Shirley and 1320 Racing (1 Viewer)

[jimbo]

Just watched a clip of Shirley being interviewed recalling her times at Bristol -

she talks about how she does not like 1000 ft racing racing. She goes on and said if NHRA would change the 3.20 gear ratio and how she have to scream louder to convince them, they would be able to move back to 1320 racing. I understand the higher, numerically, the gear ratio, the higher RPM. The lower gear ratio, numerically, the higher speed without the high RPM. Does not the rev limiter do the same thing? Understand the rev limiter and carnage that can come from it, but what really would be the difference except for those that do not except the 1000ft racing? Me thinks slower ET's and maybe about same speed?

 

[Cliff]

4.20 ET's and, say, 350??? Well....

 

[Butch]

I think if she drove a modern day TF car, she may have a different opinion. Anyone know what her fastest MPH was?

 

[TSK]

1320 fuel racing is not going to happen ever again.
Time to bury that horse. It’s been beat on so much that it’s been pulverized.

 

[qualified17th]

Seems like she's a bit unaware of what the issue actually is. It's not the cars, it's the tracks. Sure it wouldn't be much of an issue at places like zMax and Dallas with super long shutoff areas. But when you get to places like Pomona where you're going 10 miles an hour faster and have 320 feet less room to stop, all of a sudden you've got a major safety issue. Scott Kalitta didn't die because his car couldn't handle quarter mile racing, it's because the track couldn't.

 

[PJ]

I think if she drove a modern day TF car, she may have a different opinion. Anyone know what her fastest MPH was?

I found 320.2 in 2001 @4.64

Shirley Muldowney - Chronology

 

[Jer]

Seems like she's a bit unaware of what the issue actually is. It's not the cars, it's the tracks. Sure it wouldn't be much of an issue at places like zMax and Dallas with super long shutoff areas. But when you get to places like Pomona where you're going 10 miles an hour faster and have 320 feet less room to stop, all of a sudden you've got a major safety issue. Scott Kalitta didn't die because his car couldn't handle quarter mile racing, it's because the track couldn't.

the lift boom killed scott,not the track

 

[sutton]

1320 fuel racing is not going to happen ever again.
Time to bury that horse. It’s been beat on so much that it’s been pulverized.

Ted
You are so right on, the cars are going just as fast a 1000' as they did at 1320' with closer racing. I know for a fact that the NHRA insurance shutter's at the speeds they are going now. the track's can't handle going 1320' and trying to stop. I have gone almost 300 MPH many times, Yes I would had loved to gone much faster, but from the finish line to the time I turned off the track I hated. there are cars going in the sand now when thing's go wrong. BTW I said SAND it is pee gravel not sand. when it was sand it stopped many of the cars now it let's them go into the net. they went to gravel because it doesn't need to be groomed after a car goes in to it saving down time. had it been sand my good friend Mark Niver would still be with us today. I will never get over losing Mark.
Larry Sutton---Lions Starter and racer (RET.)

 

[mick]

who knows the exact reasons some the sport's legends still come around, but it's really a great thing that they do.
regardless of the 1/4 arguement, that was a good interview with shirley.......didn't seem too long ago that her and big were doing those
final TF passes at indy.......i'm guessing that mite be going on 20 years ago already? yikes how time flys

 

[J. S.]

Shirley is one the greats of our sport, as we all know. And it's really good to see her at some of the NHRA Big Show events. But boy, she can still be a bit chippy at times.

Case in point, a few years ago she was at Pomona signing autographs, and I waited until for a brief moment there was no one else around, and I asked her if she had any good Poncho Rendon stories. I had always been curious about the guy as there are many photos of him on Don Ewald's WDIFL site. Evidently quite a character as he was pretty short and quite overweight. He seemed to be a big part of the "Michigan Mafia" of the early '70's, including Connie Kalitta, Dick LaHaie, Tom Prock, and Shirley. It was Poncho's front-driver TF wedge that Connie crashed on it's first pass at Indy. And Shirley drove a front-driver TF car for Poncho in the early '70's as well. I don't ever read or hear much about him other than on Don's site, so I thought she might have a good story or two about the guy. But she gave me a stern look and said "Oh, no, I'm not going to go there".

