Phoenix Nat'l Racers Please Respond
 

I would like to hear from people that were racing in Phoenix this weekend. It looked like the whole thing was a complete disaster.
The track looked horrible both before and after the finish line.
There were a number of problems in Pomona and a whole lot more in Phoenix.
Is there something not being addressed with the tracks, is it track prep or both?
I don't remember there being this many issues years ago.
I wouldn't think 70 degree track temps should cause this many problems.
Also, I don't understand NHRA's thinking of pulling the plug on Pro Stock, but deciding to run T/D (bad idea #1) and then Super Street (bad idea #2). It's beginning to look like all NHRA wants is a track that works for Top Fuel & Funny Car.

Re: Phoenix Nat'l Racers Please Respond
 

brett i was told that pro stock racers pulled the plug on nhra? to unsafe.

Re: Phoenix Nat'l Racers Please Respond
 

I have good friends who live out in Phoenix and they have a T/D and T/S cars and both have told me that they don't even go to Firebird to bracket race cause the track is sooo bad. They said when the NHRA comes in for the nationals they do make the track somewhat better with their prep but, it's still not great. I can see the problems with Pomona since they really only race there 2 times a year anymore. The track just doesn't get enough use to put rubber down for traction.

Re: Phoenix Nat'l Racers Please Respond
 

Speedworld in NW Phoenix area is almost always good. Firebird is almost always bad. Firebird caters to the street crowd in my opinion.

Re: Phoenix Nat'l Racers Please Respond
 

I agree with Jeff. Ever since I've lived out here, I've found that there's something wrong with Firebird, traction wise.
I've had 14 second street cars that would never turn a tire at Speedworld and would skate around at FB. I was at a FFW about five years ago in the late Fall on a cool day. When the Bracket Two cars started bouncing off the walls , they had to plug the plug to re-do the track. They worked on it most of the night, but it was no better on Sunday morning.

In all fairness , it was fine for the Bracket Finals . Weather was still warm and there were about 600 cars running down the track all the time.
The Nat's are usually okay, but I think , when that track is cold, it's unsafe to run on ,for some reason.

Re: Phoenix Nat'l Racers Please Respond
 

I raced at the Phoenix National Event last year and will say that it was the worst track I raced on all year!!! The top end is very bumpy and all cracked up! The shut down area is even worse. I thought my rear end was broke after my first run there!!! It turned out to be the roughness of the track! I won't go back there until that track is resurfaced!!

Re: Phoenix Nat'l Racers Please Respond
 

I was at the track at 7am and the pits and track was a s**t hole.The pro stock cars had loaded up and left.

Re: Phoenix Nat'l Racers Please Respond
 

And they go and dump VA from the schedule...the fan count in the stands did not look good on TV....why keep this track on a Nat event schedule and drop VA is beyond me.

Re: Phoenix Nat'l Racers Please Respond
 

Not one person responded on how they treated the sportsman racer. If that was IHRA it would be ON.

Herb Jr

Re: Phoenix Nat'l Racers Please Respond
 

Sounds like Charlie needs to spend some money on the place

Re: Phoenix Nat'l Racers Please Respond
 

I was there with my super comp car and my son racing a super gas roadster.The track was as bad as it looked There was a narrow groove that you really couldnt see.If you got a half a tire out of it you were in for a wild ride.There is also a rut in the track that my son found and went sideways but saved it.The rut steers you out of the groove.There were many wrecks and and alot of near wrecks.I couldnt belive they just kept sending cars down the track.The bad news is we are going back down to finish the race this weekend and run the div race.Hopefully weather will be warmer.

Re: Phoenix Nat'l Racers Please Respond
 

Anyone who goes back and crashes you realize its not the tracks fault. Its your fault for going. I hope no one wrecks or tears anything up but if they do they can only hope they can look in the mirror at who to blame. My son wouldnt go down a track like that.

Herb Jr

Re: Phoenix Nat'l Racers Please Respond
 

this is all well and good....Dont go there,dont race, dont do this or that but when it comes to it we still go.Why? Because "cheap" charlie is the only national/divisional game in town.Yes we get tucson but it is only a div race and not alot of people go especially spectators.We dont have IHRA and other good tracks are at least 300 miles away.Speed world is good but it is 2 hours from my house each way and it is a "local " track.It will NEVER host a national or get a divisional again.the national open had 9 cars????I am goin to the divisional, why because I need points and that is the only div I can hit close.Hell my shop is trying to get a vendor booth and we cant even get a return phone call! yeah it sucks but anybody else got a better idea???? i am all ears!

Re: Phoenix Nat'l Racers Please Respond
 

So having a good chance of you or someone in the other lane smacking you because you say the owner doesn't give two $hits doesn't deter you from going there?
I'd like to see how long it would take you to dial Dirt bag & Dirt bag Esq. to setup a law suit,if you survive.
We had a situation at Atco a few years ago where the winds were brutal.I don't know for sure who was the lead motivator,NHRA,Joe Sway or the racers,but elims were
postponed to Mon after I believe trying 1/8 mile.I heard some guys bitching and moaning.
Their decision to wait was fine with me.I guess by human nature there will always be those who can't be satisfied.
Some track owners and racing orgs. depend on people who think like you to keep up with their schemes to stay in business..

