coupes and ended up with a supercharged motor in a bracket car after Modified Eliminator died.
I think you'd benefit from some hands-on experience like that. There's a LOT more to drag racing than Funny cars and Fuelers!! In fact, those cars are a tiny minority of the whole drag racing spectrum.
Get yourself an old V8 Holden and some slicks and see how fast you can make it without breaking the bank. You might be surprised how insignificant the problems of Professional racing look, when you're behind the wheel of your own racer.
It's fun.........
Bill
Last edited:
William,
So.... you're 20.
When I was 20 years old (1958), I had a 17-second Stocker and was busy trying to gain an extra tenth, because that's what I needed to beat a certain '55 Chevy with my '50 Olds 88...
That was great "basic training" for me and stood me in good stead in the years to come as I built and raced a legal Stock Eliminator car, a few Gas Coupes and ended up with a supercharged motor in a bracket car after Modified Eliminator died.
I think you'd benefit from some hands-on experience like that. There's a LOT more to drag racing than Funny cars and Fuelers!! In fact, those cars are a tiny minority of the whole drag racing spectrum.
Get yourself an old V8 Holden and some slicks and see how fast you can make it without breaking the bank. You might be surprised how insignificant the problems of Professional racing look, when you're behind the wheel of your own racer.
It's fun.........
Bill
I am actually planning to build a little low buck altered kind of thing with just reall basic stuff on it . I know what you are saying about nitro being only a little part of drag racing but in saying that out of all the classes in drag racing nitro funny car is the only class I have ever dreamt of being in .
Nitrohaulic
Nitro Member
TooTall999
Nitro Member
In the interest of slowing the fuel cars down and saving parts,maybe only one rule change is needed.Make it mandantory that the engine you qualify with (block,crank,heads and blower) have to stay in the qualified car throughout eliminations. This would drastically change the mindset of the crew chiefs and change the tuneups accordingly. At first there would probably be some by-runs as there would be no-shows after grenading an engine, but it would eventually lead to more conservative tuneups,while maintaining competiveness. I don't know that this would be accepted, but it is worth considering at least.
FalconRacer
Nitro Member
my friends call me Zappy
Nitro Member
Has'nt the 1,000ft nitro accomplished the above goals??
Safer, lower speeds
Less blow-ups
closer racing
More stopping distance
Without affecting the Alky classes
All I must say, without making any tracks extinct.
( also Virgil is right-if we go back to 1320 and slow TF & FC to 280-300MPH, you better believe nhra will change TAD & TAFC)
Do we REALLY want to go thru all these changes, just to go another 320ft??
Just a thought gang.....be carefull what you wish for.
Safer, lower speeds
Less blow-ups
closer racing
More stopping distance
Without affecting the Alky classes
All I must say, without making any tracks extinct.
( also Virgil is right-if we go back to 1320 and slow TF & FC to 280-300MPH, you better believe nhra will change TAD & TAFC)
Do we REALLY want to go thru all these changes, just to go another 320ft??
Just a thought gang.....be carefull what you wish for.
I thought NHRA already had a spec engine. They have a limited blower and blower drive system. They have a limited ignition system. Only 2 spark plugs per cylinder. The don't allow computer controled fuel systems, which are on all new passenger cars.
Other limitations are wheelbase, clutch, types of engines allowed. Top fuel is far from an unlimited race car!
Mike Hilsabeck
Other limitations are wheelbase, clutch, types of engines allowed. Top fuel is far from an unlimited race car!
Mike Hilsabeck
Timmah I will agree that the Nostalgia cars have that Grunt sound that todays cars lack...at least idling anyway, but do you and other fans go to the track because of how the cars sound in the Pits, or how they sound on the track? And I do think the "Noise" factor plays into the Drag racing experience! That being said; I enjoy the Nostalgia cars as much as anybody, I just don't think that's gonna take this sport to the next level, at least on the Pro level anyway!
Just as the 1000' racing, I''m willing to give anything a chance. But 4.80's @300 seems watered down to me, and that may be just me!
d'kid
Nitro Member
Guess people go to the drags for different reasons... I go to watch one or two cars race, if they are out, from that point, I could care less... but one of the weekend highlights is watching Alan walking the wall...
Funny too that I'll watch sportsman run, but pipe racks leave me cold. Only a couple of rails I'll hang to watch run, cars from Team K. and people I know. I grew up around floppers, and i'll watch them, alky, gas, injected, on pop, 6/71, 14/71. really pisses me off that alky cars don't run the big show at Richmond.
In fact, it's at the point, if certain cars go out on Sunday, I turn the audio cast off.
And yeah, Big Show cars don't Smell Right, nor do they Sound Right... and yeah, I enjoyed 6.6/6.7 AA/FD and 6.9/7.1 AA/FC more than I like todays blink and it's over cars.
d'kid
Funny too that I'll watch sportsman run, but pipe racks leave me cold. Only a couple of rails I'll hang to watch run, cars from Team K. and people I know. I grew up around floppers, and i'll watch them, alky, gas, injected, on pop, 6/71, 14/71. really pisses me off that alky cars don't run the big show at Richmond.