I was taken aback, as I thought she might have some fond memories of him. But I have to assume there must be a back story there that I am not aware of, as she did not seem to like that I even brought up his name.

 

[Stan]

Just watched a clip of Shirley being interviewed recalling her times at Bristol -

she talks about how she does not like 1000 ft racing racing. She goes on and said if NHRA would change the 3.20 gear ratio and how she have to scream louder to convince them, they would be able to move back to 1320 racing. I understand the higher, numerically, the gear ratio, the higher RPM. The lower gear ratio, numerically, the higher speed without the high RPM. Does not the rev limiter do the same thing? Understand the rev limiter and carnage that can come from it, but what really would be the difference except for those that do not except the 1000ft racing? Me thinks slower ET's and maybe about same speed?

What do you think the 1/4 et and MPH would be if they went to a 3.55:1 rear gear ratio and kept the Rev Limiter the same?

 

[4onthefl4]

1320 fuel racing is not going to happen ever again.
Time to bury that horse. It’s been beat on so much that it’s been pulverized.

Wait for it! 1/8 mile drag racing is coming soon to a national event near you.

 

[BOO BOO]

Seems like she's a bit unaware of what the issue actually is. It's not the cars, it's the tracks. Sure it wouldn't be much of an issue at places like zMax and Dallas with super long shutoff areas. But when you get to places like Pomona where you're going 10 miles an hour faster and have 320 feet less room to stop, all of a sudden you've got a major safety issue. Scott Kalitta didn't die because his car couldn't handle quarter mile racing, it's because the track couldn't.

Scott Kalitta because he hit a camera boom at the end of the track.

 

[Jer]

Wait for it! 1/8 mile drag racing is coming soon to a national event near you.

If they want to kill the sport... 8th mile isnt even worth it

 

[jimbo]

What do you think the 1/4 et and MPH would be if they went to a 3.55:1 rear gear ratio and kept the Rev Limiter the same?

You would need to ask someone who would know that answer. 3:20 to 3:55. The RPM would climb sooner and if you would be hitting the rev limiter sooner. But as many have stated above we don't need faster and speedier cars, we need longer tracks.

I too agree the ship has left the port in regards to 1320 ever coming back.

 

[Stan]

You would need to ask someone who would know that answer. 3:20 to 3:55. The RPM would climb sooner and if you would be hitting the rev limiter sooner. But as many have stated above we don't need faster and speedier cars, we need longer tracks.

I too agree the ship has left the port in regards to 1320 ever coming back.

Going to a 3.55 or 3.6 rear end is a way to limit top end speed and maybe return to 1320. 1320 will not return without rule changes . Longer tracks? How about trying to keep the tracks that are here now from turning into warehouses.

Stan

 

[ANDY]

put a cable across the track just past the stripe and a hook on the back of the car
one for each lane have it in the ground where it has a giant spring that it pushes
with a giant hydraulic ram to slow it down and also a catch can for the drivers
eye balls on the dash...

 

[Cliff]

I've heard many times it's not the acceleration that gets you, it's the deceleration. Remember the time when drivers were having problems with their eyes? The detached retinas. Garlits & Joe Amato come to mind.

 

[sutton]

I've heard many times it's not the acceleration that gets you, it's the deceleration. Remember the time when drivers were having problems with their eyes? The detached retinas. Garlits & Joe Amato come to mind.

cliff
A little of the original post, I had a severe tire shake in a TAD one day, that night I couldn't read the newspaper from that day I have needed glasses. as far as deceleration issue in the 60s with the 16 foot ring slot parachutes I would have black and blue shoulders for the next week. later with the better chutes pulling 2 at a time no problem even going way faster than I was going in the 60s.
Larry Sutton---Lions Starter and racer (RET)

 

[jimbo]

Going to a 3.55 or 3.6 rear end is a way to limit top end speed and maybe return to 1320. 1320 will not return without rule changes . Longer tracks? How about trying to keep the tracks that are here now from turning into warehouses.

Stan

But you know drag racers - always going to push the limit, rules or no rules. Unless your saying let them figure out how to deal with the rev limiter earlier. No matter, most tracks today cannot handle those 330 mph+ speeds safely! 1320 will never happen again in NHRA. Give it up.