mick
Nitro Member
Not at all what the guys at the Goodyear Innovation Center in Akron tell me.
what do they tell you?
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Not at all what the guys at the Goodyear Innovation Center in Akron tell me.
If the rumors were ever true, E-Town would have been shut down 20 years ago.
Today they have what they call a 350mph tire and they want at least a 10mph safety factor for the tire with means they do not want it run at over 340mph. The chances of Goodyear making a new pro tire that has a faster rating I think is slim and none. Additionally, I do not see them developing a faster tire due to the liability issues and the costs of developing a new tire that has very very limited sales in a very small marketplace. Goodyear is probably in the strongest position of negating 1320 racing than anyone else. If Goodyear were to stop manf these tires NHRA is S.O.L. with having the T/F & F/C classes. Firestone used to make tires for these classes as did M&H. They both stopped due to the liability and the high development costs and selling them at a $$ loss. It wasn't economical. Goodyear is the only player in town and if they say no 1320' and it's going to stay 1000' or they will pull out of making the tires it would be 1000' no matter what anyone else including NHRA might want.
Do you think Firestone or M&H, or M/T or Hoosier wants "in" on the nitro ranks??
Folks it's two things keeping attendance down.
1) the economy.... not track length
2) the lack of youth. As the "geezers" die off or get too old to attend , we need to get the teens, 20 some things, and 30 some things to the tracks.
To raise tickets in these economic times to cover testing is crazy.
What parity is Jim Head talking about? The only Funny Car to win this year not from DSR or JFR is Cruz Pedregon 3 times. The only Top Fuel cars to win this year not from Al-Anabi or DSR are Bob Vandergriff once and Doug Kalitta once and Morgan Lucas twice. When you combine both nitro classes, the big 3 of Al-Anabi, DSR and JFR have won 39 out 46 events, for a whopping 85%. That is not parity, that is everyone else hoping they can make the semis or be in the other lane in the final.
Qualifying is tighter, but it doesn't translate on race day.
thanks for saying what I've always wanted to say.
want to look at an even scarier stat? compile the number of final round participants
Do you think Firestone or M&H, or M/T or Hoosier wants "in" on the nitro ranks??
EDIT: AND develop a tire that is good to 375mph and 30,000# of downforce?
Don't know if they "want" in or not. All I'm saying is they shouldn't be locked out.
I believe they declined to play because they did not think it was possible build a Drag Race Tire that could live at 335 plus... I did not think they were "LOCKED OUT" Zappy.
d'kid
Sure they are. NHRA not only dictates the brand,(goodyear) but also the compound. ALL the fuel cars must run the exact same rear tires.
I was at E-Town when Johnny West was knocked unconscious and ran off he end of the track. I was not there when we lost Scott Kalitta in a similar crash. Speeds were different in each of those crashes, with Johnny's car gradually picking up speed as he neared the end of the track. Scott was going full bore when he blew up. But I don't think Scott could have survived if the race was 1000 ft back then. He may have if there wasn't equipment (boom truck) parked down there in his path.
Just like when Jimmy Nix died after hitting the score board pillar, and at the next race at Maple Grove I saw one hay bale leaning against the base of each pillar at the top end. I flagged down a track worker and asked if that would have saved Jimmy and he just shrugged his shoulders and took off on his minibike.
People were sporting T-shirts at Maple Grove one year that said something to the effect of "I won't be back if 1320 isn't back".....
Personally, I miss the top end charges and the pedal fests that were won in the final few yards of the old 1320![]()
Scott's death was tragic and should have never happened, period. But looking at the facts, 1,000 foot is a bogus solution. Scott was traveling ~300 mph when the car blew up at the 1,000 foot mark. It immediately began decelerating due to no longer applying power, wind resistance, etc. - albeit at a slow rate. Unfortunately the chutes burned off and the brakes failed - a "perfect storm" of malfunctions that would most likely lead to calamity on any track, but in this case it was a shorter track with equipment in the shutdown area. I'm sorry to say, but Scott had no chance in that scenario.
My point is, whether blowing up at 1000 ft. or racing to 1000 ft. and clicking it would have the same outcome given chutes gone and no brakes.
Scott's death was tragic and should have never happened, period. But looking at the facts, 1,000 foot is a bogus solution. Scott was traveling ~300 mph when the car blew up at the 1,000 foot mark. It immediately began decelerating due to no longer applying power, wind resistance, etc. - albeit at a slow rate. Unfortunately the chutes burned off and the brakes failed - a "perfect storm" of malfunctions that would most likely lead to calamity on any track, but in this case it was a shorter track with equipment in the shutdown area. I'm sorry to say, but Scott had no chance in that scenario.
My point is, whether blowing up at 1000 ft. or racing to 1000 ft. and clicking it would have the same outcome given chutes gone and no brakes.
"not for profit" is a legal term for a company that can't have shareholders and pay dividends...It has nothing to do with making a profit ---..... operated like a true not for profit......