RAISING THE STANDARD OF
BLATHER
Jeff, I've enjoyed what your site has turned
into and commend you on getting it where it
is today. Though I am so far out of the loop
I only know what I read on the net, I did
have a couple of comments on your latest piece.
"Why don't they give the Fuel Flops a couple
of years warning and then require Funny Car
bodies that actually look like real cars?"
Bullseye, my friend. Before fate, etc. took
me out of the journalism field that was a
story idea I had. You were around when the
original funny cars were running and saw Pro
Stock come into existence. With that background,
let me run something by you.
2004 Pro Stock = 1968 Funny Car. Tube frame,
replica body with the corners rounded off,
different driver placement, stretching and
tweaking to make the body fit an A/A frame.
Not a single production part on the entire
vehicle. OK, so it's not fuel but other than
the engine and doors there's not a significant
difference.
2004 Super Stock = 1970 Pro Stock. Body just
about stock, most powerful gas engine technology
from the manufacturer, other than drivetrain
the car is essentially production parts, performance
transmission
2004 Funny Cars? I'm with you. I don't know
what the hell they are either. Long wheelbase
fork truck with a swoopy body? Center steer
is fine, but when the body is
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shrunk
around the cockpit things look too weird.
"Does that decision actually make sense to
anyone except Ray Alley and Warren Johnson?"
Yeah, to me. AFCs don't blow the tires off
starting at 300-ft. Power delivery and downforce
make the difference. Hell, PS cars were beginning
to scare me even back when I was active. No
one wanted to run a properly shaped and sized
wing because it would kill ET and speed. Did
you know that GM (at least) actually ran tests
with PS cars having NO rear air devices at
all? Yes, the push was that strong to pick
up a hundredth here or there.
GM watched the real ugly, aborted, tests
and gave order that none of their racers should
ever try anything that stupid again.
Hey, it's lunch time and I ain't proofing
nothing. If this isn't up to my usual standards
of blather, remember I don't try and do this
for a living any longer. I leave it to the
professionals.
Take care and have fun.
Dan Bennett
Dan Bennett was a staffer of Super Stock
& Drag Illustrated. And our proofreader didn't
touch his letter.
THANKS. . .WE THINK
Jeff, your rants were especially good in
your current editorial... Keep it up.
Barry Kuhlmann
COOL YOUR JETS #1
Could it be that the jets weigh more than
the funnies and fuelers which would be harder
to stop?
Just wondering, oops that's your line.
Bob Plumer
COOL YOUR JETS #2
I agree with you on jet cars. Very fun to
watch. By having them race you get them with
less appearance money because you would be
paying money for winner, runner up, semis.
I like injected nitro cars but it is not the
same as top fuel and not a $35 show. Also,
I think they should give super class races
their own series and not run them at nationals
events.
Eric Street
DRO: BLACK & WHITE AND
READ ALL OVER
I would like to commend Chris Martin for
his article on Black History of Drag Racing.
February is Black History month and it was
nice to see that Drag Racing Online did not
forget the contribution of Black racers and
fans. I was really impressed to see your publication
address an issue that the two sanctioning
bodies would not. Thanks for showing that
Drag Racing is a multicultural event. Keep
up the great work.
Thanks
Stacy
The article is in the February 2000 issue
in our Archives. -- Ed.
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