Welcome 1,000 foot drag racing in 2009?

[The Swegian]

pro stock would become nothing more than a reaction time contest. it's almost like that now. 1000ft for pro stock racing would be beyond insane

I agree. I don't like the idea at all.

 

[DAN]

Maybe this sounds naive, but I'll throw this out there....
Watching old Diamond P videos from the 90s, you dont see a great deal of engines eating themselves up at 1000ft, and the first 4.50s came about in '96! Under today's rules, it would still mostly be 50's and the odd '40.
With the engine zinging on the rev limiter, wouldn't that be one of the main reasons for explosions beyond 1000ft in the last few years?
Why not just remove the rev limiter and lower the cubic inches, fuel pump size, etc? Sounds easy in theory, hey?!
Wouldn't most race fans prefer to see the fuel cars slowed to 4.70s / 310mph on a 1/4 mile than 1000ft runs?
What happens if we lose a driver at 1000ft next year? Do we go 660ft? A good sand trap / catch net is part of the answer. An emergency fuel shutoff deal like the one Del Worsham's team were proposing is also part of the answer.
Here's a scenario - seeing a good portion of the fans go to see the Fuel cars, shouldn't we pay less through the gate for seeing a shortened race? Just like most products these days, the price goes up, but you get less of the product per serving.

 

[Joker]

I'm not a huge fan of 1000', but if it makes the racing less costly of lives and engines (oil-downs) as it has, as tight as it's been since it went into effect, and makes some tracks workable, then I'm OK with it.

I will say, though, the thing that bugs me the most is the varying lengths. It's so weird to have the fuel classes at one length, the trot out the pro stock cars right behind at a different length. I think they should just do it for everyone.

I'm still trying to figure out how that would effect our S/C car, but if 1000' is here to stay for anyone, it should be for everyone. IMHO...

I can live with 1000 ft if it only pertains to the fuel cars. I dont like it, I'd rather watch them be slowed down and run the quarter. Would I still go to the races and stuff, ofcourse b/c I love the sport.

However, if they change all the other classes to 1000 ft thats a whole different deal. Thats just stupid. Racing is dangerous, always has been, always will be. Someone is always going to die doing it. Even if they go to 60 ft racing. PS racing I think would suck at 1000 ft. You might as well make it 60 ft b/c the race would already be decided by then.

And at Dallas, there were 3 oildowns in 3 consecutive pairs of cars. So I aint buying the less oildowns deal.

 

[JRX]

You can say that because you have plenty of tracks near you that are adequate to run 1/4 mile for. If you can't race here, there's another track relatively close by.

In New Mexico, we don't have a divisional, much less a national. Closest track for a National or Divisional, is about 400 miles away. Take that track away and the next closest is 600 miles away.

Until recently, we had to go 400 miles just to test on a good sticky racetrack. Thankfully, our new racetrack is run by racers who I think are doing an excellent job of upgrading the racetrack, now we are just 30 minutes away.

What does it matter where I live? I liken it to people wanting to have beach and play volleyball in shorts at the north pole. We allready have too many races, shorten the season and race at the safe tracks. This concerns pro classes btw...

 

[James]

This is the wrong fix for the sports problems, once someone dies in 1,000 foot racing then what? Once someone dies in 1/8 mile racing then what? I believe this will hurt the sport in the long run. JMHO.

 

[Andy]

Better idea - fix the tracks. Don't ruin the sport over this.

Knee jerk reaction.

And if I were Englishtown, I'd be doing just that. NJMP is talking about adding a drag strip to their world class facility.

 

[Wes]

I'm still trying to figure out how that would effect our S/C car, but if 1000' is here to stay for anyone, it should be for everyone. IMHO...

I agree...if nitro is at 1000', everyone should be.

Chris...when I raced S/C I used my 1000' numbers to tune the throttle stop. I was never off the pedal by then so I had no "wasted" data and could use each and every pass to fine tune the timers. I also never had to guess what the run "woulda been" if I hadn't pedaled or stood on the brakes...never trusted the run-completion feature in my weather station. 1000' .90 racing will change the game a bit, though...gear ratios will change so racers can fully take advantage of MPH.

Should 1000' be the norm from this point forward, scoreboards need to be moved to reflect the change.

 

[d'kid]

I reading this as 1000 feet, and the upgraded sandtraps-catch system, and the AHHHH $hit button in the car.

Not just one piece, but all three together...

And Fine a Driver BIG TIME!!!!! for unstrapping or removing safety equipment while the car is still on the track... unless they are departing the car due to fire.

d'kid

 

[mike cummings]

:
I am as deeply saddened by the deaths of racers as anyone else is. But, there is an inherent danger every time someone straps into any type of racing vehicle. I believe racers have to accept some responsibility for anything that happens while competing.

