PROactive vs. Reactive: How much longer do we have to run at Armco tracks?

We vote by not going. I won't run my car where there is concrete K-wall either. A light brush against the wall and the first thing to go are the front A-arms instead of just some header damage like you would likely get brushing up against a flat concrete wall (speaking from experience X 2.

RG

 

Racing to 1000 feet

OK, now hang on a minute. Several years ago I started some dialog with the NHRA about shortening the race distance to 1000 feet and I was darn near crucified by the general public as well as the NHRA. Now Jim Head mentions the idea and everyone is jumping on the bandwagon?

Might as well stir the pot again. Remember you heard it here first.........

1. Four (4) disk clutch
2. 1000' track
3. All the nitro you want
4. Problem solved

 

One step further...

Will, Great topic... Let me add to it if I may... This recent incident has me considering safety in a whole new light... This is a wake-up call for all of us...
I am amazed how many times you go to a test session and there are promods, funny cars, nostalgia cars and everything in between and there appears to be no presence of safety personal with proper safety equipment... here racers are trying untested tune-ups... We have committed to only testing during race day if the above is the case...
Ron

 

funny cars and chutes

I think there are a lot of ways to skin a cat. I think most people would agree that if someone were to get hit by a bus that you dont outlaw busses. the parachute systems need help. i dont know how many chutes i have seen not deploy properly or break upon deployment. also the brake handle in a funny car is kind of a bad deal, hold the brake while your hand burns or let go and hope you are going to make it through the crash. they need to sheild the handle or move it to the middle of the car. also mabey a better firewall that can pin into the frame so it dosent come out so easily? floor areas outside of the drivers area behind the firewall and in front of the tire kind of like a step side to fill that void where fire can come up and what about burst panels on the side so that mabey the body wont split? or some control joints (concrete lingo)that keep the back half stronger when it does split? i would like to make a few laps in a funny car but i would never drive one for a long time because, i dont want to sit behind the bomb while that really fast air fuels the fire. dont get me wrong i think funny cars are real cool and my dad ran one for a long time but i'm not ready for that kind of a gamble myself. i have a great deal of respect for the bombs that come out of these cars and my life isnt worth that kind of fun. but 1000' seems kind of like pulling out before the fun starts

 

forgive my ignorance here, but is an ARMCO wall the old school steel convoluted guardrails like you see on the side of a highway?

 

back when dragracing got started I think the 1/4 mile was used because it took so long for those cars to getup to any speed. nowadays most bracket cars do that in the first 100ft. I have ran at various 1/8th mile tracks. the crowds are not disappointed. its time for a change, they should give it a try somewhere. in fact we are running a race in yakima, wa this weekend, normally its a 1/4 mile but for various reasons they wil run 1/8th mile. the track has a short shutdown for those running 250+ ; its an older track as well. I expect the crowd will still enjoy watching the nostalgia nitro cars and the blown alkys.

 

The steel guard rails scare me too, we shouldn't be running them, and NHRA shouldn't sanction the tracks.