T/F (2 Viewers)

[Cliff]

Competitionplus.com has the Question of the Week. Should T/F run full bore for 1/8 mile, or slow 'em down and run 1/4 mile. Was surprised that it's running 50 / 50. Well, if they did run 1/8 mile, 300 MPH would be done the first time out. How long would it take the nitro cars to run in the 1/8 mile what they now do at 1000'? Couple of years maybe?

 

[Nunz]

Competitionplus.com has the Question of the Week. Should T/F run full bore for 1/8 mile, or slow 'em down and run 1/4 mile. Was surprised that it's running 50 / 50. Well, if they did run 1/8 mile, 300 MPH would be done the first time out. How long would it take the nitro cars to run in the 1/8 mile what they now do at 1000'? Couple of years maybe?

Maybe more than a couple years, maybe not ever. The shorter the distance you start with before shortening again, the less running start you have. This is not the direction I would ever want things to go.

 

[DrRocket]

I've never been a fan of 1/8 mile racing period.

I think, as happened when they went to 1,000 racing, the crew chiefs will just turn the wick up that much more, and run them harder off the line. We'd probably start seeing a lot more starting line explosions.

The day they switch to 1/8 mile top fuel passes is the day I quit attending drag races on that level.

 

[ironpony]

Maybe more than a couple years, maybe not ever. The shorter the distance you start with before shortening again, the less running start you have. This is not the direction I would ever want things to go.

the first 1/8 is 90% of their speed they only pick up a small amount after the 1/8. Being thats where the race would end they would not have to save the engine to make it to 1000'.

 

[Sean D, shondoo]

I've never been a fan of 1/8 mile racing period.

I think, as happened when they went to 1,000 racing, the crew chiefs will just turn the wick up that much more, and run them harder off the line. We'd probably start seeing a lot more starting line explosions.

The day they switch to 1/8 mile top fuel passes is the day I quit attending drag races on that level.

This is exactly where I'm at, especially your last sentence.

As for your second paragraph, I don't know how they could run them that much harder on the front half without blowing the tires off more than they already do. With cost already being a key factor in the drop in participation, I just don't know how going this route is going to accomplish anything positive. Continued quest for world records? Maybe. But you have to ask yourself what is most important to the majority of the ticket holders in this sport. When I ask myself that question, I just can't believe that the majority of those folks would take 1/8 mile racing with the continued risk of sparse fields over a migration back to the sport's roots, where a more affordable platform would likely improve the participation numbers and not be so reliant on 2-3 mega-teams to keep the sport alive, I just can't see it.

Am I wrong? Wouldn't be the first time.....

Sean D

 

[PJ]

I can't do 1/8 mile racing of at any level. Saw a Nitro pass several years ago and it was a let down. Used to go to a sportsman race, they switched to 1/8. I went and was bummed I didn't like it. Haven't gone back.

 

[ironpony]

This is exactly where I'm at, especially your last sentence.

As for your second paragraph, I don't know how they could run them that much harder on the front half without blowing the tires off more than they already do. With cost already being a key factor in the drop in participation, I just don't know how going this route is going to accomplish anything positive. Continued quest for world records? Maybe. But you have to ask yourself what is most important to the majority of the ticket holders in this sport. When I ask myself that question, I just can't believe that the majority of those folks would take 1/8 mile racing with the continued risk of sparse fields over a migration back to the sport's roots, where a more affordable platform would likely improve the participation numbers and not be so reliant on 2-3 mega-teams to keep the sport alive, I just can't see it.

Am I wrong? Wouldn't be the first time.....

Sean D

I believe they can go faster however they will have to bring back the old track prep plus some to be able to put on a show the spectators would enjoy.
Also I believe spectators would not enjoy full 1/4 mile passes a little "slower" because the avg. spectator wants the wow of the numbers more than anything else.
Heck I bet if you wandered the pits and asked most people they would not even know TF and FC run 1000'.
The wife and I go to a lot of events every year and I am amazed as to what I hear people say in the stands, I used to try and educate them but I came to realize they are there for a show not racing.

 

[Bob K.]

I think there is too much eighth mile CRAP already. We have a Bracket race "Nationals" here in Las Vegas during Thanksgiving weekend. It's a four day race and each day is a separate race.
I ran in it every year when I first moved to Las Vegas every year. It was great. Suddenly two of the days were eighth mile. Now the whole damn race is eighth mile! I quit racing in that
race and would not even go watch it if they PAID ME! Top Fuel is working out really well at 1,000 feet. Of course most people would rather see quarter mile racing but with limited shut
down areas at a lot of tracks, the extra 320 feet of shut down helps. Also the new track prep that the fuel car owners wanted helps in reducing the stress on parts. This is just my two
cent opinion after being in racing since 1961 in many different cars. Anyway I think going to eighth mile with the Fuel cars would lose a LOT of fans. That is something we don't need.

 

[mastertone]

1/8 mile racing of any kind is useless to me. A couple of my friends have cars they have a couple hundred thousand in(top Sportsman cars) a piece and all that is all they run in the classes they run here in Ohio are 1/8 mile(except for sportsman class than runs the full qtr but you cannot go faster than 11:00) 1/8 is totally boring to me.

 

[SoCal Racer]

I don't think many fans would find the value in a 660' squirt that lasts less than 3 seconds. I know it's just a poll, but hopefully NHRA is not considering such a move. The results of the poll so far have the 1320 racing in the lead by less than you'd think.

I'm not a fan of 1/8 mile. We have a nearby 1/8 mile track, but regularly tow farther to race quarter mile.

