New oil down penalties

Discussion in 'Pit Buzz' started by Will Hanna, Feb 10, 2016.

  1. Will Hanna

    Will Hanna We put the 'inside' in Top Alcohol
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    New Top Alcohol oil down penalties at national events:

    First violation: $500 and five points

    Second violation: $1000 and ten points

    "oil down" consists of a clean up that requires them to roll mechanical equipment to clean it up. Spot cleanups are not considered an oil down. Full policy posted at www.nhraracer.com
     
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  2. Mlittle

    Mlittle New Member

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    BS......misguided.
     
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  3. Will Hanna

    Will Hanna We put the 'inside' in Top Alcohol
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    I wish there was a way, on the sportsman level to evaluate these deals a little more on a case-by-case scenario. If you leave an oil line loose, shame on you. Something breaks in the engine and you have gone above and beyond to try to keep the oil off the track on your car, that just adds insult to injury to get a fine.
     
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  4. jeffj

    jeffj Member

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    Back when these fines were first implemented, before they changed it to one freebe , we were burned in Vegas because it nipped a piston and there was oil on the car but they found none on the track, still $500 cause they rolled the truck. Tore the engine down and it had detonated and collapsed the dome in. There was a little piece of ring which caused it stuck, in the piston dome and it dinged the head as well. IT WAS NOT FROM OUR ENGINE, the rings were intact. IT WAS FROM THE TRACK and went through the engine. I showed the piston to Mr Collins and he was very understanding and all but we were still docked the points and $ .
    If you think it through, NHRA owes us $ and points for messing up our day...........good luck with that I guess. Just another day at the races. Jeff Johnsen
     
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  5. Hokes Racing

    Hokes Racing Moderator

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    With the budget that most Top Alcohol team have they might not be many racing at the end of the season. With the way nhra treats them I would be looking for some thing a lot more friendly to my money. maybe start talking to mike Dunn see if IHRA would have Top Alcohol
     
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  6. Randy G.

    Randy G. Top Alcohol

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    When was the last time purses were increased?
     
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  7. Nancy Matter

    Nancy Matter Member

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    I've already inquired about a possible Alky Field like a deal they run at the ANDRA......
     
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  8. kosky racing

    kosky racing Comp Eliminator

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    You can now pay to enter a national event ,loose a motor [@ about $15 grand plus ] then end up paying $500 plus your entry fee so WHY ???
     
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  9. kosky racing

    kosky racing Comp Eliminator

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    Now lets get on the other side of real--Regional races -- 8 car show $750-to qualify blow up the same Sh-- go home without paying for that oildown that cost you the same $15grand plus.
     
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    Last edited: Feb 14, 2016
  10. kosky racing

    kosky racing Comp Eliminator

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    Do you think your advisory committee has any say in this WHY not ask them?
     
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  11. kosky racing

    kosky racing Comp Eliminator

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    No one person other the a few on the comittee ever discuses these MATTERs not that anything was ever taken by NHRA for the good of the alky racers.
     
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    Last edited: Feb 13, 2016
  12. kosky racing

    kosky racing Comp Eliminator

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    REPLY and be heard
     
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  13. kosky racing

    kosky racing Comp Eliminator

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    Being I will still be on the comittee till the next conferance call if you have some thing urgent to discus look up Wills contact list MK
     
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  14. planbmotorsports

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    They showed us during tech the list of oil downs and alcohol was responsible for 16 percent of the down time last year for oil downs. Dragsters were about 8% and funny cars were about 8%. They are going to be looking at each oil down to see why the oil retention did not keep it in and may make adjustments to minimize this. I saw on the list there were quite a bit of guys that had multiple oil downs last year so it is a good way to make people take a better look at their program. I understand looking from a big picture why they did this so why get mad about it.
     
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  15. Nancy Matter

    Nancy Matter Member

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    Very Constructive and informative post. I really love running in the NHRA and will continue to do so. However, Riddle me this: How Fricken FUN (oh that dreaded word FUN) would it be to have an additional platform to race at like the ANDRA format and with the changes that are forthcoming to that sanctioning body, so the inquiry was made.

    So many racers cross over between sanctioning bodies, hopefully we will have an opportunity to do the same. We raced a Pro Mod locally back in October it was so much FUN (there's that word again) but yet we were both ready to kick each others butt on Track once we were strapped in our cars....... Just me thinking out loud since we aren't at the Winters on this lovely Sunday in Dallas preparing to cut discs and floaters. Have a Great Day Everyone!!!!
     
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    Last edited: Feb 14, 2016
  16. Nancy Matter

    Nancy Matter Member

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    Mike I sent you a message........
     
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  17. jeffj

    jeffj Member

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    Basically the oil downs are from the pro's and the alcohol cars, perhaps including the promods........ If the Alcohol cars are 16% of the problem then why not 16% of the fine and points? That would be $160 and one point. Alternatively..........................
    The pro's get 10 X the first round money so why not 1/10 th the fine, like $100 ?
    How about due process? What is the appeals process for any fine and what evidence should be required to impose any sanction arbitrarily? In my example, they rolled a truck but did not clean anything and it was caused by track debris, technically their fault, but we paid the penalty and there was no appeal process. Probably not legal w/o redress.
    For two 16 car fields doing 3 qualifiers and eliminations there are 156 vehicle passes down the track plus any DNQ cars/passes. I would challenge NHRA to show stats on oil downs per run for the alcohol cars and for the pro's and I'd bet that there is very little issue with our categories when compared to them.
    Perhaps there should be a $500 bonus for not oiling the track as opposed to a $500 penalty for doing so. Just like training your dog, you reward appropriate behaviour........................
    Mike Kosky, I assume you are on the driver's commission, you may want to make them aware of some of their short commings to balance what we know they will impose regardless of logic and reality.
    Jeff Johnsen
     
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