Brad Plourd, you were robbed last week!
 

A thread awhile back spoke about this last week, but I just watched the final of Super Stock between Brad Plourd, and Justin Lamb (ESPN'S coverage of the recent Las Vegas national event), and cameras don't lie...they showed two frozen shots of the finish line between the two cars, and Brad the nose of your car was at the back of the finish line stripe, while Justin's was just getting at the middle of it. However looking at the bodies as opposed to how much they covered the tires I can see why you lost...Justin's frontal area was lower than yours, thus allowing the ground effects of his cars nose to trip the finish line beam ahead of your front tire. You had the reaction time advantage by .007, and if your frontal area was 1-2" lower, than that outcome would've been reversed...that's messed up, because you lost a race you should've won!

The same can be said of the Super Gas final, because Dennis Paz's Willys clearly beat Mike Ferderers Grand Am to the stripe, but since Paz's Willys didn't have the ground effects that Ferderers Grand Am had, the nose of Mikes car tripped the beam sooner that Dennis's front tire...that's a bummer for both Dennis and Brad.

I wish either the rules committee would either ask N.H.R.A., to either raise the height of the sensor at the finish line so that older cars could use their frontal area to trip the finish line too, or that they'd lower them so that the winner will once again trip the finish line with their front tire ONLY...like they used to! Dan Fletcher lost a race he should've won (that he spoke about in is dragster article not long ago), because of the same thing. I spoke with an NHRA tech guy over this last week, and thus now feel they probably won't do anything to equalize this (even though they should), but I think it's messed up...what's fair for some, should be fair for all, right??? How does everybody else feel about it. I think I know how Dan, Brad, and Dennis feel about it!!! My .02 worth

Re: Brad Plourd, you were robbed last week!
 

These cars with the magical front ends have been around now for almost 20 years. and some of the third gen F bodies can also trip the beams with the nose if the front tires are small enough, so make that 25 years. This is nothing new. Anyways if they lower the beams so the front ends cant trip the beams, great. I'm all for it.

Re: Brad Plourd, you were robbed last week!
 

I noticed the same thing, that finish line shot showed it really well. They need to lower the beam for sure!

Re: Brad Plourd, you were robbed last week!
 

Ouch

Re: Brad Plourd, you were robbed last week!
 

Put a "stripe taker" flap on your car, if that is legal in the class. Al it takes is a small piece of aluminum underneath the front of the bumper to make sure you get the infra-reds to "see you car".

We put them on the Cutlass and it is about the same distance as a newer Camaro now and it trips the light whether I am on the brakes or on the gas. Needs to be about 5" off the ground in most cases at the stripe.

Try it, you'll like it.

Re: Brad Plourd, you were robbed last week!
 

That low front end is a two edged sword unless your car does it every time. It can also cause you to break out if you're not expecting it.

Re: Brad Plourd, you were robbed last week!
 

No "stripe takers" allowed in stock / superstock. Tech will make you take it off right away.

Re: Brad Plourd, you were robbed last week!
 

We would need to build a retractable one. Do you think Q from the British MI6 squad could come up with something? It surely couldn't be any harder to build than the rotating license plates on James Bond's Aston Martins!

Seriously, maybe they do need to consider lowering the beam.
I was talking to my Buddy again the other night that lost the Pittsburgh Raceway Park track championship when he raced his bike against a car with a stripe taker. I told him it was being discussed on this site.

Re: Brad Plourd, you were robbed last week!
 

Anyone know if there is a youtube video of it?

Re: Brad Plourd, you were robbed last week!
 

I'm going to post basically exactly what I posted over on DRR... this should be a non issue. Everybody goes down the same track on any given weekend. you drive YOUR car be responsible for it. take the time to study your car and how it works. Pay attention to other cars at the track. It is completely and totally YOUR responsibility to pay attention to the little details like what is going to take the stripe on any given car. stop blaming others for your lack of effort in studying your sport. There is way more to this sport than hitting the tree and running the number get used to it...

Brad Hawk