Scrappers Parked (6 Viewers)

[none]

I thought a measurement was picked on how much you could lay the headers back? So technically still laid back, but not as much as some teams had gone with them.

Correct, in July 2016 the rule was implemented that 32.5 degrees was the maximum angle for the headers. So I guess I should have said the headers were not as laidback as they had been previously.

 

[twostep]

Carl, the fastest nostalgia car is 271, long ways from 280.

NHRA limited how far the headers could be laid back and Cruzs run was long after the rule change

Well, I did say your mileage may vary....

Guess I need to check my timing; seems as though it's out of adjustment. Thanks for the clarification. But I still say if the idea is to slow these cars, deliberately removing downforce isn't the way. Laying back the headers DID take away some downforce which resulted in making the cars quicker, faster and more difficult to drive - exactly opposite from the desired effect if slowing them down is the objective.

 

[Flicka]

Well, I did say your mileage may vary....

Guess I need to check my timing; seems as though it's out of adjustment. Thanks for the clarification. But I still say if the idea is to slow these cars, deliberately removing downforce isn't the way. Laying back the headers DID take away some downforce which resulted in making the cars quicker, faster and more difficult to drive - exactly opposite from the desired effect if slowing them down is the objective.

Don't display mph. Only ET Most motorsports don't emphasized speeds, mostly only winners. Reaction time and better ET usually prevails prevails. Mile an hour doesn't normally win races. Close racing is the best

 

[twostep]

Don't display mph. Only ET Most motorsports don't emphasized speeds, mostly only winners. Reaction time and better ET usually prevails prevails. Mile an hour doesn't normally win races. Close racing is the best

As a 'hardcore' drag racing fan and former competitor I'd be ok with that. But most casual fans don't relate to a 3.64 or a 3.80 ET like they relate to 341mph.

Kind of like people who constantly wanted to talk about what it felt like to take my Redeye Hellcat Charger, a legitimate 200+mph ride bone stock. I don't know; nobody in their right mind would even consider driving one at that speed on a public road unless they're running from the law.

 

[Flicka]

As a 'hardcore' drag racing fan and former competitor I'd be ok with that. But most casual fans don't relate to a 3.64 or a 3.80 ET like they relate to 341mph.

Kind of like people who constantly wanted to talk about what it felt like to take my Redeye Hellcat Charger, a legitimate 200+mph ride bone stock. I don't know; nobody in their right mind would even consider driving one at that speed on a public road unless they're running from the law.

Good point Carl. Still.
I'd rather see races won by 1 ft Then one smoking and other not.
I

 

[Mike]

Carl, I love your last sentence!!! Thats just awesome but I dont think you can run with my Buick Envista!!!!!!!!!!

Back to the subject, Mike Salinas company got the contract to do the clean for the Palisades and Eaton fires in So Cal and I'm pretty sure that gonna take some time..

 

[mgty3whlr]

That's good that Mike got the contract but another thing to think about. The U.S. exports a massive amount of scrap metal to other countries inluding China. With the tariff wars going on right now, This is a huge impact on U.S. scrapping businesses depending on this as a large revenue. If this is the case, Mike Isn't going to just pop up on social media, NHRA, or others and tell them...Hey we are pulling the plug on our drag racing team because our company is finacially hurting right now. Think about it.

 

[T.Smith]

As a 'hardcore' drag racing fan and former competitor I'd be ok with that. But most casual fans don't relate to a 3.64 or a 3.80 ET like they relate to 341mph.

Kind of like people who constantly wanted to talk about what it felt like to take my Redeye Hellcat Charger, a legitimate 200+mph ride bone stock. I don't know; nobody in their right mind would even consider driving one at that speed on a public road unless they're running from the law.

Lol...one common questions I get is how fast I've been in my ZR1. One was a gentleman I was parked next to at a car show. When I told him 176 mph, he was like where could you possibly go that fast? He was truly dumbfounded. We finally got around to introducing ourselves and turns out he was the former head of the local county sheriff.

 

[Mike]

When Mikes company tore down a baseball stadium recently he sold the scrap metal in the US for pretty good chunk of change...

 

[ironpony]

Exactly, I doubt it is for financial reasons more likely he has no time to race as busy as his business is.

