Tell Fiorelli to pack it up!!!!!

If I was NHRA, I would tell him to pack his shit! Shuts down qualifying and gets the session cancelled......TWICE. What a waste of good aluminum!

 

OUCH !! rough crowd

 

The old saying goes It Is What It Is. People can't help these high HP engines from coming unglued.

 

I really dont think he planned it

 

Don's a nice guy, and a determined racer, he spent more than a year in a wheelchair, after his big crash against Ashley Force at Gainesville. This was his big return to racing, in a brand new Innovative chassis. The last thing he needed to do was risk injuring his back again, after all he's been thru. As others have said, not like he planned for that to happen, sux for him, and all the guys that didn't get to run, because of what happened

 

First round it wasnt him who caused the cleanup.

 

Just read on drag Race Central rain started at 6:54 pm yesterday,maybe that could have stopped racing also

 

so are actually saying that if somebody has problems they should be kicked out? I don't know anybody who has not had there share of trouble. are you immune to this?

 

my dogs not in this fight but arent those harsh words i guess you havent ever blown a motor up are crashed one and left a mess its bad enough some one has to experence the cost of it and luck just isnt on your side sometimes but then you have to listen about someone bashing you on a web site YOU should be careful what you say about someone it could be you making the mess next time or worse it could have been a number of things to end a session

jim

 

its racing stuff happens.

 

Scandal were you at the track ? Were you trying to get in the show which the NHRA was running mainly for the pros and couldn't care less about the Alchohol cars. How many times did the Pro's oil the track? How many qualifing runs did TAD get? They were there from Wednesday and Thursday and got only one. I don't blame the people working for NHRA in the pit area who try very hard to do a good job but can't bacause they are given more and more to do with less help then they should have.We were in the TA/FC pits and were given very little notice of when to go to the lanes, which were set very poorly .So until you are in this position think before you try to KISS UP to the NHRA.

 

Class designation top/red headed step child T/RHSC

Twice? No it was once. It was Dan Lucas the first session. Not that its their fault. anytime your trying to compete against cars making 400 hp more you will have issues. Also I didn't see them turn around any cars after a fuel funny car or top fuel oil down They should just tell us they don't want us there in the first place instead of towing to the lanes three times to make a single qualifying shot. For 2010 I understand they will be requiring tow hooks on the back of the cars.

 

nhra is now the npdra

.... the National Professional Drag Racers Association. I feel you pain guys. I don't run TA but we do run a blown alchohol car in the Jegs series. The national hokey rules association does not give a f$%^ about the guys who made nhra what it is. Lemme give you an example.... A friend of mine bracket races and went to Indy last weekend for the div 3 bracket finals. The dicked around all Friday and got a final time shot in at a whopping 11pm. On Sat, they decided that since it looked like rain on Sun that they would run the ENTIRE RACE on Saturday. That is 9 rounds for 4 categories. do the math! There was absolutely no regard for racers or crew alike. The race finished at 4am. And, to add to the crap, one team was surrounding the opponents cars in mob fashion (20 people) trying to rattle the driver. THIS WAS ALLOWED TO HAPPEN! Also, in one instance, a racer did a burnout from the bridge to the ready line and was ALLOWED to make his run. What the hell happened to the freakin rule book for pete's sake.

 

Things happen

I remember back in 04 us nats when a guy in TAD oiled down the track for @ least an hour and a half . That guy just won the us nats in TAD.
Things happen. lets be thankfull everyone is safe & can race another day

 

First oil down at Charolette

Ok guys…since this has been brought up, I would like to pass on a little information on the first “oil down” in the first round of qualifying…..TAD class at Charlotte….It was my car…I was driving….we pulled a wrist pin out of #5 hole about 900 feet out…8 passes on the pistons…2 passes on the rods…my oil retention diaper caught all of the oil from the pan and block failure….there was very little oil in the belly pan…..I realize the oil down issue and the importance of retaining oil and keeping it off the track….for safety as well as the other issues…. this is why my belly pan goes way beyond the required guide lines…. the belly pan is a 3 piece overlapping/interlocking pan…the first section goes from 6 inches in FRONT of the “firewall” plate (that attaches to the roll cage) to the rear motor plate…then a second section goes from that point to rear of the transmission…the third overlaps the second and is permanently attached to the inside of the chassis rails..it sits under the rear of the Lenco and goes to the bolting flange on the third member…. No other car on the premises has this much compete coverage…. so how did the oil get on the track….when the intake and exhaust valves were taken out by the piston failure the burst panels blew(burst panels on backside of intake manifold)…parts can up thru the open holes and went out the thru the panel opening…pieces ruptured the punk tank and cut the punk tank lines from the valve cover on the right side….oil got out there….the exhaust pipe on the wounded cylinder had oil in it….so oil probably came out the pipe on to the track there also…. I got the car over to the wall ASAP…. How could I have done a better job of oil retention? ….I don’t think I could have…maybe a tougher vent hose…maybe I could have build the punk tank out of .125 aluminum rather than .060.
I regret the problems we caused for the other 15 teams out there….anybody can have parts failure…I don’t have an answer…..I got my Division 2 lic. In 1972 and during these years of racing this is the first time I have had to deal with this type of failure at a National Event…
My time is up….Thank you for yours
Dan Lucas
TAD267

 

Dan, I don't think anybody here hasn't been in the same position, except maybe the clown that started this thread to begin with........

 

my 2cents

i havent raced in awhile havent helped really in awhile but used to quiet bit i read ITA everyday by habit and love for the sport but i cant believe anyone is on here bashing someone for a parts failure or oil down it happens it has happened since drag racing started parts fail people mess up we are human.. And to Mr Dan Lucas although i appreciate you getting on here and explanning yourself my oppinoin U DONT HAVE TO.....It happens part of racing and either parts failure or trying to keep up with the guys that are hauling butt you have to push ur stuff harder so be it. just keep up the great job atleast you guys are still out there racing.


Chad Pilkington

 

way to go Will

I sure get sick of people who don't even have a car, hiding behind a screen name and making ignorant posts on this web site.