NHRA Rule changes to TF and FC

[DrRocket]

Sportsman is legit drag racing, but the vast majority of today's generation doesn't want to see that stuff. IMO Sportsman drag racers are interested in sportsman drag racing. Let them have their own event. I would think if you ask the sportsman racers in the pits, they wish they didn't have to deal with the "horizontal oil derricks" and the circus that is the current big show anyhow. And they would love it just as much if the stands were empty or not.

Iffen the sportsmen weren't there, I wouldn't. I go just as much to see them as I do the "pros." Love to watch the stockers and super stockers.

 

[twostep]

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

THAT won't work. It'd be awful embarrassing to line a Top Fuel car under those rules up against Frankie Taylor's ProX Corvette, and have Taylor win. If you want to slow the cars a bit for a return to 1320' racing, mandate 6:1 and 20% blower OD. That's all it takes.

But since we're not going back to 1320' racing, at least mandate pitside throttle whacks. NHRA can do that much for us, can't they?

 

[twostep]

Here's mine.

1)Mandate burst panels set to pop at 20 pounds of boost.

Better give 'em a little more boost than that, Mark, seeing as how they're running about 60 pounds right now.

 

[my friends call me Zappy]

1) 2) 7) agree 100%
3&4 disagree let a guy park his race car the way he/she wants
5 need more explanation...?

 

[FC138fan]

Iffen the sportsmen weren't there, I wouldn't. I go just as much to see them as I do the "pros." Love to watch the stockers and super stockers.

I can appreciate that, I have lots of good memories from going to divisional events and watching the sportsman. But in the big picture, I would think losing sportsman at the big show would overall boost attendance by bringing in the casual fan. I think my generation (I was born in 1980) has grown up with one foot out the door with respect to appreciating hot rods of the past, and the next generation (my kids) have both feet out - they're just not interested.

Case in point: Monster Jams. I grew up when monster trucks were trucks. They were beautiful machines, gigantic wheels, shiny chrome, giant leaf springs, fulls steel bodies - they would climb atop the cars and tilt the hood open to expose the shiny engine and pose for pics. My kids would NOT be interested in this, they go for the in your face cartoon-like molded plastic bodied trucks of today. And although the appeal of these new monster trucks is NOTHING like they were for me in my youth, I gotta admit they are very entertaining and worth the price of admission.

 

[Toejam]

Of all the Comments I did see, the fact that virtually NOBODY whacks the throttle anymore in the pits is a Bummer! I did hear somebody do it in Denver, but I was so far away I had no idea who it was. Having said that....until a Top Five Player starts doing it and still runs the numbers, you can bet that is gone forever! These teams are Monkey see...Monkey do!

 

[vegasnitro]

I did hear somebody do it in Denver

Scott Palmer.

 

[PJ]

We are forgetting the trickle down effect. Any rules that slow tf/fc to get them back to 1320 will cause something to be done with Alky cars as well. I assume they will want to maintain a decent gap between the 2 classes. I don't think they'd want Nitro in the high 4's lows 5's then Alky just a couple tenths behind. With that we have now increased the cost of change to a ton more teams.

IHRA still does 1/4 I believe (or at least last time I went) so the cars/crews can do it. I still like the idea of 1320 on the tracks that can do it and 1000 on the ones that can't. Baseball, nascar, Indy and hockey(although most are the same now) have spent years succeeding with differences between locations.

 

[Huge]

We are forgetting the trickle down effect. Any rules that slow tf/fc to get them back to 1320 will cause something to be done with Alky cars as well. I assume they will want to maintain a decent gap between the 2 classes. I don't think they'd want Nitro in the high 4's lows 5's then Alky just a couple tenths behind. With that we have now increased the cost of change to a ton more teams.

IHRA still does 1/4 I believe (or at least last time I went) so the cars/crews can do it. I still like the idea of 1320 on the tracks that can do it and 1000 on the ones that can't. Baseball, nascar, Indy and hockey(although most are the same now) have spent years succeeding with differences between locations.

Other then nostalgia funny cars...does nitro cars run in ihra?

 

[mastertone]

Get rid of all throttle stop classes !!!

 

[FC138fan]

I still like the idea of 1320 on the tracks that can do it and 1000 on the ones that can't. Baseball, nascar, Indy and hockey(although most are the same now) have spent years succeeding with differences between locations.

I heard Al Hofmann coin the phrase "E.T." limits back in 2001. He knew at some point the cars they were driving would hit a wall and elapse time records would stand forever.

