Tim Wilkerson's Twitter Brings Up A Really Good Point (1 Viewer)

[Rat]

With the front coming in tonight and temperatures starting to hit mid 50 and be low 40's over the weekend, is it even too cold to race safely?

 

[mick]

can remember a race in texas quite a few years ago that was down rite cold
and great e.t.'s were recorded, but that was a different year with different
parts and i'm sure less horsepower....which begs the question d. garlits
alluded to recently....'is 8000 hp to much for drag racing?'

 

[DrRocket]

Back in, I believe it was '89, it got REALLY cold in Brainerd. I'll see if I can find out how cold it was. But I do beleive that weekend resulted in the first 4 second et for the track.

 

[Just Paul]

Back in, I believe it was '89, it got REALLY cold in Brainerd. I'll see if I can find out how cold it was. But I do beleive that weekend resulted in the first 4 second et for the track.

1990 Joe Amato first in the 4s 4.99 semi final racing Gary Ormsby. Right lane. Came back in the final with a bye over Frank Bradley and ran 4.97.

That was a special weekend for me, it was the first time my Grandpa ever went to a drag race.

 

[you]

can remember a race in texas quite a few years ago that was down rite cold
and great e.t.'s were recorded, but that was a different year with different
parts and i'm sure less horsepower....which begs the question d. garlits
alluded to recently....'is 8000 hp to much for drag racing?'

I was there. This was at one of the Ennis races. It must have dropped 40+ degrees that day and I was in shorts Very freaky day.

 

[Huge]

It snowed in Topeka one year, and there was an ice storm at the Winter Nationals in Pomona earlier this year. I thought we were going to need snow chains on the tow vehicle to get to the staging lanes.

 

[MM]

I hope Goodyear brings enough tires.....we don't need a repeat of Charlotte.

 

[Rajunz]

Houston in the late 80's, on Saturday it dropped from the 80's down to the low 50's in about an hour's time, and not one nitro car could make it down the track under power.

 

[Toejam]

With the front coming in tonight and temperatures starting to hit mid 50 and be low 40's over the weekend, is it even too cold to race safely?

Postpone the race, better for everybody!

 

[mick]

Houston in the late 80's, on Saturday it dropped from the 80's down to the low 50's in about an hour's time, and not one nitro car could make it down the track under power.

lance, think this is the race i'm remembering and i'm wrong about the e.t.'s;
you are right.

paul, very much remember 1990 bir; it was cold all day - was really upset
when frank couldn't make the final but joe was flying that day.
this was the one year frank had ez-wider sponsorship and the
'e-z wider' gal that hung in his pits was nothing short of spectacular.
joe & frank traded low e.t. all day until joe finally broke thru into 4's
as you mentioned in semi's and final w/4.97
man i miss those days.

 

[Butch]

Didn't it get too cold at Englishtown a while back. They had to reschedule the race.

 

[Huge]

I hope Goodyear brings enough tires.....we don't need a repeat of Charlotte.

Did you chunk a few mike?

 

[Dave]

Didn't it get too cold at Englishtown a while back. They had to reschedule the race.

Yeah in 2000, they moved it to september from may. It was initially going to be top fuel and funny car only, but then the whole deal got rained out on sunday.

Here's a few links.

Matco Tools Spring SuperNationals: Event home page

ENGLISHTOWN-Fuel Cars Sent Home

 

[MM]

Did you chunk a few mike?

By the end of the weekend, Goodyear had only 8 tires left to sell

 

[twostep]

I was there. This was at one of the Ennis races. It must have dropped 40+ degrees that day and I was in shorts Very freaky day.

I was there as well; the temp was about 50. The TF national record at the time was Darrell Gwynn's 5.26. Eddie Hill made it to the final with a semifinal 5.09 - and didn't have lane choice. They negotiated the track just fine, but with only about half the power of today's cars it wasn't that big of a deal.

It's supposed to be in the upper 50s Sunday. If it's a clear day, the track should be warm enough. Let's just hope it's dry enough.

 

[Rat]

Didn't it get too cold at Englishtown a while back. They had to reschedule the race.

if your talking the only time they did in 2000 that was because of rain. It was a 3 race swing. Indy, e-town, reading

 

[JB3]

With the front coming in tonight and temperatures starting to hit mid 50 and be low 40's over the weekend, is it even too cold to race safely?

First of all the 40's are the nightime temperatures. Check the new schedule posted at NHRA.com and you will see there is NO night racing at this event. Done by 7pm today and 5pm tomorrow. According to Accuweather, day time temperatures should be OK for racing, especially today. Its the "R" word that will screw things up as it is supposed to rain again tonight plus showers tomorrow and Sunday.

Mohnton 15-Day Weather - AccuWeather Forecast for PA19540

 

[FC138fan]

Houston in the late 80's, on Saturday it dropped from the 80's down to the low 50's in about an hour's time, and not one nitro car could make it down the track under power.

Last time I was in Columbus (2005) for a Friday night session. I don't remember the day being too cold but when the sun went down right around when TF was getting ready to go the temp dropped extremely fast. I got excited anticipating insanely great runs, but not a single one made it all the way, in fact the last couple pairs (dixon being one) pulled out. I wonder if when the temp drops that fast condensation forms on the track and messes everything up.

From nhra notes

Weather conditions: air temperature 60 degrees, relative humidity 55 percent, barometer 29.05 inches, adjusted altitude 1,277 feet, track temperature 68 degrees.

Dixon had already pulled out of line deciding not to make this run and as Baca watch the only other two Top Fuelers to get down the track this afternoon go up in smoke he too decided not to run.

4. Cory McClenathan Carrier Boyz/Fram Airhog Drags 4.698 324.75
5. Scott Weis Barrett Enterprises Dragster 7.332 138.34

So all day that Friday 4 cars made it down track in TF - not one on the second session.

Huge disappointment that day!

 

[Toejam]

Houston in the late 80's, on Saturday it dropped from the 80's down to the low 50's in about an hour's time, and not one nitro car could make it down the track under power.

1989, wasn't there but on Sunday Morning the Chill factor was just 3 degrees!! Greg Rice was there and he remembered talking to his father in Dallas the day before and he said a Blizzard was all over North Texas headed South! It was like 75 in Houston on Saturday.... BTW....they did postpone the finals!

 

[yoda]

Another good point regarding safety:

Arana Sr. Calls Racing at Maple Grove ‘Dangerous’ | Drag Illustrated