Re: Video of Biondo's win over Fletcher's close call
 

I was the racer that he just missed, I had a 1969 green Z28, he skidded into the weeds and they awarded him the win because it was after the finish line. I was just happy that he missed my car

Casey Miles
248H "F" NHRA Stock!

Re: Video of Biondo's win over Fletcher's close call
 

The incident made the big time as it was used in ESPN's highlights during the event broadcast on Sunday.

Re: Video of Biondo's win over Fletcher's close call
 

I was patiently waiting for this.

Re: Video of Biondo's win over Fletcher's close call
 

First time I had after market breaks on my car I got on em hard a Belle Rose and blew out both front tires. I installed a proportioning valve and only blew out one tire the next time. Getting on the brakes is part of racing. Knowing how much is what to learn.

Re: Video of Biondo's win over Fletcher's close call
 

Here's an idea. Watch the video for the hundredth time and watch how Tom got on the brakes too hard. Then learn that you shouldnt hit the brakes that hard! Easy enough? Luckily that him and the car are fine and that's what is important. Changing the rules ain't gonna do anything. Maybe we should just put pegs on these things and run them down a slot car track.

Re: Video of Biondo's win over Fletcher's close call
 

After watching all the pro stockers bouncing around right after the finish line, I got to wonder if all those bumps didn't compound the issue.

Re: Video of Biondo's win over Fletcher's close call
 

As they say in oval track racing (especially local short track racing), very few can tell you who won or came in second but everyone knows who stuffed their car in turn 3. If you want press coverage just crash your car :-)

Re: Video of Biondo's win over Fletcher's close call
 

As one who builds his entire car other the mandatory factory portion, I am not in favor of an additional risk to my investment. I have been guilty of excessive braking myself, but that is unfortunately a component of the game we play. Now if it were against the rules, and enforced to the letter....I think that would be a good thing. I love the competition of racing an except the risk involved. I am retired and If I were to get hurt because somebody pushed a little to hard on the brake pedal, I would still get paid....but what about the poor bastard that can't work anymore because someone was over aggressive! What about his family, his house, his livelihood! What about the racer that can't afford a new car....or can't find a ride deal like Peter, Dan, Anthony etc, etc. All because someone got caught up in the moment. Now I understand that the good "finish line racers" may disagree, because this is a card in their hand, but an intentional act that could upset the car at high speed if slightly over done should be removed from the sport. It's funny if you think about....every racer goes on the brakes softly after a run....they do that because it's the safe way to finish the run, and minimizes the risk of upsetting the race car. Let's face it...drag race cars are not designed for maximum braking effectiveness, so why would you take the chance of over braking at over 100 MPH in a vehicle that has no design incorporated to provide a more positive outcome when hard braking. I'm sure that the Fletcher incident has been discussed within the camp, and corrections have been made as well as a review of the equipment, to eliminate further incidents. Hopefully others will use this incident as a wake up call so we all can race and have fun, while bending the bar back toward safety a little bit.

Wade Mahaffey

Re: Video of Biondo's win over Fletcher's close call
 

Most people have stopped hard at some point or another. That being said, if stopping hard is a regular part of a racer's program, the laws of probability demand a much higher chance of having an incident. Just because someone gets away with it a hundred times or a thousand times doesn't mean it's not going to happen; it means it's MORE likely that incident is coming. I've had guys who have consistently driven overly aggressive come into my lane sideways, up on two wheels with smoke rolling of the tires, and I don't appreciate it -- and I can only put it that kindly because I was able to avoid them.

I think Dan's brought the boys up right, very good kids and very talented, and I have no doubt that the lesson has been learned there. My concern is for the ones that don't learn, and that's what makes this an important topic. Some of the guys that have come into my lane sideways have actually gone on to wreck cars.

I am not advocating for any 'no brakes' rules, just self-control and common sense. As Sal pointed out from the Jim Harrington School of Drag Racing, it's rare that I'm not on the brakes -- you're either taking took much stripe, or you're not minimizing your changes of a breakout enough. There's a number of ways to accomplish that mission.

