Discussion
dragstarfan said:
This is one of the reasons I no longer attend races in Europe.
You either go racing or stay at home if you don't want to spend money. A bye run is a great way to gather the much needed data. We all complain about the lack of races etc but if you/we want more races rule 1 is to make a good show.
Like someone correctly commented: no one is putting a gun to your head to go there. If you don't have the money to race top fuel maybe alcohol is an option. Better do it right than do it half. But that's my opinion
OUCH! that's a bit scathing!....maybe the other way to look at it is that without people like Tethys you wouldn't have ANYONE racing fuel cars in Europe....its better to take a dive in 1 round to save parts and have the car ready for the other rounds where you can step on it....if you took your view and all drivers HAD to step on it in every round then you would have less pro racersYou either go racing or stay at home if you don't want to spend money. A bye run is a great way to gather the much needed data. We all complain about the lack of races etc but if you/we want more races rule 1 is to make a good show.
Like someone correctly commented: no one is putting a gun to your head to go there. If you don't have the money to race top fuel maybe alcohol is an option. Better do it right than do it half. But that's my opinion
There's a big difference between 'stepping on it' or taking it for example to 660 ft.
How do you think that potential sponsors look at it? Or someone who is interested to make a tv program about drag racing in Europe?
I understand how Tethys sees it, but you have to understand how spectators or businesses see it as well. Seeing an top fuel dragster idling down the track has 0 entertainment value
How do you think that potential sponsors look at it? Or someone who is interested to make a tv program about drag racing in Europe?
I understand how Tethys sees it, but you have to understand how spectators or businesses see it as well. Seeing an top fuel dragster idling down the track has 0 entertainment value
Edited by dragstarfan on Thursday 19th March 08:55
It is a bit disappointing to see an aborted run, but to write off all of European drag racing seems pretty harsh to me. You’re missing out, I had a long break away from Santa Pod but when I went to the finals last year for the first time since the nineties I was blown away by how much more intense the competition had become, you could really sense that clawing desperation to win – despite pretty much 0 financial reward!
For a damp, cold little country I think we’re pretty damn lucky to have that kind of racing, even if racers do have to conserve parts once in a while
For a damp, cold little country I think we’re pretty damn lucky to have that kind of racing, even if racers do have to conserve parts once in a while
dragstarfan said:
A bye run is a great way to gather the much needed data.
Equally, a bye run is a great way of destroying parts you were relying on to try and win in the final. As 37chevy has implied, if you want to restrict racing to only those that can afford to destroy an engine each run, you'll find very few entrants at each meeting, which isn't good for anyone. It's a compromise.dragstarfan said:
Seeing an top fuel dragster idling down the track has 0 entertainment value
I won't argue with that. But the economic reality is that it will happen. I assure you seeing the parts for which you've paid a fortune disappear into a pile of twisted scrap metal has about as much entertainment value for the teams as watching a car idle down the track does for spectators. If I can save parts to ensure I have a better shot in the later stages of eliminations, then I guarantee you that's what I'll do. I'll wager that were you to find yourself in the same position, it's what you'd do too.Sure, it's different for some. But where I've been for the last couple of years, I've had the option of racing at a couple of rounds or not racing at all. I've chosen to do the former. And yes, that's made for some painful decisions (skipping Q3 at the Main Event last year, for example). But if the alternative is to sit at home, well, I'll do the racing that I can afford. Of course, I'd love to find a huge sponsor that will fund a full season of hard racing. But they're few and far between. If you know of one with cash to burn, by all means send them in my direction! But lacking that, I'll stick to trying to round up enough money to allow me to race a limited schedule again this year.
Let's have one thing very clear. I do appreciate the hard work you do to be out there, especially the underdogs.
From my own experience I know that you need a lot of data to be competitive. Either in the sportsman ranks of pro racing. Destroying an engine is not needed at all if you know what you're doing (both driver and crew chief) and you won't get that experience from idling down the track. Like I said, but a half pass in. It gives so much data...
As I stated before: imagine bringing a potential sponsor in and in the semi's both cars don't even make a burnout but just go to the startline and take the green (I know this happens cause I've seen it). That gives a great impression!
I've been on several teams and I know it's hard and costly, but for me that's not the way to do it.
From my own experience I know that you need a lot of data to be competitive. Either in the sportsman ranks of pro racing. Destroying an engine is not needed at all if you know what you're doing (both driver and crew chief) and you won't get that experience from idling down the track. Like I said, but a half pass in. It gives so much data...
