TAFC Field at the Rock

Pretty nice field. 25 cars and currently a 5.94 to get in the field.

Maybe something NHRA can learn from.

 

Considering that the IHRA has only 12 events for these cars while the NHRA has 42 divisional and 16 national events (58 total races!)for the alcohol cars, with some of NHRA national events having close to 30 cars, I think that perhaps the IHRA (and you,tjenna) should learn something from the NHRA.

 

Okay, A pretty stout field at Texas. What Newberry only had a second on the number 16 car. Tight.


1. Bob Newberry 5.653 254.81
2. Cy Chesterman 5.656 256.62
3. Steve Gasparrelli 5.673 255.02
4. John Patton 5.680 252.59
5. Robert Lee 5.693 254.81
6. Jackie Stidham 5.705 252.10
7. Jay Payne 5.743 249.03
8. Tate Branch 5.753 241.35
9. Mert Littlefield 5.809 239.80
10. Thomas Frickenschmid 5.813 250.62
11. Jimmy Jones 5.926 245.70
12. Shawn Jones 6.027 242.91
13. Tom Bristow 6.124 238.53
14. Joseph Percoco 6.241 224.55
15. Eddie McDow 6.449 216.97
16. Steve Burck 6.661 216.19
--------- Not Qualified ---------
17. Ron Rice 6.737 170.35
18. Ron Morrison Camaro DQ

 

What is close to thirty?

 

I guess 24 TAFC.

Winternationals 18 cars bump 5.84 (Nice bump)

Gators 15 cars no bump (#15 a fast 6.76 woo)

Las Vegas 20 cars bump 5.96 (nice)

Texas 18 cars bump 6.16 (very fast)

Atlanta 8 cars no bump (People forget or get lost)

Englishtown 18 cars 6.64 bump (Are we in 1985?)

Topeka 16 cars 7.36 bump (Now that is tough)

Columbus 14 cars no bump (#14 a quick 6.42)

Seattle 17 cars bump 6.56 (Bob Rossi A/A could almost get in)

Sonoma 16 cars bump 6.26 (Leaning on it)

Brainerd 20 cars bump 6.20 (Might be some cheating)

Indy 22 cars bump finally a 5.86(Close to thirty)

Keystones week 1 16 cars bump 14.60 (week 2 14 cars no bump #14 6.25)

Joilet 24 cars bump 5.91 (Close to thirty)

I was wrong. Those are very tough and tight fields.

Sorry for the incorrect post.

 

Gotta side with tjenna on this one (I love the comments after a few of the fields) .

The one problem though tjenna which I know you can grasp, is that there were numerous event where there was also Divisional events going on, which will siphen cars away. But still the funny car fields at the IHRA events this year were overall pretty good.
And congrat's to Canadian Rob Atchison, as he will clinch it tomorrow.
Oh ya, Tjenna, Smokey is the guru of everything alky so don't mess with him

Dean

 

tjenna

Im not trying to be a smart ass just asking you a question.

What do you think NHRA should change to get more FC's to run the National events?

PLEASE DON'T SUGGEST THAT THEY SWITCH BACK TO A ROOTS BLOWER. I have talked to alot of the IHRA guys and most that I have talked to would like to run a PSI so they can run both IHRA and NHRA, but IHRA won't allow it. Gee I wonder why?!?!

Zone makes a good point in that the NHRA has way to many Divisionals and then they cut back on the Nationals. Or their favorite trick is to have a Div. and a National back to back or some times back...

Anyway Im curious to your answers....

 

First don't treat the Alcohol Cars like second class citizens.

We ran a couple TAD events back when IHRA had the class back in the 80's and were treated like PROS. It was awesome.

Secondly, I don't know if going back to the Helix is correct, but maybe making it competitive. Not easy.

Third don't treat the Alcohol Cars like second class citizens.

 

one of the reasons that the IHRA doesnt allow screw blowers is because when the screw blowers came to be,most of the IHRA alc racers preferred not to allow them, the assoc, took up a poll of the racers unlike NHRA seems to ever do and that is why you dont see them in that assoc. and yes, I have ran both assoc.

 

Andy

Thats true, but that was a long time ago. If the IHRA would do a poll now I'm sure the results would be different. Most IHRA racers would like to run NHRA but feel they can't because their car would not be competitive. I'm not saying that all of the IHRA racers would want the PSI allowed but I think you would be surprised as to how a vote would go if taken today.

Back to the orginal topic. I truly beleive that the reason the feilds are weak in NHRA is because of the back to back scheduling of Div. and Natinals. Look at what happened at Noble. Two FC caught on fire and could not make Dallas the following weekend. The Branches car ran Chicago,Noble and then Dallas and those poor guys were snake bit so bad they couldnt even warm their car without parts breaking. Three races in a row. The pros have a hard time doing that and NHRA sets up the schedules that create this scenario for the spotsman racers?!?! Come on...