Re: Video of Biondo's win over Fletcher's close call
 

Great job writing^^^^

Working as race director at Speedworld we had our team races and during them there were a lot of tire smoking top end going on. I brought this up with the team captains and they felt something should be done. So we started one time in a year is a warning, second time your out of the race. Didn't have much teeth because everyone now would do it once and usually when a driver smoked tires the second time then he usually lost , so getting tossed for the day didn't really mean a whole lot.
Now we had two instances of tire smoking and one hit the wall and tore his own car up and messed the wall and timing equipment up. We had some down time and when looking at the car his helmet actually hit the windshield. Had a 5 point harness on and when asked he chose to have belts loose enough to be able to turn around in his seat to be able to see the other racer coming. This time he turned to look and slightly turned the wheel and jammed the brakes. He was tossed for the day and asked to not return for the remainder of the year. The second incident was a fast car smoked the tires and won. Went to pits to let them know they were out for the day. He asked to look at his car as the left caliper was froze ( same side as smoke) and wheel barely turned, I let the driver know if he can swamp caliper out for another and prove to me the car was safe as far as braking I would reinstate him. He did swap it out, showed me the old one, showed me the brake fluid. Everything looked legit and I let him back in.
Not all tires make smoke so its hard to catch, but if they do make smoke or change lanes then it is unsafe stripe driving to others. I don't care what you do to yourself but I cant sit back and have drivers race recklessly and put others in danger for something that can be avoided and really unnecessary. Was this a mistake or bad judgment ? Sure it was. Others have written its a video to learn from. Can you tell me what you learned? I learned that its ok to slide through the lights and put others in danger with out any penalty.
Flame away

Re: Video of Biondo's win over Fletcher's close call
 

Can't tell you how many videos I have seen of the "big names" driving with the belts loose enough to fall out of...

Re: Video of Biondo's win over Fletcher's close call
 

This is what it looked like to me too. Glad I read your post here. Did not know about the removal of weight but not enough brake pressure in rear and all weight over front of these cars was my thinking. And that is what happened here. Glad all is well.

Re: Video of Biondo's win over Fletcher's close call
 

Re: Video of Biondo's win over Fletcher's close call
 

Looked at the video a few times then frame by frame. Both were on the brakes going through, front ends down. Fletcher was on the brakes before Biondo just past the finish line the car got upset. One thing comes to mind the track is only sprayed to the finish line and there may have been bumps out there. Have myself felt the car want to come around when getting on the brakes hard, has to do with how we have the corner weights set up to go straight.
Everything was fine until after the finish line.

Dad probably had a heart attack and is little pissed but everyone is OK and the cars are not wrecked. The right front almost rolled the bead, would have been a little messy.

Hey Dan you could not pay for the national exposure the Peak car got out of this! There is always something positive!

Re: Video of Biondo's win over Fletcher's close call
 

Put a spin on things...........use Peak Motor Oil !!!!!!!!!!

Re: Video of Biondo's win over Fletcher's close call
 

Close call. ALL that matters is the results..

Good thing He was not racing to NOT break out ..in a final, against a Spouse. NOW that would have been something..!

Re: Video of Biondo's win over Fletcher's close call
 

Sideways in the car....same as he wears his hat.....

Hopefully its a reality check....

Re: Video of Biondo's win over Fletcher's close call
 

Watch this clip at the 5:20 mark....the car makes a move identical to the run against Peter. I thought I had seen that car upset on this clip the first time I viewed it. Don't know if this is a ballast thing, but a review and inspection of the brake system, shocks and springs, as well as bump steer critique is in order. You can see the car dip and to the right with the tail starting to come around, however the driver quickly gathered it up. I would certainly think the driver would remember that run....I know I would! Please except my comments as constructive, and in no way demeaning and or placing blame

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2QbHDq0XFQ4

Wade Mahaffey

Re: Video of Biondo's win over Fletcher's close call
 

------------------------------------------------------
Nice Find..I was there at the starting line standing at the wall. Did not notice...That right hand move to the right was nasty...Something mechanically was (is) not Kosher...Reminded me back in 71 when I lost a Ball joint spacer @ 100 mph in a 55 Chevy with 5 lbs air in the slicks. Hope the issue never happens again..

Re: Video of Biondo's win over Fletcher's close call
 

This should help Dan and company to problem solve and get the car straightened out. And like he said, there may have been a little driver error....but now with two different drivers....they can look at the car a little bit. Move that entry in a positive direction, for whoever is behind the wheel !

Wade Mahaffey

Re: Video of Biondo's win over Fletcher's close call
 

What I see is once again too damn hard on the binders. I could be wrong, but I'm betting both drivers already knew how hard braking upset the car...good enough reason not to do it.

Re: Video of Biondo's win over Fletcher's close call
 

OK this whole blog needs to stop > Thomas did what he thought to do to win as we all would do so no second guessing- like we all would do so everyone needs to go to post why NHRA purses are so low

Re: Video of Biondo's win over Fletcher's close call
 

Don't know what a "blog" is...all I can say is I have not nor will I ever do that to win a race. Too much at stake and I don't mean the purse. If someone destroys my car because of stupidity it isnt going to be pretty once the wheels stop rolling and I am able to exit the vehicle.

