{"ImagePath":"http://community.racingone.com/media/","BoundryClass":"","BoundryClassTop":"","BoundryClassRight":"popupConstraintR","BoundryClassBottom":"popupConstraintB","BoundryClassLeft":"","CloseButtonClass":"PersonaButtonStyleContainer","HoverContainerClass":"hoverItemContainer","OnDelayTime":0,"Padding":5,"VisualPointer":false,"Shadow":false,"TrackMouse":false,"XSize":0,"YSize":0,"PopupContainerClass":"popupContainer","ConstrainTop":false,"ConstrainRight":false,"ConstrainBottom":false,"ConstrainLeft":false}
Joined:
7-24-2007
Posts:
20
NHRA changes to 1000 ft..Thats Blasphemy
7/3/2008 12:17 PM
Typical for racing in the modern era. A loved driver is killed in the line of duty and immediately change is required. Auto racing is dangerous. It's suppose to be.
Changing to 1000 ft. from our "sacred" 1/4 mile is blasphemy !!
Joined:
7-21-2006
Posts:
3860
NHRA changes to 1000 ft..Thats Blasphemy
7/4/2008 11:34 PM
1000 ft would have done Scott no good. He blew up at that distance and the end result would have been the same.
How about we eliminate tracks with walls at the end of the track. And man lifts. Wouldn't hurt not to have a 10 ton chunk of steel at the end of the gravel trap. A gravel trap that should have sand, that is.
Joined:
7-21-2006
Posts:
22795
NHRA changes to 1000 ft..Thats Blasphemy
7/5/2008 2:30 AM
I'm not a big drag racing fan, but I don't see how this "helps" anything.
As Bandman said, they might think about parking cranes or front-end loaders or whatever that was somewhere OTHER than the end of the runway. And make improvements in gravel traps or perhaps a series of catch fences of some kind that would dissipate energy and decelerate the cars in such situations as Kalitta's.
Joined:
7-21-2006
Posts:
1423
NHRA changes to 1000 ft..Thats Blasphemy
7/5/2008 2:58 PM
johnga wrote:
Typical for racing in the modern era. A loved driver is killed in the line of duty and immediately change is required. Auto racing is dangerous. It's suppose to be.
Changing to 1000 ft. from our "sacred" 1/4 mile is blasphemy !!
OK - let's assume that the NHRA did nothing following Scott's tragic accident, and then another pro driver was injured, or even worse killed.... would you still believe that the 1320 is sacrosanct? Or would you now feel that the NHRA should have done something?
And the release I read on NHRA.com said that the PRO unanimously supported the NHRA in its decision to
temporarily enact this change while the crash analysis is ongoing.... So, I guess that, in your eyes, all of the members of the Professional Racers Organization(PRO) are blasphemers, too.....
http://www.nhra.com/content/news/30355.htm
Did you see Michael McDowell's crash in NASCAR @ Texas?; it was a lot worse than Dale Earhardt's @ Daytona. Yet the changes to the car. seat, walls, and everything else allowed McDowell to WALK AWAY.....and from a car that most of the drivers' dislike...
And what about those tracks that run 1/8 mile drag races????
Joined:
3-17-2007
Posts:
88
NHRA changes to 1000 ft..Thats Blasphemy
7/7/2008 11:50 PM
The track at Englishtown has been a problem at least since 1990 when Johnny West did the same thing at a slower speed. A 1000' track would have done little, if anything, to prevent this tradgedy. The top end of all the tracks need to be uniform and without obstruction. The sand traps being used now are a joke. Either a car flies over them or they nose over in the sand. All the members of PRO, contrary to what has been reported, are not in agreement over this. Melanie Troxel has garnered some more fans by saying this isn't the way to go. Bottom line, these cars need to be slowed down. It has happened in all other forms of motorsports. When the cars get too fast for the tracks they run on, you have to slow the cars down. NASCAR had it's warnings (Irwin, Petty) and didn't heed them until Earnhardt died. NHRA had their warnings last year when Eric's car shook apart and then Force's accident. NHRA saying this is "temporary" is fine. I am temporarily staying home until they go back to 1320'. You won't find a bigger drag racing fan than I am. I am in agreement with the original poster...it's blasphemy. If you want to see a plan on how to do it, read here:
http://www.competitionplus.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=6566&Itemid=24 Dale Armstrong is quite an expert on the subject. And while crew chiefs eventually find ways to go faster, it would give us plenty of time to figure ways to keep the cars safer. Not to mention, having this incident in hindsite should keep the NHRA from allowing speeds from getting excessive again. The alcohol cars need to be slowed as well. They are running times now that not too long ago were being run by the fuel cars.
Joined:
7-21-2006
City:
The Woods of Lothlorien
Posts:
31247
NHRA changes to 1000 ft..Thats Blasphemy
7/8/2008 12:44 PM
This rule change reminds me of the yellow line rule that NASCAR implemented at Daytona and Talladega after Dale Earnhardt was killed.
It's a cover-their-a$$ rule IMO.
