Top fuel :(
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Discussion

NIRO LEWY

Original Poster:

239 posts

200 months

Tuesday 26th May 2009
quotequote all
What did every1 think to the class this weekend?, me personally was a little dissappointed to be honest i know the weather was probably a litle to warm to see some real serious numbers, ut would have expected some more low 4.80's even mid 4.70's. I think it was a real shame Urs Erbacher could not make the event think he my of laid down some really good times. What do people think the chances of having more than 8 cars at the finals aswell? who is running the whole series this year?

DWphil

269 posts

232 months

Tuesday 26th May 2009
quotequote all
NIRO LEWY said:
What did every1 think to the class this weekend?, me personally was a little dissappointed to be honest i know the weather was probably a litle to warm to see some real serious numbers, ut would have expected some more low 4.80's even mid 4.70's. I think it was a real shame Urs Erbacher could not make the event think he my of laid down some really good times. What do people think the chances of having more than 8 cars at the finals aswell? who is running the whole series this year?


Dont forget that this was the first event of the year for some teams and there were also rule changes over the winter that involved work on the frame also there was a new seat requiered . Several drivers reported that the cars felt stiffer than last year and that the could not get the same feel for the car in the new seat, so several runs were needed to get a handle on the new car which aslo rendered some of the teams past data of no use.

We had the top 2 cars in Europe at the Main Event and both were getting close to running the times they want to as were Micke and Risto as to Urs he wasnt there unfortuantly so how he might have perfomed is irevelent.

The whole series ? Andy, Micke , Risto, Stig , Anita then add in at some events Jon Webster , Stigs second car , Persaker .Littimaki,Joon , Patrik Pers 2 cars , Linda , Monica , Urs . So i think the chances for more than 8 at the finals are good.

Furyous

25,230 posts

242 months

Tuesday 26th May 2009
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Oh, and attention to detail, Niro.

Check your profile before clicking ok.

I guess you wanted Nitro ?

Jon C

3,214 posts

268 months

Tuesday 26th May 2009
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I thought it was a fascinating Top Fuel elimination. Like watching a tactical game of chess as the drivers and crews got to grips with the new rules, the damp heat (a challenge for the best NHRA crewcheifs), as well as a tricky second half of the track. Those who managed this as the weekend progressed did well, as they will in the championship. However, if the OP feels he could do any better...

MotorPsycho

1,126 posts

232 months

Tuesday 26th May 2009
quotequote all
I know I couldn't do it, I wouldn't know where to start but, 10 years since Kent Persson ran Europe's first 4, 5 years since Kim Reymond ran 4.64

It just seems to have stagnated, all the other pro classes are getting quicker and quicker

anonymous-user

75 months

Wednesday 27th May 2009
quotequote all
NIRO LEWY said:
What did every1 think to the class this weekend?, me personally was a little dissappointed to be honest i know the weather was probably a litle to warm to see some real serious numbers, ut would have expected some more low 4.80's even mid 4.70's. I think it was a real shame Urs Erbacher could not make the event think he my of laid down some really good times. What do people think the chances of having more than 8 cars at the finals aswell? who is running the whole series this year?
Contrary to popular belief, running a fuel car is by no means easy. All the money in the world will not get you from A to B in European record time. The conditions at the weekend were tricky. The heat was an issue, and the 2nd 1/8th seemed quite loose. I spent most of Sunday stood at 1100ft and several classes had vehicles breaking loose or getting jiggy from 900ft out.

All things considered, IMO, the tuners made some good calls, and for the majority, got their cars down the track as cleanly as possible. What we were missing was the expert tuning guru, Kestral, to show us how it's really done.

Time Machine

487 posts

269 months

Wednesday 27th May 2009
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I doubt they were out to disappoint and I doubt that an extra car would have made any difference to qualifying (except Anita's drive by - she might have tried to go for it instead and blown the motor with a subsequent oildown) as more people would just have blown the tyres off.

As people have said various factors conspired to give the teams less data to work from and difficult conditions. I was only there Saturday and would have liked to see every run a 4, but realistically keeping the shoe in 'til the stripe is impressive regardless (none of this lifting at 990' lark :-)). Hopefully by the Finals there will be more cars and better data - maybe we will see the same kind of tight field we just saw in TMD?

topnitro

237 posts

259 months

Wednesday 27th May 2009
quotequote all
MotorPsycho said:
I know I couldn't do it, I wouldn't know where to start but, 10 years since Kent Persson ran Europe's first 4, 5 years since Kim Reymond ran 4.64

It just seems to have stagnated, all the other pro classes are getting quicker and quicker
Amazing though it is, Adam, it's actually nearly 11 years since Kent's run and nearly 6 years since Kim's 4.645-317.45


veryoldfart

1,739 posts

226 months

Wednesday 27th May 2009
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It comes down to two things

1. Money
2. Track time


UK TF racers get as much track time/runs per YEAR as (say) Cory Mac gets TESTING...