In fact, it's at the point, if certain cars go out on Sunday, I turn the audio cast off.
And yeah, Big Show cars don't Smell Right, nor do they Sound Right... and yeah, I enjoyed 6.6/6.7 AA/FD and 6.9/7.1 AA/FC more than I like todays blink and it's over cars.
d'kid
JRX
Nitro Member
I welcome anything that will make the fields bigger, infusing new teams and those who are currently on the sidelines. The sound, fury, smell, and volatility will still be there. Those that have the best parts will always rise to the top, but it gives the lesser funded teams a better chance to compete.
The one thing that the possibility of going to a new 'spec" engine combo might bring to the table is a return of the importance of a driver's ability to get the car down the track. Once again it's the argument on who's the star of the show...the cars or the drivers.
The one thing that the possibility of going to a new 'spec" engine combo might bring to the table is a return of the importance of a driver's ability to get the car down the track. Once again it's the argument on who's the star of the show...the cars or the drivers.
kingcobrafan
Nitro Member
If the trickle-down effect of a nitro spec motor will mean jacking around the alky classes to slow them down as well, I say scrap it. I think 1000 ft. sucks, but I'll put up with it if it means leaving the alky classes alone.
Terry
Nitro Member
Maybe Ashton Kutcher
is related to WJ?Treeshaker
Nitro Member
I have just spent 2 days at the Atlanta NHRA national event and this is some of what I learned.
There is an NHRA spec parts testing program taking place. I was told that I can't say what the parts are or who is doing it. All the pro teams have made some suggestions on what they feel needs to be done, but it is landing on deaf ears.
Try running one of these alcohol class cars at some of the tracks that have points meets, then get back to us on whether you think they need to be slowed down a bunch or not.
Racing to me is a business. I look at the capital investment, cost to run, and potential income. Even at today's costs, the pro nitro classes are a much better deal than the way the nostalgia nitro classes have turned out. Lower the costs in the professional nitro classes by reducing the fuel volumne, limiting the number of clutch discs, and going to one mag, and it will be back to where the independents can compete at numerous events per year and survive or make money on their race winnings. Match racing would become affordable for the small tracks again, and everyone will flourish.
The alcohol classes have always been and will always be the biggest financial losers, from a business standpoint. There are exceptions, but it is from drivers buying the rides, not cost of running verses income potential.
There is an NHRA spec parts testing program taking place. I was told that I can't say what the parts are or who is doing it. All the pro teams have made some suggestions on what they feel needs to be done, but it is landing on deaf ears.
Try running one of these alcohol class cars at some of the tracks that have points meets, then get back to us on whether you think they need to be slowed down a bunch or not.
Racing to me is a business. I look at the capital investment, cost to run, and potential income. Even at today's costs, the pro nitro classes are a much better deal than the way the nostalgia nitro classes have turned out. Lower the costs in the professional nitro classes by reducing the fuel volumne, limiting the number of clutch discs, and going to one mag, and it will be back to where the independents can compete at numerous events per year and survive or make money on their race winnings. Match racing would become affordable for the small tracks again, and everyone will flourish.
The alcohol classes have always been and will always be the biggest financial losers, from a business standpoint. There are exceptions, but it is from drivers buying the rides, not cost of running verses income potential.
RickyD
Nitro Member
Thanks Virgil.
My take is that as long as the insurance company is involved there WILL be change. It seems it is happening and there ain't nothing anybody can do about it. The ins. industry runs most of what we do. NHRA must bow to the ins. or they are out of business. "Big Biz Blackmail"
My take is that as long as the insurance company is involved there WILL be change. It seems it is happening and there ain't nothing anybody can do about it. The ins. industry runs most of what we do. NHRA must bow to the ins. or they are out of business. "Big Biz Blackmail"
Bill
Nitro Member
Wm. Payne wrote: "I am actually planning to build a little low buck altered kind of thing with just really basic stuff on it . I know what you are saying about nitro being only a little part of drag racing but in saying that out of all the classes in drag racing nitro funny car is the only class I have ever dreamt of being in ."
Well, William, when I was your age, the cars that fascinated me were the Supercharged Gas Coupes (sort of the Funny Cars of today), and I wanted a blown (supercharged) motor to play with, but instead, I built several normally-aspirated modified cars and a Stocker and learned the basics of hot rodding from the most elementary to as much sophistication as my budget would take me (which usually, wasn't very far.) No way could I afford a blower....
While I was racing my cobbled-up junk, a funny thing happened; NHRA did away with the Supercharged Gas Coupe classes, replacing them with A/FX, B/FX, C/FX and soonafter, fledgling classes for the "new" Funny Cars that were being morphed out of the FX'ers... BLown Gassers were suddenly "passe"....
I never got to run my dream car; a Blown Olds-powered '40 Willys, but I got a whale of an education in how to make cars accelerate more quickly (on gasoline) in the process, and had a TON of fun along the way!
