Trivia question: Origin of the blower freeze?

All the blown cars are restrained by it, but where did it come from? Why? This should be a fun one to chew on. Norm

 

Just one idea, maybe it was when Norm ate an ice cream cone to fast?

 

Was it at the beginning of 2000 when the Miner bros. ran 5.57 @ 260 in Phoenix and at the Tucson race NHRA started measuring everybody’s blower and even though Miner did not have the “C” blower (maybe someone else did)? they still banned it. Just a guess, I couldn't tell you what the difference is between a C and a D

 

Nothing like stirring up some controversy. I can't say for sure who started this rule but it was fun to watch some individuals try to explain to NHRA tech reps what went wrong when Steve Gasparrelli went 5.62 on the first pass at the Winternationals that year.

NHRA officials immediately showed up at the trailer and measured the pulleys and looked over the car extensively!

The car ran 5.61 on the next pass and the officials made us remove the blower so they could carefully examine it. No problem.

Lots of egg on lots of faces!!! It was really too cool to watch these guys try to explain this unreal performance.

incidentally, the car had run a best ever 5.59 at Pomona under the old rules at the last race the year before.

 

How about when the Austins ran the new 980 Whipple?Allmost certain it was at Indy.Is this the answer your looking for Norm? Mike

 

Wasn't it one year at Phoenix when Rick Santo's ran the quickest blown run at the time? a Shutoff 5.31

 

Wasn't it sometime in 1997. Whipple introduced the blower with the integrated butterflys (I forget the model number) then PSI brought out the 'D' blower. To stop the escalating 'Blower Wars', NHRA imposed a ban on any changes to the case and rotors.

-chris

 

The E Blower and the Rat(Snitch)

 

Chris Demke and Mike Kosky are both right.

And unfortunatley, the blower team owners (in TAD) did not have to the forsight (mind you, no one else did either at that time) to see what was going to happen in A?Fuel. It was the racers fault for the ban, as the complaints about having to replace their blower half way through a season did not make them happy.

If Norm and Art (whipple) were smart they would of allowed their new technology to be introduced in a more timely manner (every two year).

Of course one never knows what the NHRA brain trust is thinking anyway and it might might not of mattered.

If the NHRA would not BS and say they use the racers commitee for input (when infact all they do is allow them to speak and the NHRA open up both sides of their skull, so the sound goes in one ear and out the other.

I have yet to see them use any of the racers ideas.

Of course hind sight is 20-20, but I bet you would of done things a little differently back then right Norm.

Dean

 

It was when a d4 alky racer Greg Roberts got p.o'd with PSI, because he couldn't get one, so Mr. Roberts then contacted NHRA and let the cat out of the bag. What a butt-hole. From that day on the blown cars were unable to have the latest technology in BLOWERS and stay competive. Dats wot happen. ;-( Warren Dauzat
p.s. wonder what would have happened each time a new nitro fuel pump was developed, that only a afd car could utilize. Would not it been fair to complain that afd had a "gizmo" pump??? What's the difference? If you're gonna restrain "air pump" development(blowers),,,,why not fuel pump development. Give the blown cars the "C" as in CHARGE !!!! and the nitro cars the 100%. Both systems are the end product of yrs of R&D in both design, manufactoring and testing of the best parts available. Isn't that what raceing is all about? Where would we be if the first guy to show-up with a blower, when everyone else had carbs was told "hay that's unfair because your runing too fast and quick???? This is as about perplexing as not allowing a 100 thousand dollar "factory hot rod" Pro-Stocker, not to run electronic fuel injection. Hell there hasn't been a new car with a carb around sence Norma had dark hair. Warren Dauzat

 

I gotta hand it to ya Dean, it takes a lot of sack to actually say "if Norm were smart". LOL

 

Norm, let me know what I win for answering correctly? warren

 

And furthermore, Art wasn't smart, he was just a good thief. Eh' Norm?

 

Ladies and gentlemen! (Confetti falls from the ceiling, fireworks go off, and an audience of thousands scream.) Both Mike Kosky and Chris Demke both get the prize: The challenge to. "think outside the box."

First, I must set the stage.

At the Pomona Winternationals in 1997, Gene Adam's A/FD driven by Ed Vicroy made a pass in the 5.60s at nearly 260 MPH. While this wasn't the low qualifier, the blown cars, the majority of whom were running Whipples, saw the handwriting on the wall. Then to add insult to injury, he made another pass that was almost as quick and fast, despite his getting it out of shape and having to pedal it. The blown racers, who were much more politically coherent and vocal back then, immediately started protesting. The NHRA heard about it loud and clear, "A-Fuel, A-Fuel, A-Fuel".

The griping din continued at the next national event, Gainesville, at which a racers' meeting always precedes the rules committee meeting. No action was taken, but plenty of words were spoken.

Then, at the next national event at Houston, Bobby Taylor drove Gary Turner's car to a 5.56 ET with the original top-loading Whipple. On the next run, they went 5.56 with the integrated injector Whipple, which had undergone some serious development during the prior month at Rettel's dyno in Memphis. All of a sudden, everyone was really upset that they would have to buy a new blower. The din was so loud that it completely extinguished the, "A-fuel, A-Fuel, A-Fuel" cry. The blown guys got their wish on April 3, 1997.

Norm

 

Nuts! What a time to make an error with the confetti flying! Bobby Taylor went 5.54, not 5.56 on that second pass. Sorry.

Norm

 

I don't think Dean was refering to Norm's intelligence with his comment- It must be difficult to put your heart and soul into developing new technology and then develope a well thought out marketing plan- a person can wear many hats, but enuff hats can wear you down. Both Norm and Dean are obviously committed individuals (as opposed to institutionalized. LOL) and contribute a lot to the sport we love and are addicted to. Thanks!

 

Man...talk about a self inflicted head wound!

 

ROFLMAO!

 

Said Brea Rabbit"Please don't throw me in dat briar patch!!"

 

Wow! This was like leaving a cherry bomb behind as you casually leave the high school auditorium!

On a serious note, I'd like to see some posts from within the former Whipple camp regarding why and how this happened. Was it really just a kneejerk reaction to stop the blower wars, or was there some ulterior motive? Remember, I was recovering from my third zero mode then, and was personna non grata in the Whipple pits, so I was outside their rumor mill.

Norm