Should backup cars be allowed during eliminations? (3 Viewers)

[Mike]

I understand in qualifying. Indycar and NASCAR allow this. Other racing series do also.

However, once the race has started, no other racing series allows the racer to use a backup car that I'm aware of. Why does NHRA allow this?

 

[Mike]

Better show............

 

[J. S.]

In NASCAR or IndyCar, by the time a team got the backup car out on the track, there's no way they could win the race. They'd be at least several laps down. It's different with drag racing.

 

[stitcherbob]

To keep some people from making slap dash repairs to stay in the show, you allow a safe chassis in because these things are going 343 mph now…

 

[none]

What is safer for Steve Torrence, Doug Kalitta in a new car, or Doug Kalitta in a car that was just wrecked and patched up in an hour?

Even if Doug is willing the drive the patched up wreck, if you are Steve, what do you prefer?

Alan

 

[Butch]

NHRA didn't either until 1997 when Eddie the thrill Hill crashed at Sears Point while setting the record and qualifying #1. The accident broke a couple of toes and burnt his shoulder. He was ready to race, the fans wanted to see him race but the rules didn't permit a replacement car. As a result the "Hill" rule was born. As Alan pointed out I would rather see a new/different car in the other lane than a slapped together one or not permit a replacement and have a bye. The fields are short enough as it is (that's another story) and the fans deserve to see two cars in the next round while the drivers, crew and owners deserve the opportunity possibly earn more points and money by winning the next round.

 

[Mike]

18 of 38 cars wreck in the annual "big one" at Talladega 80 laps in. Nearly all of them have a backup car in the hauler. The red flag is thrown. Should they be allowed to get the backup car out and pick up where they left off?

It would be a better show, but is it Joey Chitwood's Thrills on Wheels or a legitimate motorsport with consequences for wrecking the car you began the race with? How about the car you race with in R1 is the car you use for the rest of that event's eliminations. If the car can't continue in eliminations, you're done for the day.

The only time something comparable occurred in other forms of motorsport is the 1996 US 500 when CART tried going head to head with the Indy 500. There was a big wreck heading to the green flag, and CART allowed backup cars. Yet even in that case, officials ruled the wreck occurred before the green flag so the race never offcially started.

In contrast, at Maple Grove the crash happened after 50% of the race was over.

 

[none]

Michael,

Not arguing, just discussing. NASCAR allows you to fix that car and put it back on the track. If you can fix it without going a lap down then good for you. If you go ten laps down and go back out maybe you can only run 100 MPH instead of 150 in which case you are black flagged and not putting anyone else in danger.

NHRA allows you an hour+ between rounds, so would you rather have them bending, tweaking and welding the wreck back together or bringing out an undamaged car to go 335 MPH, when you don't have a warm up lap to determine if the patched up car is good to go at full speed. I have seen cars that wheel stood or went into the net and were stuck under the trailer with jacks and blocks to get all the wheels to touch the ground, then went up for the next round. Back in the day, there were plenty of cobbled together heaps that had no business being on the track, but that was the rule so they did it.

Pretty sure I know what Steve Torrence preferred.

Alan

 

[stitcherbob]

18 of 38 cars wreck in the annual "big one" at Talladega 80 laps in. Nearly all of them have a backup car in the hauler. The red flag is thrown. Should they be allowed to get the backup car out and pick up where they left off?

It would be a better show, but is it Joey Chitwood's Thrills on Wheels or a legitimate motorsport with consequences for wrecking the car you began the race with? How about the car you race with in R1 is the car you use for the rest of that event's eliminations. If the car can't continue in eliminations, you're done for the day.

The only time something comparable occurred in other forms of motorsport is the 1996 US 500 when CART tried going head to head with the Indy 500. There was a big wreck heading to the green flag, and CART allowed backup cars. Yet even in that case, officials ruled the wreck occurred before the green flag so the race never offcially started.

In contrast, at Maple Grove the crash happened after 50% of the race was over.

Right now there are 18 new NASCAR cars in their trailers saying
"SHHHHH!!!!! Quiet! Just let me sit in here in safety instead of going out there and wrecking in a big pile at the green/white/checkered flag!"

 

[Mike]

Michael,

Not arguing, just discussing. NASCAR allows you to fix that car and put it back on the track. If you can fix it without going a lap down then good for you. If you go ten laps down and go back out maybe you can only run 100 MPH instead of 150 in which case you are black flagged and not putting anyone else in danger.

NHRA allows you an hour+ between rounds, so would you rather have them bending, tweaking and welding the wreck back together or bringing out an undamaged car to go 335 MPH, when you don't have a warm up lap to determine if the patched up car is good to go at full speed. I have seen cars that wheel stood or went into the net and were stuck under the trailer with jacks and blocks to get all the wheels to touch the ground, then went up for the next round. Back in the day, there were plenty of cobbled together heaps that had no business being on the track, but that was the rule so they did it.

Pretty sure I know what Steve Torrence preferred.

Alan

Alan, maybe an analogous situation is a stock car crashes with "moderate" damage that can be repaired and the driver rejoins the race. However, many times the car cannot be repaired and is done for the day.

An NHRA parallel may be Tony Stewart or Steve Torrance hurts a blower, head gasket, etc. Damage that can be "repaired" for the next round. In Kalitta's case, I would hope someone would be the adult in the room and realize nope, the damage is too severe for us to repair today (if backups weren't legal in eliminations). Aside from that, NHRA officials could deem the car unfit to continue (NHRA equivalent of black flag).

Having a competition single is not ideal, but is it a sport or an exhibition? People have different opinions and I respect that, but imo competitive intrgrity outweighs other considerations, ie, the sport and the show are both important, but the sport part takes precedence over the show part.

Thanks for thoughtfully pointing out a different way of viewing the situation from a vantage point of multiple stakeholders. I look forward to hearing your voice say "Attention in the pits..." again.

 

[twostep]

Michael,

Not arguing, just discussing. NASCAR allows you to fix that car and put it back on the track. If you can fix it without going a lap down then good for you. If you go ten laps down and go back out maybe you can only run 100 MPH instead of 150 in which case you are black flagged and not putting anyone else in danger.

NHRA allows you an hour+ between rounds, so would you rather have them bending, tweaking and welding the wreck back together or bringing out an undamaged car to go 335 MPH, when you don't have a warm up lap to determine if the patched up car is good to go at full speed. I have seen cars that wheel stood or went into the net and were stuck under the trailer with jacks and blocks to get all the wheels to touch the ground, then went up for the next round. Back in the day, there were plenty of cobbled together heaps that had no business being on the track, but that was the rule so they did it.

Pretty sure I know what Steve Torrence preferred.

Alan

I don't believe Michael is debating whether or not to repair the wrecked car vs bringing out the backup. I believe he's suggesting that following an incapacitating accident during eliminations that racer's day should be over. No backup allowed, period.

I don't agree, and just because other forms of auto racing don't allow backups that isn't a justifiable reason for not allowing them. Drag racing is a unique sport within itself; it doesn't and shouldn't be required to follow in the footsteps of NASCAR or F1.

 

[stitcherbob]

Try this today with the tether controversy and the carbon fiber bodies....
Back when this s**t was fun