What caused V. Gaines to crash @ Carolina Nats?
 

I saw interview with G. Anderson right before VG crash. Greg said like banana peels on the track? Saw people holding pieces of the racetrack.

Re: What caused V. Gaines to crash @ Carolina Nats?
 

That would be my guess since all of the pro stock guys refused to run and went back to their pit area

Re: What caused V. Gaines to crash @ Carolina Nats?
 

Can't they just put more wing into it? I've seen faster cars go down slick tracks.

Re: What caused V. Gaines to crash @ Carolina Nats?
 

Doesn't work like that in Pro Stock

Re: What caused V. Gaines to crash @ Carolina Nats?
 

When they give the first couple of pair of super comp a rerun that means they know what the track is like

Re: What caused V. Gaines to crash @ Carolina Nats?
 

According to NHRA officials, problems with the racing surface at zMax Dragway – coupled with a brief shower that drenched the track and sent spectators racing for cover – prompted them to call off competition for the day.

However, two drivers told the Observer that those problems, along with low track temperatures – in the high 80s, compared with 110-plus degrees earlier in the week – were responsible for driver Vieri “V” Gaines wrecking his Pro Stock car during an elimination-round race against Allen Johnson.

While Gaines walked away from the wreck, it caused an hour-long delay as workers attempted to correct the problems. The 20-minute shower then made that work moot and moved NHRA officials to consider alternatives.


Read more here: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/201...#storylink=cpy

Re: What caused V. Gaines to crash @ Carolina Nats?
 

forget it....

Re: What caused V. Gaines to crash @ Carolina Nats?
 

If you watched the coverage on ESPN it was pretty clear there was a problem with the first pair of PS cars. Jason was clearly upset and had no BS comments when interviewed at the tail end of the broadcast. The track clearly has issues that needs resolved.

Re: What caused V. Gaines to crash @ Carolina Nats?
 

Maybe if that track got used more it would be in better shape. How you can justify having it sit fallow for so long and be paying property taxes on it doesn't make cents.You mean to tell me there aren't any racers near by who would love it for a local track? John Kissel

Re: What caused V. Gaines to crash @ Carolina Nats?
 

I feel NHRA really dropped the ball here! First off, why were the Pro stock cars the only ones having problems? I didn't see any of the top fuel or funny cars having issues, other than blowing up! Maybe several oil downs by the fuelers caused the tricky conditions? Maybe the lack of downforce on pro stock cars, coupled with severely better conditions on Sunday were a factor. My car was a tenth faster Sunday than all weekend. I adjusted.

When the rain stopped, they shouldve had the track dryers out there and finished the sportsman. I looked at the track about 2 hours after it quit raining and it was all but dry. They cancelled the racing at 3pm and could run until 1 am, according to Sunday curfews. Who made this decision and why? I have yet to see or hear any evidence that the track was the problem.

Re: What caused V. Gaines to crash @ Carolina Nats?
 

We all know it takes a much different track prep for Nitro and everyone else. So with two tracks you would think at least at this race you could make everyone happy and use both tracks and the proper track prep on each. Problem is that would make sense and we can be having that at a NHRA race.

Re: What caused V. Gaines to crash @ Carolina Nats?
 

Downforce

Re: What caused V. Gaines to crash @ Carolina Nats?
 

Pro Stockers don't have a wing; they have a wickerbill that produces very little downforce. A T/F dragster generates almost 10,000 lbs of downforce at speed and a F/C generates almost 7000 lbs; in contrast a Pro Stock car generates less than 500 lbs of downforce.

Re: What caused V. Gaines to crash @ Carolina Nats?
 

Think everybody in racing knows that Pro Stocks have virtually no downforce and are the hardest cars to drive. Apparently Graham Light never learned that or had Morgan, WJ, etc. voice it to him...yea, right. Bruton got his gate and spectators and racers got something else altogether.

Re: What caused V. Gaines to crash @ Carolina Nats?
 

On Friday the Track crews were working in lane 1 in the area of 660' for over 30 min. But the announcements were they were scraping the track because of the rain. That maybe true but they were also repair the surface.

Re: What caused V. Gaines to crash @ Carolina Nats?
 

I agree with the racer who felt it's a lack of track prep (primarily not treating the last 320ft of the race surface like they did the first 1000ft)! That was an issue this year here in Phoenix, which caused some Pro Stockers to get loose here (as well as a Super Gas car to roll at the national event)?

