BaldyLochs
Nitro Member
Fuzzy Carter used to do that too.
Nitromater
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TSR unapproved device?
- Thread starter Jay
- Start date
Bobby Bennett
Nitro Member
A TSUNAMI OF QUESTIONABLE ACTIONS THUNDERING TOWARDS NHRA | Competition Plus
What started as a ripple in the water turned into a full-blown tidal wave during the Fox Sports broadcast on Sunday at the NHRA 4-Wide Carolina Nationals.
competitionplus.com
Isn't it way past time for NHRA to consider allowing some forms of traction control for the fuel cars? What, exactly, is the reason for the prohibition against this? Why has this been a closed issue for decades? Am I even allowed to bring up this verboten topic? As it is, cars going up in smoke are so common that it really effects the quality of the show for the fans. Wouldn't traction control result in far better racing? Look at how many fuel cars smoked the tires in the two Q sessions today. Maybe about half? That's a lousy show for this sold-out crowd. At least with traction control we would normally have both cars make it down the track without smoking the tires. More side by side racing can only be a good thing.
Topfuel386
Nitro Member
Jon they already do. It’s the clutch pressure sensor that is used with the leahy box.
NitroLuver
Nitro Member
Off Topic, but congrats on a stout run.
Marchboom
Nitro Member
And that would add even more expense to the nitro classes. The last thing they need.
Maybe. But I'm thinking any extra expense for such a thing would be outweighed by: 1) A better show for the fans. And maybe more $$ earned that might offset any traction control device expense because: 2) Teams might go rounds instead of losing due to tire smoke; 3) Less tire smoke might mean a better Qualifying position and thus a bit more $ for higher Q position; 4) Maybe LESS engine damage from free wheeling/high-reving from tires breaking lose.
ironpony
Nitro Member
and a blower, and a body, ....
.
Nitro Member
I could be dead wrong but that way I see it..... Traction control could be as easy as a simple software update.
They already have wheel speed and driveshaft speed sensors on the car, along with the digital ignition. What other major (expensive) components would it take to implement traction control? Also, I was told years ago that they already use traction control on "test days" to help dial-in their tune-ups, and then take it back off the car when entered in NHRA competition. If that's the case, the cost would be zero since they already have it. Just my $0.02
robinjackson
Nitro Member
I seem to recall that team(s) started to explore traction control in the late 1980s/early 1990s (Eddie Hill??? err...). The system dabbed the brakes if the tyres started to spin. NHRA quickly banned the device. This was a year or three before F1 started exploring the concept -- different system that worked on ignition timing or shutting down cylinders -- engine-based rather than brakes.
The force needed to stop wheelspin by applying brakes is more than a "dab". In asphalt circle track racing (local stuff, not pros) you can occasionally see cars with traction control quite easily by looking at the rear brakes glowing on corner exit. Yes, it's illegal most times, but it shows the force needed to control wheelspin on a 400hp stock car, let alone an 11K hp fuel car.
The driver has no control over the clutch timers coming in. So what's the difference? No one complains about that. The driver would still be driving the car with traction control, the same as now. Actually, the drivers would get to actually drive the cars a LOT more, instead of idling down the track after going up in smoke.
Note how many rounds in the fuel classes went bust yesterday due to cars breaking the tires loose. That is not good racing.
robinjackson
Nitro Member
I should have said "stab", not "dab".
Most forms of traction control used today use engine detuning to control wheel spin not the brakes. Do a search for Davis Technologies. They make some really neat stuff.
.
Nitro Member
That's a totally different topic. You mentioned COST in your previous post and that is what my reply was referring to.
Traction control is heavily used in other forms of drag racing. It's not 100% fool proof. It can't save a run that is totally out to lunch. For example, the no-prep guys, Lights Out, No Mercy, World Cup, etc, etc.... pretty much everyone in this type of drag racing uses TC and the shows are usually sell-outs. These door car guys can run 3.50's in the 1/8, and in the 5 second range in the 1/4. They put on an excellent show.
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.
Nitro Member
Probably.... But it allows the car to keep going and put a number on the board. Jeff Lutz just went 5.91 (1/4 mile) at Hot Rod Drag week a few weeks ago in a car that he was planning to drive on the road for the entire week. It's very possible that car was on a 5.8X pass but TC allowed the car to put 5.91 on the board instead of being an aborted 12.XX pass. So, did TC slow that car down, or did it help the car to go faster than any car has even gone in the history of Hot Rod Drag Week? Door cars have only become faster since traction control has become common in drag racing.
