No Enclosed Cockpit For DSR In Pomona

[BigDaddyB]

WTF NHRA has known what Schumacker was up to for sometime. Why not partner with DSR, be pro active, is that something so new in today's world. They should have sent team of experts to Florida to do due diligence on the canopy. What is the off season use to do.

 

[Buns]

Yeah, I'm not unhappy with NHRA wanting to analyze the cockpit; that only makes sense. Their timing is what's suspect. They passed on a chance to debut something big at the Winternationals that really changes the appearance of a TF'er and instead they want to maybe allow it three races into the season?

It just seems like a really big missed opportunity that they seemingly had plenty of time to analyze before-hand.

 

[mick]

it would be very surprising if nhra's 'technical experts' are able to point
something out to DSR/mfg. company/engineers about this canopy that
they have failed to address already.

hey, whatever, debut it @ the southern nationals for all i care.

 

[twostep]

Myself, I'm fine with safety testing this thing. What I still can't wrap my arms around is the whining about it being a performance advantage. I don't believe so (Schu ran 3.76/324, exactly what he was running pre-canopy), but so what if it is? It's available to all... Is innovation in auto racing completely dead?

I'd hate to see Top Fuel become any more of a modern-day IROC series than it already is.

 

[MM]

...but so what if it is? It's available to all... Is innovation in auto racing completely dead?

I'd hate to see Top Fuel become any more of a modern-day IROC series than it already is.

NHRA cannot afford to have the cars going any faster than they are. The tires WILL NOT stand it! Some of the tire chunking I saw last year was enough to scare the hell out of me.

 

[shoe]

The speeds do not cause tire chunking. There are many factors that cause the chunking, temp., track surface, and track prep. The canopy was designed for driver safety. We have not had any aero studies done to have the canopy crest a better aero package.

 

[MM]

The speeds do not cause tire chunking. There are many factors that cause the chunking, temp., track surface, and track prep.

Don, the factors you're referring to all lend themselves to faster speeds. Cooler air temps, cooler track temps, and tighter track conditions all increase top speed and the likelihood of tire chunking, at least that's what we have seen with our car.

 

[MHayes]

Brad Hadman definitely has some strong feelings/thoughts about the DSR developed canopy. Interesting read....

http://www.competitionplus.com/drag-racing/news/20114-hadman-lesser-funded-teams-talk-canopy

 

[FC138fan]

Don, the factors you're referring to all lend themselves to faster speeds. Cooler air temps, cooler track temps, and tighter track conditions all increase top speed and the likelihood of tire chunking, at least that's what we have seen with our car.

Do you think - or know - that the speeds are the culprit for tire chunking? I have no experience whatsoever with this stuff directly, but it seems to me that if you get a tire spinning that fast pieces would start flying off - remember that MythBusters episode where they souped up a router to incredible speeds and the little rubber wheel they were spinning started spitting chunks off.

 

[You!]

The tire chunking issue is related to when the driver steps off the throttle while still on a prepped section of the racing surface. This even happens at half track if the engine throws a belt.

 

[FC138fan]

The tire chunking issue is related to when the driver steps off the throttle while still on a prepped section of the racing surface. This even happens at half track if the engine throws a belt.

Does anybody know why it does this?

 

[Toejam]

NHRA cannot afford to have the cars going any faster than they are. The tires WILL NOT stand it! Some of the tire chunking I saw last year was enough to scare the hell out of me.

Mike, how many passes can you guys squeeze out of tires?

 

[MM]

Mike, how many passes can you guys squeeze out of tires?

Depends on track conditions. On a hot, greasy track usually we can get up to 4-6 before the tire roll out grows to much for our liking and we get rid of them. On a cool, tight track, (i.e. track temp mid 80s or less) we use up a set every time we make a full pass. We rarely (if ever) chunk a set of tires if the car doesn't go at least 800 feet under power. The faster you are going, the more downforce is created by the rear wing, which increases how well the car is stuck to the track, thus increasing the likelihood that the tires will chunk.

