Will the last Top Alcohol Racer turn off the lights?

Sorry about your father, I met Mark around 1988. Randy Goodwin had similar story regarding Carbon Fiber brakes saying that they will mean the difference between Destroying a car or not, and keeping the driver safe all the more!

 

First I would like to say that our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. I would like to say that I also agree with Dave that there should be more contribution from everyone involved to make everything safer. I like the approach that John Force Racing took with the Eric Medlen project, where they looked at what happened, not to place blame, but to make the sport safer for EVERYONE. With all of this being said, I think that some of the recent rule changes have helped with overall safety, like the wing cables. But I don't feel that the carbon brakes are the complete answer. You can only bring one of these cars down so hard with the brakes before the rear of the car starts to hop around and really get out of control. The other thing about the carbon brakes that worry me is I remember when Kurt Johnson crashed his Pro Stock car on the big end due to a caliper that was dragging on his carbon brakes and the result was one of his rear tires locking up sending him into the wall. Is this something that we are going to have to worry about now that the carbon brakes are mandatory? Just some of my thoughts and concerns. Thanks for listening.

 

missingmydad.....god bless you, I feel so bad for you, I'm not what you would say a tough guy but I must admitt when I had to type (missmydad) I had a big lump in my throat...,if I could give up all my racing stuff to bring him back ,,I would your rite spend the extra money!!! I do have carbon brakes on my dragster thanks to Jeff Wilson,and yes they work very well any better I really can't say yes or no. Dave Lowe

 

Missn, wow, thank you so much for posting your thoughts. I can't imagine your pain right now (I do kind of understand though, as my dad was killed in work accident when I was 20 and he was 45). In his case he cut a few corners, he was the foreman and went into the trenches to help the workers when he should have been supervising. He did a couple (not work safe ) thing he should not have done and he died. I was the first to get the call.

I applaud your strenght and hope you can get through this. It does take a while for sure. and to all the racers who feel they are getting hit on too many occasions, I do understand your feelings, but like she says, what does a funeral cost and all the heartache it puts on your family.

Dean Murdoch, speedzonemagazine.com

 

I thought i would re-visit this thread
I for one was upset about the brake rule
Didn’t think it was necessary
I really didn’t have the money for all 4 corners but if i wanted to race i had to do it
Last weekend @ Indy was the first time i drove with all 4 corners with carbon
I heard all the rumors of dragging them thru the burnout ect...
I drove it just like i did with steel except i kept a little pressure on them while we pulled thru the lanes
All i can say is this
I will never have a car without them now
This makes the car feel safe now
It stops much better with a controlled stop
You don’t get that hanging on the brake handle for dear life feeling
Although i disagreed at first i would never have a car without them now
Anyone that knows me knows i have no budget...

 

John I bet every racer that has had them would agree with you, unless they never had a scare in the shutdown area...

 

I talked to my car owner about the brakes and he has used them quite a while with no problems at all,and has nothing out of the ordinary to say about them.