Revving/Burping the Nitro Cars (1 Viewer)

Scott Palmer whacks it 3 times, every time.

Another BIG part of this is the time between rounds. Back in the days when it was 90 minutes between rounds, EVERYONE would leave the stands and wander the pits. Now, with 60 minute or less turnarounds, by the time you get out of your seat, get a hot dog and a beer and/or take a leak, it is basically time to get back to the seats. For someone like me, who watches Pro Stock, Alcohol and Pro Mods, there is NO time to go to the pits between rounds. I barely have time to get the aforementioned hot dog and beer. I generally wander the pits first thing in the morning to get my nitro warmup fix, then at the end of the day I wander around the pits again for the teardowns. Even the Friday and Saturday programs have sped up quite a bit from years past. My point is, even if they were still whacking the throttle, a lot of people would still not be right there to see it.
 
We were standing at Dave Conolly's car that was flanked by Larry Dixon and Steve Chrisman, both warming up at the same time. Getting dosed with nitro is one thing (especially for the newbie we brought to the event!), but when Chrisman whacked the throttle the the crowd went wild. It really gives you a sense of how much power these cars make, even more than when a pair leaves the line.
 
What's next? Oh I know, lets go back to push starts from the topend. Watch as the crew jumping out of the truck to help push the car back and forth to get turned around. Then
run down the track to push the car backwards after the burn out.
 
I imagine those teams with hospitality suites next to the cars would really wow their guests with a couple whomps. These cars run on dollars and I'm sure that would make quite an impression on sponsors and friends.

This is exactly why I still, years later, am no fan of Haddock. He was invited to our NJ cruise night on a special night when we had triple the participants, because he was looking for sponsorship. Yet he would not start his FC unless paid (is what I was told by my fellow club members running the show) and it was very disappointing to see it just sit there. Lucky for us, local hero Buster Jackson (RIP) and the "Soul Shaker" crew did a burnout through the Wendy's drive thru to the delight of the crowd!

https://www.facebook.com/IslandDragway/posts/10152775005523125
 
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This is exactly why I still, years later, am no fan of Haddock. He was invited to our NJ cruise night on a special night when we had triple the participants, because he was looking for sponsorship. Yet he would not start his FC unless paid (is what I was told by my fellow club members running the show) and it was very disappointing to see it just sit there. Lucky for us, local hero Buster Jackson (RIP) and the "Soul Shaker" crew did a burnout through the Wendy's drive thru to the delight of the crowd!

https://www.facebook.com/IslandDragway/posts/10152775005523125

I guess I don't get it. The group "invites" him, and he thinks, sure, I'll get some exposure, so he takes time out of his schedule to load the car, tow it to the thing, then unload it to show. When he won't shell out more of his own bucks to start the thing, you aren't a fan? Okay. Still don't get it. It's not like it was SEMA or some other major show where you're assured of cubic dollar company decision makers walking around. Just a bunch of people and hot dogs.
 
there were 350 cars, tons of people, the mayor, County sheriff, local business owners and the group that owned the Wendy's and 12 other resturants at the event......plus he asked to come and was therefore invited to seek a sponsor for his operation

I believe the burnout was later in the night after certain law officers had left...it was dark out and the drive thru was empty as I remember:rolleyes:
 
Most teams doesn't carry any nitro in the haulers unless they know for sure that they are going to do a warm up.
 
Maybe Terry never read how Bernstein finalized his deal with Budweiser. Burping the throttle, long burnouts, match racing at non-national event tracks all led to greater fan and sponsor interest IMHO. Sometimes advancement in technology and performance is not necessarily as big of a positive as one would think. I'd like to see what the fan response would be to a car that got back to these today. With the smaller fields we now have at most events, maybe it'd be a great time for someone to try during one of the qualifying days.
 
This clip is way too short but awesome none the less.

Back in the 100% days.

Back in the late '60's-early '70's track announcer Steve Evans used to say when the finals were being run at Irwindale and the dragsters were backing up from their burn outs, "Listen to those things. They are loaded for bear. They've poured the can, label and lid in the tank." LOL.
 
One year at the E-Town Summernats, we were all crammed into the Eddie Hill pits in between rigs watching his warm-up, when they must have had a problem with the fuel delivery.....we all were overcome with the "juice of a hundred onions and a hundred lemons" rubbed in our eyes. I hit the ground with several others and crawled out of there and when I could see again I was almost run over by a rig slowly backing out. Then the PA announcer said "Don Garlits, please report to the Eddie Hill pit!" The crew looked like they were just tear gassed.
Great memories! *cough cough

I can't remember the racer who came up with the onion/lemon reference.....but it fits

BTW in this vid you can see nitro fumes are what keeps Eddie so young!
 
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