1000 foot tracks

1000 feet?

OK, I can't help myself. I have to weigh in.

1. Scott AND his engine were alive at 1000 feet.
2. If you think the tuners have more they can twist in them than they all ready are you are naieve. Why do you think they spin the tires at that point on the track? The wick is as short as they can light it already. ie: Tony and Alan Johnson in the right lane and anybody else on the planet in the left lane is on kill.
3. If you don't see the value of another 320 feet of shutdown I suggest you have never been in that situation.
4. Here is the real bottom line. The NHRA season begins and ends on the shortest track the series sees all year long. It would be very hard to justify discontinuing races at tracks that are longer than the fairplex (home of the NHRA) and continuing to run there. In this litigous world we live in someone would sue their socks off and probably win if the NHRA hung their hat on pulling a tracks' contract because it was too short as long as theirs is a prime example of too short. 1000 feet breathes new life into a sport that is currently in trouble.

 

If you do nothing more than move the finish line up 320 ft without addressing the real problems: 1) severe and frequent engines explosions and 2) the inadequate shutdown area design at many tracks, all you have done is applied a band aid. In the case of Scott Kalitta’s crash, would another 320’ have made any difference? Whether his engine explosion occurred before or after 1000’ is irrelevant if we are talking about preventing a repeat of this tragedy because we have all seen plenty of TF & FC engine explosions at or before 1000’, by which time they’re already going about 300 mph anyway. Would going to 1000’ tracks be safer – yes. Running to 1/8th mile would be safer than that, and 330’ would be safer still. Moving the finish line up is an easy answer, but I’m not sure it’s the best.

 

AMEN!!!

For the remainder of 2008, this is a good idea... Long term, not so good! NHRA has a continuly growing fan base and it is their responsibility to pick and choose "Super Tracks" just like NASCAR that are both safe and profitable for the sactioning body.

NHRA has to make money in order to stay alive. Will fans want to see it shortened and see ET's & MPH down? Probably not. Will they put up with it for the remainder of the year? Definately.

Whatever happened to the Nitro percentage!?!

 

Personally I think it was a wise thing to do for immediate drivers peace of mind until some changes can be thought through.
I've not heard one nitro funny car driver say they love running through the lights at 330 mph. I have heard a number of them say "it's scarry as hell".

This ...take a deep breath pause....will give the collaboration of all parties to come up with a "liveable" (literally) solution for all concerned.

Blessings........Ron Clevenger.

 

1000 ft wouldn't have helped scott. With the back of the body gone the downforce was also gone.
The trap should have had been sand, not wood chips. The concrete and the highlift should not have been there! NHRA f'd up.

 

1000'

Proactive! No one has talked about the next crash, 1000 foot seems to be the smartest thing to do. I have talked about this for a year or so. Who's friend or love one is going to be next! Every one is talking about Scott and rightfully so, my prayers are with him. But the next time! Proactive would be a 1000 foot or what ever it takes to keep speeds below 300 mph. NASCAR went from big motors to small blocks when speeds got ahead of safety. They didn't consider what the fans thought. A topfuel car going 300 mph the wing puts somewhere around 6000 pounds of down force and the front wing? The engine making around 8000 horsepower the clutch won't give, the track's got teeth, the tires are glued down. Everything is at it's limits. If there is an undetected crack in the chassis or wing stand or wing, if the tire hits a dzus button on the track. My hats off to Goodyear for making a tire hold up to the load. But the difference between 300 mph and 340 mph has to be at man and machines limits.
I have been in this sport for 40 years and always wanted and expected my son to move up to the fuel ranks but not now if NHRA doesn't get control of the limits of man and machine. The shut down area needs improvements, sand trap and catch nets but a look back and a look forward is needed. A look at the chassis and wing strut failures, the tire limits. I think the TRUE drag race fan would rather see a 1000 ft. 1/8 mile or 330 ft. race, than baskets on the safety safari trucks to pick up the pieces.
This post is not without passion, I have strapped in friends and loved ones and watch lifeflight haul them off. I don't blame NHRA, WE ARE NHRA.
Rick Hanna

 

1/8 mile ok

They just finished a nostalgia race in yakima, wa.( thank you derek snelson) it had afew nitro cars and a bunch of blown alkys. they ran 1/8 mile. one of the reasons for not running full 1/4 mile was lack of shut down. everybody watched a good race. nobody but acouple spectators mentioned they should run, 1/4 mile.(the track is 1/4 mi.) I asked if either had ever raced a really fast car here. (nope). so much for informed racefans it was a wise and safe decision. the crowd was a good turnout and the cars ran well. I hope it will return next year.