Making Things Easier?

[John DiBartolomeo]

This may be more suited for the "super" class forum, but here goes - JD

Several weeks ago, prior to the 2022 season of the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series and the Camping World national events beginning, the NHRA announced a change to the Christmas Tree as far as the super categories are concerned. My $.02, but this should raise some eyebrows.

In 2003, the NHRA changed to LED bulbs on the ‘Tree to combat the problem of the incandescent bulbs burning out from the massive vibrations associated with the Top Fuel and Funny Cars passing by. The problem reared its ugly head in the speed the new LED bulbs lit. This caused a litany of red-lights in Pro Stock Motorcycle class as well some Sportsman racers in the super categories.

A little explanation first. An incandescent bulb performs in three separate cycles. When the electricity is first fed to the incandescent’s filament, it must heat up before it gets to fully lit. The final and third cycle is when the electricity is taken away from the bulb, the filament still stays glowing until it hits full cool down, at which point the bulb is considered off. Of course all this happens in milliseconds, but it can be seen.

Savvy racers realized the ability to “read” each of the bulb’s cycles and change their reaction times by the “read” of the bulb. Then came the LED.

An LED bulb is either on or off, there is no filament to warm up or cool down. This caused the bulb to light up faster causing it harder to “read,” and therefore a rash of red-lights. The answer was to introduce a .03-or-a-second compensation to the categories which utilize the pro tree. This meant that the pro tree setting of .400 in between the amber and green bulbs would now actually be a .370 difference. This made it harder for some racers to “get a light,” but most everyone adapted.

Over the years, it’s been suggested by some that we were losing racers because they couldn’t “get a light,’ and therefore left to race in other forms or quit altogether. Personally, I don’t believe that’s the main reason for losing cars, but nonetheless, the NHRA made the decision weeks ago to eliminate the .03 compensation and return the “Tree’s timing to a true .400 between the amber and green. This change would only affect the super categories (S/Comp, Gas & Street).

As I stated earlier, I don’t believe that’s the reason for diminishing car counts, but it will make it easier for some to “get a light.” But is that what we should be doing?

This is just my perspective but I think there are several who will agree. Drag racing has always been about tweaking on your car and making it do better every time. In the early days of super racing, we had to work to get our car to cut a light. I can’t tell you how many transmission valve bodies we had cut apart to follow oil paths in order to learn about having it release faster.

For the uninitiated, on the starting line, the transmission is locked in first gear and reverse by way of a valve body. Releasing reverse oil pressure through the valve body allows the car launch. Eventually, transmission companies entered the market with fast releasing valve bodies. But still, work to the car’s suspension along with converter designs find most every super category car carrying a small amount of delay through the use of a delay box from the time the trans brake button is released to the trans brake solenoid releases and allows the car to launch.

It's gotten hard enough to win today as almost everyone can cut an almost perfect reaction time. Now, the NHRA is making it easier to get that light. What it all really amounts to is racers having to add roughly .03 to their delay boxes. Why? I would rather have seen the change to a .300 tree and make it harder to get a light forcing a racer to have to work hard at the issue. I’m sure I’ll get some feedback on this but this is just my $.02, for whatever that’s worth. This is almost – as I have seen it written – like giving out participation trophies to all who attend, rather than forcing one to earn it. Will it increase participation? I could be wrong, but I doubt it. Time will tell on that front.

As I stated, this is just my opinion and you can tell me I’m all wrong about this, but let’s not make things easier. Life is hard. You have to work at it to be successful. Why should drag racing be any different?

Flame away.

[Tom Goldman]

Thanks for expressing the feelings of of many of us old timers that were firmly against seeing the change.
I enjoy a unique position of competing in Super Gas but working primarily on Stock /SuperStock class cars .
Although there are light years of difference between the Super classes and Stock /Super Stock , the desire of serious competitors to find the "combination " is the same .
Yes, Class racers do try to "maneuver " horsepower because they have been "rewarded" for their hard work, but it all eventually equals back out, most of the time.
Winners ,and those who truly desire to be winners NEVER stop working on their combination to improve it ,and themselves .
My take on the tree change is the same as yours , the desire to experiment and try new ideas has been lost by many .

