Top Alcohol Dragster combination parity (2 Viewers)

[Al]

Now that the season is over, NHRA really needs to look at adjusting the rules for either the Blown Alcohol cars (to make them quicker), or less desirable, the A Fuel cars to slow them down. There are less and less blown alcohol cars by the day, because, in my opinion they can no longer compete. Yes, I have heard that the A Fuel cars are cheaper to run, but do we really want to lose those high winding blown cars with better burnouts ???
NHRA needs to look at the numbers. Shawn Cowie has had the top blown car the last three years, but he is still at least half a tenth, often a full tenth behind the top A Fuel cars (of which are not just the Randy Meyer cars any more, there are many others as well). The rest of the blown cars are another half a tenth slower again. After being the championship runner-up for several years, now dropped to number 3, I believe, I wonder how much longer will this unbelievably dedicated guy, and all of his blown competitors, will keep trying to compete with the A Fuel cars ?
I realize that this opens up a can of worms, with both NHRA, and some fans, but something now needs to be done.
Shades of Pro Mod I know !

 

[Chili]

Now that the season is over, NHRA really needs to look at adjusting the rules for either the Blown Alcohol cars (to make them quicker), or less desirable, the A Fuel cars to slow them down. There are less and less blown alcohol cars by the day, because, in my opinion they can no longer compete. Yes, I have heard that the A Fuel cars are cheaper to run, but do we really want to lose those high winding blown cars with better burnouts ???
NHRA needs to look at the numbers. Shawn Cowie has had the top blown car the last three years, but he is still at least half a tenth, often a full tenth behind the top A Fuel cars (of which are not just the Randy Meyer cars any more, there are many others as well). The rest of the blown cars are another half a tenth slower again. After being the championship runner-up for several years, now dropped to number 3, I believe, I wonder how much longer will this unbelievably dedicated guy, and all of his blown competitors, will keep trying to compete with the A Fuel cars ?
I realize that this opens up a can of worms, with both NHRA, and some fans, but something now needs to be done.
Shades of Pro Mod I know !

It used to be certain conditions favored the blower cars. Altitude was one of them but that is not a factor in Vegas. I do not know much the tech rules for the blown cars but they either need to give them some more blower overdrive or a better gear ratio in the rear end. Could also increase weight of the AFuel cars or reduce the nitro percentage. Cowie won two national events this year and Severance a runner up. Cowie also had a runner up. So out of 30 opportunities there were four blown cars in a national event final. Of course most of the cars in the class are AFuel which skews the numbers a bit but there are less blown cars every year because of the current rules.

 

[Cliff]

Severance still holds the quickest ET for blown car at 5.12, but no one has come close to that this year. I understand that the C screw blower flows more fuel & air than the current screw blower, but someone mentioned that the C is no longer made. That could be an answer, bigger screw blower. Or maybe allow the alky cars to run 10% nitro... heh heh

I think we all want to see a 4.99 outta this class.

 

[Nunz]

NHRA has does a good job overall creating parity between the 2 combos, but as mentioned, the A/F cars seem to have garnered an edge most of the time now. The difference isn't big, but in today's racing, a few hundredths is substantial. So, it's probably time for a slight tweak to tighten them up again.

 

[TopFuel@Lions]

Change nothing. The nitro cars are great. Slow this, slow that, rubbish. The cars are heavy enough.



TopFuel@Lions

 

[Burnnitro1320]

I think they should make the A/fuel cars look more like a blown alcohol dragster and less like a Top Fuel Dragster, starting with the wing. Might give the good blown cars a chance. Otherwise they should rename the class jr fuel.

 

[Nunz]

I think they should make the A/fuel cars look more like a blown alcohol dragster and less like a Top Fuel Dragster, starting with the wing. Might give the good blown cars a chance. Otherwise they should rename the class jr fuel.

Well the A/F wings aren't there for a certain "look". The injected nitro combo is entirely different than the BADs and they need that downforce to create load. I myself like the fact that the two combos actually look a little different from one another. Don't we complain when every car in a class looks the same?