Last I heard, it wasn't the yellow line that killed Dale Earnhardt nor is it the yellow line that makes restrictor plate racing uniquely dangerous.
Looks like this is the NHRA's yellow line rule.
Joined:
6-30-2008
Posts:
55
NHRA changes to 1000 ft..Thats Blasphemy
7/11/2008 1:20 PM
Will be attending the Mile High Nationals here at Morrison, Colorado this weekend. And although I agree this is nothing more then the NHRA just doing something so they can say we did I have a feeling I won't be cheated out of to much racing. Maybe a 1/4 of a second per run. I'll let you know Monday if it ruined the show.
Joined:
4-4-2008
Posts:
306
NHRA changes to 1000 ft..Thats Blasphemy
7/11/2008 4:13 PM
sprinterl7 wrote:
johnga wrote:
Typical for racing in the modern era. A loved driver is killed in the line of duty and immediately change is required. Auto racing is dangerous. It's suppose to be.
Changing to 1000 ft. from our "sacred" 1/4 mile is blasphemy !!
OK - let's assume that the NHRA did nothing following Scott's tragic accident, and then another pro driver was injured, or even worse killed.... would you still believe that the 1320 is sacrosanct? Or would you now feel that the NHRA should have done something?
And the release I read on NHRA.com said that the PRO unanimously supported the NHRA in its decision to
temporarily enact this change while the crash analysis is ongoing.... So, I guess that, in your eyes, all of the members of the Professional Racers Organization(PRO) are blasphemers, too.....
http://www.nhra.com/content/news/30355.htm
Did you see Michael McDowell's crash in NASCAR @ Texas?; it was a lot worse than Dale Earhardt's @ Daytona. Yet the changes to the car. seat, walls, and everything else allowed McDowell to WALK AWAY.....and from a car that most of the drivers' dislike...
And what about those tracks that run 1/8 mile drag races????
I guess that it's all about deception,
Trying to make it look, as if they're trying to do something about it. ........Of course the drivers and PRO are gonna agree ....what else can they do?.........they wanna race don't they? .......Would kinda be like the Nascar or any other major racing series under a Branded series trying to create a Union...... anyone remember what happened after Dale Jr. won at Daytona after Sr. died ? .......how many drivers came forward saying ..........
RIG JOB ?..........and next week every single one came forward and said .....
" oh theres no way it could of been ,it would of took tooo many people to be in on it " . Now personal I have no clue of to wether there was foul play amuck or not .... but the Fact as I see it is that...you ain't gonna be able to bite the hand that feeds to many times if any and get away with it !
Joined:
7-12-2008
Posts:
1
NHRA changes to 1000 ft..Thats Blasphemy
7/12/2008 11:12 PM
I hate that the track is shorter (for now). But I also hate that they might have to slow the cars down. I guess 1000 ft may help. I don't thik it will help parts much. A friend of mine races drag radial classes all over the country. 1/8 mile has definately saved him parts. I'm a die hard 1/4 mile guy. But Nitro cars are still impressive at 1000 ft. I'm watching qualifying now.
Some tracks cannot get longer shut down areas. If I'm not mistaken Englishtown is one of those tracks where they have built house around over the past 20 years. How many tracks have roads that cross at the end? National Trail actually has a traffic signal that stops traffic on Refugee Road when races are going on!! They may just have to find other NHRA tracks that have plenty of shutdown area available, or at least room to expand. Those tracks are out there. Their not the old faithful tracks were used to. But some of them may be even easier to get to. No offence to Maple Grove. It is a nice ride.
Joined:
7-12-2008
Posts:
3
NHRA changes to 1000 ft..Thats Blasphemy
7/13/2008 1:25 PM
Pro teams like this because most major engine damage occurs between 1000 and 1320 feet if they shut off at 1000 it saves big bucks.
Joined:
7-13-2008
Posts:
2
NHRA changes to 1000 ft..Thats Blasphemy
7/13/2008 7:48 PM
I don't care what they do, the most important thing is safety and if they have to shorten it while they continue the investigation, that's a good thing, not a bad one. NHRA is all about safety and that's what's important here.
Joined:
3-17-2007
Posts:
88
NHRA changes to 1000 ft..Thats Blasphemy
7/23/2008 11:09 PM
oh yeah, the NHRA is all about safety. The parties involved are still agreeing to disagree on whether the access gate was left open when Tony Pedregon had his fire earlier in the year and crashed into the opening. And then, there is this:
http://www.competitionplus.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=7252&Itemid=6 No the NHRA is all about trying to cover their ***.
Joined:
7-21-2006
Posts:
1078
NHRA changes to 1000 ft..Thats Blasphemy
8/10/2008 3:56 PM
I don't know if it is because I or NHRA and Nascar are all getting old, but for whatever reason, the desire to watch, read about or attend is fading away. I do think the rules changes have a lot to do with it.
These I never liked from day one: the starting tree, the rear engine race car, delayed starts and never in love with the slipper clutches. And now comes the 1000 ft. rule.
