NHRA Rule changes to TF and FC (2 Viewers)

[Big Daddy]

With the sweeping changes to Pro Stock class can we assume TF and FC are next?

Cant see them making huge changes like they did to PS and ignore the other two classes

SO................

If we are to assume they will have changes as well what will they be?

And what do you hope they will include?

 

[Just Paul]

The only thing I see them changing for TF is the rate of timing retard to keep the cars under 330, and a new front half chassis spec.

I don't see anything else other than some of the minor things that have been addressed in the last year like the spec intake manifolds, some of the restraints, and things like that.

I'm fine with the rules otherwise.

 

[CrewMan]

For starters on the non technical side.....

1. Once the motor is fired for the burnout....NOBODY TOUCHES THE CAR (Except to fasten the body down) until the burnout is complete and the car is at complete stop (unless there is a serious problem or emergency)
- That whole pushing of the car thing just looks stupid...and we are going to get someone hurt

2. Eliminate the "tire wiping"....it also looks stupid....it's time consuming...and does it really do anything? Much like #1...someone's gonna get hurt.

3. Funny Cars backed into pits, bodies off between rounds....or....pit access for fans must be down the sides and at the rear of pit if they allow them them to park nose in.

4. Dragsters nose in first to the pits no excuses

5. No crew toward the finish line until the run is completed

6. Speed limit on return road and through the pits will be maintained....one of these days someone is going to get run over because of this quick turnaround we now have for no reason because "live tv" with the current package is anything but. And do we really need an entire team of state highway patrol officers escorting teams to the pits...cmon.

7. No throttle stops on the burnouts. We are talking about people who have been around these cars and drag racing for awhile....make them drive the car.

Just my 02

 

[SundayNiagara]

Return to 1/4 mile racing.

 

[mick]

talk about before someone gets hurt, and in the pits.....here's what i would want if i did this for a living with decreased turn around times, notably during live broadcasts......provide an escort thru the throngs of people and turn my racecar straight into my pit; no backing in. then when i am ready to tow to lanes for next round i tow my car straight out the front of my pit into a traffic lane for race
cars only, no fans allowed......no more backing my car out into the masses trying to get to the lanes......i realize this would be hard to achieve at every venue, but it sure would be easier, safer and quicker.
and entertainment....many of us continue to say it cuz it was there and it's all gone now....can you say 'boring'? in no particular order.....more time in pits, throttle wacks, long burnouts, no throttle stops, flames, wheelies, cackle......funny that j. force will never comment on any of this, he used to be the master......someone should interview spurlock and skuza and ask them to comment on the current state of affairs.....those two 'got it' too
when this sport was hitting the 4 sec. & 300mph marks is the era IMO when everything clicked for the nhra....hey, people are still in love with eddie and ercie hill like they were just racing last year, but it's been 16 years w/o them.....the great independent teams of that era we all routed for.....1 trailer, 1 car, 1 team, 1 driver....and these teams won and set records, what a great time that was.

 

[Doug in the woods]

pushing the car forward by hand was started by Alan Johnson to elp with the clutch wear so now everyone is doing the same.
Wiping the tires down eliminates and junk that is stuck to the tire like balls of loose rubber. This helps with traction.

 

[P-Dogg]

For starters on the non technical side.....

1. Once the motor is fired for the burnout....NOBODY TOUCHES THE CAR (Except to fasten the body down) until the burnout is complete and the car is at complete stop (unless there is a serious problem or emergency)
- That whole pushing of the car thing just looks stupid...and we are going to get someone hurt

2. Eliminate the "tire wiping"....it also looks stupid....it's time consuming...and does it really do anything? Much like #1...someone's gonna get hurt.

3. Funny Cars backed into pits, bodies off between rounds....or....pit access for fans must be down the sides and at the rear of pit if they allow them them to park nose in.

4. Dragsters nose in first to the pits no excuses

5. No crew toward the finish line until the run is completed

6. Speed limit on return road and through the pits will be maintained....one of these days someone is going to get run over because of this quick turnaround we now have for no reason because "live tv" with the current package is anything but. And do we really need an entire team of state highway patrol officers escorting teams to the pits...cmon.

7. No throttle stops on the burnouts. We are talking about people who have been around these cars and drag racing for awhile....make them drive the car.

Just my 02

1. Disagree
2. Disagree
3. Agree
4. Agree
5. Disagree
6. Disagree
7. On the Fence

 

[Rajunz]

pushing the car forward by hand was started by Alan Johnson to elp with the clutch wear so now everyone is doing the same.
Wiping the tires down eliminates and junk that is stuck to the tire like balls of loose rubber. This helps with traction.

I say that if they feel the need to wipe the tires, then do a dry hop or two!

 

[none]

1 Mandatory to whack the throttle once at each warm up. Reason...Coolest thing ever for the fans. No fans = No races
2 No more pushing the cars after motor is started. Reason...they are cars not shopping carts
3 Burnout under power til the 60' clock or wherever. See reason #1

 

[CrewMan]

2 No more pushing the cars after motor is started. Reason...they are cars not shopping carts

Awesome!

