Pomona Shutdown track lenght?

Does somebody know the distance from the finish line to the sand trap in Pomona, why do so many alcohol cars hit the sand or the net?

 

Because there chutes did not come out or they were late getting them out.

 

I've heard it's 2500 ft. But still a lot of chute failures is something that needs to be addressed! Of all things to destroy a race car, a chute failure!

 

thanks Mr Scary, It looks allot shorter on tv.

 

the other thing that doesn't help at Pomona is the shutdown area is really bumpy. If you have a chute problem and have to get on the brakes, it doesn't take much for the car to start bouncing.

 

I think Will needs to do a "no shake zone" article on this. There are way too many alcohol cars ending up in the sand these days. You notice that very few fuel cars go in and a lot are using only one chute. I believe that because of the downforce on the fuel cars it will scrub off a hundred miles per hour instantly when the throttle slams shut. The alky cars are so much more slippery that it becomes a greater problem stopping - especially on a bumpy shutdown. It may be that using two chutes with an alky car is more important than a fuel car. What do you think Will?

 

Joe, on another message board Randy Goodwin said they put they're chute levers together so that both will deploy every time.

 

I think the fuel guys are on the chutes as they cross the finish line as they should be. But apparently some of the alcohol guys were a litle slow on the release which is ok on some tracks but not Pomona. Personally I always use both chutes on short tracks and try to get on them just as Uncle Frank Hawley taught me. Of course I still ran off the end of Woodburn last year so it doesn't always work perfect.

 

I watched the ESPN's NHRA Winternational "Alcohol Show" and it looked to me all but one of the sandtrap incidents was caused by late chutes. How many of these cars have carbon fiber brakes? I know of some a/fuel teams putting steel rotors back on the their cars as they do short burnouts and don't get the rotors up to temperature.

Paul Weiss

 

It seems to me that pomona is the shortest quarter mile track in the nhra professional circuit. I think alcohol racers are prepared for normal long tracks and this track takes them by surprise with its shorter stopping distance.
Im interested in knowing this distance but I think nhra intentionally doesnt tell.

[ March 14, 2004, 09:17 PM: Message edited by: Steve Toppe ]