New Record in Drag Racing History

[Mike Carr]

Terry, I understand all that. I would think, though, a person in your position should be a little more diplomatic, for lack of a better word. (Yeah, I know, as I have been very un-diplomatic at times and have had to apologize to more than one racer for comments I have made in the past). Offending various racers or groups of racers/classes/cars, etc, would not be smart business sense for an upcoming Class Nationals-type event. I have certain opinions of certain people, types of cars, etc, but I choose to remain neutral/silent, past present and future, so as not to offend anyone and lose potential racers for the S/SS races that I do. I never said I did not like Crate Motor cars. True, I'm not as crazy about them as I am traditional Stockers, but I race against them, same as any other Class car I would compete against at a National/Divisional/Open/Combo race. They still have most of the same Class rules they must adhere to, same as an A/SA, P/SA, truck/ FWD, SS/AM, SS/PCA-1, SS/AH, GT/MA, Pure Stock, Stock GT etc. As far as the crowd appeal, I'm sure we don't rank near as popular as faster Class cars. But I have heard more than one report after a run of fans, announcers, etc commenting on runs I've made, winning, in Billy's seventeen second Sunbird against 10 second Stockers. There is some appeal to slower cars. Tortoise and the Hare-type thing. Alan Reinhart has hyped it more than once at Indy. There are many different classes between NHRA and IHRA, so almost everyone has a chance to build/buy/race what they like personally. And spectators have the same choice in cheering for the same. I don't look down on any one, any car, any class, any sanctioning body that I race with and against. I just wish more had that same respect.

[X-TECH MAN]

I dont look down on the FWD. I dont look down on any class car. I just dont care for them. Thats all there is to it. I dont look down on Top Fool either.....I just dont like fuel cars. They keep the track from rusting ! Its a matter of choice. Some of you just take offence when someone diagrees with your choice yet some bitch and complain about other aspects of drag racing and get riled up and expect for others not say anything. And by the way.....WHAT POSITION ? Im a "civilian" and really dont have the desire to be involved like I was in the past due to these very reasons. TO MUCH B.S.

[J Kuchel]

I remember when I was a young boy watching my local hero Arnie Beswick racing his funny car 4 wide at our local track. It was so loud that you couldn't even imagine. This all took place at Byron dragway.

[Bret Kepner]

I don't usually post negative opinions but, in this case, I'll make an exception.

With no offense to chris3 racing, (there's no crime in being young), the hype produced by the press releases from Pinks! surrounding Z-Max being the site of the first four-wide drag race is, at least, embarrasing and, at most, insulting.

In the sixty years of the sport, there have been hundreds, (those of you who know me realize this is not an exaggerated number but factual), yes...HUNDREDS...of dragstrips which ran four cars at once. Initially, wide taxiways and runways permitted it to be done but plenty of purpose-built strips raced in this format on a weekly basis. Many of those tracks were far narrower than current NHRA-spec sixty-feet-wide facilities. Dragway 42 was, indeed, the first to be built with two timing systems and four lanes in mind.

First to be televised? Not even within the last half-century. First with four-lane timers? Nope, although there were only a handful of tracks running four-wide which could give elapsed times and/or speeds for all four lanes. In most instances, only the first to arrive at the stripe in each lane got numbers and, if the opponent was closer then four car lengths, the speeds were goofy.

In fact, the only credit I can give the Pinks! event concerning a "first" in the sport is that, to my knowledge, the new CompULink system installed by Bob Brockmeyer included the first accurate "single win light" for a four-wide race since all four lanes are monitored. Other than that, it was nothing but a lesson in drag racing history.

I have no problem with the four-lane concept and readily admit Z-Max was worth the expense in construction. The press releases by the Pinks! organization, however, would have been hilarious if they weren't so indicative of blatant laziness by a research staff who, obviously, did nothing to verify their claims.




To Scott Kelley: Quit wasting your time arguing the point with these guys. Those of us who are NHRA National Record Holders with anything less than eight cylinders and Rear-Wheel-Drive will always be the bastard children of Stock and Super Stock racing and we've learned to accept it. You're too nice of a guy to get caught up in that argument. LOL!

[chris3racing]

Okay. This has gone real bad. Bret thanks for coming in and clearing this up. I first off, owe you a big thank-you for the comment about being young. After members here began to remind me of photos that I had seen in years past, you remember when we had all those good magazines, and I do remember that some tracks ran four lanes. The thing about it being taped and televised I did not remember. Again thanks for helping out.

By the way I'm not stealing a thead, because I started it, in some recent meetings with some old racers I was reminded of some old tracks here in North Carolina i'm not sure you have on you list. I need to give Max as call about a couple that were down in his neck of the wood. Soon as I talk to him I will send you a note. See you in Henderson.

[Bret Kepner]

Sounds great, Chris. I look forward to your PM.

[Casey Miles]

I believe that "deep staging" was started at New York National Speedway by Sam Biondo or Phil Montief, because of the one amber light christmas tree. It was almost like a pro tree except with a spot involved. If I'm wrong, I sorry to whom did come up with deep staging.
Casey Miles
248H

[Frito]

Originally Posted by Casey Miles

I believe that "deep staging" was started at New York National Speedway by Sam Biondo or Phil Montief, because of the one amber light christmas tree. It was almost like a pro tree except with a spot involved. If I'm wrong, I sorry to whom did come up with deep staging.
Casey Miles
248H

In 1970 while running a pure stock 4 speed road runner at Riverside Dragstrip in Proctorville, Ohio, I would roll the front wheels just past the stage beam and then BACK in it deep stage or a backward shallow stage. After three weeks of this (and winning) I was told not to do this or be dq. Not for rolling past the stage beam for for delaying the show. I am not saying I was the first just stating what and how I did it!!!!!! No pre stage light or reaction timers back then.

[art leong]

Originally Posted by Toyotakid

It kinda makes me sad that there is so much hostility toward the newer technology. (FWD cars). I have been able to come run with you guys this year and have been having a great time. I grew up a muscle car fan and was Mopar all the way but I got an opportunty to drive for Toyota 5 years ago and I have not regretted it. The technology and design behind a 158 c.i. normally aspirated front wheel drive car running 9.60's @ over 140 is pretty darn cool. The thought and innovation of these cars is like the old days of the hot rod cars back in the "golden days". I also have noticed that the average age of the stock and super stock racer is getting up there and if NHRA does not embrace the new generation and the cars they are hot rodding right now there will be no more grass roots in 5-7 years ... Hell, it took me over a year just to get NHRA to let me run with you guys, don't get me sarted on my initial index compared to everyone else ...

Scott welcome to nhra SS racing. I'm glad to see someone in the class (but I think the index is way to stiff). I'd like to see Ryan Warner in there also. As you can see there are some people on here that are not taking their meds. But most on here and at the track are okay.

[art leong]

Originally Posted by X-TECH MAN

I dont look down on the FWD. I dont look down on any class car. I just dont care for them. Thats all there is to it. I dont look down on Top Fool either.....I just dont like fuel cars. They keep the track from rusting ! Its a matter of choice. Some of you just take offence when someone diagrees with your choice yet some bitch and complain about other aspects of drag racing and get riled up and expect for others not say anything. And by the way.....WHAT POSITION ? Im a "civilian" and really dont have the desire to be involved like I was in the past due to these very reasons. TO MUCH B.S.

Terry did you ever tech in or teardown a FWD car?
I wonder about this deep seated anger you have.