Lifetime fan here. My closest track for the' big show' is Topeka, which if you have seen the weather coming up for this weekend is supposed to be 95-100 degrees all three days. I understand other tracks not racing at night, whether it be for local noise ordinances, safety or other concerns. Topeka has great lighting, is next to an active air base and separated from major housing developments by miles. I'm certain there is no 'curfew' there, please correct me if I'm wrong! This track held very successful all night races in the 1990's when the NHRA ran a race during the summer months then. Since this event has been moved to August, why not run this whole event at night? Any insiders here can answer? There is ZERO shade at this track and it's going to be rough for a lot of people...fans and race crews/drivers alike!
Night racing (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter pomona99
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Al
Nitro Member
I hear you. The recent NW Nationals in Seattle had weather like that and the Sunday crowd was only 1/2 capacity as a result (although Saturday's numbers were good). I love night- time racing but there is less and less of it in recent years. At over 330 mph they really need to see well in the shutdown area, so I am sure that is part of it. Although Seattle has made recent additions to top end lighting, that far north, sundown isn't until 8:30 and the sun is in your eyes at 5:30, and they have a curfew, so there are numerous reasons some tracks seldom run at night these days. Once the schedule is set, it's pretty hard to change. I can't remember the last time they ran an entire event at night, maybe in the 90's. But that would be awesome !
Professional Fan
Nitro Member
Going to be ugly, especially on Sunday when the high is expected to be 99 and all the racing will be in the heat of the day.
LasVegas87
Nitro Member
This is one area that NHRA could / should explore. A few places could easily house a night event. LVMS being another. In that kind of heat, the tuners will be backing them down and dropping cylinders for sure.
qualified17th
Nitro Member
I feel like one of the 4 Wide races would be the perfect opportunity to experiment with this again. Only 3 rounds, so you could sing the national anthem at 6pm and still get done around 10:00. Two qualifiers on Friday (one being at night), one more around lunchtime Saturday, and then race Saturday night.
With the two 4 Wide races being less than a month apart now, seems like there needs to be something to differentiate between them, and this could be an option to do that. And hey, if it doesn't go well, who says you ever have to do it again
With the two 4 Wide races being less than a month apart now, seems like there needs to be something to differentiate between them, and this could be an option to do that. And hey, if it doesn't go well, who says you ever have to do it again
Interesting. I've never heard of this rule before. At the recently completed Mile Highs, Pro Stock ran at 7pm and nitro at 8pm on Friday night, while the sunset for Denver was 8:27pm. Saturday they ran everything an hour earlier, but still got in an evening/night session.
Rajunz
Nitro Member
Not to mention that the tracks would lose an entire day of paying spectators......
T.Smith
Nitro Member
Lol...I knew someone would bring up Denver. There may be the some exceptions with the races in June, July and August. Norwalk and Joliet come to mind.
qualified17th
Nitro Member
Not just the summertime. Let's look at the September schedule of races. The Friday night session at Indy is at 7:30pm for nitro, much closer than 2 hours from the 8:15pm sunset that day.
The schedule is out for the 2nd Charlotte race, nitro blasts off at 7:15pm Friday night, and sunset that day is 7:18.
At St. Louis the following week, the Friday night nitro session is scheduled for 7pm, sunset is 6:45pm that day.
.
Nitro Member
Ah, the old "curfew" excuse!
I'm sure there are tracks that ACTUALLY have a local noise ordinance to abide by, I get it. But I also know of tracks (at least one for sure) that claimed there was a "curfew" for MANY years..... then track ownership/management changed and suddenly there wasn't a curfew anymore. lolol. That's what happens when the track ownership/management/officials/etc. decide that don't want to be at the track late on Friday and Saturday nights. They just make up a curfew lie so nobody will argue with them when they shut down the race at 5 or 6 pm in the middle of July when it's daylight until 9:45pm.
ironpony
Nitro Member
I am approximately 5 miles from National Trails and running race cars at night is fairly loud when we sit outside. They have run events there until 11pm. When nitro was still run there it was insanely loud.
IMO you are going to really piss off a lot of people that tolerate it during the day. Hey its loud but it will be over by 5 PM and it is only one weekend a year. I enjoy racing and somedays regular drag cars gets annoying.
So to every one that says what's the big deal ? buy a house around a track, live there for years and listen to cars Wed. Fri. Sat. and Sun. then get back to me.
IMO you are going to really piss off a lot of people that tolerate it during the day. Hey its loud but it will be over by 5 PM and it is only one weekend a year. I enjoy racing and somedays regular drag cars gets annoying.
So to every one that says what's the big deal ? buy a house around a track, live there for years and listen to cars Wed. Fri. Sat. and Sun. then get back to me.
T.Smith
Nitro Member
Pro session starts with pro stock, pro stock motorcycle or even pro mod depending on the schedule.
jimbo
Nitro Member
Your obviously a drag race fan/racer. If you bought a house 5 miles away from local track that has been there forever, deal with it! You knew what you getting into!
ironpony
Nitro Member
I am not complaining in that sense. I am pointing out if you take a day event and make it a night event there are going to be a lot of really mad people. We have enough push back already don't give them more reasons .
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