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7/22/04
"Things in
drag racing as I see them."
 First,
I want to mention that my vacation was full
of new opportunities for our race team and my
family. Ryan, my youngest son, graduated from
Coast Guard basic training and we loaded up
the motor home and drove everyone to Cape May,
NJ to attend the ceremony and pick him up. I
couldn't have been a prouder father as he accepted
congratulations from a Rear Admiral and won
the coveted "Best Shipmate Award." We then did
the tour of New York City. OK, I was impressed!
When you are from a small Iowa town that doesn't
have electric stop signs yet it was WAY DIFFERENT!
Had a great time, saw the sights and drove back
to Iowa.
Before we left for New Jersey Barb and I had
made a quick 32-hour trip to Oklahoma trade
the "Back-2-Basics" Vega for a rear engine dragster.
Details on that can be found in this magazine
under the "Back-2-Basics" story. We just decided
that we weren't doorslammer racers anymore and
we were struggling to win anything with the
Vega. Sometimes change is good. The first weekend
out with the dragster we got to three cars in
the Box bracket so we are OK with the change.
Since my last "Dead-On" column a lot has changed
in the NHRA events as far as pros are concerned.
With the unfortunate accident that claimed Darrell
Russell's life came a few new rules from NHRA
to "enhance safety." I wonder if it will really
accomplish anything. Why not make some sweeping
rule changes that will be put into place for
next season? Tell the teams now so they can
plan on them. There is no real future for fuel
racing if 330-mph speeds become common because
eventually one of the cars or some of the parts
are going to end up in the grandstands in the
laps of spectators. When that lawsuit gets underway
it will change the face of the sport immediately.
Could a potential "super disaster" be prevented
with rule changes? Nobody knows for sure. I
think we can count on something like it happening
unless speeds and safety issues are addressed.
I have my own ideas and since I have never hesitated
to speak out about how I feel here are some
things I think might actually help.
- General Motors has offered the services
of their Engineering Department to help NHRA
look into a safer Top Fuel car. DO IT and
DO IT NOW. How dare NHRA hold back on deciding
to let GM expert have a look.
- Less fuel pump volume (less power).
- Less blower speed (less power).
- Less wing surface and lower wing height.
(Less down-force means less power can be used
and if wing strut breaks it cannot reach driver.
- Lower the nitro percentage to maybe 60%.
- Increase minimum weight so more protection
can be added for driver.
- "Tether" more pieces that could become "spectator
missiles" as NASCAR does. (Do it before insurance
underwriters require heavy wire fences on
top of the guardrails that destroy spectator
visibility).
- Hire outside consultants from Formula 1,
NASCAR, CART, etc. to "think outside the box"
on ways to provide a safer product.
- These types of changes will only enhance
the "show." If NHRA could get more fuel cars
to make side-by-side runs the fans would enjoy
it more. The e.t.s are not as important as
the competition and entertainment factor of
a lot of close racing.
If some of these changes could be made and
the cost of operating a Fuel car was reduced
-- just think -- maybe a different Top Fuel
or Funny Car team might appear. Instead of the
Schumachers, Prudhommes, Bernsteins, Kalittas
and the Force juggernauts there might actually
be new teams formed instead of just larger teams
with the same owners doing everything the same
old way.
Enough about the fuel teams, I don't even watch
them because of the tire smoking, one car makes
it through per pair racing. I just hope they
can get their act together to make it safer
for the driver and the thousands of fans who
still love to watch them run. Were the crowds
any smaller when fuel cars were running 5.20
and 275 mph? I don't think so. Have NASCAR speeds
really increased over the last five or six years?
I don't think so, but their "entertainment factor"
has. NHRA and IHRA have a LONG WAY to go to
get a fan base like that. I think the tools
are there but they need to make changes to the
overall program.
Why not widen the national event tracks to
have to complete 60-ft wide lanes with a center
and outer barriers. Races can be run in both
lanes during Sportsman races and when Pros run
one pair could be ready the instant the last
ones ran. If there is an oil-down that pair
of lanes could be cleaned up while the racing
continues in the other pair of lanes. The costs
would not be staggering and the room to do it
is manageable at most newer facilities. Will
NHRA or IHRA try something new? I hope so, because
they need to pump some new life into the sport.
Look at the crowds walking around the national
events: mostly 45 to 50 years old (the only
ones who can afford it probably), the young
people you see are probably there with their
parents because it is a family tradition. Other
than Import racing is their "new blood" getting
into drag racing? You be the judge, look around
and let me know what you see.
That is about all I have since I am trying
to recover from that vacation (if driving 3600
miles in eight days is a vacation).
I hope you get out to the races and enjoy yourself
-- we will! 
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Previous
Story
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Dead-On
— 6/7/04
If I can criticize NHRA I can also
compliment them |
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