stock eliminator at Brainard

[butch8908]

Probably 8 out of 10 rounds were won with a breakout or a red light. What gives? I'm not a racer, but can't NHRA do something to make this more competitive and not have to rely on the brake pedal at the end? You guys are great to watch and photo, so please help me understand..

See ya'll in Union, SC next week-end, Darlington, Atlanta and Charlotte in September.

thanks,
Butch

[countrypuppy4865]

How would you suggest making people not redlight? I guess if we could just give everybody a perfect light that would help. The breakouts are more than likely due to weather. They have many tracks across the country that can throw some BIG changes in weather. I have been to Brainerd, and it can get REALLY slow. Stock was first out this morning, and the weather was probably was better than it was showing on the gauges. This is no different from a round that is the opposite way when it gets really slow and nobody is running their dial in.

[George Mirza]

Butch,
Driving the finish line is the most exciting, challenging and fun part of this type of racing. Anybody can cut a light, but it takes years and many racing rounds to learn the top end. You want to take that stripe by as little as possible, or do you let it go? When your in a race you don't know if your breaking out or running over, it happens fast and you have to think fast and make decisions in a split second. Sometimes your right and sometimes your not. I know I've never had two rounds of racing that were the same. You never know whats going to happen and you usually don't know for sure until you get the time slip.

Next race you go to sit at the finish line for a few rounds and watch the drivers demonstrate their finishline driving skills, you'll find it very interesting.

Thanks for watching us, we need more fans!
George

[Jeff Goss]

Agreed.

Driving the top end is an art form. Watch the race and see how early the person in the lead car is looking over to see when their opponent is coming. Being a slower Super Stocker, I usually have to try to "back into them". Hard to judge a car going 140 at the top end when you only run 112.

If you don't red light once in a while, you aren't trying hard enough. I went .499 red against Dan Fletcher a few years ago at the Seattle National and don't regret a thing. Everyone is good. You really have to be on your game.

[John Kelley]

Originally Posted by George Mirza

.
Next race you go to sit at the finish line for a few rounds and watch the drivers demonstrate their finishline driving skills, you'll find it very interesting.

What tracks have grandstands near the finish line ?
Ennis is the only one I can think of and maybe Pomona.
Too many tracks have grandstands that end at or near the 1/8th mile !!
That is the main reason I don't attend too many races anymore.... :-(

[Superfan1]

Originally Posted by John Kelley

What tracks have grandstands near the finish line ?
Ennis is the only one I can think of and maybe Pomona.
Too many tracks have grandstands that end at or near the 1/8th mile !!
That is the main reason I don't attend too many races anymore.... :-(

Maple Grove, just outside of Reading Pennsylvania, has grandstands near the finish line. They have a National event, a Div.1 race, and the Dutch Classic National Open there every year. I attend all 3 and I always spend some time at the finish line at each of them.

[Ed Fernandez]

Come to Englishtown.The old tower is relocated right on the 1/4 There's 2 stairways to the 2nd level and one to the roof.The second level has picnic tables too.The 1000' finish line has stands at national events.A photographers dream as you're high enough to get the whole car in the picture in spite of the concrete barrier walls.

[racerhead]

Englishtown has a tower at the finish...with beer sales. No better place to watch sportsmen at the nationals.

Bruce Deveau

[John Kelley]

Originally Posted by Ed Fernandez

Come to Englishtown.The old tower is relocated right on the 1/4 There's 2 stairways to the 2nd level and one to the roof.The second level has picnic tables too.The 1000' finish line has stands at national events.A photographers dream as you're high enough to get the whole car in the picture in spite of the concrete barrier walls.

Sounds like my kind of track !
At Pomona it's neat to sit as far down track as possible and as high as you can get.
A lot of the old racers are often sitting up there.....and lots of stories !

[butch8908]

Originally Posted by George Mirza

Butch,
Driving the finish line is the most exciting, challenging and fun part of this type of racing. Anybody can cut a light, but it takes years and many racing rounds to learn the top end. You want to take that stripe by as little as possible, or do you let it go? When your in a race you don't know if your breaking out or running over, it happens fast and you have to think fast and make decisions in a split second. Sometimes your right and sometimes your not. I know I've never had two rounds of racing that were the same. You never know whats going to happen and you usually don't know for sure until you get the time slip.

Next race you go to sit at the finish line for a few rounds and watch the drivers demonstrate their finishline driving skills, you'll find it very interesting.

Thanks for watching us, we need more fans!
George

I understand the driving skills required at the top end. And I didn't mean to imply that everyone should get a perfect light, it was just that there were so many of these at this event, that maybe there was something wrong on the starting line for the red lights. I know it takes a lot skill to get a perfect light and just being close is just as hard. The break out was to see if there is a way you just race all out and maybe NHRA makes adjustments in the times?
Don't get me wrong, I love watching and taking pictures of you guys and that is not going to change, so keep the wheels up.