Nick, to answer your question about why the tires chunk on deceleration, imagine super gluing your shoe to the floor, then trying pick your leg up. Your foot will come out, but your shoe will remain stuck to the floor. Same basic concept.

 

[FC138fan]

Nick, to answer your question about why the tires chunk on deceleration, imagine super gluing your shoe to the floor, then trying pick your leg up. Your foot will come out, but your shoe will remain stuck to the floor. Same basic concept.

Why don't they chunk during acceleration too? (or do they?)

Sounds like the mechanism for chunking is completely different then what I thought. I thought the spinning threw chunks out of the tire, sounds more like they are getting ripped off the tire. Maybe its a combination of the two?

Sounds complicated. Is this the reason they were only prepping the track to 1000' way back when the pro stock guys were all in a ruckus?

 

[Bullard Anderson]

Not pretending to be an expert here.

If you can think of one situation where a driver will not be able to escape a car due the positioning of the car and the canopy, why OK it?

First instinct I've seen in 99.9% of crashes is to get out of the car. Not quite sure about adding an obstruction.


On the outside it seems it should be a decision a driver should make for themselves if the NHRA approves.

 

[HEMI6point1]

Brad Hadman definitely has some strong feelings/thoughts about the DSR developed canopy. Interesting read....

http://www.competitionplus.com/drag-racing/news/20114-hadman-lesser-funded-teams-talk-canopy

Sorry but Hadman is wrong. Someone did die from stuff entering the cockpit: Darrell Russell.

 

[MM]

Sorry but Hadman is wrong. Someone did die from stuff entering the cockpit: Darrell Russell.

It wasn't from the front going straight into the driver, which is what Hadman said in the article .

 

[MM]

Why don't they chunk during acceleration too? (or do they?)

Sounds like the mechanism for chunking is completely different then what I thought. I thought the spinning threw chunks out of the tire, sounds more like they are getting ripped off the tire. Maybe its a combination of the two?

Sounds complicated. Is this the reason they were only prepping the track to 1000' way back when the pro stock guys were all in a ruckus?

The reason they don't chunk (as much) during acceleration is because the tires are slipping and spinning while under acceleration. If you look at the tire of a fuel car during a super slo-mo launch, you'll see the tire spin 2-3 times before the car moves. This is because the tire is slipping and not fully bonded to the racetrack. When the driver lifts the tire stops slipping and this is the point when the tire is "stuck" hardest to the track surface, so this is when they are most in danger of chunking. We have had instances where tracks were so tight that we chunked the front tires.

 

[jackass]

Sorry but Hadman is wrong. Someone did die from stuff entering the cockpit: Darrell Russell.

he seemed to hint no one had died from somethng coming in the front of the cockpit on the driver.. and mentioned that the Open wheel cars are open... but F1 has had drivers killed from pieces coming in .. Masa was almost killed from a spring off another car couple years ago... hit him in the left front of his helmet.... freak thing ..but it happens.... best to be prepared for those type things....

Don.. want to shut them up on the safety side?.. do the fozen chicken test like they do with airplane windshields.... seriously...

Worried about and areo performance inhancement? add a 1/2 inch wicker to the top of the canopy and disrupt the flow of the air....

 

[Bross Hawg]

he seemed to hint no one had died from somethng coming in the front of the cockpit on the driver.. and mentioned that the Open wheel cars are open... but F1 has had drivers killed from pieces coming in .. Masa was almost killed from a spring off another car couple years ago... hit him in the left front of his helmet.... freak thing ..but it happens.... best to be prepared for those type things....

Don.. want to shut them up on the safety side?.. do the fozen chicken test like they do with airplane windshields.... seriously...

Worried about and areo performance inhancement? add a 1/2 inch wicker to the top of the canopy and disrupt the flow of the air....

Billy, the frozen chicken test is bunk because I don't know of any frozen chickens flying around at a national event, do you? The tests are different with a non frozen chicken...not sayin', just sayin'...In my 6 yrs on a TF Funny team, we NEVER hit anything with the car cept the wall or a cone. Never a bird. Not sayin it can't happen, but you could get hit by a bolt of lightning walking out your front door.