So it seems NHRA would like things to calm
down a bit. Is that bad? I, for one, like what
NHRA is trying to do with the GG VRA NTF rules.
My only bitch is that I can't run my car with
a 426 in it, but that we will address at a later
date, believe me!
Another less technical but equally interesting
observation is that there is a new ladder -
which I both like and don't like. I like that
number 1 races 8 etc. in the "A" show and 9
races 16 in the "B" show etc. What's not cool
is splitting the show into two. I know the Goodguys
like having one less round of racing (and one
less round of payouts) on Sunday, but the way
the racers seem to feel about this probably
has to do with the way the alphabet is laid-out,
you know, "A" is better than "B". If that's
the case, who wouldn't want to be in the "A"
show? And the attitude of some racers seems
to be, why bother at all with the "B" show?
Even if you win, there's still the feeling that
you're not the real "winner." When I was going
with the Hansen & Kuhns NTF team, even if we
were in the bottom half of the field, we liked
to think that we had a chance of going to a
final in a 16-car show. So let's go back to
a 16 car show, 'kay?
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Things have evolved since the beginning of
the Nostalgia movement. Some will say it has
evolved past the spirit of the original intent.
As a chassis builder I may be biased, but I
think you'll agree that 30-year-old pipe and
specs aren't the cutting edge at saving your
ass at 200+mph. I'm glad that SFI wrote specs
for front motor cars. And if NHRA feels that
the reins need to be pulled back slightly as
far as the motor goes to keep drivers from buying
the farm, than so be it.
I know I'm not the only one who is curious
to see what sorts of E.T.s and speeds the NTF
teams come up with this year, whether they can
find a combination that works and is legal before
the March Meet and whether the Funnies will
outrun the dragsters at some point because of
all the new restrictions placed on NTF. 2004
should be an interesting year for the teams
and the spectators to say the least.
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