That's my take on this too. Crab fishing in the Bering Sea pays very well but is quite dangerous and that weeds out many people from doing that job. Flying a fighter jet is dangerous but pilots accept the danger to do the job that they love. Bottom line is if a driver doesn't feel safe driving in a certain class, then they should re-evaluate if they should be racing in that class.

 

[yoda]

This is the wrong fix for the sports problems, once someone dies in 1,000 foot racing then what? Once someone dies in 1/8 mile racing then what? I believe this will hurt the sport in the long run. JMHO.

Bingo

Fix the tracks. Run only at the ones that meet a SINGLE safety standard for wall construction/ shutoff legnth and design. Make that new electronic cutoff device manditory on EVERY car (and make it inexpensive too!) and then make it triggered by something at the track- say a wireless unit at 1350'?

God forbid we have any more deaths, but throughout the history of the sport there have been seasons like this, particularly in the early floppers and slingshots. The cars were made safer. The tracks were made safer. If this starts getting bad at 800', someone is going to use this decision to kill the sport as we know it entirely. If you think all that nitro gear is expensive now, just wait until there is NO place to use it and no market to sell it in...

 

[Bullard Anderson]

Friends, I am against this new policy if introduced. I will veto it as your Commander in Chief.

 

[yoda]

Friends, I am against this new policy if introduced. I will veto it as your Commander in Chief.

I thought only PJ was running??

Man- so many choices....

 

[Leebone]

One thing for sure, this debate is a lot more interesting than the presidential debates (snore).

Leebone

 

[Jenn]

What does it matter where I live? I liken it to people wanting to have beach and play volleyball in shorts at the north pole.

We allready have too many races, shorten the season and race at the safe tracks. This concerns pro classes btw...

Too many races?!?! Then don't go!

Shorten the schedule, hurt the local economies, take away the economy and race track owners can't afford to treat you to those nice little match races.

Take away the economy and take away the local business who support the racers. Take away the support, take away the racers.

There's no easy solution. NHRA has become more of an influence than Wally Parks himself ever dreamed it would be. I read Gainsville boosted the economy 3 million dollars, something like 2.5 million for Ennis and the surrounding areas.

I realize that you guys like the pros. I realize that a lot you guys 'don't care' for the sportsman racers, who depend on the tracks that host one national event a year to put them in the black for the rest of the year.

Ya'll want to eliminate an entire event for 8 rounds of nitro racing and 320 feet less?

 

[Rajunz]

I agree 100%

When 1,000 feet racing first came about, I was against it. I have changed my mind.

I will say this:

- More side by side racing in the fuel classes, bringing holeshots into play in a significant number of races.
- Saves the racers money, which may increase car counts.
- Less oil downs, cars are not on the limiter.
- Gives the racers more time to slow down, maybe only 3 or 4 tenths of a second, but that could be all the difference.

Times change, the sport marches on. I will still attend/watch.

PS can you imagine how absolutely RUTHLESS Pro Stock is going to be at 1,000FT?!?!?!?!

 

[RacerRose]

I agree 100%

I also agree.

 

[chop]

pro stock would become nothing more than a reaction time contest. it's almost like that now. 1000ft for pro stock racing would be beyond insane

You're absolutely correct James,1000' would kill P/S. It would give the "leavers" a huge advantage. It would take the big HP cars out and give the lower HP, over geared,small tire cars an advantage. I hope this doesn't happen,taking up golf would be tough.

 

[vegasnitro]

And at Dallas, there were 3 oildowns in 3 consecutive pairs of cars. So I aint buying the less oildowns deal.

Dallas was an anomoly. Besides, nothing that happens in Texas matters anyway.

I would bet ya that if you looked at the numbers of oil downs pre and post 1000ft you would see a BIG difference.

The tuners will eventually figure out how to run them hard to 1000ft though ... bringing the dreaded limiter back into play. So the "less oil downs" point in my argument may only be temporary.

 

[vegasnitro]

I hope this doesn't happen,taking up golf would be tough.

Remember to bend your knees, relax your back, keep your head down, turn your hips and shoulders at the same time through the ball and finish up top.

Real easy.

 

[clwill]

Chris, do you guys race any 1/8 mile brackets?

Doesn't really affect the cars that much other than reducing the room that you have to run the timers, which most crybaby fans don't care for anyway.

No we don't race the 1/8s (yet).

Chris...when I raced S/C I used my 1000' numbers to tune the throttle stop. I was never off the pedal by then so I had no "wasted" data and could use each and every pass to fine tune the timers. I also never had to guess what the run "woulda been" if I hadn't pedaled or stood on the brakes...never trusted the run-completion feature in my weather station. 1000' .90 racing will change the game a bit, though...gear ratios will change so racers can fully take advantage of MPH.

When I said I was trying to figure it out, it wasn't "geez, I'm lost", it was more "hmmm, let me think". I understand basically what we have to do -- I just need to (as Wes suggests) go back into the Racepak data and think it over a bit. And of course it all depends on what the index is (8.90 or something else). This is all no big deal, just something I haven't even really thought about until today...