I think they hit that point around the time Scott Kalitta crashed that day in E town. The proposed solution was to stop all nitro cars at 1000', and blame the disaster on poor shut down areas. While the reasoning for their solution was at least partially correct, they missed (or ignored) the bigger picture. I don't know all the motives for shortening the race for nitro cars to 1000', but the fact that they shortened the race to 1000' at all tracks suggests that the part of the problem was occurring between 1000' and 1320' (the zone where the E.T. limits were being surpassed, parts were failing, and cars were exploding).

I believe nowadays the 1000' restriction is based on what Al talked about back in 2001. If shutdowns were the only problem, they could... excuse me, should have done 1320 on tracks that can do it and 1000 on insufficient ones.

Ideally they would have had a long term plan on dealing with reaching of the E.T. limits. Come to think of it... they should have had a long term plan well beforehand (Al saw this coming in 2001) to deal with the E.T. limits - probably even should have been implementing changes at that time.

Instead they knee jerked all nitro to 1000' and ignored the bigger problem. I haven't been watching in years... are they again pushing the E.T. limits now at 1000'? Logically (if history repeats) the next solution will be 1/8 mile.

 

[PJ]

Other then nostalgia funny cars...does nitro cars run in ihra?

it's been a couple of years since I've taken in the Nitro Jam show. Not sure what they have now, I do know they kept with 1320 after NHRA dropped down to 1000

 

[PJ]

I heard Al Hofmann coin the phrase "E.T." limits back in 2001. He knew at some point the cars they were driving would hit a wall and elapse time records would stand forever.

I think they hit that point around the time Scott Kalitta crashed that day in E town. The proposed solution was to stop all nitro cars at 1000', and blame the disaster on poor shut down areas. While the reasoning for their solution was at least partially correct, they missed (or ignored) the bigger picture. I don't know all the motives for shortening the race for nitro cars to 1000', but the fact that they shortened the race to 1000' at all tracks suggests that the part of the problem was occurring between 1000' and 1320' (the zone where the E.T. limits were being surpassed, parts were failing, and cars were exploding).

I believe nowadays the 1000' restriction is based on what Al talked about back in 2001. If shutdowns were the only problem, they could... excuse me, should have done 1320 on tracks that can do it and 1000 on insufficient ones.

Ideally they would have had a long term plan on dealing with reaching of the E.T. limits. Come to think of it... they should have had a long term plan well beforehand (Al saw this coming in 2001) to deal with the E.T. limits - probably even should have been implementing changes at that time.

Instead they knee jerked all nitro to 1000' and ignored the bigger problem. I haven't been watching in years... are they again pushing the E.T. limits now at 1000'? Logically (if history repeats) the next solution will be 1/8 mile.

Just thinking out loud as to a few possibilities....(not that I buy into them 100%, but I like thinking all the way around an issue)
-Track owners. Not sure how much input they have BUT if you were told you were "only" going to be a 1000' track instead of 1320' would that make you a lesser event? Would people skip your race to go to a full race? Nascar has no problems with this but they are used to it, change freaks people out so I can see some owners taking issue with it.
-Insurance. Carries get worried about payouts, going to 1000' cut the track down while also increasing the shutdown area and possibly either made them happier or was able to keep NHRA's rate more manageable. It seemed like we had gone years without a death at a major track/event, then in a matter of a few years it was happening more often.
-The issues happening in that last 320' will happen at 1000' too, it's the nature of the beast. With the amount of Funny car bodies blown off over the past couple of years some could argue that they already are at that point. Do we wait until they are looking at 800' track or do something to slow the cars that will either a) allow 1320' racing and/or b) keep the cars at 1000' but safer?
-Our sport has been built on doing what people thought was impossible. 250mph. 300mph, 5seconds, 4 seconds. These are magical barriers. While I don't like to see that part of the sport change, there is the realization that we are at least at the edges of our current safety limits for parts, tires and racing surfaces. Perhaps pumping the brakes a bit to allow innovation in other areas to catch up will help the sport in the long run.

 

[FC138fan]

-The issues happening in that last 320' will happen at 1000' too,

When cars start blowing up before 1000' at the rate they were blowing up between 1000' and 1320' its safe to say they're back to square one. I haven't been watching enough to know if this is the case or not. You are right there are many more factors involved... and the solution isn't an easy one. It shows a glimmer of hope that the heads are thinking when they are implementing some rule changes to PS, but changes are also necessary in the fuel classes. But as so many have pointed out, there are so many other things to consider (the alky classes passing the fuel classes in performance for one). Wow, the solution may not even be possible at this point without some new technology or a completely new vehicle to come along to radically change the fuel cars to be able to continue to lower E.T. limits and press on.

 

[my friends call me Zappy]

Other then nostalgia funny cars...does nitro cars run in ihra?

