When three legends of the sport speak NHRA needs to listen! (2 Viewers)

[HoodooVoodooAngus]

I think that the Heritage Circuit could look at adding rear-engine top fuel at this point with a car that resembled the late 80's - early 90's with the combo that knocked on 5 sec/300 mph passes. Limit fuel pump and downforce but run a full load of nitro. All the cackle, reasonable speeds and some great racing.

 

[SoCal Racer]

yes, we are doing both. balancing act of money, safety, and speed. what we have right now @ 1000' is pretty spectacular.
IMO it is a very saleable racing product. keep up the social media and exploit the drivers and other personalities for all they're worth.

Reminds me of the old sign in a speed shop and the dilemma of the ages: "Cheap, Safe, Fast. Pick two."

 

[z28]

Reminds me of the old sign in a speed shop and the dilemma of the ages: "Cheap, Safe, Fast. Pick two."

the shop I used to use sign said: "speed costs. How fast do you want to go"

 

[65 Goatboy]

Maybe IHRA goes to 1/4 mile and we see what happens to attendance ......

They have 3 on the schedule with fuel cars going 1/4 mile.

 

[BaldyLochs]

Maybe IHRA goes to 1/4 mile and we see what happens to attendance ......

Well….. I guess that is an option. Let International run the quarter mile; let National remain at 1000 feet. Each one post your schedules and payouts…. and then let the competitors choose where to haul their race cars to, in order to compete.

 

[Ponyhntr]

They have 3 on the schedule with fuel cars going 1/4 mile.

Not 1/4 mile. 1000'.

 

[yoda]

Sadly we'll never really know, since attendance figures are more closely guarded than defense dept black ops programs.

We who have seen the sport for a minute already know:
- When all the camera shots are showing one side of a track, not good.
- When one entire side or anything past 900' isn't even open to the public, not good.
-When the drone or jib shot gets a little wide, and it looks like an aluminum farm, not good.
-When you watch NHRA TV from the 70s/80s and the exact same tracks are mob deep at the fence AND the stands back then, and now you can put all the current paying customers in 4 sections comfortably, not good.

Personally, cut the series down to the Top 10 attended races from the previous year, and then throw in two more tracks as "specialty events" that are competing for a spot in the Top 10 the following year, and then open up the match racing circuit to fill in the gaps... Throw all the money at the 10 tracks for marketing and better TV time and let them battle, ala Hunger Games, for the chance to be in the mix.
Gainsville, Epping, who else is in?

 

[Mike]

I think that the Heritage Circuit could look at adding rear-engine top fuel at this point with a car that resembled the late 80's - early 90's with the combo that knocked on 5 sec/300 mph passes. Limit fuel pump and downforce but run a full load of nitro. All the cackle, reasonable speeds and some great racing.

Jeremy, tried it at Bakersfield for a few years and never got more than 3 cars.

 

[GumbyWVU]

We who have seen the sport for a minute already know:
- When all the camera shots are showing one side of a track, not good.
- When one entire side or anything past 900' isn't even open to the public, not good.
-When the drone or jib shot gets a little wide, and it looks like an aluminum farm, not good.
-When you watch NHRA TV from the 70s/80s and the exact same tracks are mob deep at the fence AND the stands back then, and now you can put all the current paying customers in 4 sections comfortably, not good.

Personally, cut the series down to the Top 10 attended races from the previous year, and then throw in two more tracks as "specialty events" that are competing for a spot in the Top 10 the following year, and then open up the match racing circuit to fill in the gaps... Throw all the money at the 10 tracks for marketing and better TV time and let them battle, ala Hunger Games, for the chance to be in the mix.
Gainsville, Epping, who else is in?

Oh I know what you're saying, I've seen that too, on TV and in person. We went to Charlotte in September, and what I would say is the "east" grandstands, maybe 100-150 people on the whole side. And nobody had to park in the big lot across the blvd from the track entrance. I was a little shocked really, since we've always had to park on that side. However, there was a home game for the Panthers that Sunday, but still....

