Top Fuel Dragster evolution. Morphing Top Fuel and F1

[GumbyWVU]

Air pressure is dictated by track temp and grip number. And it's the opposite of what you might think.
If you need more bite, you increase the air pressure, if you need more slip, you lower it.

Alan

yep, my initial thought would have been the opposite. Interesting.

 

[ironpony]

yep, my initial thought would have been the opposite. Interesting.

The contact patch of a TF tire is 250 square inches under load, two sheets of paper.

 

[Ponyhntr]

I’m getting back to this thread extremely late, so forgive me that I didn’t read every word.

One thing to keep in mind, in the mid-2000’s to the mid-20 teens, the teams spending was out of control. The teams wanted NHRA to do something to help. So they put a freeze on all development, and that’s where the new product approval process came from. Teams/manufacturers can still try to make improvements, but they have to be approved by NHRA first. It has greatly helped the teams with spending.

ANY change (even a change to slow the cars down) that is made costs money. A lot of times it’s a very large sum even for the smallest of changes. The way this sport is built, with allowing anyone to put a car and team together to come race, it’s imperative to keep the costs in check. If there were wholesale changes to cars, or the engines, it would obsolete many parts and we would lose more than half the field because they just couldn’t afford to change.

The sport is in a major catch-22, so you either make a change and cost a lot of money at the expense of participation, or you stay status-quo and hope more teams find the funding to participate more (that’s a whole other conversation).

At this time I don’t think there is a right answer, and I think a lot of people inside agree with that.

 

[Nitro Bass!]

I’m getting back to this thread extremely late, so forgive me that I didn’t read every word.

One thing to keep in mind, in the mid-2000’s to the mid-20 teens, the teams spending was out of control. The teams wanted NHRA to do something to help. So they put a freeze on all development, and that’s where the new product approval process came from. Teams/manufacturers can still try to make improvements, but they have to be approved by NHRA first. It has greatly helped the teams with spending.

ANY change (even a change to slow the cars down) that is made costs money. A lot of times it’s a very large sum even for the smallest of changes. The way this sport is built, with allowing anyone to put a car and team together to come race, it’s imperative to keep the costs in check. If there were wholesale changes to cars, or the engines, it would obsolete many parts and we would lose more than half the field because they just couldn’t afford to change.

The sport is in a major catch-22, so you either make a change and cost a lot of money at the expense of participation, or you stay status-quo and hope more teams find the funding to participate more (that’s a whole other conversation).

At this time I don’t think there is a right answer, and I think a lot of people inside agree with that.

Very good points. I think we've arrived at this crossroads with the best of intentions, but where we are today just doesn't seem very sustainable—or, to use a word I just made up, "growable."

Something has to give, and something has to change. The challenge is that no one, whether they're on the inside or the outside of the sport, seems to have all the answers.

My hope is that through open, honest conversation, people can work together to find solutions that truly help the sport evolve while also making it more affordable and sustainable for the teams and participants who make it all possible.