TELLIN' IT LIKE IT IS
It's about time somebody told it like it
is. Right on Forrest Lucas. When do you think
NHRA will address the Funny Car throttle
contacting the body when it is lifted? I've
seen this happen four times on TV so far.
Somebody must die first I guess.
Richard Lawrence Jr.
RTS Racing
SOME TIRE TESTING SUGGESTIONS
With ALL the tire development that Goodyear
does on TOP FUEL tires and ALL of the CREATIVE
minds involved in this sport, HOW hard, and
HOW expensive could it possibly be to:
1. Take a COMPLETE TOP FUEL back half assembly
and ATTACH it to a CHASSIS dyno, load it
down with 6000 lbs of downforce (weight),
heat the tires to track temp. and spin the
TIRES until they malfunction.
2. Document the results with a 1000 frame
per second camera, and separate the fact
from the fiction.
3. Take infrared TEMPERATURE readings throughout
the testing.
4. Have this test done in Indianapolis,
where MOST of the teams and crews live anyway.
5. INVITE the CREW CHIEFS to PARTICIPATE
and CONTRIBUTE.(you know which ones).
I feel that ONLY some
GOOD can come of this type of APPROACH and
I am certain that these tests will identify
the PROBLEM, and ultimately the SOLUTION.
There are SOO many talented people in this
sport, and NOW is the TIME for them to step
FORWARD, and CONTRIBUTE. I would bet that
this could be accomplished in a few short
weeks, with some well placed phone calls,
and some COOPERATION, from the CONCERNED
parties.
Just a thought.(a PROACTIVE
one).
Gene Wagner
Boca Raton, FL
BLAME NAFTA?
My sons have race cars and both run Goodyear
tires. We have been racing for 11 years.
I have noticed unusual wear on the front
tires. When we started the tires were made
in our country and now if you look on the
side wall, they are made in Chile. Now what
kind of crap is that?
Mark Sr.
SAFETY FIRST
NHRA and IHRA are self-governing organizations
and have the absolute power to take immediate,
decisive action to mitigate further risk
to drivers and /or others within the proximity
of a "chunking tire". This situation
clearly requires the sanctioning body leadership
to step forward and create a set of parameters
that will allow the Top Fuel and Funny Car
racers to operate their vehicles without
utilizing "Known unsafe parts".
Furthermore, until such time that a proper
tire is available or the performance level
of the vehicles is "adjusted" to
comply with the capability of the tire, Goodyear
should have the good sense to stop providing
the product. Anyone who has any product development
experience knows that product validation
and testing requirements need to be met BEFORE
the product is put into use. This entire
situation has the ability to provide irreparable
damage to our sport AND the outcome is, in
my opinion, within complete control of the
leadership of the sanctioning groups.
It's interesting that the original motto
of the NHRA was "Dedicated to Safety." Get
back to your roots and do the right thing!
John Nechiporchik
3310 T/S
NHRA member for over 30 years; IHRA
member for 10 years.