 

[M Jones]

I think they should make the A/fuel cars look more like a blown alcohol dragster and less like a Top Fuel Dragster, starting with the wing. Might give the good blown cars a chance. Otherwise they should rename the class jr fuel.

As far as wings go I think blown guys can run same wing, someone correct me if I’m wrong

 

[Burnnitro1320]

My point was a little less downforce would slow them down.

 

[M Jones]

My point was a little less downforce would slow them down.

A a-fuel motor needs a lot of load to keep firing on all 8, also would not want to see someone lose traction in the lights and possibly crash So someone else can catch up

 

[TD5023]

As far as wings go I think blown guys can run same wing, someone correct me if I’m wrong

The rulebook shows exactly the same guidelines for both combinations, so you are correct and the reverse is also true.

 

[M Jones]

The rulebook shows exactly the same guidelines for both combinations, so you are correct and the reverse is also true.

Thank you

 

[mick]

almost without exception the nitro injected diggers seem to run the 300" chassis. what would happen if someone ran a 250" chassis and figured
out the weight balance? would the lighter weight increase e.t. and speed? or the current combination of HP and gears needs the longer chassis to flex and transfer load?
we're basically watching TF from the late 80's again.

 

[M Jones]

almost without exception the nitro injected diggers seem to run the 300" chassis. what would happen if someone ran a 250" chassis and figured
out the weight balance? would the lighter weight increase e.t. and speed? or the current combination of HP and gears needs the longer chassis to flex and transfer load?
we're basically watching TF from the late 80's again.

theres a min weight

 

[Mike Henkelman]

As a completely unbiased voice of pure reason and principles...I think the best way to solve this is to give the injected cars a lockup clutch. And 98%. And a bigger rear wing. And then spend three years just evaluating how that goes.

 

[none]

As a completely unbiased voice of pure reason and principles...I think the best way to solve this is to give the injected cars a lockup clutch. And 98%. And a bigger rear wing. And then spend three years just evaluating how that goes.

Interesting perspective from an unbiased outsider with no skin in the game. But I'm curious, why not 100%? That would eliminate the need for fuel check giving the teams and NHRA one less thing to worry about. Wouldn't it?

Alan

 

[Cliff]

Hmmmm So why not allow twin turbos on the alky cars? And I'm talking BIG turbos. Clutch management system. Big wing. T/F tires. And then go ahead with the unbiased outsider (heh) A/FD combo. And then allow the same combos in TA/FC. And then get rid of the Pro classes, cuz these cars would take their place, And then go back to 1320. And then........

heh heh heh

 

[Mike Henkelman]

Interesting perspective from an unbiased outsider with no skin in the game. But I'm curious, why not 100%? That would eliminate the need for fuel check giving the teams and NHRA one less thing to worry about. Wouldn't it?

Alan

And this is why we need thought leaders like yourself in the sport Alan. I had never considered the benefit of taking the needless burden of fuel checks off the NHRA staff. NHRA tech officials do an incredible job, and Ill just say it: Their lives matter. 100% it is. Lets standardize blower overdrive on the alcohol cars to make it easier for them...no need to be swapping these pullies around. Lets just settle on a 18" 20 tooth pullies made of 904L steel (like Rolex uses) and take a victory lap for an incredible job well done.

 

[cknight]

Hmmmm So why not allow twin turbos on the alky cars? And I'm talking BIG turbos. Clutch management system. Big wing. T/F tires. And then go ahead with the unbiased outsider (heh) A/FD combo. And then allow the same combos in TA/FC. And then get rid of the Pro classes, cuz these cars would take their place, And then go back to 1320. And then........

heh heh heh

Yeah, BIG twin turbos with superchargers and EFI! Bring modern technology into the class. Spectators need to see state of the art stuff. Who cares what the racers want (or can afford)? We need more weight/cu.in. breaks to play with. (Extreme sarcasm for those that might not understand) Chase

 

[T.Smith]

Screw it, bring back Hydrazine and then we can sort out who the real men are.