 

[Sandman]

Take away the down force on the nitro cars

Absolutely correct. I honestly believe this is best solution as long as it's done gradually. Big swings at aero get drivers hurt and tear up parts. My thinking is (for example) narrow the front wing and rear wing maybe and inch per side in T/F. The launch will still be there, but the top-end run will be less aggressive. My understanding is the more you load a fuel motor, the better it likes it. Wait several races, then chop another 1" per side off. This allows teams to get a handle on the tune up. Once you get to a decent spot, maybe decrease spill plate size. I know there's a bunch of people that don't agree, but my opinion is it keeps the engine components the same and by implementing gradual changes, everyone can assimilate slowly as need be. Just my opinion and someone smarter than me will be along shortly to explain why I'm wrong, but it makes sense in my head.

 

[Butch]

Or make the racing crew do there own track prep like we did years ago, it came out of a gallon jug of VHT.

 

[65 Goatboy]

Or make the racing crew do there own track prep like we did years ago, it came out of a gallon jug of VHT.

I'm living in 2025, what decade are you in? Assuming this was mean't as a joke.

 

[TSK]

Or make the racing crew do their own track prep like we did years ago, it came out of a gallon jug of VHT.

Doing his own track prep was not beneath Ronnie Sox. He’s sweeping the track before putting down a layer of gold dust.
This was at Prescott (AR) Raceway in the early ‘80s.

 

[SS140]

Doing his own track prep was not beneath Ronnie Sox. He’s sweeping the track before putting down a layer of gold dust.
This was at Prescott (AR) Raceway in the early ‘80s.

Ted, is this your photo? Do you recall what year exactly?

 

[TSK]

Ted, is this your photo? Do you recall what year exactly?

Steve, I did take the photo.
As far as the year, I’m not exactly sure. Sox was driving a fastback Dodge Omni at the time. That puts it somewhere in the early ‘80s.

 

[SS140]

Steve, I did take the photo.
As far as the year, I’m not exactly sure. Sox was driving a fastback Dodge Omni at the time. That puts it somewhere in the early ‘80s.

Awesome. 1980.

As of a few weeks ago, I now have that car.

 

[TSK]

Awesome. 1980.

As of a few weeks ago, I now have that car.

That is cool.
Here’s another photo from that night.

 

[Butch]

I'm living in 2025, what decade are you in? Assuming this was mean't as a joke.

I'm from the generation that help build Dragracing, what generation are you from?

 

[twostep]

Absolutely correct. I honestly believe this is best solution as long as it's done gradually. Big swings at aero get drivers hurt and tear up parts. My thinking is (for example) narrow the front wing and rear wing maybe and inch per side in T/F. The launch will still be there, but the top-end run will be less aggressive. My understanding is the more you load a fuel motor, the better it likes it. Wait several races, then chop another 1" per side off. This allows teams to get a handle on the tune up. Once you get to a decent spot, maybe decrease spill plate size. I know there's a bunch of people that don't agree, but my opinion is it keeps the engine components the same and by implementing gradual changes, everyone can assimilate slowly as need be. Just my opinion and someone smarter than me will be along shortly to explain why I'm wrong, but it makes sense in my head.

I'm certainly not and I'm aware of and respect Mike's stellar credentials. Still, what knowledge of nitro racing I do have lends me to believe that removing downforce from an 11000hp, 340mph race car in order to slow it down just doesn't make sense, at least during the development process. To me, the only thing it would accomplish in the short term is just what the headers accomplished - made the cars quicker and a real handful in the traps. I suppose over time the tuners would figure out just how much power to take out in order to compensate but how many cars get wadded up in the meantime? IndyCar didn't slow their 250mph race cars down via less downforce; they mandated more of it plus turbo V6 engines of about 700 horsepower. Took the soul out of them but it arrested the ever-creeping lap speeds.

If you gotta take power out to make them safe, hell, just leave the aero alone and take the power out. Blower OD restrictions and smaller pumps gets it done. That'll require changes that may not be cheap; it obsoletes some pricey equipment but it would be effective, no? That is, if....IF...NHRA and racers are onboard with making any changes at all and I don't think that's the case, despite decades of back and forth.

Face it; fuel racing is never going to be 'affordable'. Even a 210mph PS Camaro is a multimillion/year endeavor if you intend to attend all the national events with a top-shelf car.