I think with the equipment she will have and the media circus sure to follow, she will be under extreme pressure, not including the pressure she will put on herself.

But if she pulls off a win in the first 6 races, the world will be Danica WHO!

In a time when the NHRA and Drag Racing in total is poised for a growth in spectator appeal, nothing could be better than a Smart, Attractive, Talented, Young Lady to push the media a bit.

Have Fun,
Fred
Vintage Drag Club

In the "take it for what it's worth" department, I had a talk with Tim Wilkerson when he was making the step up from AFC to FFC. I asked him how much of a learning curve there was.

He told me that while a AFC couldn't be considered a Cadillac, he was shocked at what it took to get a FFC across the finish line. He said the additional downforce made him think the steering was broken the first time he needed to make a correction past half track. Then he mentioned how hard the car would move if cylinders started to drop.

Tim isn't exactly a skinny guy. I always wanted to ask him if he had wrestled in high school as he was pretty broad across the shoulders.

So anyhow, I'm not sure how much any of that means, but I've thought a lot about what he told me.

And in another for what it's worth, Angelle's main physical training in her first year or so was for upper body.

I'm not saying Ashley can't do it because I'm sure she can. It's just that (here I go sounding sexist and neanderthal) I'm not aware of a female driver in a FFC in the modern age with megagallons of fuel out each header and tons of downforce.

(edited trying to make some sort of sense - remind me never to post while I'm also setting up a laptop)

I've heard that analogy many times from FC guys who switch to Dragster.

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Shift for Brains!!!!

I dont think its fair to compare an alcohol funny car to a fuel funny car at any point in time. The wheelbase is the same and thats where the similarities end. As the son of a former national record holder in an alcohol funny car and a U.S. Nationals competitor in fuel funny car I can shed some light on this subject I believe.

My dad told me that the most violent thing is tire shake in an alcohol car. Mind you this is going back to the early '90's. But due to the clutch set up of the alcohol cars and the rpms at which they leave the line they are some of the most violent cars to drive to half track. My dad always drove his alcohol car with one hand on the wheel and one on the brake handle to smooth over any tire shake he encountered.

The fuel car is a different animal. Because of the tremendous amount of horsepower and the way the car accelerates through the entire 1/4 mile combined with the downforce coming from the headers and the increased speeds the car moves around a lot more past half track. Upon making his first pass in the car my dad realized that he couldnt drive this car with one hand on the wheel like he had the alcohol car. It takes two hands to wrestle a fuel car down the track I dont care who you are. But things come at you much quicker and you do take your hand off the wheel to reach for the parachutes(lever style) at around 800' if it is a clean run.

The push button chutes are a much better idea but I believe some of the older competitors still prefer the lever style mounted on the roof or beside the roll cage.

AND...this post was originally posted to comment on ashley joining the fuel funny car ranks. She will do just fine. Her dad would not put her in the car if he wasnt sure she was ready.

P.S. GREAT comment about the monkey thing Bobby...I havent laughed that hard in weeks!

C'mon boys and girls......an alcohol car is a total different animal than a fuel funny?
Fuel cars on Sunday are on .70 of a second quicker on the average.
Ask any fuel driver if they notice a difference in going 275 mph or 310 mph?
Most drivers cannot tell a difference.
Those nitro pro mods scare me more than any fuel car. A fuel car is simple:
Do not pre-load clutch to soon, do not high-side the fuel system until everyone is pre-staged, and after staging/see yellow, smack the pedal and steer. Fans make more of this than it really is....
Ashley Force will do fine on any NHRA prepared track and all the people around her will make her successful....kudos for her. She will get lots of attention and make alot of friends. She will also be under alot of pressure to perform well.
Remember John Forces' early days before Bernstein and The 'Snake' went Top Fuel racing? Force could not win a race if they gave it to him and Force was the first to admit his success came after major players left funny car racing in the late 80's.

Jory: Most pilots prefere a manual lever for chutes as the push button set-up is pnematic assisted and a bubble of air in the line could send the chute out prematurely.

Not that it didnt help with them being gone, but he would have won with them even being there. Its called having Austin Coil.

It's official NHRA News: Ashley Force, daughter of 14-time champ, will drive a Funny Car in 2007 (1/16/2007)

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Godspeed Eric Medlen, you will be missed

I wish her the best of luck. Nothing would make my day more than if she wins early. I know alot of you think she cant do it, and she might not be able to, who knows but I will be rooting for her. I just dont think (even with all the sponsors pushing etc) that John would put her in the car if he didnt think she was ready.

Sure would be cool to have a cockpit cam in her car (like Cruz has) for every pass. Anyone here know who sets them up?

She wouldn't be in the car unless Coil said she's OK. Who's smarter than him in this case?

Read my Sig, nuff said

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I wonder.... Seeing on how they run the first qualifying session at Pomona based on last years points reversed, could we see an Ashley Force vs. Kenny Bernstein match up first pair out?? That would be cool!

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Go Hight!!! Prock Rocket 2008 Style
Quickest to 1000' 4.00
Quickest to 1320' 4.63

Either that or they might set them both as single runs.

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Tim Wilkerson: The REAL 2008 champion.
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Visit my page on Youtube for eye candy, cars and racing clips!

Great point, Paul....that would be cool!

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If you can't stand behind our troops, feel free to stand in front of them!