The Great 1/8 mile vs 1/4 mile Racing Debate
 

Which would you rather race your Stock or Super Stock car on?

Re: The Great 1/8 mile vs 1/4 mile Racing Debate
 

1/4 mile is the better race, without a doubt. In my opinion, 1/8 mile is tougher to win at with less time for decision making at top end. It also takes alot of the "speed thrill" out of the equation, particulary in a Stocker. Personally, since I do this sport for the enjoyment, I have little use for 1/8 mile racing.

Re: The Great 1/8 mile vs 1/4 mile Racing Debate
 

Being located in central North Carolina 1/8 mile racing is about your only option....there are quarter mile tracks around but 1/8 mile is still what most run on a bracket program..... I love 1/4 mile racing just as much as 1/8 racing....there is a different speed factor but there are other things that make 1/8 racing just as exciting as 1/4 mile racing.....i dont own a NHRA legal stocker so my options are limited to about 3 to 4 quarter mile races a year with IHRA......but it doesnt matter to me which one i do you still gotta drive both ends of the track...

Re: The Great 1/8 mile vs 1/4 mile Racing Debate
 

In IHRA D-1 you better like both! The 1/8 mile is harder for me at the moment due to top end coming up so quick and a lack of an actual stripe on the finish line at a lot of the 1/8 mile tracks increases the challenge. That said, the 1/8 is a lot easier to dial your car, and all things being equal you decide the race at the start line. 1/8 mile is easier on gas, the equipment. If all the tracks had the "good" timing systems painted their finish lines in addition to the cones I think that a lot of guys would be pretty indifferent.

As my opponent Jim Marshall who I broke against at Skyview in the 1/8 mile so perfectly put it....For us(racers) it just doesn't get any better than this.......And that would apply to 1/8 mile, 1/4 mile, when it rains, etc.

I know it has been said time and time again by many more experienced at this than myself, but if racing brings you joy then the distance doesn't matter. I will say this, in my opinion you would be hard pressed to run into a nicer group of people than at the dragstrips.

Eric

Re: The Great 1/8 mile vs 1/4 mile Racing Debate
 

Don't get me wrong -- 1/4 mile is my first choice and always will be -- that being said lets look at what happens racing the eighth -- get a light and run to the stripe.. period .No time for games --i.e.-- click it at 1000' or some other place -- no coasting - no bogus dials etc- with 1/8 mile racing there is just no time for extras and that appeals to me..................I guess the "Young Guns" could do some of that stuff in the 1/8 but at my age walking and chewing gum at the same time is tough.........BTW , for those of you that know me well -- I spent the first 10 years racing at a track that was a little less that an 1/8 -- but back then they didn't use "dials" .

Re: The Great 1/8 mile vs 1/4 mile Racing Debate
 

youd be suprised at some of the games being played on 1/8 mile tracks i saw plenty this weekend at piedmont......i love drag racing and it makes no matter to me what length of track i race at i just wanna race nad have fun.......i runnered up at Maryland 2 years ago at my second natl ever and second time running 1/4 mile racing...it was a blast and i look forward to the 1/4 mile races i go to....you diff. have more time to make something happen o nthe other end but you also have more time to watch yourself get beat i know that for a fact....it aint pretty watching someone ride beside you from before the 1000 ft to the 1/4 mile mark...lol

Re: The Great 1/8 mile vs 1/4 mile Racing Debate
 

I hate 1/4 mile racing, but my car is slow. Being so used to 1/8th mile, when doing 1/4 mile I feel like I could take a nap once in high gear. All 1/4 mile racing did was give me a crick in my neck due to looking back too much haha. My street car is 4 seconds faster in the 1/4 than my race car. So the "speed" factor doesn't matter to me. In all honestly, once in a faster car for more than a few runs, it all seems the same.

Re: The Great 1/8 mile vs 1/4 mile Racing Debate
 

1/8th mile is definitely easier on the merchandise. The engine isn't screaming its lungs out after the point where it starts to nose over like a steeply geared stocker does on the quarter mile track. Most stockers leave so hard thet the average streeter or bracket car spends most of the 7 or 8 second run watching the stocker from the rear. I ran the Summit series at Irwindale with an O/SA 68 Chevelle wagon with a 327 and a 5.57 gear, and you definitely need to drive both ends of the track. There is less time and distance to make your final decision in the eighth for sure, but the trade off in longevity is probably worth it. We learn 90% of what we need to know in the eighth in a test and tune situation anyways. It's a personal preference.