 

[Harry]

I agree 100%. The 1000' deal is set for entertainment purposes, NOT racing. We have a lack of showmanship at the starting line. No burnouts. No dry hops. Everything is timed down to the second. Same crap every run. Put low helix blower rotors in with a smaller fuel pump and have at the 1/4 mile. They all shut off at the first light anyway.

 

[Billy]

I agree 100%. The 1000' deal is set for entertainment purposes, NOT racing. We have a lack of showmanship at the starting line. No burnouts. No dry hops. Everything is timed down to the second. Same crap every run. Put low helix blower rotors in with a smaller fuel pump and have at the 1/4 mile. They all shut off at the first light anyway.

Actually - everything being timed down to the second is more FOR RACING and competitiveness, NOT entertainment purposes. The biggest, baddest cars on the planet are pushed through the burnout box so as not to harm one bit of their precious clutch - all done for MAXIMUM PERFORMANCE.

 

[GumbyWVU]

Actually - everything being timed down to the second is more FOR RACING and competitiveness, NOT entertainment purposes. The biggest, baddest cars on the planet are pushed through the burnout box so as not to harm one bit of their precious clutch - all done for MAXIMUM PERFORMANCE.

Is that why dry hops disappeared and burn-outs were scaled back? Parts preservation?

 

[none]

Is that why dry hops disappeared and burn-outs were scaled back? Parts preservation?

It was for consistentcy. The are so refined now that 20 degrees of clutch temp can be the difference between making a good run and not. Same reason most teams quit the throttle whack. One time the engine might go to 6500 next time 7200 and that could change the clutch. When you are adjusting the lever weights by a gram or two, you need everything else to be consistent.

John Medlen told me there is a go-no go number (wish I could remember exactly what is is) that if the clutch temp at the step was above the number the car has NEVER made it down the track.

Alan

 

[ch streetcars]

It was for consistentcy. The are so refined now that 20 degrees of clutch temp can be the difference between making a good run and not. Same reason most teams quit the throttle whack. One time the engine might go to 6500 next time 7200 and that could change the clutch. When you are adjusting the lever weights by a gram or two, you need everything else to be consistent.

John Medlen told me there is a go-no go number (wish I could remember exactly what is is) that if the clutch temp at the step was above the number the car has NEVER made it down the track.

Alan

Like I said in the NASCAR burnout thread, some of the most spectacular noises and fury of Drag Racing; long burnouts, throttle wacks in the pits, and long ago dry hops, have disappeared for the pursuit of low E.T. Those demonstrations of power are what hooked many of us on Drag Racing. I include Pro Stock in the burnouts and hops too! So now we have unreal horsepower and speeds and E.T.s but the show is much less entertaining to the average fan. Partly empty bleachers translates to less sponsors, and less teams. Lots of GO power, but much less SHOW power. I still love national events, but when I get someone to go that hasn't been in years , they ask why many of the best spectacles are no longer done , if drag racing is about entertainment?

 

[aakar]

Does it really matter? @ an event you can't see the finish line and depend on the win light to know who won, on broadcast and stream you don't see a finish line and are told by one of the superstar announcers or
graphics who won.
I could care less between 1320 or 1000ft, but it would be nice to see (and hear) dry hops, ferocious burnouts, 98% and whacks

 

[GumbyWVU]

It was for consistentcy. The are so refined now that 20 degrees of clutch temp can be the difference between making a good run and not. Same reason most teams quit the throttle whack. One time the engine might go to 6500 next time 7200 and that could change the clutch. When you are adjusting the lever weights by a gram or two, you need everything else to be consistent.

John Medlen told me there is a go-no go number (wish I could remember exactly what is is) that if the clutch temp at the step was above the number the car has NEVER made it down the track.

Alan

Price of progress I suppose.