Re: Phoenix Nat'l Racers Please Respond
 

You still did not give me a solution other than stay home. Ed I can drive across your state quicker than I can get to either alternative track. Yes firebird is a toilet but it is still safer than a public highway.I choose to race stock because I like it same as you. They only race it at firebird. it is not like drinkin beer if you dont like the bar you can go home and drink but I cant race in my driveway! THE WEST NEEDS IHRA!!!!!

Re: Phoenix Nat'l Racers Please Respond
 

I agree with you 100%,but why would you put yourself in peril for one race?I'm sure you go to other races in your division.If it was me I'd find a way to attend another race or
just race one less race for the year.
There's plenty of races but you only have one life.
Is the owner that bad?It's Charlie Allen isn't it?Pressure on NHRA for him to improve safety or lose the race seems like the solution.Maybe it's time for an insurrection in your division by those affected by his inaction to make improvements.

Re: Phoenix Nat'l Racers Please Respond
 

If all you're after is the point, pay go thru tech and leave.No sense bending up your stuff, not the best plan but one solution. Joe

Re: Phoenix Nat'l Racers Please Respond
 

Aspen, some of the Interstates here in PA would make a better racing surface than Phoenix!!! Someone needs to suggest the owner spend some of his money and repave the racing surface to make it safe!

Ed, the problem there is the track, not the weather! And if they were trying to use their new, cheaper, traction compound in cool weather, we all know what a disaster that can be!

Re: Phoenix Nat'l Racers Please Respond
 

The track was fine when it wasn't covered in water. Can't blame that on NHRA

Re: Phoenix Nat'l Racers Please Respond
 

LOL!!!!! never happen. This place has had problems like this, just not as bad, sense when I raced out there in the 80s and in the mid 90s. Speedworld has always been better. I remember when they use to do the Div 7 opener out at Speedworld in Wittman Az. I remember talking to out of town racers back then who raced at firebird the week before at the Nats. They all would say how much better it was racing at Speedworld. That was the mid 90s. I was bummed when the Opener moved to Firebird.
Matt

Re: Phoenix Nat'l Racers Please Respond
 

You must be kidding and give me a break,there was no rain ever at the track on Friday when Gordie Rivera wrecked his new pro stocker.The rain started on Saturday and I should know because I was there.

Re: Phoenix Nat'l Racers Please Respond
 

The track was fine on Friday for the 9 second Super Stockers. The track temp was 95+.
I don't know about Gordie Rivera. When I hear Pro session , I head for the hills. Much safer that way.
Friday sounds great..without them. Can't wait.

Re: Phoenix Nat'l Racers Please Respond
 

Wow,

Looks like a bunch of half facts and missinformation.

The PRO's require a different track surface to allow for tire slippage and VP makes a product that works.

The National events switched from VHT to VP several years ago, possibly 6 or 7.

The change was better for the PRO's but worse for the Sportsman Racer who desire a dead hook starting line.

VHT is still used at LODRS races.

Firebird is no better or worse than most of the tracks we race at in Division 7.

People bitched about Sacramento Raceway and now we have to tow even further to race.

We keep making it tougher and tougher in these financial times to operate a track and pretty soon there will be no place to race.

The newest real race track (not counting the parking lot at Fontana) that we race on is Vegas and that's at least 15 years old. But we also lost OCIR, Fremont, Sacramento and Ontario.

Be careful what you wish for and pick the right battle to fight,

Bob

Re: Phoenix Nat'l Racers Please Respond
 

I was at both tracks this past couple of weekends. I am foot braking my superstocker and pomona for me was OK. the sun was always hitting the track the bald spots were so-so. In phoenix i thought that the starting line looked better with rubber for me I had no problem hooking and no problem going down the track.Yes the track is bumpy. My concern is whether or not NHRA has switched traction compounds several years ago they were using VP and right before 1st round in St Louis they changed the compound back to VHT the pros were not to happy with the lack of traction well I went from spinning and adjusting the car to hook to almost flipping over and the front whells pulling out of the beam to a bad red light. NHRA seems to only be spraying till the 1000 ' for the fuel cars and a lot of the Pro Stockers were having trouble all the way down the track. i was asked if there is a lot of sand we had aver a 1/4 mile of asphalt to get to the lanes. I personally don't think it is sand I think it is with the traction compound that is just my opinion. The way the cars were all over he track Sunday I really did not want to go down the track. Like I said though i had no problem with the track when I went down for TT and Class. We will see what happens in G-Ville we all know that track gets bad when the sun goes down and the dew comes in that is normal for that track it is all about during the day and that track is one of the premier tracks in the country

Re: Phoenix Nat'l Racers Please Respond
 

Can't speak for pro stock,but I made 3 passes within a few thou.