You need to crawl before you can walk in this bidness, and the learning curve starts with some pretty simple stuff, but it needs to be addressed before you go on to the more esoteric and sophisticated systems.
You don't need an Altered or a Dragster to learn this stuff; you can learn an awful lot with your street-driven ride, if you try.
I finally got my supercharged engine THIS YEAR (at age 70!) when I stuffed a Vortech centrifugal blower onto the 360 Magnum in my '72 Valiant. The education I have received in building all those normally-aspirated engines made it pretty easy for me to choose the right parts, and systems to assemble a basically stock short block with unaltered heads that puts my car through the quarter-mile in less than 12 seconds at nearly 120 mph... and puts out 445 rear wheel HP on a chassis dyno.
That's chicken feed to a lot of people, but it feels really good at full throttle, to me. I was able to do this by myself due to the education I have received by reading drag racing magazines, serving as a tech official at the local strips where I lived for about ten years, and paying attention when the smart people talked.
I have never worked on an Altered, or Dragster, but have turned wrenches on a lot of doorslammers.
The point I am trying (very poorly) to make is: You don't need a purpose-builr race car to learn this stuff. A lot can be learned by racing your daily driver.
It's a whole lot cheaper and you can get started quicker.
Buy some tools and start turning wrenches! You'll never learn any younger.... and, good luck! I have a feeling that you WILL have that Fuel F/C one day..
But, like I said; you have to crawl before you can walk....
Bill
Well, William, when I was your age, the cars that fascinated me were the Supercharged Gas Coupes (sort of the Funny Cars of today), and I wanted a blown (supercharged) motor to play with, but instead, I built several normally-aspirated modified cars and a Stocker and learned the basics of hot rodding from the most elementary to as much sophistication as my budget would take me (which usually, wasn't very far.) No way could I afford a blower....
While I was racing my cobbled-up junk, a funny thing happened; NHRA did away with the Supercharged Gas Coupe classes, replacing them with A/FX, B/FX, C/FX and soonafter, fledgling classes for the "new" Funny Cars that were being morphed out of the FX'ers... BLown Gassers were suddenly "passe"....
I never got to run my dream car; a Blown Olds-powered '40 Willys, but I got a whale of an education in how to make cars accelerate more quickly (on gasoline) in the process, and had a TON of fun along the way!
You need to crawl before you can walk in this bidness, and the learning curve starts with some pretty simple stuff, but it needs to be addressed before you go on to the more esoteric and sophisticated systems.
You don't need an Altered or a Dragster to learn this stuff; you can learn an awful lot with your street-driven ride, if you try.
I finally got my supercharged engine THIS YEAR (at age 70!) when I stuffed a Vortech centrifugal blower onto the 360 Magnum in my '72 Valiant. The education I have received in building all those normally-aspirated engines made it pretty easy for me to choose the right parts, and systems to assemble a basically stock short block with unaltered heads that puts my car through the quarter-mile in less than 12 seconds at nearly 120 mph... and puts out 445 rear wheel HP on a chassis dyno.
That's chicken feed to a lot of people, but it feels really good at full throttle, to me. I was able to do this by myself due to the education I have received by reading drag racing magazines, serving as a tech official at the local strips where I lived for about ten years, and paying attention when the smart people talked.
I have never worked on an Altered, or Dragster, but have turned wrenches on a lot of doorslammers.
The point I am trying (very poorly) to make is: You don't need a purpose-builr race car to learn this stuff. A lot can be learned by racing your daily driver.
It's a whole lot cheaper and you can get started quicker.
Buy some tools and start turning wrenches! You'll never learn any younger.... and, good luck! I have a feeling that you WILL have that Fuel F/C one day..
But, like I said; you have to crawl before you can walk....
Bill
Professor Dave
Nitro Member
For more teams to be racing (and please stand up and tell me how happy any of us are to see Hot rod or Hillary or Melanie or JR or TJ Jr or that funny guy from Ohio or Phil Burkart or any of the Hartman's or Smiths' without rides or Densham on the sidelines), then Virgil Hartman is right-costs must be lowered and if as a fan, you don't understand that, then there is no hope for you.
As for going back to quarter-mile racing, c'mon the best reason is to give people a chance to get back into the throttle when there is a smoke fest. Who doesn't like that? Of course, I'm old enough to remember when top fuelers smoked the tires on a good run for most of the quarter mile, and yes I did LOVE that. But then I think asking for NHRA to outlaw slipping the clutch is beyond hope-hell my partner does it in his four-cylinder F/D.
As for going back to quarter-mile racing, c'mon the best reason is to give people a chance to get back into the throttle when there is a smoke fest. Who doesn't like that? Of course, I'm old enough to remember when top fuelers smoked the tires on a good run for most of the quarter mile, and yes I did LOVE that. But then I think asking for NHRA to outlaw slipping the clutch is beyond hope-hell my partner does it in his four-cylinder F/D.