As I stated before: imagine bringing a potential sponsor in and in the semi's both cars don't even make a burnout but just go to the startline and take the green (I know this happens cause I've seen it). That gives a great impression!
I've been on several teams and I know it's hard and costly, but for me that's not the way to do it.
dragstarfan said:
Destroying an engine is not needed at all if you know what you're doing (both driver and crew chief) and you won't get that experience from idling down the track. Like I said, but a half pass in. It gives so much data...
Nitro is really, really unforgiving. To give you some idea of what we're up against, since stepping up to the pro classes, I've destroyed 4 engines. Some repairable, some not. Of those, not a single one made it to half track. Saying, "put a half pass in" is much simpler on paper than in reality. Now my crew chiefs have decades of experience and countless championships between them, so I don't think you can claim they don't know what they're doing. You could certainly claim that I don't, but I've spoken to enough people that know what they're talking about that believe I'm doing OK, and the general consensus has been that probably only one of those 4 was my fault (and even then, I arguably only made the damage worse than necessary, rather than causing the problem in the first place).Also, you haven't taken into account the cost of the run. Yes, a half pass will give you some data. But even if you don't break anything, that run's still going to cost a significant amount of money just in consumables and general wear and tear. Don't think for one second that any of us turn up at a meeting wanting to do anything other than a full balls out pass from start to finish in every qualifier and in eliminations all the way to the final. But the real world sadly doesn't work that way.
Yes, I'm fully aware of the need to put on a show for the spectators. But someone has to pay for that, and at the moment, the financial compensation for running a high end vehicle is so paltry that it essentially means the teams are expected to be the ones stumping up the cash. Like it or not, that means the lesser funded teams will have to prioritise, and putting on a show comes a long way down the priority list.
It seems F1 will be returning to Hockenheim in 2016:
http://www.speedweek.com/formel1/news/74871/Hocken...
http://www.speedweek.com/formel1/news/74871/Hocken...
Regarding the exact 2016 F1 date, wait until which weekend is oficially announced and you will be pleasantly surprised,
I am also waiting for news about the quartermile track, the Ring guys will be active in bettering the battlefield.
Bring it on.....for my first serious NitrOverdose, I will be coming to ME,
some interesting cars from german speaking countries, I will write more in the ME thread.
I am also waiting for news about the quartermile track, the Ring guys will be active in bettering the battlefield.
Bring it on.....for my first serious NitrOverdose, I will be coming to ME,
some interesting cars from german speaking countries, I will write more in the ME thread.
PRD was good, track looks very promising,
traction values gathered by track staff and race teams brought smiles to faces .
8 and 7 sec cars & bikes had no problem getting power to the ground.
PRD has SG/SC/PR-ET/SP-ET cars für T&T runs,"Sportsman only" because of noise restrictions,
although some of the quartermile "tuning cars" were two-stepping louder than V8 headers....
I just hope it does not get too HOT at the NOXXX Weekend, a heat wave is sweeping through Germany.
Bring cold drinks & freezers & suntan. Lots of.
traction values gathered by track staff and race teams brought smiles to faces .
8 and 7 sec cars & bikes had no problem getting power to the ground.
PRD has SG/SC/PR-ET/SP-ET cars für T&T runs,"Sportsman only" because of noise restrictions,
although some of the quartermile "tuning cars" were two-stepping louder than V8 headers....
I just hope it does not get too HOT at the NOXXX Weekend, a heat wave is sweeping through Germany.
Bring cold drinks & freezers & suntan. Lots of.
tom405 said:
Have an awesome time, very jealous! Be interested to see what happens. Perhaps those absent pro teams may regret their decision...
Awwsome it was, indeed, only the hottest weekend in Germany since 1886prevailed record-breaking times, everyone in the pits, trackside or in the grandstands
surely suffered from the blistering temperatures, but the track held everything and the hard work
from Hockenheimring & different track crews teaming up paid off.
When I shouted out the three 4.1s in a row in the Nightshow I thought :
Now they should call out an FIA/FIM session, this would have been the fastest ever in Hockenheim.
Now that Hockenheim has bought the asphalt-milling machine
they also can -gently- take down the rubber without damage to the track surface
and I expect an even better quartermile for 2016.
Thanks to all teams who had confidence and "Naa Ner Ner Naa Naa" to the sceptics who stayed home.
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