warm ups weak these days? (2 Viewers)

[Toejam]

It seems every topic has to sway into a Nostalgia vs NHRA debate! I know where I can get my Warm-ups at Kalitta's, Team Force, Pedregon, Tasca, there still are teams doing it!

 

[NitroMustang65]

Snake's team also whacks the throttle. I could swear Tasca did something this past weekend I'd never heard anyone do before - sounded like he was actually revving the engine during the warm up. I can't remember which day it was though.

 

[Butch]

The picture in post #15 was a BB/FC back in 76. Heck you don't even need nitro for a good burn out show, and the cars ran 6.5 to 6.7's then.

 

[AAFA-Freak]

Go to Nostalga show...
MM was greatest number of nitro cars in years!

 

[NitroMustang65]

LOTS of things that us old timers used to love have fallen by the wayside for economic and competitive reasons.

Among them:

The dry hop, and subsequently, the burnout. (Man, I miss the dry hops!)

What was the purpose of the dry hop? Was it done prior to driving through the water box?

 

[FC138fan]

Say it isn't so! Do the Kalitta's still warm up like they did last year? (and the year before)

YouTube - NHRA Top Fuel Warmup 2007

and speaking of not wearing ear protection - I see it every year... some hardcore uhhh... person who smokes like a chimney... drinks like a fish... rittled with tats... usually no shirt on... usually has a mullet... usually wearing cutoff jeans... guy will get right up there up against the ropes, no earplugs... arms folded and think only real MEN can do this!

With the crew guys and fans looking at him like "are you serious?" That's hilarious... One year I saw a guy do it and he didn't even have shoes on.

When the nitro cloud comes my way, im out after about 10 seconds... maybe the cig smoke hardens your lungs to be able to take nitro?

 

[TF CREW]

What was the purpose of the dry hop? Was it done prior to driving through the water box?

NO it was done after the burn-out prior to staging

 

[Fast Al]

Besides being fun, you could actually learn a couple things with a "dry hop".
Test the starting line IE: Leave at 6000rpm and you and blow the tires off, so you would stage and leave at 5000-5500, and hope it sticks. (no pre-set 2-steps in those days to rely on)

Test your car's position for "straight", so you could adjust your "line-up" if you were not pointing straight down track (hard to steer with front tires up).

Antagonize your opponent with a really awesome hop, hopefully breaking his routine and concentration.

Unfortunetly, it was hard on parts, and occasionally left you broken unable to stage and make the pass.

But again, they were alot of fun to do!

 

[Kelly]

When the nitro cloud comes my way, im out after about 10 seconds... maybe the cig smoke hardens your lungs to be able to take nitro?

Hmmmm....maybe it does. I hang around longer than 10 seconds and I very rarely even put my fingers in my ears. Now, granted I'm not usually standing RIGHT at the ropes, but still.....It's just part of the experience for me. Nitro tears and warmups. Ah, life is good!

 

[coyotedale]

Mike Fuller's t/f car is one of the better ones during warmups,,, but you cannot experience it at a Nat Event,,,,

 

[sparky]

I always loved the grunt of seating the clutch and having the car in gear ,grab a handful brake and put the load on it for few mili seconds .....ahhh nitro

 

[James]

Besides being fun, you could actually learn a couple things with a "dry hop".
Test the starting line IE: Leave at 6000rpm and you and blow the tires off, so you would stage and leave at 5000-5500, and hope it sticks. (no pre-set 2-steps in those days to rely on)

Test your car's position for "straight", so you could adjust your "line-up" if you were not pointing straight down track (hard to steer with front tires up).

Antagonize your opponent with a really awesome hop, hopefully breaking his routine and concentration.

Unfortunetly, it was hard on parts, and occasionally left you broken unable to stage and make the pass.

Ask Tom Prock about dry hops,broke on the starting line in the finals at the Gators some years ago doing dry hops. Funny part is,the other guy broke too! All Tom had to do was make a pass to win and broke too!