Anyway, that is why I think the IHRA has a larger car count.

 

Perhaps those of you that complain about NHRA scheduling division events on top of national events would like to give an idea of how you would schedule 65 total national and divisional events (58 for alcohol) within a 40 week racing schedule from Pomona to Pomona and not have events on the same weekend???
Tjenna..this year there where 112 different TAFC cars that ran NHRA...how many did the IHRA have?

 

I am not sure how many and not sure if I care.

I said NHRA can learn something from IHRA. Not that IHRA is better or worse.

But man some of those bumps this year were tough.

 

Smokey

I just want to understand what you are trying to convey to us. You feel that a SPORTSMAN RACER should be required to run two or three weekends in a row when PRO TEAMS complain about the cost of running consecutive weekends. The typical SPORTMAN RACER is a 9-5 guy that has to use his or her vacation time for racing. Some of the tracks that they run on are JUNK and should not have a Divisional at all. The only reason they race on these junk tracks is because the tracks give money to the NHRA and the NHRA is making PROFIT.

My answer to your question is NHRA should trim down their schedules and quit complaining about car counts. They are only thinking of themselves. Every Division has a junk track that should be removed. I want you to understand something, its not just the Alcohol Teams that feel this either. I am friends with Teams from Super Street to Comp. and they all sing the same song. Why do we need to have 6 Divisional Races in each Division??? Trim it to 5 and let see if that frees up some time. That will not happen because it takes away from the PROFIT.

[ October 19, 2003, 04:59 PM: Message edited by: F-O-R ]

 

F-O-R..I agree with you, there are too many races. But, if the NHRA tried to reduce the number of division events, the sportsman racers would cry the loudest!
Profit from divison events do not go to the NHRA, they go to the division tracks.

 

Smokey

Sorry, but I have to disagree with you on the profit thing. One way to pay for the salaries of the Division Directors is from the profit of the Business we call the NHRA. That profit is driven from the different entities of the Division itself which would include the 6 LODRS Races.

The Racers have to run their cars (should run) as a business as well. Running back to back Races does not lend to logic as far as expenses are concerned. Some are choosing to stay home.

[ October 20, 2003, 12:37 AM: Message edited by: F-O-R ]

 

Convenience concerning travel time and expenses to earn points. It could be a lot worse... Div 1 could drop a race at a junk track and replace it with an event in Quebec. Div 2 could drop a race at a junk track and replace it with a race in Puerto Rico. Div 3 could drop a race at a junk track and replace it with a race in western Ontario. Div 4 could drop a race at a junk track and replace it with a race in Mexico. Div 5 could drop a race at a junk track and replace it with a race in Manitoba. Div 6 could drop a race at a junk track and replace it with a race in Alaska. Div 7 could drop a race at a junk track and replace it with a race in Hawaii. (I need a "tongue planted firmly in cheek" emoticon!)

I'd reluctantly agree with that only if TAD and TAFC were still being run at every NHRA National event, the reluctance based upon the grading point system currently in place with differing requirements to enter National events. ....and my reluctance isn't limited to the alky classes. If you race SS, STK, SC or SG, you must enter/race at 5 divisional events to enter the Finals at Pomona....

 

The only problem with allowing PSI's in IHRA is most if not all those cars are built for Roots blowers. I obviously don't know, but I assume the motor position's way different! But I have yet meet a Alky racer choose to go back to a Roots after running a PSI for a couple races!

 

>>"this year there where 112 different TAFC cars that ran NHRA...how many did the IHRA have?"<<

NHRA had about 140 different TAFCs run this year.

IHRA only lists 40 cars on their points list, but I know there were more than that. <but probably not many more>.

 

Bob

I know that you have overheard many a conversation concerning the schedules. I beleive that you cover the Div. 5 stuff. Div. 5 expected their racers to attend Scribner, Brainerd, Great Bend, Indy, and then Earlville. Thats 5 weeks in a row. Even if you leave out Indy the is 4 races within 5 weeks. I bet you were a little burned out too. Smokey is this a resonable schedule? It doesn't look like NHRA put alot of thought into that schedule.

As we speak Div. 7 is doing the same thing this weekend. Las veags has a National, then a Divisional, and then Pomona. Three weeks in a row again for the West Coast Sportman Racer. I know Teams that wanted to go to all three but are choosing to attend just two and some are attending one.

[ October 20, 2003, 12:23 PM: Message edited by: F-O-R ]

 

But that division schedule (div seven) has always had two or three back to back at the end of the year. Alot of teams I know love it. and there is only four or hours maximum from Vegas to Pomona right. this upcoming triple header is what alot of sportsman teams look forward to from what I hear.
Dean