Will the last Top Alcohol Racer turn off the lights?

Dwindling car counts. Sudden expensive rule changes. Accidents taking the lives of some of our most dedicated racers. Teams (Harkers, OBannon) selling out. Are the Top Alcohol classes going the way of the Pro-Stock Trucks? Will the last TAD/TAFC team please turn off the lights when you leave? Dave Germain

 

I heard the same thing when NHRA went to the 92% overdrive! Soo many drivers threatened to quit!

 

hoping

I am just hoping it's just a momentary thing and the classes will bounce back. Dave Germain

 

don't seem like much of a threat....it's happen..Just got off the phone with a alky funny car guy to see if he needs more blower spray and the answer was ...I'm done can't afford carbon brakes on all 4 corners..Dave

 

If a racer can't afford them can they go to an advanced ET class or is that next? I know it's a step down but advanced ET is better than getting out all together isn't it?

 

are you suggesting they bracket race a TA/FC?

 

I'm not sure were the TA/FC's can run, but there seems to be a lot of TAD's that can't afford to be competitive in that class, that are showing up as Top Dragsters. Still racing, just not the same. And the pay out is even less............. What a Deal!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Changes

I don't think the TA classes are going out, they're just changing. As far as the teams that are selling, someone else is going to buy them, so we will probably just see some new faces around. We are a new team, and plan on racing a bunch more next year. Hopefully by next year, everyone can recoup their money from the new rule changes and get back to racing

 

Cost of racing

It's become the same old thing over and over again.
No class is immune from the recent, and expensive rule changes.
Some don't even make the least bit of sense unless you happen to sell the product that is now required.

From talking with some in my class, this latest round of changes may be the straw that broke the camels back as most know this isn't the end of it.

So, you get out now and save a few bucks or continue on and hope there isn't more in the pipe line.
Problem is, anyone taking some time off to put some money together is probably not going to get back in as even more rules will come up while they're parked.

Maybe it's my imagination but seems like the last two years have been especially hard on racers in the rules department no matter what you run.

PS I noticed that NED is running a class with a 6.20 breakout, heads up.
Is this the future?

Bob

 

There are a few index classes being run around the country and they seem to do a good job of letting everyone run while being able to maintain the a fair playground for everyone, even the under funded teams. I really hope that the Alcohol classes don't come to this, but the way things are going and the economy not getting better as quickly as well would have liked, who knows where the future lies. Maybe another orginization (IHRA, ADRL?) will step up and give us a place to run heads up.

 

Well I am glad I am not the only one upset by all of this. Ever since I decided to buy a TAFC, I feel like I have been getting screwed. I bought my car to run IHRA. Then IHRA does away with the class. Ever since then it has been an expensive roller coaster and we have not had the car out this year.

With the economy the way it is and with all the cars for sale. I would be lucky to get 20 cents on the dollar for what I have in this deal.

Does it make sense to go Nostalgia or ?

Todd Lamb

 

I had the greatest childhood any kid could have.Ran around the south central states with daddy running alky funnies and dragsters for 35+ years. I have seen alot of people come and go, and lots of rule changes. Car counts thinned, and car counts grew, even the local bracket car counts are down at the present time. Heck I can remember the All American Funny Car Series when there was almost 20 BB/FC's in division 4 alone.
With any luck, this current low will come back the other way, at least I hope so. After 5 or 6 years on the sidelines after dad sold his last car,I was offered the opportunity to once again be a part of an alky funny team, and I am so grateful for that chance, I had forgotten how much I love these cars. It can't go away now.

 

I'm not not really saying bracket racing, however, I remember when Top Comp started there were a couple of blown alcohol funny cars in the field. What I'm saying is if you can't afford the 8,000 breaks slow the car down and run Top Eliminator West or a program like that.

 

Stuff Happens

Three years ago I licensed in Richard Putz's TAD and was going to Rent his car the following season to run Div 5 points. Was a bit too slow coming up with the funds and Rich found a sponsor(atta boy Rich!!)So that deal didn't work out. so I put a bunch of the funds into my car to get it quicker ..... Blew motor ..... I make my living building houses (self explanatory) so I can't even fix that car now .... moral of my story is .... I am a racer .... I will race again..... life gets hard sometimes ... but you pick your ass up and Do what it takes ... I really like what Will said about guys like Federline and Putz piecing together old fuel parts .... That'll probably be me in a few years .... someones old crap struggling to qualify ... as long as I have a breath in my body it will point me in the direction of Fuel!!! RACE or DIE!!! so my opinion is that this might slow some of us down for a bit but the need for speed will never die .... there will always be guy's out there who will do what it takes to race

 

Alberty...were have you been??? and yes we have seen them come and go I have seen a lot a good friends go broke but it is 1 thing you will never get out of your blood and that is..RACING...Dave

 

Hi Dave,
I wish the economy was different. We definitely are not hit as hard in Canada as the US right now but it isn't great for anyone. Most folks that run the alcohol classes are business folks. They have the discipline to stop spending in tough times if they have been in business for a few years. I think it will come back. The sad part is that no one seems to listen to the folks that understand the overdrive/rpm issue. Higher blower speeds that go supersonic at lower engine rpm hence no advantage to turn it 10,400. Coated PSI rotors that only last 15 runs......and it goes on and on.

