Ok Primodonna, I'll accept your premise that because fans like me can't afford to run as fast as you are somehow not entitled to voice an opinion! But now I'm curious; you say you've driven an Alky Flopper? Care to share a pic? I don't seem to remember an alky Flopper driver with your name! Not in the last 18 years anyway, I can't wait!

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Shift for Brains!!!!

Hey guys, how about PM'ing this friendly discussion and get back to the Jim Head interview on this chat.

You are right Paul.

I let my temper get the best of me............

REX

The Alky Flopper I drove belonged to Frank Hawley.

I never said I was an ALKY Flopper DRIVER

I also Drove His TAD and a small block chevy alky car that belonged to a bunch of friends and I for a season.

I also drag raced 11, 10, and 9 second bikes in the late seventies and early eighties.

not to mention a bracket dragster a couple years ago (right.......Ron?) like I never left the seat.

point is I have been at that velocity where stopping is paramount, and that is stopping safely.

you have not, yet continue to opine.

I think your opinion lacks any sort of experience at all, rather sitting and standing and watching then blowing off here claiming people with at least some type of further exposure to the sport have no idea.

I have needed to stop and had problems doing so. I remember it like it was yesterday yet it was 22 years ago.

And if things work out I just may be doing it all again.

So I'm not a Star driver like you make goo- goo eyes at.

At least I did it, you did not.

REX

I have a few friends with Alky FC's and there name is not on draglist either but that doesnt mean they dont drive/own one...

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Assassin Web Design..Cheap Affordable Web Solutions

Before I ramble like everyone else, I will go on record saying that if they shorten the racing surface, my spectating days will be over. I would rather watch 290- 300 Mph 1/4-mile racing every day of the week and twice on Sunday before I watch 270 - 280 Mph 1/8-mile racing. Slow the cars down a little and get over it. NASCAR survived it, so don't think for a minute that drag racing can't.

Like has been said before, these cars didn't just start running over 320 Mph yesterday. I'm sure a good argument can be made that several facilities' ability to contain these monsters is definitely in question. However, these cars have went down E-Town, and many other shorter-than-average venues for that matter, several hundred times over the years without incident. If everything works properly, there is more than adequate room to stop the machines, and it's been proven over and over again. Do the shutdown areas at such places like E-Town need to be extended? Maybe. But here's some food for thought. I was at the St. Louis points race (it might have been the National Open, I actually don't remember) when we lost Super Gas racer, Phil Burghard. He went off the end of the track, at reportedly full throttle, past the sand trap, up and over an embankment, and ended up in the stream. I never heard for sure just what happened, but this was a 160Mph Super Gas car, folks. My point? When you have a failure of some kind, whether it's mechanical or driver, no shutdown may be actually long enough. That being said, I don't believe for a minute that the reason Scott is no longer with us is because of inadequate shutdown. I think it's because there were things down there that shouldn't have been. I know I can do without the view that particular camera angle has been providing.

It's difficult to put things in proper perspective when a tragic event such as this is so fresh in our minds. That's why I think it's never a good idea to address major situations in life within just a day or two. If you address things any quicker than that, your emotion will be playing a larger role in your subsequent actions than it should be, and you'll generally make a decision you'll regret. Scott is gone, and that is a tragedy. But we will learn from it, and we will go on. I'm sure he knew the risks, as do we all. I don't run near as fast as these boys do, but I run near 200 Mph on a regular basis, so things like this make even guys like me step back and have a look. But at the end of the day, I'll keep on racing just like everyone else, at which point I will just focus my energy on any points of continual improvement I can contribute to and keep on truckin'.

Sean D

Great suggestions Wes. I've been thinking about the consequences of active fuel/clutch management system for a while now. Is it not true that many of the bad fuel car accidents result from motors grenading? You get disintegration of the vehicle, loss of control, and all the nasty consequences. Wouldn't fast-acting electronic systems largely prevent such explosions? In addition, it would likely result in a better show -- how often does one see close, side-by-side racing? I suspect it's less than half the pairings. Too many dropped cylinders and tires over-powering the track. When reliability improves, you'll have fewer oildowns, reduced breakage of expensive parts --- and less terrible accidents.

Good points, Mike and Wes. I guess that's what I was trying to get at with my ramblings before. The shutdowns aren't the problem. What is leading to the need for longer shutdowns is the problem........

Sean D

It's really sad that someone has to die, or get severely injured before anyone makes a stink. Unfortunately, this seems to be the way the world works with EVERYTHING. If the track isn't safe, shut it down!!! NO NEGOTIATING!!!

I noticed the concrete wall was gone yesterday. Ya think the brainchildren could have put 2+2 together maybe 10 years ago?

Sad and senseless.

To Jim Head: You are an intelligent and dedicated man, but the sport has always been 1/4 mile. That's what people want to see. We can watch sand drags if we want 1/2 track shut-offs. No dis-respect.

Come up with a shut-off/object standard, that will solve the problem. That being said, it is a dangerous sport. Something can and will go wrong. Look closely, and remove the OBVIOUS hazards.

I would like to see the Kalitta family sue the track owners, and NHRA. Not for money, (I don't think they need any) but to shut-down tracks that don't conform to reasonable standards. Just my 2 cents.

To the Kalitta Family: We're all deeply saddened by the loss of Scott. Please see that his tragic death has an impact on safety. Please force the NHRA, and track owners to conform. The entire NHRA family cannot tolerate the sensleless death of another hero.

Condolences

I have never been to Englishtown.

Could someone please explain to me why the sand trap area was configured as it was? Why was the k-rail curved around the back of the sand trap?

And why is the sand trap so stinking short? Why is the safety net only 3 feet tall?

I was dumbfounded when I saw the configuration of the sand trap area. It appeared to me, the set-up was needed for placement of the camera highlift.

As for those who would never attend a race that's less than 1/4 mile. Fine, see you later and don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out! The idea that anything less than 1/4 is somehow unfulfilling is completely ridiculous. How many times have we seen cars run nearly identical elasped times yet one was only going 280 at the strip while the other was going 310... and you wouldn't know the difference if not for the scoreboard!!!

I say, make it all 1/8th mile... every single class on the track!

BTW... the 1/8th mile fuel car show George Howard put on last year was a roaring success. The fans didn't mind one bit it and the racers loved because they didn't hurt parts.

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Greg Stanley
Stanman Design & Fabrication

Greg,

As one that said I wouldn't attend a 1/2-track National Event, your post seems contradictory. In one sentence you say make everything 1/8-mile, in another you point out the obvious, the fact that if it weren't for the scoreboards, you couldn't tell the difference between 280 and 310. If that's truly the case, there is just as strong of an argument to slow the cars down as there is to shorten the track because both measures will accomplish the same things with regards to safety and cost.

I think many of your posts are pretty sharp and spot on, but I would have to respectfully disagree with your logic on this one.

Sean D

No, because you still have the short shutdown issue at a lot of tracks.

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Greg Stanley
Stanman Design & Fabrication

If you slow the cars back down, how is the "short" shutdowns still an issue?

Sean D

Short shutdowns can be in issue no matter what speed you're going. I nearly put my S-10 in the sand at Pomona one time because I was a bit tardy getting on the brakes after a very close race in Super Gas... and that was 9.90 at only 153.

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Greg Stanley
Stanman Design & Fabrication

they do road racing events there. The wall is curved because the strip is part of the road course as far as I can tell.

And what wall was moved I 'd like to know as someone else said?

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I'm still DamnYankee

"A Friday night run in a Funny Car is just really intense" - Whit Bazemore