I've been thinkin'.....delayed a bit.

[Michael Beard]

As good as you are at the finish line why do you think that you need to drive it better? Are things getting tighter at the stripe?

I posted back on page 9...
>> When I'm chasing, I feel bad if I can't drive the stripe down to .015 or better. When I'm being chased, I can double-oh my opponent *sometimes*, but many more times, it gets to be an ugly hogging of the stripe... I've been taking a lot of .040-.050 stripes this year when getting chased. That's another .03 I have to make up on the tree! There have been numerous rounds I've lost primarily because my opponent simply had a faster car than me. Why do you think Fletcher's building a faster combination for Super Stock? Just wait til he gets that thing on the track... his win percentage is going to go up even higher.
<<

It's so much easier driving the stripe as the faster car that it's not even funny. Dan's investment will likely pay off very quickly. And then you'll see other people figure that out, and we'll see even more Modified cars in the future. The same thing is happening in Stock, as Tim Griffith has tried to point out. Yeah, anybody *can* win with anything... but the percentages change dramatically depending on what you're driving. More cars are being built based on what can win on Sunday rather than just what is a neat combination.

I miss the Killer V's... :-)


Michael Beard
Staging Light Graphic Design & Printing
Duck Tape/Loctite Racing
H - I - J/CM '80 Volare 360 Magnum

[Ed Brice]

Michael,

You make it tough for me to use confrontational language towards you when you post replies without getting upset or even using the shock type writing I like to use. Your posts are way to long, but your a gentlemen and a better man than I.

My post are aggressive and designed to be that way to get attention to the subject at hand. I'm sure its obvious to most, but some take it personal, you don't. Of coarse cheating with delay devices and counters is possible, I don't believe its currently being used in stk/ss by any of the top players or anyone for that matter.

I could not agree with you more, that faster cars are better. But its only an advantage if you were not allowed to build one. Racing is expensive, but as long as everyone has access to the same combo's there is no unfair advantage. If you can't afford it, I'm sorry but that's life. No one forces us to race. Being able to race competitively is not a god given right, nor is it in our constitution.

Everyone wants fairness, but pointing fingers and making allegations because your not winning races comes from racers own lack of skills not others taking it away from them. How come there is never a top player on here saying racers are cheating? Are all these top players cheating, and they have all conspired against us less talented racers. This issue has been blow way out of proportion, NHRA does need to make any changes to the current rules regarding delay devices.

Ed Brice

[Dwight Southerland]

I could not agree with you more, that faster cars are better. But its only an advantage if you were not allowed to build one. Racing is expensive, but as long as everyone has access to the same combo's there is no unfair advantage. If you can't afford it, I'm sorry but that's life. No one forces us to race. Being able to race competitively is not a god given right, nor is it in our constitution.

. . . . NHRA does need to make any changes to the current rules regarding delay devices.

Ed Brice

It seems that the faster cars have an advantage. I used that as a factor when when I picked the cars I chose to race. But, I am always fascinated by people like Jody Lang and Tommy Mattingly who win consistently in slower cars. I still have yet to absorb all I observe about racing the slow cars that hits me in the logical center knowing that you can win with anything when you cut a .000 light and run dead on. The Mr. Dirt series of articles published in Super Stock magazine continues to intrique me. I guess what I am saying is that the guys racing slower cars should not be discouraged, there is a way to win. I have always had the opinion that the worst redlight should lose in a race for it to be fair. But, since the rules have not been set that way, people use every advantage.

Ed, I agree with your statement wholeheartedly in that the current set of rules are so inconsistent, the issues are so many and complex and evidence is overwhelming that something is not working and NHRA is ostriching about it. I, for one, am for eliminating anything that could be considered a technical aid that affects the car on the starting line. That includes delay buttons, switches, two-steps, etc. etc. In my opinion such equipment is in the same category as distance counters, GPS devices, electronically controlled acceleration, and so on. People who clamour about claiming that all that is necessary to race a car against the ?big boys? make me think of Monday morning quarterbacks who love to complain but wouldn't stand a chance on field because they are not trained, prepared or conditioned. Being a good driver takes a lot of effort and time and mental preparation. And since this is a free country, there is nothing blocking us all from doing what it takes to be as good a driver as we can be. However, that's as level as the playing field gets. There will always be somebody with extraordinary skill and preparation who will be consistently better than most everybody else.

I don't mind getting schooled by someone who outdrives me. I do mind losing a race when I know I could have done better. I would like NHRA to make every effort to make it where that is the only issue, and not that I lose to a better delay device.

&#8220If you want random winners, buy a lottery ticket.&#8221 LOL! I still like that statement.

[Bruce Fulper]

I don't mind getting schooled by someone who outdrives me. I do mind losing a race when I know I could have done better. *** "I would like NHRA to make every effort to make it where that is the only issue, and not that I lose to a better delay device.****"

Me too. But they asked this question see.....................................

and now what. (?)





I miss the "nearer" level playing field I thought was in place.

[tgriffith]

,

[Dick Butler]

"JUST SAY NO"

Dick Butler 3529

[seb]

Dwight:

EXCELLENT POST!!!

SEB

[Don Sofranko]

Hi all
I had a bench racing thought or two on this rule proposal... The people that will oppose it most, are the ones that could really use it the most. The same people who have never compared their bottom bulb method with a top bulb method will never change their style, and thus vote the whole thing down. Like Fletcher said... keep using your method that nets a .10 or more average range at the starting line. The really good racers don't want you getting better.

The other side of the coin is this... how would delay racing change things for the fans? How would delay racing change class runoffs? Would it be more entertaining?

I think the guys that hold performance advantages of .01 on up would win more races due to delay devices. The guy behind .01 could just stay in the pits, because he may not be able to catch a lucky redlight, or a napping fast guy. So class racing could become more predictable and maybe more boring.

It would also be most shameful to have legal delay boxes, and cut a .07 light. Everybody would laugh at you!

The racing is getting tougher every year. There is a new crop of young guns jumping in cars and winning each year. Its just reality, that as you age, your night vision gets worse. Delay boxes could narrow the gap of 60 year old men to the 18-30 old men. We all know the wide range of day and night racing, you have to go through to get a big wally. I feel I would be better at night, and not as prone to losing because of my 50 year old, cloudy lens eyes. I don't feel like letting someone operate on my eyes to get back my night vision. I know old guys are way game at night. May as well bet on the young guy on that Saturday night, 9PM 3rd round.

So as an older person I would favor the change, if it was even worth the time to race the class. Don't worry, I didn't vote, and don't intend on racing a SS car again. I am just glad to have raced in the good old days (like 1999)

ex SS-L racer

[SSDiv6]

Lots of wisdom in Dwight's posting.

I say let's do away with electronics and buttons. If caught, big fine, a minimum 5 year suspension from any classes and also confiscate the parts. Having electronics is just for lazy people that want it easy. Just in the same fashion as you prepare your car, prepare your own mind and body for racing.

For the record, I would be in favor of eliminating ALL electonics including 1, 2 or 3 step RPM limiters if ALL forms of electronics were (other than ignition) were eliminated. Yes, even on stick shift cars. I guess I wouldn't even care if ignition boxes were eliminated, just allow factory electronic ignitions with factory brain boxes.
But...also for the record, if trans-brakes are allowed in SS, then electro-magnetic clutch release with comparable long-throw or hydraulic release buttons should be allowed. Apples to Apples.

NHRA #7494 SS/H
1970 AMC AMX 390
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