Setting records Nhra needs to step up

[Michael Beard]

IHRA used to award 5 points (max. 2x per year) for setting a record. People used to set records all the time. Used to be that the Top 10 in points had to come apart *sometime* during the year. Setting records and getting points worked hand-in-hand with that.

[Jim Caughlin]

I think one of the reasons that NHRA quit giving points for records was that back in the good old days, people would try to drop the record by .01 at a time in order to reset the record as many times as possible. Just like today where you have people slamming on the brakes at the finish line trying to get a spot on the ladder, back then you would see a lot of records set on the brakes. It looked equally goofy to anyone in the stands trying to figure out why someone would be attempting to set a record on the brakes. I am sure the tech guys got pretty tired of tearing down the same car race after race for a .01 improvement.

On a separate note, I think the 2 year rule on retiring records is pretty dumb, a record is a record. I don't know of any other sport where a record only counts for 2 years.

Jim Caughlin
SS 6019

[Bobby Fazio]

Originally Posted by Jim Caughlin

I think one of the reasons that NHRA quit giving points for records was that back in the good old days, people would try to drop the record by .01 at a time in order to reset the record as many times as possible. Just like today where you have people slamming on the brakes at the finish line trying to get a spot on the ladder, back then you would see a lot of records set on the brakes. It looked equally goofy to anyone in the stands trying to figure out why someone would be attempting to set a record on the brakes. I am sure the tech guys got pretty tired of tearing down the same car race after race for a .01 improvement.

On a separate note, I think the 2 year rule on retiring records is pretty dumb, a record is a record. I don't know of any other sport where a record only counts for 2 years.

Jim Caughlin
SS 6019

You do all your own tear down. All the tech guy does is measure stuff. Isn't that why we pay all this money? But if multiple small record increments by the same car was actually a problem they could just allow a driver one or two record attempts per class per year. Some kind of award system definitely needs to come back though. Should at least be awarded with a round win points equivalent. I think sponsors would be on board for something - Gift certificates of some kind wouldn't hurt.