 

[Wes]

Since most of the behaviors we now see with nitro cars in the NHRA circus are a direct result of speeding up the between rounds process for live or accelerated TV schedules I doubt we'll see much change going on beyond incremental safety improvements and maybe ignition restrictions. Personally, as long at TF and FC are running 1000', so should everyone else...from Pro Stock down to Super Street. Aside from pie-in-the-sky dreams of fuel-volume restricted nitro cars to boost affordability and viability of lesser-funded, non-full-timers that's all I can really hope for in this TV-driven segment of the sport.

 

[DrRocket]

Personally, as long at TF and FC are running 1000', so should everyone else...from Pro Stock down to Super Street.

NO, NO!! A thousands times no!

 

[sdwarf36]

4. Dragsters nose in first to the pits no excuses

How will that work? Have the tires spinning right at the ropes in warm ups? Pack the chutes out in the road? Have the trailer and pit that is designed for rapid turn around redone? Or should the crew just work 25 ft away from the trailer door?

 

[sammi]

Here's mine.

1)Mandate burst panels set to pop at 20 pounds of boost.
2)any nitro percentage up to 100%
3)one mag-Super Mag IV
4)Rev limiters set to 8000
5)Ask Goodyear to make a tire that requires a longer burnout to get warm
6)I second the removal of burnout devices
7)This is a purely selfish requirement....bring back the BUGs. Go Alice, Go Lisa!

I predict someone in the next four posts will slam these new rules (hopefully not number 7) as "this will cause catastrophic engine damage that will cost the teams millions of dollars." Let me get my response out of the way. "B&**#@%!" It is my keyboard crewchief opinion that each rule reduces the efficiency of the motor and may well increase parts life. Wouldn't it be a shame that orders for pistons and rods decreased 40%.

We have all heard the old parable about the circus elephants in a tent chained to the ground with a small chain and stake. The tent catches fire and the elephants, who have been trained to believe that they could not possibly pull up the small stake, burn to death. People on the inside of the NHRA circus(admins, owners, drivers, crew, parts manufacturers), because that is all they see and are exposed to, believe that they could not possibly change and they don't need to change. They like their world, they understand their world and they really don't care what those of us on the outside of their world think about them.

One last allusion. Recently one of my teeth started to die. I didn't continue on pretending the problem wasn't there. I went to the dentist, paid a lot of money, endured a fair amount on discomfort and now my teeth work well again. In life, sometimes you have to change to save yourself from a larger, possibly mortal, problem. NHRA needs to change and I hope the new boss has the vision and the guts to do it.

 

[stitcherbob]

400 cubic inch max
80% nitro max
reduce intake valve size 25%
4 stage clutch max
reduce supercharger displacement
racing surface brought back to 1320ft

 

[Randy]

1 Mandatory to whack the throttle once at each warm up. Reason...Coolest thing ever for the fans. No fans = No races
2 No more pushing the cars after motor is started. Reason...they are cars not shopping carts
3 Burnout under power til the 60' clock or wherever. See reason #1

4. Minimum 5 dry hops to the starting line, or a test launch to 100'. Drivers must communicate intentions with the other driver with the throttle peddle..
5. No throttle stops for burnouts. If you can't do a burnout without one you have no business driving a race car.
6. Must use a nickname. Jack "The Rabbit" Beckman. Ron "Full House" Capps. Matt "Pit Bull" Hagan. Tim "Who?" Wilkerson. LOL
7. $5 fine every time you forget to thank your crew chief and crew by name in an interview after you've won the race.

 

[M Jones]

Dry hops are and always will be bad ass, it's like the jab before they try to throw the knock out punch, not sure it's still possible to bring them back, if they could that would be au some

 

[CrewMan]

How will that work? Have the tires spinning right at the ropes in warm ups? Pack the chutes out in the road? Have the trailer and pit that is designed for rapid turn around redone? Or should the crew just work 25 ft away from the trailer door?

Well every time I have been to a national event the dragsters were always wheels at the ropes and parked nose in.

Get rid of the damn rapid turn around period. It serves no use but to drive up costs

 

[Muddy]

I'll continue to write this until someone sees the ease of it. Reduce the fuel tank size. The teams will eliminate the multiple high volume fuel pumps, dual mags, multiple sparkplugs and large blowers becaus they can no longer use nor need the capabilities so why spend the money. Speeds come down because you don't have enough fuel to go 330 plus. Every time the speed gets to high take away another 1/4 gallon of fuel. The most unhappy thing in drag racing is a fuel motor that just ran out of fuel. Won't take long for teams to adjust to a lower volume of fuel. Let them do it on their own in their own way. All you have to police is fuel tank volume. KISS method, quit tring to make it so complicated.

 

[Dan]

From a crew guy....if you think I like watching our car run from the top end or in the tow car on the way to the end your on dope....but if doing that buys us a couple minutes in the turn around and will help get us to the next round guess what I do on race day