NHRA has an opportunity (1 Viewer)

[Bruno]

Spectator value has diminished greatly in the "Big Show" world. Almost not worth watching qualifying anymore as very few side by side runs. Reduce the glue, reduce the fuel, go back to 1320 and let the fans enjoy what was the standard by which all cars were judged....the standing quarter mile.

 

[EVIL]

Friday night qualifying makes me feel young again.

 

[robinjackson]

robin jackson, i thought justin made some worthy comments too in regard to possible solutions going forward.

Agreed. A different angle from much of the sentiment on this thread.

 

[yoda]

There would be about 12 non qualifiers at the next event in funny car? Why would cutting the fields in half raise car counts, just cuz it would look better on paper? Isn't that the general goal right now? Look at how many cars show up in the alcohol categories for some 8car regional events.

A Main and B Main, if there are enough cars. 3 rounds; winners of each face each other for Top Eliminator.

 

[65 Goatboy]

Agreed. A different angle from much of the sentiment on this thread.

Just goes to show arm chair quarterbacks usually are wrong.

 

[65 Goatboy]

Working overtime? Is the team going to Las Vegas?

 

[Mike]

Spectator value has diminished greatly in the "Big Show" world.

Not everyone would agree..........

 

[LoPony]

Often times they are repairable, but the team will decide to swap it out and repair it at the shop where they can take the time to make sure it is done properly and decked or line honed to be perfect instead of "Close Enough"

And if you think a crank can be swapped between rounds, you have never degreed a cam in a Fuel Engine. You don't just drop it in and go. That's why the short blocks are built in the shop.

You also mentioned a cam swap, (same issue degreeing it in) and if a lifter fails they often get stuck in the block. Sometimes a slide hammer will get them out and the lifter bore is OK, sometimes not. So they swap the short block and fix it at the shop. That drastically reduces the chance of a catastrophic failure if a new lifter is put in a galled bore and run.

And I know you were kidding, but I have seen JB weld used in a pinch. Sometimes it even worked, but I wouldn't want to see it become normal.

I do think that if a team can fix it with a band aid that may or may not hold a better option is to swap it out and fix the damaged one properly at the shop. Not only is it safer, but the chances of causing an oil down are much less as well. If you think the teams don't care about blowing up engines, go back and look at Jim-Os interview last week in Dallas.

Alan

Where is said interview? I haven’t seen it.

 

[Jim]

Why would cutting the fields in half raise car counts, just cuz it would look better on paper? Isn't that the general goal right now?

There is a reason most current baseball stadiums have a capacity of about 40-45,000 instead of the 60-65,000 that was common in the 1970s. When you have 32,000 fans show up, it looks better to have a stadium that is 3/4 full than half empty.

 

[z28]

Where is said interview? I haven’t seen it.

on track interview after a run by one of the Fox broadcast team.

 

[none]

Where is said interview? I haven’t seen it.

When Clay's car blew the blower off he was interviewed on the starting lane and said something to the effect of:
The GD thing blew up again, and I'm getting sick of this Sh!t

Alan

 

[Rocket Man]

Him and all the other teams experiencing the problems.

 

[T.Smith]

Him and all the other teams experiencing the problems.

Fuel pumps big enough to put out a 5-alarm fire, valve and lifter issues.

 

[LoPony]

When Clay's car blew the blower off he was interviewed on the starting lane and said something to the effect of:
The GD thing blew up again, and I'm getting sick of this Sh!t

Alan

Oh, yes I saw that one. I thought maybe we were referring to something else. Thanks.

 

[ironpony]

Time to fix it yet ??

 

[LoPony]

Time to fix it yet ??

I certainly think so. Hoping NHRA takes action. It will be interesting seeing teams adjust that’s for sure.

 

[Cliff]

OK, injected nitro & 1/4 mile......