And also comes the Force-Ford hypocritical scam about the NEW 500 (CHRYSLER) Ford fuel motor.
Today they're running a Nascar road course race and I'm not even watching; is it because of the Toyota invasion. We can't blame the foriegners for invading Nascar or Indy after Ford invaded and won the Le Mans race with an engine 3 1/2 times the size of the runnerup competition; or the Ford/Cosworth scam about the F-1 engine designed and built by Cosworth, but labeled Ford.
I recall as a mid teenager laying on the front porch of my rural, Mississippi, country home and listening to the Indy 500 on the radio. I knew every drivers name, most of the owners and sponsors and even the announcers. But now that it is on TV and the type of car and engine and drivers, I couldn't care less if they did not have it. This was the beginning of the end of the Indy 500;
http://www.allamericanracers.com/dino/case.html
Hey CHICO, MOPAR is alive and still in business. Thanks for the tip about the browser. I think I saw somewhere that you may be almost as old as I.
Joined:
2-7-2007
City:
NorCal
State:
California
Posts:
701
NHRA changes to 1000 ft..Thats Blasphemy
8/11/2008 2:49 AM
moparornocar wrote:
Hey CHICO, MOPAR is alive and still in business. Thanks for the tip about the browser. I think I saw somewhere that you may be almost as old as I.
Good to hear from you, MOPAR!
Well, we don't call it "old", we call it experienced.
But, I
had been a subscriber to Hot Rod Mag for a couple of years when Wally Parks organized the NHRA and I became a Charter Member. That was 1951, the same year I graduated from Chico Hi School. Then I won my NHRA class in B Coupe/Sedan at the Oroville Drag Strip in '56 with my '38 Chevy coupe powered by a 292 Jimmy that I built up. Same year I graduated from UC Berkeley. Then I had to get a job and my personal drag racing was history. But I continued to maintain a membership in NHRA, kept up with events and attended drags in Southern California. Now retired back to Chico and hit the Fram Nationals at Sears Point more or less annually.
And as I said in the other thread (back on topic), I can live with the 1000 ft. strip for the fuel cars.
Joined:
10-1-2008
Posts:
176
NHRA changes to 1000 ft..Thats Blasphemy
10/9/2008 8:35 PM
johnga wrote:
Typical for racing in the modern era. A loved driver is killed in the line of duty and immediately change is required. Auto racing is dangerous. It's suppose to be.
Changing to 1000 ft. from our "sacred" 1/4 mile is blasphemy !!
Strap your Fatazz in one and then talk chit.
Joined:
7-24-2006
Posts:
6957
NHRA changes to 1000 ft..Thats Blasphemy
10/10/2008 4:51 PM
It is apparent that safety is the issue. I must although agree with several posters above that state shortening the distance will change thing. Cars will still explode and run off the track, over the fence or what have you. Not to mention that when nitro methane blows, there is no 'putting out the fire". I am all for safety but I am not sure this is the answer. JLB stated it correctly I believe, NHRA is covering their ars here.
Joined:
2-7-2007
City:
NorCal
State:
California
Posts:
701
NHRA changes to 1000 ft..Thats Blasphemy
11/15/2008 11:26 PM
Yep. And this weekend at Pomona NHRA announced that the 1000 ft. finish would be retained for the start of the '09 season for Top Fuel and Funny Cars. But then did we expect anything else?
www.dragracecentral.com/DRCStory.asp
NWFAN#1 wrote:
(snip).... JLB stated it correctly I believe, NHRA is covering their ars here.
Joined:
10-1-2008
Posts:
176
NHRA changes to 1000 ft..Thats Blasphemy
11/30/2008 8:48 PM
If it saves just one Life its Wonderful.And Only an Idiot wouldnt agree.
Joined:
7-26-2008
Posts:
821
NHRA changes to 1000 ft..Thats Blasphemy
12/2/2008 1:19 PM
How stupid!
Big deal, so a guy dies racing a car at 300 MPH!!! It's NOT GOLF.
What a pansie Country we live in anymore.
Maybe they should limit NASCAR to 55 MPH so none of the little boys will get hurt. waaa waaa waaa.
What others have said is correct. How about NOT having a concrete wall at the end of a drag strip?
Changing the distance to 1000 feet does nothing but quiet the sissies for a bit.
Joined:
7-21-2006
Posts:
4452
NHRA changes to 1000 ft..Thats Blasphemy
2/22/2009 1:41 AM
Twylla wrote:
I don't care what they do, the most important thing is safety and if they have to shorten it while they continue the investigation, that's a good thing, not a bad one. NHRA is all about safety and that's what's important here.
they have never been about safety ........ they have been about making money .. now they have to answer for that ... start implementing saftey measures for their drivers .. at min.. require all possible obstructions be well away from track.. just like the rest of us if there is a telephone pole somehow we cant miss it!
put in a safer barrier down the outside walls of the track
catch net at end of pavement
larger sand pits to help diapate speed
better track maintinance all the way around!
i love drag racing but hate it for the drivers!