Attn every tad/tafc racer!

Will, I have been stewing about this all year. I bought my car to run in IHRA. A week later IHRA announced there would be no TAFC class. So, I have sat out this year waiting to see if they would come back and the answer for 2010 is "NO." I am now spending money to upgrade to NHRA TAFC. $5K car upgrades, 20K screwblower and now with the talks of the new rules approx. $3-4k more. Now I am scared to buy anything, because I believe there is more changes coming. I do not want to go out and buy new equipment and then find out it is obsolete for 2010. Right now I am sitting back and waiting to hear what they are going to do. My fears are a total engine cubic inch change or a blower change. I agree, they will never let the alkys get close to the nitros.
If anyone has any info. for 2010, I would like to know.
Todd Lamb
937-593-5939
toddlamb74@gmail.com

 

Will:

I'm a sceptic. That means Brad Personett's car will be faster than Frank Manzo's. So Pro Mod would need to take a hit, too?

If 300 is the limit, most of us won't be much closer than 40 miles per hour where we stand today. Now I'm speaking strictly from a TA/FC perspective, but if they slow the classes Mike Edwards will be giving us a run for our money. Where does it stop? I think I heard Alan Reinhardt announce a super gas car that ran 10.09 at 187 miles per hour last weekend.

I vote for 125% and two speeds.

RG

 

Does anyone else get the feeling NHRA is trying to replace TAFC with the Pro Mods or is it just me?

Randy, what would a TAFC run with the 125% and a 2 speed?

I wonder how many people are regretting the screwblowers vs roots? I know the screw is easier to maintain itself, but what has the true season cost gone up to since? Just curious.

Todd Lamb

 

We ran a best of 5.64 and as quick as 255 in 1999 basically running it like a 2 speed with the high gear shift no higher than 9,600 RPM and back then we were pretty stupid. Screw blowers weren't as tight and they didn't need to be with the overdrive we had. We shifted one-two at 7 tenths of a second and had a strong second gear with a lot of clutch.

The cost went up as many predicted when the switch was made from 125% to 92% because the quality of the blower is a lot more critical and we have to shift it at 10,500 instead of 9,500 (which is tough on valve springs and rear main bearings). We lost 10 pounds of boost overnight. But the people or person who influenced the change said we were nuts as he was trying to save us from ourselves. Funny thing is, the lead guy on the charge to 92% has never and will never own or fund his own TA/FC.

RG

 

And some of you wonder why I am selling EVERYTHING?! This was supposed to be "FUN"

 

Nhra

that is why my car is for sale also,
local pro mod is more pratical

 

Simple solution, Get rid of top fuel, and fuel funny car, give the alky funnys 125 % and A/fuel dragsters 100%, Let bad run the way they are now. A/Fuel runs aginst A/fuel Bads aginst Bads I'm sure the Insurances Co. will love it.

 

What do the racers have in mind?

I would say there is going to be changed, but not knowing where, is the problem. Like I said, I am not buying anything more till I hear some final answers from NHRA.

 

I am sure the boys in so-cal have a plan but the racers will be the last to know. And then two weeks later your tech director will know (maybe). Paul fishburn.

 

Concerned

I am concerned about what other changes may be coming down the pipe. This is going to be my first year in TAD and I am not buying a screw charger. I am going to keep my M5 Roots blower on my car and see what changes occur. I have to believe that they are not going to allow TAD or TAFC to be anywhere near what the Fuel boys are running. Look at Top Dragster in NHRA. I ran IHRA because they would not allow a T/D to run under 6 seconds in NHRA and they allowed screw blowers on T/D cars. If they do slow down the cars then my Roots will be more then capable of being able to compete.

I certainly do not want to purchase a screw blower and then find out that they knocked the overdrive down so far that my roots would have been just fine to get the job done. Just my 2 cents! I hate to see them slow everyone down but I think it is inevitable. The scary part is how they do it!

Troy Stone
TAD 314B

 

I'm sure any o.d. change to the screw will be followed by a hit to the roots blower as well. I would say the only thing that the blown guys would get hit with is o.d.. They could mandate some kind of box that regulates a max amount of timing.....who knows....just have to get some thinner head gaskets!

Brandon Booher
NHRA TAD #323

 

Who are the high powers in NHRA who will decide this? How do we reach them? It would be nice to try and pin them down to a time frame of when the will decide everything, so we do not have to wait till March to figure out what to do.

If they are going to continue to classify these cars as a "Sportsman's" category, than treat us like sportsman, not pros or change the class to pro recognition. Just my 2 cents.

Todd Lamb

 

I'm done with 'em

disclaimer: I am not a TAD or TAFC driver or owner (yet)

This is my take on the deal. Will, you are absolutely right with the TA and nitro disparity. They WILL put the hit to you guys. But, what makes TA neat is that not everyone is running the SAME THING. I am (was ) a fuel fan but lets face it, they all run the exact same stuff. What I see happening is you guys selling all your equipment to the fuel guys. Just make sure you hit them for 50% over cost. Bottom line is, and I've said this before, NHRA always takes a knee jerk reaction to a problem and solves it the wrong way. Cars too fast? NO. Tracks too short... some maybe. Better ways to get them woed... you bet. The burst panel/parachute thing is the best idea yet.

 

Shouldn't we wait till changes ARE MADE before we assume what changes will be mandated by the A-Fuelers?? 90% of the TAFC's and the Blown TAD's run 255-260 anyway, sure a few run close to 270 but how many? Lets not jump the gun here.

 

Economic method

Just some opinions and I'm not trying to step on anyone's toes here.

If this is going to happen the most economic way in my opinion would probably be to simply limit overdrive in the screw cars so it's comparable w/ a roots car. I have been saying this for a while now but if they had done this when IHRA was killed in action a lot of people would have been better off. They wouldn't have had to sell there new PSI roots blowers for next to nothing and shell out $10,000 to make a change, several large IHRA teams have sat out now. A good example is Laurie Cannister. Great driver, Great person, and a great team. With a roots blower though NHRA is a no go as far as ever going far in a race.

The Cons:
If they did do this the down side is obvious if your a screw blown car, New tuneup adjustments, New blower pulley (Not a big deal), slower car, and more competition from Roots guys now. The good side is no major changes or large spending required on parts changes, and you can still have your fingers intact from not re stripping blowers all day.

Pros:
The positive side of things for a roots guy is also obvious. We can run competitively without spending $10,000 to convert, we can use all are old tuneup info, we have a place to run viably now. Roots blower market comes back up, teams that have sat out can now race again. I have no bad side that I can think of except for sliced fingers from re stripping blowers and if I bang a rotor my repair bill goes way up.

Mutual good of the sport:
Car counts should come up, which means bigger pots hopefully. Fans will get a better show as it won't be the same 2 or 3 guys winning all the time. There will be more attention to the class which may keep us from getting bumped on TV for World series of oh my god I died of boredom or pre school-Tee ball. Some of IHRA's big alky names may come back. Best of all no one has to make significant changes to there cars. Maybe just maybe....(going out on a big limb here) but maybe NHRA will have a little more respect for us.

Just my thoughts,
Trevor Sherwood
NHRA TAFC
616-642-6009

 

So you penalize the screw guys who have been running the class and made it what it is....then let roots blowers come in and be competitive from the get go? I think that would surely piss off several people. True, pulleys are cheap...who cares about that cost. I'm talking the cost of torching heads and banging blowers...all the fun stuff.....and a roots car can just pick up where they left off? I'm not saying NHRA is smart...but they're not that dumb.

Brandon Booher
NHRA TAD #323