 

[unclebob]

300 MPH would be done the first time out. How long would it take the nitro cars to run in the 1/8 mile what they now do at 1000'? Couple of years maybe?

Cliff; maybe you don't study stat times enough, there already has been several 299. ?? runs, I think the highest I've seen is 299.82, so maybe 2-3 races to go 300., not years!

 

[Nunz]

Cliff; maybe you don't study stat times enough, there already has been several 299. ?? runs, I think the highest I've seen is 299.82, so maybe 2-3 races to go 300., not years!

I think he meant 330 MPH .

 

[RM FAN]

The only way nitro cars go back to 1320 is to slow them down to to what alcohol cars are running now and make sure there a very little gains in ET. Then you would have to slow the alcohol cars down so they are not as quick and fast.
To many tracks are not long enough or safe to make 1320 passes on and lawyers, insurance companies and NHRA know this. I know its a just a poll.

 

[Jeff]

I took the survey and saw the roughly 50:50 split .... my thought was "well 1000 ft is probably still the best answer then"

I personally don't mind racing 660 ft. As the crew chief it challenges me just as much as the 1/4 mi, it's easier on parts. But I like watching and my driver likes driving the 1/4 mi better. More time to digest and see the racing play out.

For the nitro guys I understand the necessity of the safety aspect and a single race distance for the series.

To me the race breaks down into several phases:
reaction time,
launch/60ft,
mid track acceleration/keeping it in the groove,
then down track acceleration/keeping the parts together/dealing with track personality

I like being able to process those phases and enjoy the race. To me, both 660 racing and 4 wide take away a fair amount of that enjoyment for me. Just too much, too quick for my little mind.

Jeff

 

[NITRO JUNKIE]

I think it would be over to quick , if you are going to change the distance
go back to 1/4 mile and slow them down a lot , we are doing good with the way it is for new fans coming in and I don’t think any body would like 660” racing,

 

[Sean D, shondoo]

I believe they can go faster however they will have to bring back the old track prep plus some to be able to put on a show the spectators would enjoy.
Also I believe spectators would not enjoy full 1/4 mile passes a little "slower" because the avg. spectator wants the wow of the numbers more than anything else.
Heck I bet if you wandered the pits and asked most people they would not even know TF and FC run 1000'.
The wife and I go to a lot of events every year and I am amazed as to what I hear people say in the stands, I used to try and educate them but I came to realize they are there for a show not racing.

I agree with your first sentence, with emphasis on the part about the track prep. It's not like they're not running them as hard as they can to start with, especially when you consider that part of the track is where the E.T. is made anyway.

I would also agree with the point you make regarding the average fan's knowledge of the distance being run currently.

I DEFINITELY can relate to the part about what people say in the stands. That can be pretty comical at times, but they make up the majority of the gate, so we definitely need them.

I would have to respectfully disagree with your second sentence, though. I believe the average spectator is more wowed by the ground pounding aspect the fuel cars bring, especially with the show they put on under the lights. I would bet the farm that fuel cars tuned back to 4.70's in the 300 - 310 Mph range with the can fully tipped would bring plenty of "wow" to the table. Especially if it was done such that the sport becomes more reasonable from a cost standpoint. I said it once and I'll say it again, it worries me that the sport literally hangs on the participation of the mega-teams. If one of those teams drops out, we have an INSTANT problem.

Sean D

 

[Jeff]

In this week's ARP Question of the Week, we want to know how you like your nitro racing. By distance? Or by wide-open, no holds barred?

I hate to bash a sponsor of the comp + site, but a poll with a comment like this, is not relevant. There is ALWAYS limits on modern nitro racing.
I am not sure of what they are trying to do with these polls, besides stirring up discussions. Some of that discussion is not productive.
If they wanted to provide more options to answer the poll, I would participate.
Only providing yes or no type of answers to a multiple choice question seem kind of... silly

 

[Joker]

I am a fan of all racing. I am also a fan of 1/8th mile racing, but mainly only on 1/8th mile tracks. I dont like watching it on 1/4 mile tracks as much. Having been at the IHRA National Event debacle at San Antonio years ago where they ran the entire event 1/8th mile including the fuel cars, I didnt like it at all. Hell it was over the second it started. I personally dont think I'd pay to go see 1/8th mile fuel racing but who knows. While I like 1/4 mile best, and it wouldnt hurt my feelings if they slowed them down and went back to it I personally think the 1000 ft racing is the best.

 

[twostep]

I'd MUCH rather see the cars slowed down and run 1320 than see all-out 1/8 mile racing. They CAN be brought back to the 4.60/4.70@300/310 level we saw in the mid 90s; might obsolete a lot of equipment but it's doable. OR, they can just leave things as they are....I don't recall seeing a bunch of nitro cars having issues with a lack of runoff area in 2018. But an emphatic NO to 1/8 mile nitro racing, to the point that I wouldn't waste my time and money attending such a venue.

 

[Cliff]

I like watching the Pro Mods run the 1/8 mile. They put on a good show, even if it is only 3.6 seconds. I agree that T/F would be a blink of the eye in 1/8 mile. I actually do pay attention to the stats. When a T/F car runs 2.92 ET at 299 in the 1/8, you know that would be the equivlent of a low 3.60's in the 1000'. I wondered if a T/F car could run 330 in the 1/8, because I well remember when Kenny Bernstein ran the first 300 in the 1/4 mile, and now T/F can run 299 in the 1/8, so..... That is the one thing that really amazes me in drag racing, how technology is always getting better. The engine of choice is still a Hemi, OHV, running the same basic design as the early 1950's, and look how much power the have engines have today. No other form of motor sports can touch drag racing as far as speed. Well, maybe Bonniville.