After both cars broke,NHRA gave them 45 min to fix them and run,since there was no winner,Tom Prock could not make it back and lost his only final rd. All he had to do was idle down the track the first time to win.

 

[Nitrohelper]

What was the purpose of the dry hop? Was it done prior to driving through the water box?

It started when we would pour puddles of VHT traction compound in front of the tires, after the burn-out.
Later it was to seat the clutch & for show at match races. When we went to high gear it would open the pack clearance too much ,so they stopped.
The "classic" F/C's can do them now because of the trans & a low rear gear.

 

[Nick Name]

I believe I remember they first started doing them when they were running a torqflite and a converter.

 

[Z28LT1]

Say it isn't so! Do the Kalitta's still warm up like they did last year? (and the year before)

YouTube - NHRA Top Fuel Warmup 2007

and speaking of not wearing ear protection - I see it every year... some hardcore uhhh... person who smokes like a chimney... drinks like a fish... rittled with tats... usually no shirt on... usually has a mullet... usually wearing cutoff jeans... guy will get right up there up against the ropes, no earplugs... arms folded and think only real MEN can do this!

With the crew guys and fans looking at him like "are you serious?" That's hilarious... One year I saw a guy do it and he didn't even have shoes on.

When the nitro cloud comes my way, im out after about 10 seconds... maybe the cig smoke hardens your lungs to be able to take nitro?

Try breathing in through your mouth and out through your nose... it seems a little closed minded to judge people biased on the above mentioned hair and clothes styles.

Have you ever given thought that maybe they laugh at the guy who goes running away at there first hint of nitro fumes?

Something to think about next time you're about to judge good people.

 

[FC138fan]

Try breathing in through your mouth and out through your nose... it seems a little closed minded to judge people biased on the above mentioned hair and clothes styles.

Have you ever given thought that maybe they laugh at the guy who goes running away at there first hint of nitro fumes?

Something to think about next time you're about to judge good people.

These are observations. Nitromethane and methanol exhaust is noxious. This is why your eyes water and lungs burn, it't not meant to be inhaled. These engines are loud... not using ear protection will cause ear damage.

My appologies to those who fit the stereotype and are not unreasonable - there is a majority of cool humans that have the above qualities I mentioned before that are reasonable people. Maybe it was just coincidence that the only people I've seen at the ropes with their ears uncovered inhaling nitro fumes looked like that.

If they're warming up you will find me holding my ears, and if I'm enveloped in a nitro cloud, I will move to fresh air. You wont find me with tinnitus or nitric acid in my lungs when I'm older though.

Observations... Ok your right, it wasnt the point of my post to judge people, I really am sorry for that.. but there are some people that do bug me at events. Those people who stand during a run are one of them. Those people who smoke cigarettes non stop during an event in the middle of the crowd are the other. I assume that the guy who stands at the ropes during a warmup with no ear protection inhaling nitro fumes is probably the same guy lacking the good judgement to realize that there are other people at the event who didn't come to the race to watch his back or get smoked out. I was just venting, sorry to all who were offended.

 

[James]

Invest in a gas mask. I have one and nothing beats bein that close when a Kalitta or Force car blips the throttle.

 

[.]

Formaldehyde is a byproduct of methanol combustion.
So, it "preserves" the lungs. That's good!


*the part about preserving the lungs and being good is a joke. Don't take it serious.

 

[mick]

maybe the smokers that bother you were non-smokers before they came
to their first drag race, but were enticed to smoke by the then series
sponsor winston?
all kidding aside, i'm a smoker and i actually agree with you.
i think it's time for more no smoking laws at stadium seating
style events

 

[FC138fan]

but were enticed to smoke by the then series
sponsor winston?
style events

Good point... they used to give away cartons of cigarettes if you did a survey or something didn't they? When it switched to Powerade, I kept waiting for them to hand out cases of Powerade.. especially on those hot mid summer days... but that never did happen...