I'm going this Sat. to a "NITRO JAM" event, I'll let you know Eugene. On the flyer they sent it says: NITRO HARLEYS - CROWER PRO MODS-
US BOUNTY HUNTER PRO STOCKS - AMSOIL NITRO FUNNY CARS. Go to US131MSP.COM for more info.

2015 SPECIAL EVENTS

All race tickets include free pit passes and free parking.



IHRA NORTHERN NITRO JAM ~ August 7-8, Friday & Saturday

This year's IHRA Northern Nitro Jam will feature an eight car qualified field of Nostalgia Nitro Funny Cars that are vying for a world championship. Additional Nitro fumes will be coming from an eight bike qualified field of Top Fuel Harleys. The return to the IHRA's foundation returns as Pro Modifieds and Mountain Motor Pro Stock will be competing. This event will again be showcasing the four lady racers from the Larson Racing Team. All of these ladies will be pilioting Jet Powered Dragsters. In addition the kids will not want to miss the twin engine jet propelled Fire Truck. Returning the the Northern Nitro Jam with the Amsoil Pro Am Series are seven different Sportsman classes all competing to be the IHRA World Champion in their respective catergory.



Tickets purchased in advance are $20 or $25 at the gate and Saturday advanced price is $25 or $30 at the gate. Children 6-12 are just $10 each day, 5 and under are free.

 

[my friends call me Zappy]

Get rid of all throttle stop classes !!!

We don't have to kill the T-stop classes...just ban the T-stops

 

[Huge]

I'm going this Sat. to a "NITRO JAM" event, I'll let you know Eugene. On the flyer they sent it says: NITRO HARLEYS - CROWER PRO MODS-
US BOUNTY HUNTER PRO STOCKS - AMSOIL NITRO FUNNY CARS. Go to US131MSP.COM for more info.

2015 SPECIAL EVENTS

All race tickets include free pit passes and free parking.



IHRA NORTHERN NITRO JAM ~ August 7-8, Friday & Saturday

This year's IHRA Northern Nitro Jam will feature an eight car qualified field of Nostalgia Nitro Funny Cars that are vying for a world championship. Additional Nitro fumes will be coming from an eight bike qualified field of Top Fuel Harleys. The return to the IHRA's foundation returns as Pro Modifieds and Mountain Motor Pro Stock will be competing. This event will again be showcasing the four lady racers from the Larson Racing Team. All of these ladies will be pilioting Jet Powered Dragsters. In addition the kids will not want to miss the twin engine jet propelled Fire Truck. Returning the the Northern Nitro Jam with the Amsoil Pro Am Series are seven different Sportsman classes all competing to be the IHRA World Champion in their respective catergory.



Tickets purchased in advance are $20 or $25 at the gate and Saturday advanced price is $25 or $30 at the gate. Children 6-12 are just $10 each day, 5 and under are free.

Thank's paul.

 

[CrewMan]

I heard Al Hofmann coin the phrase "E.T." limits back in 2001. He knew at some point the cars they were driving would hit a wall and elapse time records would stand forever.

I think they hit that point around the time Scott Kalitta crashed that day in E town. The proposed solution was to stop all nitro cars at 1000', and blame the disaster on poor shut down areas. While the reasoning for their solution was at least partially correct, they missed (or ignored) the bigger picture. I don't know all the motives for shortening the race for nitro cars to 1000', but the fact that they shortened the race to 1000' at all tracks suggests that the part of the problem was occurring between 1000' and 1320' (the zone where the E.T. limits were being surpassed, parts were failing, and cars were exploding).

I believe nowadays the 1000' restriction is based on what Al talked about back in 2001. If shutdowns were the only problem, they could... excuse me, should have done 1320 on tracks that can do it and 1000 on insufficient ones.

Ideally they would have had a long term plan on dealing with reaching of the E.T. limits. Come to think of it... they should have had a long term plan well beforehand (Al saw this coming in 2001) to deal with the E.T. limits - probably even should have been implementing changes at that time.

Instead they knee jerked all nitro to 1000' and ignored the bigger problem. I haven't been watching in years... are they again pushing the E.T. limits now at 1000'? Logically (if history repeats) the next solution will be 1/8 mile.

Well if you extract the some of the current 1000' times into potential 1/4 mile times....I would say they are either pushing or exceeding. And if the so called 330mph barrier was an issue with the tires...well they have busted that too in 1000'. So while I understand the NHRA's decision to 1000' after the accident...their claims as to why hold no water with me because like you say they are missing the bigger picture.

 

[n/a]

Other then nostalgia funny cars...does nitro cars run in ihra?

The last few years Top Fuel were at the two Canada races only. I believe the two tracks paid t/f to come in.

 

[Toejam]

I knew the minute this thread was posted, we would get a lot of "Make them like Nostalgia cars" comments......should have known.