[Maverick]

I believe it should have be voted on by the racers. I don't like any changes to the rules. Some people gain ground and others find out they wasted there time and money to get a lite.

[Mike Pearson]

The super categories is a non issue. They are allowed to run electronic delay devices. Maybe it helps some of the lower budget super street racers be a bit more competitive. Some of the old school guys think making it harder to compete is a good thing. It could run off some that would like to compete too. Most SC or SG cars had little to no problem with the tree before and now just have to roll a few numbers into the delay box to make the adjustment.

[Tom Goldman]

Originally Posted by Maverick

I believe it should have be voted on by the racers. I don't like any changes to the rules. Some people gain ground and others find out they wasted there time and money to get a lite.

They had the Division reps take a informal poll by Email a couple weeks before they announce the decision they probably already had made .
A lot of racers either never got an Email or never saw it if it did get to them .
An actual vote would likely have come out the same because there are hundreds of racers with Super class numbers that never race ,or only have it so the can race once a year when the LUCAS race comes to their local track .
Personally ,I feel the same racers who worked to get to the top will continue to win races .and the car count will not improve ,especially with the current economy.

[Tom Goldman]

Originally Posted by Mike Pearson

The super categories is a non issue. They are allowed to run electronic delay devices. Maybe it helps some of the lower budget super street racers be a bit more competitive. Some of the old school guys think making it harder to compete is a good thing. It could run off some that would like to compete too. Most SC or SG cars had little to no problem with the tree before and now just have to roll a few numbers into the delay box to make the adjustment.

Mike , yes that's the supposed simple solution, I do it all the time at the local .90 races that run on a .400 tree. ...But believe me having that much delay is not a good thing when you miss the tree.
They may have done us a favor because I can soften my launch and save the hit on the tires ,but I'll be testing anyway to make it better and trying different things because I fully expect NHRA and local tracks to do a lot less track spray and prep due to the major price increases on the glue.
The part that sucks is years of hard work and money spent by serious racers has been thrown in the garbage .
It's no different than a S/SS combo that has been flogged for years suddenly being removed from the Class guide , some racers are going to be pissed .

[Rob Petrie E395]

NHRA is a business. If they make it easier they might save some racers that were struggling and thinking about quitting. Or possibly even get more new racers and maybe get some that have quit to come back. If they make it harder. Let’s face it. Changing stuff, testing and experimenting to try to get better cost money. That might be the straw that broke the camels back in a already expensive hobby. Less racers less money for NHRA. That’s my theory. It’s probably wrong but….

[Keith 944]

Originally Posted by Mike Pearson

The super categories is a non issue. They are allowed to run electronic delay devices. Maybe it helps some of the lower budget super street racers be a bit more competitive. Some of the old school guys think making it harder to compete is a good thing. It could run off some that would like to compete too. Most SC or SG cars had little to no problem with the tree before and now just have to roll a few numbers into the delay box to make the adjustment.

I really don’t care either way but my question to the stock and superstock crowd is what would the consensus be if they brought back deep staging in your classes???
it might bring back some other racers? Help some slower cars, isn’t this the same kind of crutch???

[Signman]

Originally Posted by Keith 944

I really don’t care either way but my question to the stock and superstock crowd is what would the consensus be if they brought back deep staging in your classes???
it might bring back some other racers? Help some slower cars, isn’t this the same kind of crutch???

Hey Kieth
Bringing back deep staging would be fine IF it is incorporated into the starting system WITH courtesy staging. The programming is no big deal some systems already have it built in but not being used.

Just put a D next to your dial it with the dial entered into the system automatically courtesy staging is adjusted to require 2 stage lights for deep one light for shallow.

Then the system is in control no BS who must stage first or the starter holding the tree.

[Tom Goldman]

I really think it comes down to Johns last paragraph .