NHRA puts Johnny Gray and Warren Johnson at risk?

[MM]

i see what you guys are saying....it was Compton in the Library with the lead pipe

....and Light was the second gunman on the grassy knoll

 

[Jenn]

Did it occur to you that maybe NHRA didn't KNOW it was wet?

That's a lot of track surface area. It'd be hard to inspect every square foot.

 

[You!]

That's a lot of track surface area. It'd be hard to inspect every square foot.

Just remember that as you're sliding on your roof.

The classic today was when Rick Stewart had to smear his hand across the roof line of one pro stocker to see if it was actually wet or not!

You guys are right. NHRA handled it correctly. I mean. c'mon, it's too hard to possibly check the whole race track after it rains. I mean, if they only had some sort of track drying device....um,...no that couldn't be. What was I thinking?

Just be sure to cinch 'em extra tight next time YOU run after it rains.

 

[chop]

I was sitting @ about 750' and the track was not wet.I barely got hit by a few rain drops,I'm taking NHRA's side on this one. WJ said that run reminded him of his IHRA days.

 

[Randy]

Anyone else notice on TV that as the track dryer pulled on the track at the turn out the jet blast blew water out of each expansion crack on the racing surface as it headed up the track?

Johnny's car let loose at the transition from concrete to asphalt. It could be that at the transition water was weeping through the joint onto the racing surface.

I agree that Johnny crashed 3-4 times without hitting anything. I was waiting to see him hit the chutes to help save it.

I know Johnny very well from racing with and against him in his alky funny car days. He isn't one to get all riled up, but I think he was entitled to this time.

RG

 

[Pete]

Anyone else notice on TV that as the track dryer pulled on the track at the turn out the jet blast blew water out of each expansion crack on the racing surface as it headed up the track?

Johnny's car let loose at the transition from concrete to asphalt. It could be that at the transition water was weeping through the joint onto the racing surface.

I agree that Johnny crashed 3-4 times without hitting anything. I was waiting to see him hit the chutes to help save it.

I know Johnny very well from racing with and against him in his alky funny car days. He isn't one to get all riled up, but I think he was entitled to this time.

RG

I agree with you Randy. I was shocked to see the dryer kick up all that "wet stuff" when making the turn onto the track. Those of us that race have been at the track many times, NHRA or not, and after a rainstorm usually there is a visual inspection of the track by an offical on a scooter, to see what type of equipment may needs to roll. However, when it is just sprinkles, usually the officals will expect the track temperature to dry the track and 9 times out of 10 they are correct. No matter what, when you are dealing with the high horsepowered cars in the Pro ranks, you would think a little more care would be taken of the surface to ensure everything is safe.

 

[my friends call me Zappy]

I thought it was the job of all those track side spotters to notify the starter if they felt rain or saw water on track. We could have lost TWO drivers today.

(ps) yes Dave, that sticker is old.

 

[FC138fan]

I tend to agree that they wouldn't have sent them on a wet track. But if you have the race still on DVR or whatever, I think I remember them wiping one of the windshields down with a towl just before the run and me thinking that seemed odd. Am I mistaken?

 

[chop]

It was not a rainstorm period and the track guys did check the track before they ran. I was as surprised as anybody they got out of shape because it didn't rain enough to take an aspirin with.

 

[Professor Dave]

i'm not saying that NHRA intentionally sent cars down a wet track, but I was also at Columbus when Jason Line raced for the first time in pro stock. For all of you who were there at Atlanta, after the rain delay, did NHRA do what it always does after the fuel cars make a run down the track-namely send guys out on the track to make sure it's dry?

 

[Bullet]

Do you really believe that NHRA sent cars down the track knowing that it was unsafe?

That is exactly what I thought Alan!

To even think that the NHRA would do such a thing is ridiculous.

To blame it on the "NHRA" is easy, but go and blame it on the individual NHRA Officials who have names, families and many of whom have raced themselves.

 

[TR]

I don't think it makes any difference who thinks who was at fault. No one was hurt or any race car damage done and that to me is the most important. You can race another day. I have known Johnny Gray for a long time and he has driven every kind of drag car built, successfully. He is probably the best driver in the sport overall, and he did a masterful job of not crashing on that pass. I can understand him being upset right after the pass, which brings up the point what is with these interviewers trying to talk to someone right after something like this? That shows so much lack of proffesionalism that it isn't even funny. They need to let the driver gather his thoughts before sticking a mike in his face as he is trying to get out of the car. Someone is going to deck that announcer some day, I wish Johnny would have. Anyway that is my 2 cents. Good driving job Johnny.

 

[clwill]

Just remember that as you're sliding on your roof.

The classic today was when Rick Stewart had to smear his hand across the roof line of one pro stocker to see if it was actually wet or not!

You guys are right. NHRA handled it correctly. I mean. c'mon, it's too hard to possibly check the whole race track after it rains. I mean, if they only had some sort of track drying device....um,...no that couldn't be. What was I thinking?

Just be sure to cinch 'em extra tight next time YOU run after it rains.

It's so easy to be right from your armchair...

 

[Bullard Anderson]

It happened right in front of me Sunday. The track safety member was looking at the track intensely and checking. Who knows!! A miserable day either way with 1 drop here and there. Thankfully Johnny was able to take care of business in the cockpit.

 

[Bross Hawg]

I tend to agree that they wouldn't have sent them on a wet track. But if you have the race still on DVR or whatever, I think I remember them wiping one of the windshields down with a towl just before the run and me thinking that seemed odd. Am I mistaken?

Have any of you guys ever raced at a track that gets humid? Don't you remember the interviews with all the drivers saying their visors were fogging up? When it is humid, it does that to glass, plastic, etc. Especially later in the evening. We always had a moving blanket over the windshield of the funny car and crew guys had towels to wipe it down when the body came down. You also get condensation on the body from the humidity.

 

[You!]

It's so easy to be right from your armchair...

Yup, me in my arm chair. I've never been down the track in my life.



I have no past or present experience in these types of situations at all. I apologize.

 

[clwill]

I have no past or present experience in these types of situations at all. I apologize.

That wasn't my point. Were you in Atlanta?

 

[none]

That wasn't my point. Were you in Atlanta?

You need to quit while you are behind..........

 

[Johnny Mopar]

Yup, me in my arm chair. I've never been down the track in my life.



I have no past or present experience in these types of situations at all. I apologize.

This is a pretty serious thread, but you sure did put a smile on my face.

 

[FC138fan]

Have any of you guys ever raced at a track that gets humid? Don't you remember the interviews with all the drivers saying their visors were fogging up? When it is humid, it does that to glass, plastic, etc. Especially later in the evening. We always had a moving blanket over the windshield of the funny car and crew guys had towels to wipe it down when the body came down. You also get condensation on the body from the humidity.

OK, then I was mistaken...