You cant set a car up without data to refer to, plus the weather was very hot, which isnt great for TF


tlrracer

165 posts

220 months

Wednesday 27th May 2009
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Im guessing the 'tricky' second half of the track didnt affect Top Methanol dragster, Spuff or the Promods?????????????

TMD was the class of the weekend!! Well done to all

veryoldfart

1,739 posts

226 months

Wednesday 27th May 2009
quotequote all
topnitro said:
MotorPsycho said:
I know I couldn't do it, I wouldn't know where to start but, 10 years since Kent Persson ran Europe's first 4, 5 years since Kim Reymond ran 4.64

It just seems to have stagnated, all the other pro classes are getting quicker and quicker
Amazing though it is, Adam, it's actually nearly 11 years since Kent's run and nearly 6 years since Kim's 4.645-317.45
and 21 years since Eddie Hill ran the first ever 4/sub-5 second ET....



Edited by veryoldfart on Wednesday 27th May 14:45

NIRO LEWY

Original Poster:

239 posts

200 months

Wednesday 27th May 2009
quotequote all
Need i say more, that was a very good point "very old fart". I understand what people are saying about money track time funding etc and i totally understand, but me personally dont think we are progressing at all with top fuel very much and certainly not getting any closer to the americans. Somebody mentioned it was 21 years since Eddie Hill ran the first 4 and we cant get a 8 car field in the 4's i think that definetely proves what i was talikng about.However this cant be said for all classes look at TMD we are nearly on par with the americans and their federal mogul series and the pro mods are putting some serious numbers down aswell as pro stock.

nitro507

23 posts

204 months

Wednesday 27th May 2009
quotequote all
[quote=veryoldfart]It comes down to two things

1. Money
2. Track time


UK TF racers get as much track time/runs per YEAR as (say) Cory Mac gets TESTING...


You cant set a car up without data to refer to, plus the weather was very hot, which isnt great for TF

[/quote

Spot on veryold fart!

Niro Lewy. you need to change your name! maybe TMD Lewy ?!!

WJM

333 posts

209 months

Wednesday 27th May 2009
quotequote all
and 21 years since Eddie Hill ran the first ever 4/sub-5 second ET....


Yes but the current NHRA et and terminal records are now over 6 years old and given the switch to 990 ft may never be broken.

Bill

NIRO LEWY

Original Poster:

239 posts

200 months

Wednesday 27th May 2009
quotequote all
People talk about data and lack of it but surely these tuners in europe will keep data from previous years and different weather conditions. In my eyes i strongly beleieve that there is no reason why a top fuel car in europe cant run 5 flats at high 290's every pass. If you can do this you would win most european events.

Barry B

505 posts

232 months

Wednesday 27th May 2009
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NIRO LEWY said:
the americans and their federal mogul series
Federal Mogul series.. now that's a blast from the past ! biggrin

veryoldfart

1,739 posts

226 months

Wednesday 27th May 2009
quotequote all
The TMD (and more so the AA/F cars I thought) were doing great things, but how many had american tuners on site? did that make a difference, after all, a tuner who has 500 runs under his belt may have a few tricks up his sleeve?..

veryoldfart

1,739 posts

226 months

Wednesday 27th May 2009
quotequote all
NIRO LEWY said:
People talk about data and lack of it but surely these tuners in europe will keep data from previous years and different weather conditions. In my eyes i strongly beleieve that there is no reason why a top fuel car in europe cant run 5 flats at high 290's every pass. If you can do this you would win most european events.
has as been said, new regs introduced over the winter meant most (if not all for all i know) TF cars had new rear ends which must have meant starting from scratch with tuneups/chassis settings, etc.

jpw90

44 posts

217 months

Wednesday 27th May 2009
quotequote all
NIRO LEWY said:
People talk about data and lack of it but surely these tuners in europe will keep data from previous years and different weather conditions. In my eyes i strongly beleieve that there is no reason why a top fuel car in europe cant run 5 flats at high 290's every pass. If you can do this you would win most european events.
you are kidding? every car in europe could run those times and speeds, but if thats what happened you'd be on here running your mouth talking st about how poor the fuel cars run because you didn't see a 4 second run at 300 mph.

veryoldfart

1,739 posts

226 months

Wednesday 27th May 2009
quotequote all
NIRO LEWY said:
People talk about data and lack of it but surely these tuners in europe will keep data from previous years and different weather conditions. In my eyes i strongly beleieve that there is no reason why a top fuel car in europe cant run 5 flats at high 290's every pass. If you can do this you would win most european events.
if its that easy feel free to do it..........