Re: The Great 1/8 mile vs 1/4 mile Racing Debate
 

i love the 1320... unfortunately my car is a 1/8 mile beast...
when im hauiling *** at 98mph on the 1/4 you aa/sa guys go by me like im tied to a hitching post... and when we run combo GEEZ its like a 747 taxied bye...

it is easier to judge the stripe with similar MPH so its easier for me to win a round or two...
again unfortunately i hate my local 1/8 mile track and often go to Bowling Green instead...

captain of the landbarge
jack

Re: The Great 1/8 mile vs 1/4 mile Racing Debate
 

Lets Race

Re: The Great 1/8 mile vs 1/4 mile Racing Debate
 

In 2007 I went to my 1st IHRA race,a double at MIR.I r/u both days thanks to the Bertozzi/Hudlow
team.I was more comfortable at 1/8 mile due to what the Capt. said about mph.Definately easier to judge the fast cars.
Also how many S/SSers are set up to run the 1/8 mile?Most qualify ay .60-.50 under in the 1/8.

Re: The Great 1/8 mile vs 1/4 mile Racing Debate
 

What difference does it make....just race!

If you want to go fast go to Bonneville, if your racing 1/4 mile you're already racing 1/8 and my car only picks up about 14 mph on the quarter.

Jim R

Re: The Great 1/8 mile vs 1/4 mile Racing Debate
 

I'd rather race 1/8 mile, after last weekend at pittsburg IT WAS SOOOO HOT!!!!!!!! i couln't wait to get out of the car,with the new rules of race pants,its hot inside the car,1/4 mile is fun too,but hard on parts when your buzzing 7500 rpm or better,just my $.2 joe fiano g/cm 1267

Re: The Great 1/8 mile vs 1/4 mile Racing Debate
 

how about 1/16 mile

Re: The Great 1/8 mile vs 1/4 mile Racing Debate
 

I want to race to 1000' like my hero John Force! If we all switched to 1000', then everything would be OK by me.

Re: The Great 1/8 mile vs 1/4 mile Racing Debate
 

Great compromise Chris. I'd be OK with that.
Jeff Ross

Re: The Great 1/8 mile vs 1/4 mile Racing Debate
 

If I show up at an !/8 mile track I pretty much assume we'll be racing an 1/8 mile.Therefore,when I show up at a 1/4 mile track i sure the hell hope we're racing the 1,320..........Oh no ! .....I can't stop,there's a bump in the track,.. ..race gas is too expensive,....I have a kink in my neck and it's hard for me to look back,....I get lite headed from my helmet,,jacket, and pants,....my engine only has to go to 7,200 two times instead of three,.......I my personal favorite....I cut bad lights on an 1/8 mile track!

Re: The Great 1/8 mile vs 1/4 mile Racing Debate
 

As far as I'm concerned there are two types of tracks 1/4 &1/8 and I like them both.
Mike Taylor 3601

Re: The Great 1/8 mile vs 1/4 mile Racing Debate
 

Aww Bart, tell us how you really feel. Seems the rear window of you Cougar said it at Pittsburgh!!!
Jeff Ross

Re: The Great 1/8 mile vs 1/4 mile Racing Debate
 

Nice one Kip - LOL!

Must say that if there is a 1/8 mile and 1/4 mile race the same weekend, I'm always going long.

Re: The Great 1/8 mile vs 1/4 mile Racing Debate
 

I never raced there,or even knew it existed but about 10 miles north of Englishtown there was a roundy round track,Old Bridge Speedway that ran drag shows on the straight away.I thin it was even shorter than 1/16 mile.The straight away was banked no less.The cars,since they were mostly stick cars had to be held by someone at the rear quarter to keep it from rolling.The track owner rigged up a traffic light for a tree.That had to be a sight to see.One of the mags did a pictorial on it last year.The track closed in 1973 I think.All the pics in the article were taken at night.

Re: The Great 1/8 mile vs 1/4 mile Racing Debate
 

Some people actually like being in their cars with their foot through the floors. Why cut that joy in half by racing eighth mile races? IMO, if you only want to race your car half of what is only a quarter of a mile to begin with, then maybe you don't like racing that much after all.

Besides, if you race the full quarter mile, you get two eighth mile times! One may be slower than the other, but it's a win-win!!!

WHOOOO KNOOOWWWSSS???

Re: The Great 1/8 mile vs 1/4 mile Racing Debate
 

My enjoyment is: hit the tree, pull a wheelie, shift gears, drive the stripe, and in general the competition and the people at the track. Most everything else is immaterial. 1/8, 1/4, 1000'... doesn't matter to me.

Re: The Great 1/8 mile vs 1/4 mile Racing Debate
 

X2 well I might change it to, the people who don't annoy me at the track... :P

Re: The Great 1/8 mile vs 1/4 mile Racing Debate
 

Mid 80's till ? was track at Fort Gay WV. was converted from sand drags to blacktop and raced 330'
I don't know if still operating or not? If you have people at track annoying
you 1/4 will keep you away from few more seconds not long but every little bit
helps.
Mike Taylor 3601

Re: The Great 1/8 mile vs 1/4 mile Racing Debate
 

Jeff/Zac,
Said the same thing at Thompson!!!!!! lol