Not complaining but the safety equipment has become way more money to outfit a car than even 4 years ago. Not agreeing or disagreeing but reality.

Now along comes the carbon fiber brake rotors with one months notice......for the team I am with that means 10K for both cars......the fuel car gets them!

I have been in the automotive industry for a long time.....I would really like to understand why the carbon brakes are better. I understand bigger rotors, bigger calipers but not really sure about carbon. I know some folks are going to jump on me but that is what I think. We put steel rotors on lots of exotic cars.

The one month notice is really short.......and I feel just as bad as anyone else out there as to why this was done. I have looked at some of the chutes laying on the ground waiting to be packed and chute brackets do break because they are too thin or too many cycles on them.

I think Dave as a fireman, you raised the issue of near misses and safety committees awhile ago... no one bit on the subject. I think our alcohol industry needs to be involved with the sanctioning body to work on mutual concerns with the correct return on investment for safety.

I have always gone to the end of the track to check out the "sandtrap etc". I have said this before Tim's fuel coupe went in the beach on the second run at Mission. The car was sucked into the pea gravel deep and didn't really hurt anything (pride definitely). I see wet sand in some that wouldn't stop anything. The track safety package has to be part of this. I think best practices for sand traps need to be looked at. They are all different......if you don't check them out at every track. Again, I believe my home track at Mission does a great job!!!

The bottom line is some folks are holding back because it costs a lot of money......I always say, leaders lead......whiners just bitch. I think this site is a great catalyst to forming change to ask NHRA to help with costs. The problem is we have junior dragsters and superclasses showing up in 53 footers so NHRA thinks racers will show up no matter what!

I love the alcohol classes.... I think they deserve more respect than they get but the industry needs to work with NHRA to make it better.

Maybe some of the alcohol class reps would like to comment. They could be doing these various things....just not communicated.
thanks
Dale

 

alky's

will

in response to ur thread, 1st let me say i love alky racing and the people/racers but i have seen the riting on the wall and got tired of fighting the battle, wen jay payne comments it is a dead issue i take heed he otta no, the door classes r thriving heads up index classes & pro mod especially the auto pro mods, locally it is r called outlaw racing also pays $2500 to $4000 to win in 4.70 and $3 to $5K in pro mod run 1/8 mile and yes i like 1/4 mile racing but it is wat it is, i thought well go a-fuel but nhra suits will tolerate alkys as long as lucas funds but they wuld like to say good bye, the suits will always hav to react to a tragic wreck and it will always cost the alky racer to much and yes i am all bout saving lives but racin is racin it is dangerous, we all no we need carbon brakes but we hav to cut corners to race and feel the rush, unfortunately the alkys need the same safety rules as the fuel guys cross the board look at the speeds only 25 mph diff in some cases
and we r still the red heads!!!
well gotta go 2 work my 2 cents

GK

 

Tough Situation

Hi Guys,

I have debated on whether or not I should reply to this post....maybe everyone should see it from our perspective (I am Mark Niver's daughter) We as a team are doing some serious brainstorming and soul searching about the things that went on Sunday in Seattle. It really was the perfect storm. I know the cost of the new brakes is very high (please dont take any offense to this) BUT...Its cheaper than a funeral and if you have to put a monetary value on how bad our hearts are hurting, the brakes are VERY CHEAP! I would GLADLY come up with the $$ for them to have my Dad back with us. Could they have prevented the accident...maybe, could the peat rock been prepared better...maybe, was the net too tight...YES! But if putting the carbon fiber brakes on your cars and missing a couple of events save your life....then please, please do it, I wouldnt wish the pain that we are all feeling on anyone and its worth it to not put any other families through what we are going through. I hope my post doesnt offend, its not meant to but I thought it should be said.

 

Missnmy dad

Thank you so much for replying to this post. The things you said are so right. Please check your private messages. My only point was that I want everybody (racers, track operators, sanctioning bodies) to contribute to the safety situation. Certainly we all are contributing to the risks. Dave Germain