Re: Video of Biondo's win over Fletcher's close call
 

I want to thank Antony Fetch, Timbos's opponent in the Englishtown run, for a phone call yesterday about their run. He told me to look up the video, which I had, and now Wade M. has highlighted it. Thomas might have hit the brakes too hard or long, but Timbo didn't, period. The car has an issue, obviously.

I guess that's one problem with not driving your own car all the time, things can start happening that you aren't aware of. I haven't fully debriefed my drivers yet, but the point will be made clear that feedback on all facets of the car's performance is required.

Some may want to pontificate on the hard braking issue, but it's part of bracket racing, like it or not. You brake as quickly and as strongly as you can safely do. Safely being the key word, and in our case it apparently wasn't, given the combination of car and driver at that moment. I'm off to go fix and inspect my car.

Re: Video of Biondo's win over Fletcher's close call
 

This is the answer.....A very good point.....listen to the car, by that I mean not just the Time Slip....but anything that happens a little different from the norm i.e. a vibration, a noise, a different or strange move at any place on the track...and of course, the person in the car the most would probably notice something different, and investigate to address any concern

Wade Mahaffey

Re: Video of Biondo's win over Fletcher's close call
 

That move under hard braking is the result of the suspension setup.
When you increase spring rate on the right rear to plant both slicks equally and go straight it loads the opposite corner, the left front then helps load the right rear. When the driver gets on the brakes hard the spring rates on the front are not equal the right front appears to collapse and the car gets upset. Some of that can be tuned out with shock adjustment am sure a good chassis shop can get rid of most of it. my footbrake Chevelle does it, the Tomata Can did it and my IROC-Z has done it.

Re: Video of Biondo's win over Fletcher's close call
 

Maybe some of the hard braking racer should think about a anti locking braking system ,it may keep Nhra from making it mandatory.

Re: Video of Biondo's win over Fletcher's close call
 

Thomas did a good job, call it luck or skill, I'm good on both ends.

This poor bastard was not so lucky.

https://autos.yahoo.com/blogs/motora...205430089.html

Re: Video of Biondo's win over Fletcher's close call
 

Nice save Thomas!! Made for a great match up. Glad the cars didn't get hurt. I enjoyed. Sorry the score board racers don't see it the same way.


Your either in front or behind you should never be wide open!!

Re: Video of Biondo's win over Fletcher's close call
 

Just for the record when I watched the video I thought Thomas did a great job saving the car but what about Pete eatin the drop up??anyone got the numbers at the stripe??

Re: Video of Biondo's win over Fletcher's close call
 

There is wide range of braking available between wide-open and locked up. Again, I've had more than one car come into my lane, so I believe this is an important discussion that should be taken seriously.

At one of our events, a driver was doing a lot of sliding sideways through the traps, and despite eye-rolling at "the lecture", they bothered to work on the car, and found a caliper locking up. They fixed it, and ended up with a not only safer but also better working car that allowed him to stop hard without the car moving around or smoking the tires. Had they ignored it and continued to drop hard every single run as a standard strategy, it would've been only a matter of time before one or more cars got wrecked. I've had a front caliper hang up, I've had a pin break in a rear drum, and I've had the adjustment on a rear drum move, each of which caused the car to move. Things happen.

MOV = .038.
http://www.dragracecentral.com/DRCSt...r2014#indextop


Dan said it best:

Re: Video of Biondo's win over Fletcher's close call
 

The front end of our most race cars are set up for the lowest rolling resistance under acceleration. When braking 'hard' does that change the toe in or toe out where it could lead to a sudden movement left or right without input from the driver? Look at how much the front tires move around when coming down from a wheelstand. Is hard braking really that different in how it affects the front suspension?

Re: Video of Biondo's win over Fletcher's close call
 

I'm just glad he didn't hit anything including Pete . Would hate to have to call him the "ExTerminator."

Re: Video of Biondo's win over Fletcher's close call
 

wow they got tossed today

Re: Video of Biondo's win over Fletcher's close call
 

Omg, how long will they be out?

Re: Video of Biondo's win over Fletcher's close call
 

Mickey, details please.

Re: Video of Biondo's win over Fletcher's close call
 

I can assure everyone that no one has been tossed. Anyone that knows Mickey will tell you his computer skills are not the best. He was most likely trying to post on another thread or even another forum about something that happened years ago. He tends to be a little late and even confused on current events.

Re: Video of Biondo's win over Fletcher's close call
 

Thanks Ken for the clarification. I'm sure that would have been words flying if it had been true.
Walt

Re: Video of Biondo's win over Fletcher's close call
 

Maybe it was about the USA vs Germany match today?

Re: Video of Biondo's win over Fletcher's close call
 

Maybe he is old. Happens to most of us.