NHRA and A/Fuel Funny Car (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Randy
- Start date
Randy
Nitro Member
If the alky classes are the training ground for the pro classes you can't get any closer regarding driver activities in the car than A/Fuel.
MM
Nitro Member
then why do they allow it in the dragster class?
"Dr. Dirt"
Nitro Member
Randy,
I would have thought you have heard enough parity whining over the last few years with the long cars to last a lifetime? Wouldn't this just get worse if it became an option with the floppers too?
Don't get me wrong, it is a perfect fit but to maintain parity, we really would need four separate alky classes just to reduce the kicking and screaming.
I would have thought you have heard enough parity whining over the last few years with the long cars to last a lifetime? Wouldn't this just get worse if it became an option with the floppers too?
Don't get me wrong, it is a perfect fit but to maintain parity, we really would need four separate alky classes just to reduce the kicking and screaming.
Smiley
Nitro Member
I can't see why they wouldn't allow it, as has been stated, they let the dragsters do it. I think it would bring a new edge to the class. Have any of the Funny Car drivers ever shown interest or petitioned for an Injected Nitro option?
While we're at it, let get Rick Santos back out there with a Blown Nitro Smallblock Chevy in a funny car!
While we're at it, let get Rick Santos back out there with a Blown Nitro Smallblock Chevy in a funny car!
.
Nitro Member
Randy, can a centrifugal clutch be used behind an alky(F/C) motor?
I have always been curious about this.
Conversely, can the current 3 speed be used behind an A/Fuel motor?
Also, what kind of downforce would the engine like to see and would it come from the greenhouse?
I have always been curious about this.
Conversely, can the current 3 speed be used behind an A/Fuel motor?
Also, what kind of downforce would the engine like to see and would it come from the greenhouse?
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handsome
Nitro Member
yes. a few were trying it with marginal sucess so nobody complained, then Scott Weiss figured it out and hauled a$$. then everyone stomped and threw fits so ihra outlawed the combo..... i would really be interested in trying it.
RAPID
Nitro Member
Well for the real factual answer, you should go ask at the funnycar board. But a brief version is they had them before in IHRA. I think it was Scott Wiese who had the last one. A couple of guys figured out how to really run hard. The Cavalieri's were one of them. Anyway, IHRA and I think at about the same time NHRA both outlawed them. They were hauling azz and an alky car couldn't compete with the then current blowers and such.
Now please don't take this is exactly correct as I am only repeating what I have heard, but that is the way I believe it all went.
Rapid {Look at that, the AA/FA guy talking Funnycar history}
Now please don't take this is exactly correct as I am only repeating what I have heard, but that is the way I believe it all went.
Rapid {Look at that, the AA/FA guy talking Funnycar history}
Now that A-fuel has taken over Dragster the class is boring as hell IMO! FC's have the highest car counts in 5+ years, more than Dragsters at some races. Why kill it? If NHRA would listen the drivers and get rid of that Dumbass 92% rule and give back the 125% they may get even more cars! I heard Bob Devour and Bob Newberry pushed that rule from the beginning but not sure...
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RAPID
Nitro Member
I know you were asking the other Randy, but I will give a short response. He can go into it better.
Alky likes to be revved up, and Nitro likes a load. So a glide clutch leaving from an idle isn't the best choice for an alky car. Although to answer your question, yes it will work, but the combo would be way different than a current big show alky car.
Nitro likes load. It doesn't like to be revved up, then shifted, then revved up etc,,,, So a 3-spd isn't what it really wants to make HP. It is better to load it with clutch not gear avantage. Not to say that a small pump deal wouldn't work out pretty well by keeping the pump speed up. JMO
I hope that isn't too basic and helps a bit. I wasn't sure how "DEEP" a response you were looking for.
Rapid
Randy
Nitro Member
I watched a couple sessions of TAD at Pomona from the grandstands for a change. The alky dragsters were zinging the rpms on high "C" while the AFD's sounded like they were just cruising. Teams are telling me 60-80 runs on the rods and pistons, and 100+ runs on the cranks. This is coming from the 5.20 AFD teams. They buy a set of valve springs over the winter to get them through the next year while we buy them by the pallet.
Having said all that, I would like to see this option available. Bucky Austin and several others have stated that this would be of interest to them. It would definitely reduce the cost once the switch is made and reduce the rate of valve failure related ka-booms on race day. If we would have stayed at 125% over the valve train related failures would have been a lot lower, but now we have to buzz the heck out of them to run hard and I don't see the overdrive rule ever going back.
Right now many would say TA/FC has no parity, anyway. So why not? I'd love to give it a try.
RG
Having said all that, I would like to see this option available. Bucky Austin and several others have stated that this would be of interest to them. It would definitely reduce the cost once the switch is made and reduce the rate of valve failure related ka-booms on race day. If we would have stayed at 125% over the valve train related failures would have been a lot lower, but now we have to buzz the heck out of them to run hard and I don't see the overdrive rule ever going back.
Right now many would say TA/FC has no parity, anyway. So why not? I'd love to give it a try.
RG
Angus
Nitro Member
It's funny that you mention it Randy. Years ago when I was still becoming a student of this wonderful sport, we had a National Open in Calgary. Mitch Myers was there and his dad took us into his pit area and explained that they made the switch to keep costs down. He actually sat down and told us the parts comparisons and as a fan, I thought - why don't they do this with funny cars? Even without the blower, fuel is cool.
As far as parity goes, I see the same guys in the same qualifying order at most events anyway. I don't see alot of parity now. With some tweaking, maybe we could have parity. (No disrespect meant to guys who have perfected the blower tune-up. Those guys are awesome and deserve everything that they have earned.)
As far as parity goes, I see the same guys in the same qualifying order at most events anyway. I don't see alot of parity now. With some tweaking, maybe we could have parity. (No disrespect meant to guys who have perfected the blower tune-up. Those guys are awesome and deserve everything that they have earned.)
Ask Jay Payne, Mic Snider, Don Hutson, Lee Calloway, and Sean O'Bannon why they run FC. Like I said, those who want to run Pop go Dragster, those who like Blowers and there are Racers who still like Blowers. Run in FC!
For all the hoopla that A-Fuel supposedly brought to TAD the car counts have plumeted from 10 years ago. In FC however they are higher than in recent memory. If NHRA ever entertained the idea of A-fuel FC it would kill the class in a season.
johnny
Nitro Member
I think the opposite would happen. Most don't remember when Veney, Wild Wilfred etc. all ran injected fuel cars. Wilfred ran the first 6. A very entertaining and exciting time. Parity wouldn't be that big of an issue, after the exodus (away from blowers).
Jim
Nitro Member
My first reaction was, "Mutually assured destruction" caused by having to spend a lot more money.
Almost seems counter-intuitive to think a step-up to Fuel (injected) after the initial costs, could be easier (on parts and people) and cheaper.
Seems to me, if NHRA and other racers could be convinced that they wouldn't have to spend themselses into oblivion, it could really boost the semi-pro (feeder) class.
I like the Alky F/Cs - I'd REALLY like (injected) FUEL F/Cs.
Almost seems counter-intuitive to think a step-up to Fuel (injected) after the initial costs, could be easier (on parts and people) and cheaper.
Seems to me, if NHRA and other racers could be convinced that they wouldn't have to spend themselses into oblivion, it could really boost the semi-pro (feeder) class.
I like the Alky F/Cs - I'd REALLY like (injected) FUEL F/Cs.
