Re: New Record in Drag Racing History
 

Bret,

I agree with 100% what you said. I am one of your biggest fans. However, repackaging and reselling is a good thing. I dont even like or watch pinks! It doesnt even make sense to me. Yeah they were wrong, but it worked! It proves old things and old decisions are sometimes more successful revisited.

There is nothing cheaper than sugar, flour, and corn, it takes molding them into straws with chocolate to get $8 per pound (of which I refuse to buy the twins).

In my business a chemical company had a new technology called Transport plus which was nothing but a marketing program for what we introduced in the 1960's that was an all synthetic polymer approach instead of using natural occurring substances. However, they sold millions because they actually marketed it and went actively trying to sell it.

Current sanctioning body's refusal to market us is the most embarrassing thing I have seen. I was at Indy and there was no one in the stands except for pit crew and family members. Embarrassing in my book (except going across the scales 10lbs light). I tried to promote Indy as the Door Slammer Nationals, but got no where.

This is why Terry's deal is so important, Alex got 20,000 or so fans without even trying. Nothing will sell if you dont try and sell it. Industry is 20 years behind technology. I know Sers and SSers on TV would be a big hit with the proper promotion. They are way closer to NASCAR something for people to relate.

No one will buy it if it is never promoted or sold. It is why I was trying to do a promotional film at ST Louis a few years ago with an exciting announcer approach. If no one else is going to do it, we need to do it ourselves. Just talking out loud trying to seed a vision of something that needs to happen. We need to put our constructive minds together and promote what we love! I asked Annette that, and she just asks me for the credit card. ;)

Re: New Record in Drag Racing History
 

When I raced my 2.2L FWD Turismo, the car got tons of attention. Casual at first: "Neat car. Where's the nitrous?" No nitrous. "Oh, turbo car." Nope. 2bbl carb. Boom, swarm of kids around the car, "How do you GO that fast?!"

Cars don't have to be fast or RWD to be fun to watch. *Close* racing is fun to watch, regardless. Larry Munk and I raced at the Dutch one year, and I swear we passed each other three times going down the track! It was like watching Fast & Furious, where we shift 8 times, hit the nitrous 3 times, and keep going faster. LOL

One of my buddies got down to the semis in a 32-car shootout they did Friday night for some of the slower cars at Pinks. He got beat by .017. Had a blast. And oh, BTW, he signed 8 autographs over the weekend alongside his mid 11-sec primered Chevy II.

Scott - welcome!

Disclaimer: I have absolutely no credibility, as I own Mopars, a FWD car, a Crate Motor car, and I know Billy Nees.

Re: New Record in Drag Racing History
 

Lynn I agree with the marketing concept.
But a violently oppose just dropping certain classes because one of your organizers doesn't like them.
You are in Divison 3. When Tim Kish goes to a race take a look at how many fans are stopping to take pictures and talk. No offense meant but if you were pitted next to him. I promise many would pass up your car and make a beeline for the Neon. I've seen this with my car and it's a portable slum compared to Tim's.
The announcers always play up my car when I'm in eliminations. And plenty of people like to root for the underdog.

Re: New Record in Drag Racing History
 

This was pretty awesome!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EG3WOwAw_fs

Re: New Record in Drag Racing History
 

I believe Dave Boertman became noted for Deep Staging back around 1970 with his 69 Chevy. Then even more when racing IHRA with his 1971 Rod Shop Dodges. He was one of the best at it.

Re: New Record in Drag Racing History
 

Mike:

The video you just posted, if you can get past how awsome the race is, look at the stands. The video is being shot from what is considered by NHRA-Z-max as the cheaper seats. You are looking across the track at the "John Force Grandstand". Look down the stands as the camera pans. All of the people jumping up and down and waving, beside the camera person, are on the "cheap seat" side which was also filled.

This is what I have wanted to see since coming back into drag racing and building an "old school" superstocker. The stands were packed, the pit area was packed and the cars were superstock type cars and the people loved it. Speed Channel, Pinks or that guy Rich had noting to do with the response from the people watching these cars go down the track. And what about that wagon? I have noticed the same thing as has been previously mentioned, the only people in the stands at typical races are the family, friends and drivers not racing at the time.

Re: New Record in Drag Racing History
 

Cool, that way when they had a mishap (read wreck) it would take out 4 cars therefore shortening the race and maybe more time for the little guy...course clean up would be 4 times longer too!

Re: New Record in Drag Racing History
 

I think some of the grief with your car and the new FI cars is that you need a computer to tune your car while the rest of us are limited to timing lights and physical changes; jets, metering rods, timing changes, etc. How can we compete with a computer that can certainly make changes to your motor while we couldn't even detect the problem?

Re: New Record in Drag Racing History
 

I am not sure that I understand the "computer" defense as I have my own class, not infringing on any current classes and it is a bracket race in the end. I have been to five races and have been beaten each time by an old school hot rod because I either left late or they threw a better package at me. So it seems to me there is no distinct advantage to being fuel injected over carburated. I fall off just like everyone else as the weather changes and it seem you guys are pretty damn good at this with or without a computer! :)

P.S. My new best friend has been the weather station with the e.t. predictor!

Re: New Record in Drag Racing History
 

It really shouldn't be too hard to understand the "computer" thing. There's absolutely no way a computer controlled car falls off as much as a non-computer controlled car. Where this becomes pertainant is in qualifying. A computer controlled car makes fuel and timing adjustment on the fly, which would, all things equal, make the car more efficient, and, in return, perform better for the conditions. We can make carb or timing changes according to the weather, but it's only a guess, not knowing how it will actually affect the car. The optimal setting will always be present in a computer controlled car. I wouldn't believe otherwise. But I don't mind the computer cars, in fact, it would be nice to drive one...a lot easier to maintain, I would guess. As long as it was American, and the big wheels were on the rear!

Re: New Record in Drag Racing History
 

This theory was beat to death years ago. Then they added fuel injected classes, then they took them away And now do the FI cars dominate?

Re: New Record in Drag Racing History
 

The computer only makes adjustments going down the track if you are in closed loop. I run my car in open loop It will datalog everything that happens, But you can do that with carbs too.
To run in closed loop I worry about the gas effecting the O2 sensor. And really screwing the run up.
I'm not sure how most of the guys with FI do it
PS my tires are taller in the back LOL

Re: New Record in Drag Racing History
 

Art - That's funny. I guess tire height accounts for something. :-)
I didn't realize your computer was run in open loop. Do many run them that way? That does make a difference in overall performance, doesn't it?

Re: New Record in Drag Racing History
 

I can run mine in closed loop but then it reads and adjusts off the O2 sensor. And I've been told I would lose consistency that way.
I'm kind of new to the adjustable computer stuff. All my turbo dodges ran factory computers

Re: New Record in Drag Racing History
 

Just because something is "newer" doesn't necessarily make it better, cooler-looking/sounding, etc.

M68

Re: New Record in Drag Racing History
 

Hey Art,

Losing consistency is bad enough, but when I first read it, I thought you said the O2 sensor would make you lose "consciousness"!

Now that would be real bad...

David
The New Hemi Guy

Re: New Record in Drag Racing History
 

Only if you beat yourself with it as you go down the track. LOL LOL

Re: New Record in Drag Racing History
 

Art is correct. The computer DOES NOT make spark adjustments going down the track. It will only make fueling adjustments going down the track if you put it in closed loop, which does not work well. I have yet to see one run as well at WOT or as consistently, in closed loop. They also do not make diagnosing a problem easier, data loggers do. Many carbureted cars now have data loggers.

Is "changing jets" or the timing easier with an EFI car? Sure.