ITS OFFICIAL: 98% at Bradenton and Pomona

I beg to disagree. This rule was not made by bean counters. Bean counters would want cars to run as fast and quick as possible. Wonder how much money was spent(wasted) at Vegas testing the 96%. I am sure NHRA will reimburse everyone though!!!
If you go out here testing in the early spring and it is 40-50 degrees the specefic gravity of the fuel is aroung 102%. Under these conditions you are still penalized about 4%. Please don't give me this crap about 98% is 98.

 

You say John force has to report to Mattel I can And do Accept that fact. But What the F--- do you think I have to do, Trying to explain why I can't outrun an A-Fuel car, to people that don't understand. Dave

 

How Many A\Fuel guys sold there stuff with the 96% rule came out, only to see it may change? I am not an A\Fuel guy but like any racer I hate to spend any money, then have to spend more to make it right again.

Just a thought.
We need rule changes that bring in more cars, not less for all to benefit and still keep things safe.

 

What the higher up in charge of NHRA should have done last year when they saw how out matched the B/AD cars were. They should have for the good of the class and them. At the Faster low Alt races they should have paid for the fastest 2 or 3 B/AD and A/FD to stay over and test then at a couple more races do the same thing and at a Higher Alt track to get them were they want them. Then when this season started Both Types would know were they stood and maybe be on a closer playing field Yes this would cost them a little money but, They would make it back with more car count

[ January 28, 2005, 10:05 AM: Message edited by: Hokes Racing ]

 

why not just make a 8 car A-fuel class
and a 8 car BAD class
they could run together during qualifing to save time
let them run separate as they should when they race
promote both classes
and let them run the cars right out of the drum

 

David,
I understand where you're coming from. Last season, our major sponsor ask us why we weren't switching to an AF/D, since they obviously had a performance advantage. Twice I explained that my life dream had been to win a world championship in a blown alcohol car, and that I was sure that the poweres to be would right the situation before things got too much worse.
To cut to the chase, that sponsor declined to return for the 3rd year of our marketing contract earlier this month. They said they didn't think that NHRA Drag Racing fit into their corporate plans. In a private conversation with one of the corporate officers, I was informed that it appeared that since I continued to race a combination that was at a disadvantage, and spent too much time trying experimental things (read: "Thinking outside the box") last season, that I was not committed to success. I beg to differ. I have spent the last 18 years investing every dime and minute I could into building a competitive alcohol team. Unfortunately, when we finally were able to have the best equipment and had the knowledge to use it, the blown alcohol dragster was not allowed to be highly competitive.
I would like to add that the sponsor I was talking about is Matrix Service Company. They have my gratitude and respect for being great marketing partners for 2 years. I will miss them, but have to understand their decision.
I hope you have better luck, David and everyone else out their trying to be all you can.

take care,
Marty
(TA/D, TA/FC, or maybe a pontoon boat)

 

It seems like the mass exodous from BAD to TAFC will be good for TAFC car counts!

But, for all the BAD folks who want to switch to TAFC, remember a few things, the Alcohol Funnies are much harder to drive consistently and the class is ultra competitive. Not to mention the NEW money that you will have to spend to get a car that will be competitive with the top guns in the class. The learning curve looks pretty steep.

Stepping out of a dragster and into a funny car may seem to be easy and many will do well...but some won't.

I guess the one thing all the BAD guys like is that the playing field will always be level until NHRA allows Injected Nitro FC!

 

Whats the best dariens car has ran at phoenix in recent years??

 

At the divisional in 2003, Darien's car ran .42 in qualifying and a .39 in 1st round. Is it too soon to "go back" to 96%?

 

Lee,
Last Nov. at the division race there were 28 cars there. You could have compared the field with one of the best at any national event. There were lots of good a-fuel cars and blown cars that did not make the 8 car field.
In qualifying Mitch was #1 with 5.32-272. Ashley ran a best of 5.34-261. Wells was the best qualified blown car with 5.43-261. Don't know what Wells and Federlin would have run the first round as they both fouled. Low et was set by Mitch in eliminations 5.25 and 273. Don't know what the elevation was but was there a week later when Mitch ran the 5.10 & 5.11 at Pomona and it was really good air and cold. Ashley's best run testing this year was a 5.48 on 98%. The difference in her performance seems to be about .14 sec. on 98% and .20 sec on 96%.

 

Wasn't that Vegas???

 

Dan you're right it was Vegas last year I was refering to in my post. However it is to soon to get a comparison for Phoenix testing. After this weekend of testing on 98% everyone should have a better picture of what the change has accomplished.

 

There has been a total of 10 A/F runs (8 National and 2 Div) that are quicker than the 5.42's Ashley ran at Phoenix yesterday. Only one run quicker in the last three years was a 5.39 by Lucas two years ago (the div race in 2003) All the National event runs were 2001 and earlier, with the best by Bruce Bowler (a 5.33)

Baca (4) Henkelman (2) and Bowler (2) were the A/Fuelers to run quick at Phoenix nationals

Rick Santos on the other hand ran 5.30's at Phoenix at both div and national events (9 runs total himself). Shields (BAD) ran 5.30's there as well at div and Nat races (3 runs I believe)

Alot of the inconsistancy in performance at the Phoenix track is due to the inconsistancy in track prep and the different weather patterns.

Dean

 

hey marty i feel for you and understand, you have always been a die ahrd blown guy, and i respect that, my self i bought an blown car as you no. but i have been finding out that i couldn't win with it, so i have been putting a afd car together, i had a sponser for the year, i mean I HAD A SPONSER, now because of thisB.S. with the NHRA they pulled the money cause they said there is no way that they are going to spend the money on a car that wont win. thanks to the idiots in the so called competition commitee i am not racing this year. now i have 250,000.00 worth of stuff and cant even use it. this stuff is gettin way out of control . i guess i could send the NHRA the bill for the cost of losing a sponser because of them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

how about take the 2 to 4% nitro we take from a/f and give it to the BAD and watch the NHRA say no F********y

 

Ashley ran a 5.37@262, That's definetly an improvement!

 

Hey John348, that actually sounds like a pretty good idea. However, I think that the "fast" A-fuel cars would far outpace (in e-t's)the BAD's. And I think that would upset some people. But it is a sound solution.

 

If you want a reality check here is what would prob. happen if they split the class.
8 car shows, 1/2 the money to each class!!!!

 

Not NHRA!!! LOL.

 

hey nitrohawk, hey what money there isnt any money already so we split up there wont be any more,so i wouldnt mind, at least i could run and not worry bout a blown car complaining!!! even if there was more money it all goes to the fuel ranks anyways!!!!!!!!!!