I'm glad just glad that V. Gaines didn't get hurt, but I hope that NHRA will re-run the whole Pro Stock field, because as much as I'm more of a Jeg Coughlin Jr. fan, than a Greg Anderson fan, Greg had a chance to possibly win that first round race against Jeg, until he past the 1000ft mark and got a bit loose himself (in the same lane V. was in), which allowed Jeg to get back around him for the win. I wonder what the incrementals said about the race, because they were neck and neck until then....

Re: What caused V. Gaines to crash @ Carolina Nats?
 

Gaines lost it at the 1/8th mile, well before the 1000'. They prepped the snot out of the track. If anything, I was shocked at how *much* they were doing with the track. Prep the track, run 8 pair of bikes, prep the track, run 8 pair of Pro Stock, prep the track, run 8 pair of Top Fuel, prep the track... it was ridiculous.

I haven't watched a Pro session live in a long time. It's shocking how long they take to run a pair of cars. This weekend was one of the quietest I've ever heard at a dragstrip. I'm not surprised that people wouldn't want to pay top dollar to see that show. The runs put down on Saturday were great... tight fields all around, but good grief, it's like pulling teeth inbetween.

$.02,

Re: What caused V. Gaines to crash @ Carolina Nats?
 

These guys could have some downforce if they wanted it, but they are scared of losing a few hundredths.

Make them put a bigger wickerbill on and it may not cure all the issues, but it would help.

Re: What caused V. Gaines to crash @ Carolina Nats?
 

Actually fan they do have a wing. The wicker is attached to the rear of it. I thing nhra added 1/8" to it this year for 3/4" total height. Maybe they need to add a little more and change up the front splitter a little.

Re: What caused V. Gaines to crash @ Carolina Nats?
 

From the very beginning of the run both cars were loose. As they proceeded down the track, things began to get worse. I really believe both cars would have crashed if the other car would not have aborted the run. Cause: not enough traction period!

Re: What caused V. Gaines to crash @ Carolina Nats?
 

NHRA's Charlotte misadventure: There's a problem in Pro Stock.

Here we go..... You must read on - http://www.motorsport.com/nhra/news/...-in-pro-stock/

Re: What caused V. Gaines to crash @ Carolina Nats?
 

One of the Funny Car crew chiefs commented that the track was good until 550 ft. After that he said it was like driving on the surface of the moon! This was before Pro Stock ran. I witnessed the wreck and am really happy that the driver is OK. It took a long time for him to get out of the car.

Re: What caused V. Gaines to crash @ Carolina Nats?
 

What the heck does EFI have to do with the track conditions and the crash?

Because that seems to be the author's big problem with Pro Stock, that they use, dear Lord, of all things, carburetors. :rolleyes:

Re: What caused V. Gaines to crash @ Carolina Nats?
 

posted on YB

"they don't run any weekly races, TNT, nothing. You let a track sit for many months, then show up and try and prep it for these cars....ain't going to happen. Even if they get a marginal (at best) surface the groove is going to be about 6" wider than the cars."

here's some CONCRETE evidence from Bobby

http://www.competitionplus.com/drag-...obody-will-win

Re: What caused V. Gaines to crash @ Carolina Nats?
 

Lack of track period. They don't make a wicker big enough to fix that.

Re: What caused V. Gaines to crash @ Carolina Nats?
 

I don't understand why Bruton (think his son actually runs the complex at Charlotte) doesn't run the track more often. They haven't even hosted a Divisional the last couple of years. While across the highway from CMS which hosts many events there is plenty of room for segregating the fans/parking and get plenty of crossover fans at the same time. Bruton's Bristol facility is similar (on a smaller scale) and they run a regular bracket program and several special events (Super Chevy, MOPAR, Spring Fling, etc). The facility at Concord is really outstanding, just have to manage the drag strip and they wouldn't have any issues. They could run a regular bracket program, barely break even or lose money and still be money ahead when you consider the fans they lost due to this fiasco.

Re: What caused V. Gaines to crash @ Carolina Nats?
 

Pro-Stock has been a pain in the a&$ of NHRA for a while, do not be surprise when they decide to drop the other shoe and dump that category. Give them more wing and for God sake have them hurry up the show! CR

Re: What caused V. Gaines to crash @ Carolina Nats?
 

We had a great discussion last Weds about events at Charlotte..

You can check out the conversation here if you would like.

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/vlf1/20...o-weds-at-7-pm

Re: What caused V. Gaines to crash @ Carolina Nats?
 

I may be wrong, but......It is my understanding that if you put more wing in them then you must compensate with more down force on the front end. If not then you create a loose configuration on the front end. As we all know there are MANY problems with pro stock the way it is configured today!