The 1000' Tune-Up (3 Viewers)

[none]

Over the past couple of days I have spoken to Alan Johnson and to Austin Coil. I asked what do you change for 1000 foot racing? The answer; NOTHING!

I think Austin said it best. He said, “Right now we race to 1000’ and then try to hang on the last 300.” He said that unless the car was spinning the tires badly his car has never hit the limiter before the thousand foot mark. He also said that the vast majority of engine damage was done in that last couple of hundred feet. It might hurt a piston at 2.2 seconds, but it doesn’t usually pitch the rod until much further down track. He also told me that his car has run in the 310mph range at the thousand foot.

A.J. asked me a question. He said, “Do you really think that I was holding back on the first half of the track when I know that the limiter is coming in down there?" He then said that he runs the car as hard as the track will take early on and then does what needs to be done to survive the limiter. Nothing about the way he prepares the car or tunes the car will change. A.J. did say that his car has seen the limiter as early as 850 feet, but living with it a hundred feet was going to be much easier than doing it for 450. He also said the his car has been very close to 330mph at the 1000’ cone, on a perfect run.

Alan

 

[farmje]

Please note: I am not a drag racer, and I have never talked to any racers in the pro categories, so this is probably an ignorant question.

If a top fuel dragster is running 330 mph at 1000' and a funny car is running 300 at 1000' ... honestly -- someone tell me: will the extra 320 feet really make that much of a difference?

As several have said...flame away.

 

[FABMAN]

Over the past couple of days I have spoken to Alan Johnson and to Austin Coil. I asked what do you change for 1000 foot racing? The answer; NOTHING!

I think Austin said it best. He said, “Right now we race to 1000’ and then try to hang on the last 300.” He said that unless the car was spinning the tires badly his car has never hit the limiter before the thousand foot mark. He also said that the vast majority of engine damage was done in that last couple of hundred feet. It might hurt a piston at 2.2 seconds, but it doesn’t usually pitch the rod until much further down track. He also told me that his car has run in the 310mph range at the thousand foot.

A.J. asked me a question. He said, “Do you really think that I was holding back on the first half of the track when I know that the limiter is coming in down there?" He then said that he runs the car as hard as the track will take early on and then does what needs to be done to survive the limiter. Nothing about the way he prepares the car or tunes the car will change. A.J. did say that his car has seen the limiter as early as 850 feet, but living with it a hundred feet was going to be much easier than doing it for 450. He also said the his car has been very close to 330mph at the 1000’ cone, on a perfect run.

Alan

Alan, you really think Austin Coil and Alan J. would honestly tell you their Tune Up. I'm with the fellow on another 1000' thread, Alan J. could win the next 12 races if they stick with 1000'.

 

[clwill]

Over the past couple of days I have spoken to Alan Johnson and to Austin Coil. I asked what do you change for 1000 foot racing? The answer; NOTHING!

Thanks for answering that question. Much appreciated.

Wonder if their tune (pun intended) will change when they're in the heat of battle late on Sunday? If they're not required to save it for the last 320' does that change something?

The more I think about this, the more interesting it becomes. This'll be fun!

 

[NHRADeuce]

Alan, you really think Austin Coil and Alan J. would honestly tell you their Tune Up. I'm with the fellow on another 1000' thread, Alan J. could win the next 12 races if they stick with 1000'.

Do you have a reason to doubt anything that Alan has said? Do you have a reason to doubt that AJ or Coil would lie to Alan? KP and Keith Steward told me the same thing when I asked. The sooner you get on the rev limiter, the quicker the back half of the run is going to be. I seriously doubt anyone out there is tuning a soft front half, particularly when the concrete part of the track is the best traction by far.

Will AJ win a lot of races at 1000'? Probably, but he would probably win a lot of races at 1320' too.

 

[zero]

Thank you Alan!
That's what I've been saying all along!

 

[twok4hd]

The tracks are barely holding what most crew chiefs are throwing at them now under the conditions that are given to them. Why do some people think that when the race is shortened to a 1000' that all of a sudden the track can handle more between the starting line and 1000' ?

 

[clwill]

Why do some people think that when the race is shortened to a 1000' that the track can handle more between the starting line and 1000' ?

Because people like Austin Coil and Alan Johnson always find ways to amaze us, and to do the impossible. Everyone who has bet against that has lost -- ask Doug Kalitta about "the run".

 

[twok4hd]

Because people like Austin Coil and Alan Johnson always find ways to amaze us, and to do the impossible. Everyone who has bet against that has lost -- ask Doug Kalitta about "the run".

They do that now, agreed.

But just because they chop 320' off the race doesn't mean that the track will now handle more than if they were racing at 1320'. So you honestly think that because they are now racing to 1000' that they will change the tune up? They still have to get from point A to B and the track surface doesn't care if it is 1000', 1320' or 660' it can only handle so much power.

 

[sdwarf36]

Over the past couple of days I have spoken to Alan Johnson and to Austin Coil. I asked what do you change for 1000 foot racing? The answer; NOTHING!

