BURK'S BLAST: Drag racing needs some racing

The general opinion of the people in charge of the IHRA and NHRA these days seems to be that professional drag racing can't attract fans and keep them entertained for more than about four hours, no matter what's happening on the track ... [click here to read more]

IHRA STICKS TO RULES. . .FOR NOW

After the recently completed IHRA race at Virginia Motorsports Park, where the team of Jim Oddy and Al Billes ran three straight laps between 234 mph and 236 mph in their new Jerry Bickel Dodge Stratus, the phone calls and emails started pouring into IHRA's tech department demanding that something be done about Oddy's Stratus. If that happens it would also seriously affect defending IHRA Pro Mod champ Mike Janis who currently has the only other '05 Dodge Stratus in IHRA competition. The Buffalo Bad Boys of Pro Mod can relax (for a little while anyway) as IHRA tech director Mike Baker went on IHRA's web site and made it clear that no rule changes would happen after just one race. Kudos to Mike Baker and the IHRA staff for showing restraint.

The Agent is setting the over/under betting line for the Pro Mod Top Speed at the IHRA race at Grand Bend at 233! If Oddy or Janis's Strati had functioning brake lights, the Agent bets you would see them glow at the next race. (Dave Oddy photo) [6-3-2005]

MORE RESTRICTIONS FOR NHRA NITRO RACERS

The Agent got a copy of the latest rules that the NHRA tech folks sent to all of the nitro racers. Here 'tis:

"National Hot Rod Association Technical Bulletin, June 1, 2005 Below are guidelines that will be implemented beginning with the CarQuest Auto Parts NHRA Route 66 Nationals in Joliet, Ill., June 9-12."

"1. Beadlock rear wheels meeting SFI Spec 15.3 mandatory; only acceptable width: 16 inches as measured per manufacturer guidelines."

"2. Ignition system on all Top Fuel and Funny Cars must be activated at wide-open throttle with no delay between physical pedal wide-open position and the ignition sensor for wide-open throttle. Any other attachment prohibited. Ignition systems and/or components must

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be utilized in an unaltered manner consistent with the manufacturer's installation and instruction books unless otherwise prohibited."

What does this mean? Agent 1320 did a little checking and found out that indeed there are some Top Fuel and Funny Car teams who have 15- to 15.5-inch wide wheels instead of the mandatory 16-inch! Why, you ask, would they do that? The answer is that supposedly the tire can grow taller on a narrower wheel than the standard 16-inch wide wheel.

As to the new ignition rules, all the Agent has to say is "DUH!" Who thought that the racers wouldn't find a way to keep the system from not being active in exactly four seconds or activated for that matter at all. What if the blades or the throttle never move far enough to activate the WOT switch?

Look for more crew chiefs to find ways around the current electronic monitoring and rev-limiting system and yet more rules, inspections and money being spent to break, er, the Agent means bend the rules. Agent 1320 hears that there is a new tech person whose sole job is to police the fuel cars. Good luck with that job. [6-3-2005]