NHRA Top Fuel to 1000 feet, not 1320 feet

[craigels]

http://www.nhra.com/content/news/30355.htm

This is different... it will be interesting to see though.


Craig

[DeckerEnt]

This will instantly give an extra 320 feet of slow down area. I think it is a good move.
Keith

[Mista Bone]

Since the fuel cars pull so much timing after 3 seconds, Doubt you'll see much change in trap speeds. Pulling the timing though is getting the cylinders all mixed up and causing the explosions.

[beefcake]

it'll definately be interesting though, i'll miss the 1/4 mile

i don't know how many races are decided in the last 10 feet of that 1320

hopefully they'll return to it with some better track ideas

[cstreu1026]

I think it will be hard for fans to relate to since most are use to 1/8 or 1/4 mile tracks. Making it a 1000 ft race will probably be like converting people to the metric system.

[Jeff88coupe]

On a good run you will still see 300mph trap speeds at 1000'. NHRA's own rules to keep the speeds down to <330 have caused most of the engine problems for the fuel cars. They have max rpm limits and a rear end gear limit rule in both nitro classes. So for a TF car to go 320+ on the top end they are on the rpm limiter before the traps...this causes lot of issues in the motor...which is why you see all the problems on the top end.

[04 Venom]

It will make any difference in reaction times at the starting line all the more important. Good interim step, but I hope the NHRA will mandate longer shut-down areas or automatic deployment of the chutes in case of an explosion that Del Worsham put on his FC (which John Force also implemented), so 1320 racing resumes.

[nskaats]

I don't know how well this is going to go over with the fans. I agree that the NHRA's current limits are causing most of the engine problems, but again we run into issues with the people making the rules not really understanding how the engines work or the problems that their restrictions have caused.

As a long time fan that grew up around fuel cars since about the time I could walk....I'm not pleased. Let's focus more on driver and vehicle safety, not an illusion of safety by making up BS rules and restrictions.

[93cobra]

they need to make longer shut downs at these facilities & keep it 1/4....if a track dosen't want to change or is not able to...sorry....replace the stop on the tour with a place that can & will bring in 7 digits over 4 days

1/8 mile & 1000' drag racing is stupid....

may as well go racing the billy dirt drags at your local fair grounds ...i think they are @ 300'....

[04 Venom]

they need to make longer shut downs at these facilities & keep it 1/4....if a track dosen't want to change or is not able to...sorry....replace the stop on the tour with a place that can & will bring in 7 digits over 4 days

1/8 mile & 1000' drag racing is stupid....

may as well go racing the billy dirt drags at your local fair grounds ...i think they are @ 300'....

[92BlackStang]

why take the risk i say detune the cars to not run all out and blow up like something stupid.,, I think they should keep the 1320 and just slow the cars down its that simple..

[92BlackStang]

1/4 miles is drag racing not 1000ft

[1byafender]

why take the risk i say detune the cars to not run all out and blow up like something stupid.,, I think they should keep the 1320 and just slow the cars down its that simple..

stupid. whos going to control how much to detune them. there going to push the tuning issue no matter how much power or engine size or anything else you tell them to. thats what they get paid to do. this just gives them time to improve the safety issues they have.

[IWRBB]

They will go back to the 1/4, and have stated that already. They are doing this to try to decrease the chances of losing another driver while they make changes to tracks, cars, whatever.

TF dragsters are actually on the limiter a lot longer than the FCs. Engine explosions aren't nearly as dangerous with it behind the driver, but it seems like the biggest explosions have actually come from the dragsters in the last few years, ripping them right in half quite a few times. The FCs themselves usually hold together with a big explosion, it's just that little difference of having the engine blow up in your lap and you can't see a damn thing.

[Timido]

Ever see some real 1/8th mile outlaw and pro mod racing. I think it takes more skill than you think. 1000ft I bet the cars will still be within .1 or .2 of what they run now

[nskaats]

I think if they really did want to limit the power and speed, the safest way to do it would be by limiting the size of the engines or raising the minimum weight of the vehicles.

[Timido]

Raising the weight on these cars is dangerous also. Higher weight =more and higher forces durring a wreck. People will go fast with anything.

[92BlackStang]

stupid. whos going to control how much to detune them. there going to push the tuning issue no matter how much power or engine size or anything else you tell them to. thats what they get paid to do. this just gives them time to improve the safety issues they have.

well stupid, for one the person tunin the cars can detune them dont ya think. why run something all out and blow up, when you can slow them down and still have good racing..

[boostforever]

they detune nascars,why not top fuel cars.same idea there guy.

[Mista Bone]

They have detuned the nitro cars.

Timing retard starts at thre seconds and then a 8500 rpm revlimiter.

4.0 @ 300 mph at the 1000, alot easier on parts since your not banging of the revlimiter for the last 200 feet