What Made NHRA Legitimate to the Racer

[Nick Heath]

Originally Posted by SDS Inc

If you never raced Indy in class where you were covered by a tenth or played the game so you didn't line up with the fast guy you won't understand.

Michael, I think you've nailed every post in this thread. I do slightly disagree here. I don't think you even need to have raced Indy in class to understand. Someone walking through the pit area and staging lanes on Wednesday/Thursday/Friday of Indy, with their eyes open, could understand. They'd see the parade of cars with chillers, the small crowds pushing their cars from nearly US 136 all the way to the starting line, the pit area thrashings to change motors or adjust clutches or fit new slicks, the commotion around the teardown barn, the starting line celebrations when all those efforts result in a class victory.

But it's hard to witness and understand those things from a corporate office that's 2,116 miles away.

Originally Posted by Jeff Niceswanger

What was their excuse before Covid? This no tear down policy has been expanded every year since the mid 2000's. Remember when they always tore down at the All Stars? Show up with your head off ? Random tear downs at multiple National events, not just Indy. Then at least you still had the 30 cars or so at Indy.Then half that amount, then half that amount, then throttle body's only, now NOTHING....

I certainly remember my dad getting "invited to a little party at the teardown barn," running ~.50 under the old indexes, at the Brainerd nationals, less than 2 years after setting the national record...