Say what you want about the NHRA but . . . . . .

[Mike]

Mark, probably Santa Maria however I've been hearing about it for some time and I say good luck in this state.

 

[ironpony]

and on Long Island where there are no tracks at all they run hole shot drag racing, all of 60 feet............................

 

[Jimbo]

Everyone likes something a little different.
Some love 1/4 mile drag racing while others love 1/8 mile drag racing and this is what makes the world go around.

I think there is plenty of room for both styles to exist. I find it interesting because many of the groups who have chosen to race 1/8 mile seem to be doing well in different regions of the country.

Jim Hill
www.nostalgicracingdecals.com

 

[DrRocket]

I don't know about the easier on parts bit. From what I've observed, folks who tune 1/8 mile cars, taking into account the shorter distance, simply lean on the tuneups, and launch the car harder than 1/4 mile cars. Not unlike what the fuel car tuners did when they went to 1,000 feet.

 

[Cliff]

I see some of the 1/8 mile Pro Mods with 3 speed auto tranny, and they shift into High about 400' down track. Like a 1/4 mile run compressed into 1/8 mile. And they can blow up, get outta shape, do wheelies going into 2nd gear, all that in 3 1/2 seconds.

 

[none]

Nobody is arguing that stuff can be blown up at the eighth. Of course it can. Stuff can also be blown up in the burnout. But the math is pretty simple. You have an engine, will you do more damage running it wide open for 3.5 second, or 5.8 seconds? And even if you don't damage it, will you get more runs out of it running it a shorter amount of time? You most certainly will. The shorter the amount of time it spends running wide open, the less wear it will encounter.

Alan

 

[Jeff]

The risk of a single point of failure is definitely cumulative via the accumulation of heat energy causing a number of factors to degrade exponentially. If allowed/favorable engine builders would definitely redesign parts for a shorter WOT duration. Personally I enjoy 1/8th mi racing every bit as much as 1/4 mi .... there is a start, middle, and end to both of them. I've never noticed stands that extend continually past the 660 mark (I'm probably wrong here, but note I said continually). In a way, every seat is better.....but to each his own!

When my buddy Josh Hernandez was racing 1/8th mi in his pro mod, their "3 speed" tranny only had 2 gears installed, the set up couldn't benefit from that second shift.

 

[Billy]

I have been to two ADRL events at Maple Grove Raceway, and even though it is a 1/4-mile track, I thoroughly enjoyed watching these fast doorslammers go to half-track. Of course I had to get used to understanding what the numbers on the scoreboards were telling me, but ultimately it was enjoyable and I would go back!

 

[4onthefl4]

and on Long Island where there are no tracks at all they run hole shot drag racing, all of 60 feet............................

I grew up on 1/4 mile drag racing (I like sitting down track close to the end). I accepted 1,000 foot drag racing because I understood the reasoning behind it. 1/8 mile drag racing is OK because it's still drag racing.
But 60 feet drag racing isn't drag racing, it's reaction time racing.

 

[z28]

Last year Funny Car Chaos filled the stands at most of their races, and they are 1/8th mile. Many factors involved in going to the shorter venue, insurance being a big part of it. Some tracks it's either 1/8 mile or nothing, so take it or sit at home. Used to not like it but now it's becoming the norm.

Chaos has generated a nice following. I watched the last 2 events they streamed. It makes sense for those guys to stick to 1/8th as they can't afford to blow up everything. I think the nostalgia factor has a lot to do with their success and they certainly run at smaller tracks that big show cars couldn't consider.

 

[PJ]

Had a race I used to attend often that switch the event to 1/8th mile. Tried it and just didn't like it. Although I wonder if part of the issue was that it was still on a 1/4mile track. Perhaps watching it at an 1/8 mile facility might improve the experience. Haven't tried it since that first time and the tracks near me that I go to are all 1/4

 

[Jimbo]

Had a race I used to attend often that switch the event to 1/8th mile. Tried it and just didn't like it. Although I wonder if part of the issue was that it was still on a 1/4mile track. Perhaps watching it at an 1/8 mile facility might improve the experience. Haven't tried it since that first time and the tracks near me that I go to are all 1/4

PJ: My advice would be not to move to far south because most drag strips down here are all 1/8 mile and the part I like is you can see all the action much better on a shorter track.
When I go to the 1/4 drag strips the only way I know who won is by looking at the clocks.

Just my opinion. Jim Hill

 

[SundayNiagara]

A friend, who is two-time winner of the Moroso/Palm Beach 5 day bracket championships, once said to me, come to Immokalee, you'll love it. He was absolutely correct.

 

[Nick Name]

I was at Famosa several years ago for their Saturday Night Nitro event, featuring nostagila funnycars, some fuel altereds, etc. Sitting in the stands I found it interesting that the majority of the spectators watched the cars to half track, then looked back to the starting line to see who the next pair were. Almost no one watched them all the way down.