Video of Biondo's win over Fletcher's close call

[AJ Laferty]

1. Anti-lock brakes. Just another safety rule that makes sense to me.
2. Full width tires. no skinnies up front (I know that is a major paradigm shift and will be controversial).


I can stand my solstice with autocross tires on it's nose going through the lights. With the electric throttle control, it isn't consistent so I have to drive the stripe.

Jeff Laferty

[dannyboy]

Tim knows what he did and we all know his Dad will go over that car with a fine tooth comb. The very last thing Dan wants is for anything to happen to his son and also another competitor. This issue can be beaten to death. As long as there is a dial in and the completion as stiff as it is there is the possibility of this happening. Everyone needs to make sure that their brakes and components are checked weekly or prior to the next race.

Dan Chipman

Hamburger, Bachelder & Chipman

70's-80's SS

[Sal Biondo]

In my opinion, Nolan Grier said it perfect. This type of mistake has happened to many of us, including myself. I know I got away with a few, but there are some that have not been so lucky. but it is all part of BRACKET RACING, some on this forum may disagree, but this has been going on since shoe polish was applied to car windows.

Now, if only all of us could be so "lucky" to have our own experience make the NHRA news, and be plastered to social media and youtube, get viewed by probably 25,000 people by the end of today, and let me add get ridiculed, and criticized by racers and non-racers.. wouldn't that make for a great day?

Video can capture and help us understand why and how things happen, and if, in fact it is mechanical, we can get things fixed for the next time, but there are times when some highly publicized video can have a negative effect, like the criticizing of the individual in this case.

Rob, this is in no way a slam to your dedicated work, your videos are much appreciated, and we are all grateful for them. Also, glad to hear your son is doing better.

Food for thought... I remember when I was about 13 yo, dialing in the late Great Jim Harrington at a bracket race in Tennessee, and he told me, a good racer never runs it to the stripe. It took me a few years to fully understand that phrase, but if you understand what he meant, you are a true bracket racer.

Good Luck out there..

[Mickey Whaley]

Since no one was hurt in the making of this video except 4 flat spotted tires i have to say it . They almost got tangled up at the finish line!

[Jeff Teuton]

I did that a couple of years ago. It is strange to slide sideways for several hundred feet and think 'those are sure funny lines I'm making in the track'. Just bumped the wall, got back called my body shop manager and told him we would be home in about 5 Hrs (Houston) and get me some body people. Those guys took care of me and Tuesday we went to Gainesville. Put the brakes on, not too hard I thought, but a trans failure ahead of me in the lights, which was cleaned well, and cold day in Houston in Feb I think. I wasn't hurt and Thomas wasn't either, except for a little ego repair, and all is well. It's racing folks. In my case I had a little body repair in addition to the ego. Helps to have another DP sitting there for parts. See for 2 cents I give you a dollars worth.

[SSDiv6]

Originally Posted by Dan Fletcher

Guys, obviously he hit the brakes too hard, too long, or whatever, that goes without saying. He has driven that car on and off for 8 years, and he's dropped hard a million times. We had weight out of the trunk to run E, I recently removed the 2nd rear caliper deal, and the fronts locked up on him, plain and simple. Apparently a proportioning valve adjustment is in order, lol.

I'm sure he learned a valuable lesson. I'm equally as sure it won't happen again. I'm just glad he's ok, and I'm very thankful he didn't hit Pete.

Many of us have hit the brakes hard at the other end.
Dan summarizes the facts and event very well and it should not become a new agenda or the new conspiracy theory.
We all should be glad with the results; nobody got hurt and no wrecks; just a shaken up driver that has earned a lessons learned.

[Alan Roehrich]

Originally Posted by SSDiv6

Many of us have hit the brakes hard at the other end.
Dan summarizes the facts and event very well and it should not become a new agenda or the new conspiracy theory.
We all should be glad with the results; nobody got hurt and no wrecks; just a shaken up driver that has earned a lessons learned.

Exactly.

Including what Dan said as well as what Sal said, too.

There is no benefit for any of us in using this incident to go on a crusade or a witch hunt.

It happened. We were blessed by God and good fortune, no one was hurt, and short of an ego, some pride, and some tires, (and maybe some underwear or a fire suit) no damage was done. Let's just all be glad we were so fortunate, and let it go at that.

[MikeMoller]

Originally Posted by Pistol Pete

One Way We Can Avoid This From Happening Is:

Give A 3 Hundredths Under Your Dial Leeway.

If you dial 10.00, You can go 9.97 & Still Win.
Anything More Than 3 Under You Lose.

BUT NO USING YOUR BRAKES PERIOD.

THAT IS FAIR FOR EVERYONE !!!

Glad no one was hurt or their cars got wrecked.


Just My Opinion.

In the early 70's, you could go under the record(which was used to handicap) by a .1 before you broke out. But there was still plenty of braking going on. Impossible to enforce a 'no braking' policy.

It would be nice to 'legislate' some new rules, but I really don't see a workable 'rules' fix. The excessive braking rule is there, but rarely enforced.

IMHO

[Michael K]

No comment on the cause of the mishap, it's up to each individual as to how close to the edge they want to be.

Otherwise, that was some excellent driving. I do have to wonder if the rear quarter panel wheel opening bottomed out on the right rear slick preventing a barrel roll while it was sideways.

[HandOverFist]

Glad it worked out for everyone involved. Too much, too late and too long...after the front tire breaks the beam it is pointless.