I think Austin said it best. He said, “Right now we race to 1000’ and then try to hang on the last 300.” He said that unless the car was spinning the tires badly his car has never hit the limiter before the thousand foot mark. He also said that the vast majority of engine damage was done in that last couple of hundred feet. It might hurt a piston at 2.2 seconds, but it doesn’t usually pitch the rod until much further down track. He also told me that his car has run in the 310mph range at the thousand foot.

A.J. asked me a question. He said, “Do you really think that I was holding back on the first half of the track when I know that the limiter is coming in down there?" He then said that he runs the car as hard as the track will take early on and then does what needs to be done to survive the limiter. Nothing about the way he prepares the car or tunes the car will change. A.J. did say that his car has seen the limiter as early as 850 feet, but living with it a hundred feet was going to be much easier than doing it for 450. He also said the his car has been very close to 330mph at the 1000’ cone, on a perfect run.

Alan

Being close to 330 at the 1000ft cone is a point + number not seen by us. We see an average speed between the mph cones 66 ft apart. Wonder what they show for a mph at 1320.

 

[willy]

The tracks are barely holding what most crew chiefs are throwing at them now under the conditions that are given to them. Why do some people think that when the race is shortened to a 1000' that all of a sudden the track can handle more between the starting line and 1000' ?

Thanks Glenn for a little logic.

I don't see how they can get anymore..or what would change at 1000..they are on the edge the first 500' the way it is..which will be half-track now. They'll still be running 260-275 by then.

I'm hoping for less carnage.

 

[Suzanne]

Thank you Alan for getting that information. Im thankful were going to the 1000'. Ive only been to one track with the 1/8 mile and I did not enjoy it at all. Those last 320 feet I never get to see except on the jumbo tron anyways since Im short.

 

[none]

Jesse,

I know that Austin and A.J. wouldn't lie to me. I know them both VERY well, and I'm talking away from the track. They both know that if they tell me something "Off the record" then it stays between us. And in this situation, no secrets are being spilled.

Sherman,

At the 1320 mark the limiters are in full force and the cars are not accelerating much if any. Just like if you run your street car against the limiter, plus the cars have massive amounts of drag.

Alan

 

[stanzig44]

I am curious if we will still see cars losing the motor going through the lights at 1000' like, for example, the Force teams do somethimes.

Ya know, alot of smoke from the headers going through the finish. See this post - http://www.nitromater.com/nhra/13850-why-does-john-force-s-car-smoke-so-much-end-1-4-a.html

If so then Austin Coil DID change his tune-up.

 

[__]

I am curious if we will still see cars losing the motor going through the lights at 1000' like, for example, the Force teams do somethimes.

Ya know, alot of smoke from the headers going through the finish. See this post - http://www.nitromater.com/nhra/13850-why-does-john-force-s-car-smoke-so-much-end-1-4-a.html

If so then Austin Coil DID change his tune-up.

Hmm... is that smoke related to the distance the car traveled or the fact that the fuel probably just got shut off?

 

[Rexfiles]

Jesse,

I know that Austin and A.J. wouldn't lie to me. I know them both VERY well, and I'm talking away from the track. They both know that if they tell me something "Off the record" then it stays between us. And in this situation, no secrets are being spilled.

Sherman,

At the 1320 mark the limiters are in full force and the cars are not accelerating much if any. Just like if you run your street car against the limiter, plus the cars have massive amounts of drag.

Alan

Alan,

I get it, you get it, and many people here get it.

It, unfortunately is a topic that people will rationalize in their minds because they don't want it.


That is why I give up.

It's just beating a dead horse.

Soon this will fade, and something else will come up, like Tom Compton's fleet of Bentley'sor John Force mashing a ice cream cone into some poor little kid in a wheelchairs face.

This will happen and the racers are for the most part in agreement.

I'll stand with them 100%.

REX

 

[Rexfiles]

ESPN - NHRA, owners, drivers assembling task force to study safety - Racing

REX

 

[megadeth]

At the 1320 mark the limiters are in full force and the cars are not accelerating much if any. Just like if you run your street car against the limiter, plus the cars have massive amounts of drag.

Alan[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/QUOTE]

Then the extra 320 feet shouldn't make that big of a safety difference should it!

 

[Rexfiles]

At the 1320 mark the limiters are in full force and the cars are not accelerating much if any. Just like if you run your street car against the limiter, plus the cars have massive amounts of drag.

Alan[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]

Then the extra 320 feet shouldn't make that big of a safety difference should it! [/QUOTE]

Yeah, it does.

Running a Nitro motor hard against a device such as a rev limiter for even a split second is not a great way to make it live.

this was a complaint crew chiefs had against the things when they were first mandated.


Drag Racing Online :: News and Analysis - Nitro cars are safer but still fast, dangerous, and expensive despite NHRA’s efforts! - 3/14/06


REX

 

[fifty50]

The tracks are barely holding what most crew chiefs are throwing at them now under the conditions that are given to them. Why do some people think that when the race is shortened to a 1000' that all of a sudden the track can handle more between the starting line and 1000' ?

Right on. It's my opinion that these cars have pretty much gone as quick as they will be able to go. Maybe the new track in Charlotte will prove me wrong,the t/f nat. record is 4.42 and was set almost 2 yrs. ago. Seeing e.t.'s in the high 3's will be totally awesome even if it's only a thousand feet