Discussion
I very much doubt it unless they adopt some of the results from this: http://www.go2geiger.com/index.php?option=com_cont...
I cannot see that their insurers would be happy for them to go back to 1320 (at least at some of the facilities)...
I cannot see that their insurers would be happy for them to go back to 1320 (at least at some of the facilities)...
Edited by NitroWars on Thursday 28th May 15:44
All the spectators at Gainesville in March I spoke to moaned about the 990ft thing but a couple did say that the NHRA are obssesed with terminal speeds and that if the 990 ft thing had not happened they think they would have reduced the nitro % again. Several of them said they thought it was affecting the crowd size though it still seemed pretty full to me.
Personally while I can see the sense on a strip like Mantop which has a very short shut off area but not on others like the Pod which have half a mile or more and nothing but fields after that. Also the US tf cars were still hitting 310 mph regularly anyway and even the A fuelers {which still run the full quarter} were over 270 mph both of which are still pretty serious speeds if an accident happens.
It did make me wonder about the future, the TF et and top speed records have stood for over 6 years now and the NHRA seems bent on making sure nobody ever goes any faster. Given that drag racing records are the stuff of legend { I was there at Peter Crane's 5.97 etc} and all those at Gainesville waxed lyrical about Bernstein's 300 mph run I do wonder whether people will still turn up in big numbers to watch cars going no faster in another 10 years.
Bill
Personally while I can see the sense on a strip like Mantop which has a very short shut off area but not on others like the Pod which have half a mile or more and nothing but fields after that. Also the US tf cars were still hitting 310 mph regularly anyway and even the A fuelers {which still run the full quarter} were over 270 mph both of which are still pretty serious speeds if an accident happens.
It did make me wonder about the future, the TF et and top speed records have stood for over 6 years now and the NHRA seems bent on making sure nobody ever goes any faster. Given that drag racing records are the stuff of legend { I was there at Peter Crane's 5.97 etc} and all those at Gainesville waxed lyrical about Bernstein's 300 mph run I do wonder whether people will still turn up in big numbers to watch cars going no faster in another 10 years.
Bill
Of course safety should be a concern, but like the logic(?) over SPRs removal of the barn I do wonder if it’s gone too far again at the cost of being less of a spectator sport.
What the hell is 990ft? ¼ mile means something, is a comparable and tangible distance which isn’t that far extra to go. It’s the measure that is synonymous with drag racing.
It is being cut back from somewhere it has already been for many years.
Safety measures abound to make it one of the safest sports in the world, certainly per number of participants.
OK if the shutdown area isn’t long enough it should be implemented, or the track being given the option to extend.
Are we saying that drag racing as it has stood for half a century has peaked? That the hallowed ¼ mile will become redundant in some classes?
Not a welcome development, it’s putting me off shelling out the time and £s to go to the US now as well, wishing I’d gone sooner to still get the ‘real thing’ in all it’s traditional glory. Not that TF is everything, but if I’m making a trip like that I want to get the full package. Sounds like their home crowd feels the same. If it comes to Europe then I wonder how much of it’s attraction it will lose.
I despair of saying things like ‘it was better before such and such…’ because drag racing has advanced slowly but tremendously through superhuman efforts and sacrifice. Just hope I don’t have to say it too often.
What the hell is 990ft? ¼ mile means something, is a comparable and tangible distance which isn’t that far extra to go. It’s the measure that is synonymous with drag racing.
It is being cut back from somewhere it has already been for many years.
Safety measures abound to make it one of the safest sports in the world, certainly per number of participants.
OK if the shutdown area isn’t long enough it should be implemented, or the track being given the option to extend.
Are we saying that drag racing as it has stood for half a century has peaked? That the hallowed ¼ mile will become redundant in some classes?
Not a welcome development, it’s putting me off shelling out the time and £s to go to the US now as well, wishing I’d gone sooner to still get the ‘real thing’ in all it’s traditional glory. Not that TF is everything, but if I’m making a trip like that I want to get the full package. Sounds like their home crowd feels the same. If it comes to Europe then I wonder how much of it’s attraction it will lose.
I despair of saying things like ‘it was better before such and such…’ because drag racing has advanced slowly but tremendously through superhuman efforts and sacrifice. Just hope I don’t have to say it too often.
