Interesting Commentary - why does it takes longer ....

[Mike Schwartz]

Here's a great video showing burnouts and pre-run stuff at an early-70's Gatornationals. How long did it take back then when they would do a burnout and then back up 2-3-4 times to do dry hops?

[Shaun Quill]

Originally Posted by Mike Schwartz

Here's a great video showing burnouts and pre-run stuff at an early-70's Gatornationals. How long did it take back then when they would do a burnout and then back up 2-3-4 times to do dry hops?

I don't know, that video sure does look like a lot of fun. I miss dry hops.

[John DiBartolomeo]

Wow, I'm impressed. I thought only three people read my stuff; me, my wife and my art director. But thank you all and I think you get my point. It just takes too long to run races today. I'm surely not pointing fingers at any group in particular, just that we came there to race, let's do so,

[cad]

I also read your article.

At the March 2 bottom bulb throwdown at Noble, Nick complimented on the PA how quickly we (as door car/no box racers) completed a round of time trials. Granted it was 1/8 mile.
146 entries ... 45 minutes per time trial round. And, there were about 8 dragsters in the race.
45m*60=2700s/146 entries=18 seconds (if my math eq is right).

Clark Doukas

[Lenny5160]

Originally Posted by cad

I also read your article.

At the March 2 bottom bulb throwdown at Noble, Nick complimented on the PA how quickly we (as door car/no box racers) completed a round of time trials. Granted it was 1/8 mile.
146 entries ... 45 minutes per time trial round. And, there were about 8 dragsters in the race.
45m*60=2700s/146 entries=18 seconds (if my math eq is right).

Clark Doukas

That is correct, as long as they were only running one car down the track at a time.

[Michael Beard]

Originally Posted by cad

I also read your article.

At the March 2 bottom bulb throwdown at Noble, Nick complimented on the PA how quickly we (as door car/no box racers) completed a round of time trials. Granted it was 1/8 mile.
146 entries ... 45 minutes per time trial round. And, there were about 8 dragsters in the race.
45m*60=2700s/146 entries=18 seconds (if my math eq is right).

Clark Doukas

146 entries = 73 pairs

[Bob Mulry]

Talking about time management.......

We raced at the National Open in Fallon, NV along with the Jr. Dragsters....

The Jrs ran before us and on when we ran our 1st round every car spun the tires.....

We did some investigating and found out that the trick of the week for the Jrs ranged from coating the tires with diesel fuel, diesel fuel additive, WD-40 and almost any other slippery stuff they could find to soak their tires in....

They wrap the tires with a cover or plastic wrap to keep the tires clean and wet to just before they run....

After finding out this information I went to the Starter and I informed him of the unsafe racing conditions caused by lubricating the starting line..

He stated that they usually drag the track after the Jrs....

I suggested that they stop the racing and do what they are supposed to do with the starting line...

The starter contacted the tower and was given permission to do their job..

We ran after the Jrs the rest of the race but we had no problems because the track did their job....

After the Jrs ran we had about 10 minutes of down time before Stock / Super Stock ran so that the track could be dragged....

My hats off to the track starting line crew for doing a great job of keeping the track prepped.....

Not so much with NHRA that allowed this problem to happen....

[Nmbr1GMfan]

Originally Posted by Bob Mulry

Talking about time management.......

We raced at the National Open in Fallon, NV along with the Jr. Dragsters....

The Jrs ran before us and on when we ran our 1st round every car spun the tires.....

We did some investigating and found out that the trick of the week for the Jrs ranged from coating the tires with diesel fuel, diesel fuel additive, WD-40 and almost any other slippery stuff they could find to soak their tires in....

They wrap the tires with a cover or plastic wrap to keep the tires clean and wet to just before they run....

After finding out this information I went to the Starter and I informed him of the unsafe racing conditions caused by lubricating the starting line

If you think tire prep leaves puddles of oil on the track you're crazy.

[Hacksaw]

Can't say for sure that this was a problem in the past, but sure wastes a lot of time now. When a racer aborts their run then thinks it's ok to idle down the entire track. Very inconsiderate of the next pair and makes my temperature rise.(literally). Then there is the drivers that can't figure out how to make it to end turn off and everything stops till the safety truck hooks them up and clears the track. The pro cars do this all the time. What gives?

[cicero819]

John D. great and well written article. I have said the same thing to many Division 1 Directors before with no proper answers coming from the all of them. I've taken neophytes to our sport and all have said the same thing, WHY DOES IT TAKE SO MUCH TIME! From my local track where all dragster driver thinks of himself or herself as the show and most do a John Force type burnout across the length of the track wasting precious time and leaving the rest of us waiting for them to line up just perfect. Well the Pro Clown show doesn't interest me anymore but again waiting for the tire scrubber, the wheelie bars adjusting, throttle stop removal, etc,etc have cost many fans to say is this ever going to stop! Even at Divisional races I've seen sometimes up to 10 minutes with no action going down the strip. Come on NHRA get with the program and kick buts if you have to.CR