Interesting article, I did a quick search on the subject and it seems that the NHRA would like to go back to the full quarter and are looking for some formula of engine spec which restricts the power of top fuel cars in order to keep the speeds down. I still can see this being a problem with spectators, the whole appeal of TF drag racing to me is based on the extreme noise and that ultimate power feeling.
Also interesting that the A Fuel record is 5.1 at 285mph and one of the top guys said that with a couple of minor rule changes he thinks they could run high 4s at 300 or so. The A fuel cars have about 4,000hp compared to a TF at 8,000 but could run within 3 or 4 10ths, I suppose that's the law of diminishing returns demonstrated !
Bill
Also interesting that the A Fuel record is 5.1 at 285mph and one of the top guys said that with a couple of minor rule changes he thinks they could run high 4s at 300 or so. The A fuel cars have about 4,000hp compared to a TF at 8,000 but could run within 3 or 4 10ths, I suppose that's the law of diminishing returns demonstrated !
Bill
NIRO LEWY said:
Thats a real shame but i guess obviously safety is the number 1 priority. Lets just hope that we dont end up like that over here and it just remains as mantorp as the only 100ft race.
don't hold your breathe, ive heard on the grape vine that finland will be 1000ft this year and then rule enforced in 2010 for all tracks.anonfc777 said:
NIRO LEWY said:
Thats a real shame but i guess obviously safety is the number 1 priority. Lets just hope that we dont end up like that over here and it just remains as mantorp as the only 100ft race.
don't hold your breathe, ive heard on the grape vine that finland will be 1000ft this year and then rule enforced in 2010 for all tracks.WJM said:
I can see the sense on a strip like Mantop which has a very short shut off area but not on others like the Pod which have half a mile or more
That's often quoted, but Santa Pod's shutdown area isn't half a mile long. I don't know the exact length, but I'd say around 3/8 mile is closer.firewalker said:
Of course safety should be a concern, but like the logic(?) over SPRs removal of the barn I do wonder if it’s gone too far again at the cost of being less of a spectator sport.
Im glad I didnt say that....but, if H&S was the main concern, about folk being subject to the fallout from race cars how come so many staff/crew are to be seen leaning on the roller shutter doors now or hovering about during the rounds for the bigger cars?......
(ducks down in trench.....)
Tet said:
WJM said:
I can see the sense on a strip like Mantop which has a very short shut off area but not on others like the Pod which have half a mile or more
That's often quoted, but Santa Pod's shutdown area isn't half a mile long. I don't know the exact length, but I'd say around 3/8 mile is closer.
I went to the First 3 NHRA 1000' races, and I was NOT a Fan of the switch! But since I sit near the 60' block the difference is minimal to me! The racers I've talked to at the time told me the difference wasn't nearly as noticeable as they thought it would be! You notice it FAR more on the Scoreboard, than watching that's for sure.
veryoldfart said:
firewalker said:
Of course safety should be a concern, but like the logic(?) over SPRs removal of the barn I do wonder if it’s gone too far again at the cost of being less of a spectator sport.
Im glad I didnt say that....but, if H&S was the main concern, about folk being subject to the fallout from race cars how come so many staff/crew are to be seen leaning on the roller shutter doors now or hovering about during the rounds for the bigger cars?......
(ducks down in trench.....)
There I said it.
It did make me wonder about the future, the TF et and top speed records have stood for over 6 years now and the NHRA seems bent on making sure nobody ever goes any faster. Given that drag racing records are the stuff of legend { I was there at Peter Crane's 5.97 etc} and all those at Gainesville waxed lyrical about Bernstein's 300 mph run I do wonder whether people will still turn up in big numbers to watch cars going no faster in another 10 years.
I don't think big numbers have that much to do with it. Living in Colorado we don't see the same barrier broken for 2-3 years later. The times are a lot slower for obvious reasons but racing is still great.
Watching the Topeka race while having breakfast this morning and they mentioned that the NHRA are doing some initial testing in order to quarter mile racing. Dan Wilkerson had been been testing the combination below in order to slow the cars down. Smaller engine, less fuel, less air and a lower gear ratio. Apparently nothing set in stone and other combinations will be tested.
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