earl

If you look at the entry lists at NHRA/IDRC events across the USA, the most race participants are in the Quick/Hot Rod class. A few years ago, the "Quick 8" was what everyone came to see. It was what we all related to. We knew that if we pushed the boost up, pulled some weight out and threw on some slicks, we might be able to go as fast in our unibody FWD cars.
Now NHRA comes along and says it's ok to run methanol (alky). In my e-mails with NHRA at the start of the season, they claimed that alky was easier on parts and would make no difference in et's as the horsepower would be identical to gas. Yeah, right. There is more breakage than ever and it's only going to get worse. My mole inside of Venom says that their latest motor made 980 horsepower at 11,500 rpm. How many motors did they blow up to get to this point in time? Do we really need 1000 hp in a unibody car? Kubo had to suspend her racing operations because of breakage in her alky engine program. Viren says that Kenny Tran has gone 170 mph in his unibody. He uses a $3500 Quaife gear set. Are we all going to have to do this to get more than two passes on a tranny. Things are getting out of hand.
If alky is so good, why doesn't the NHRA push it on the Pro Stock cars. The reason is because the car manufacturers believe in "race on Sunday, drive on Monday." This means that they want the fans to relate to the cars they see at the race that weekend so that they will go out and buy it during the next week. I want import fans to still be able to relate to FWD unibody cars that run on gasoline and still might be driven on the street. Let's keep alky for the tube frame race cars. I would like to hear your opinions.

paulzy

iTrader: (1)

I'm gonna rn nothing but Gasoline, but that's me ....I hate breaking parts...hopefully I get 10's by next year. Tha'ts good enough for my 4dr I guess. This year I hope to break into the mid 11's

DigitalFusion

I agree wholeheartedly.. unfourtunetly I am too tired to run off some elquintly spoken rant or even a remotely intelligent response to ur post. Hell i dont even think i spelled half these words right

qwkteg125

yeah, it is unfortunate that those with the biggest budget/most sponsorship will be the ones in the winner's circle at the end of the race. your setup was truly one that the common folk could relate to, a homegrown car that broke all conventional logic to what it took to run 9's in the 1/4. in fact, in the beginning of the year, i thought you guys had a chance to legitimately win a wally or two, as your mph was right on par with the fastest of the fast. all i thought you needed was a little more traction to get those 60ft's down. now, it seems like you will have to bank on an opponent's looming mechanical failure to advance or invest another large sum of money to play catch up...

earl

so true but this post was not supposed about Mike's and my car. I really would like to see Hot Rod/Quick to be everyone's class rather than being dominated by "big pro $$." I am interested in everyone's thoughts before I approach NHRA again.

Gmedalion

I think you are right EARL and wished they never changed the rule since trannies go now after every 2 runs, itz crazy. Racers now have to invest about 4 trannies per race and that gets expensive. But that is racing, **** breaks and if trannies weren't breaking something else will. NHRA won't change its rules so now we have to change over to alky to be competitive.

paulzy

iTrader: (1)

why don't somebody startup a new sanction?

vtecvoodoo

I believe there is 4 already. Who has the cash to compete w/ the NHRA? They already got all the import events booted from Pomona .

Full-Race Geoff

Earl, i am wholeheartedly in agreement with you. However, the rule has been made and the car i work on had a very very large amount of money invested to make it a comptetive alky car. The same goes for venom, jotech, jojo etc. They are too big of players to let the alky become banned. Everyone who has made the switch and gone throught the effort to stay on top will not be happy to go backwards. It requires a trememndous amount of work to have the car work well on alky and the price tag (even if i were allowed to mention it) is unimaginable to those who dont know.

unfortunately this sport is becoming the same as all other forms of motorsport.. a rich man's game. It isnt feasible for a traditional hardcore racer to compete any longer. If you want to be competitive in pro class, you need some serious financial backing and you need to approach racing as a business, not a hobby. After all, that is what a "professional" is. It's unfortunate but that is my view on it... I know many many hardcore racers who are now in the stands or so disgusted they dont even run their cars anymore. I hope this does not happen to many of the big names now, but i think it may.


[Modified by FFgeoff, 2:12 PM 6/21/2002]

earl

I can see running alky in tube framed classes. Those are ground up race cars (just like NHRA ProStock). Why drag it into a 10 year old unibody fwd car? At what speed and horsepower will it be when one of these unibodies breaks in half? At least IDRC was smart enough to put a 150 lb weight penalty on alky. Thanks Jerry I hope it's enough.
Can someone loan me a dollar?

Full-Race Geoff

I would barely call a 94 civic with a funny car certified chassis about to "break in half." I do see your point, but that car is so minimally relying on its former unibody strength. The funny car chassis' are so rigid that they would be alright themselves. I realize many racers do not have this yet, but it will be standard fare shortly, as speeds go past 175 it is necessary.

This also brings up the question of is this even a unibody? As you mention you can see a tube frame car being run in the alky class; the funny car cages make these pretty much fall into that category. However i think you and i know that these cars dont really stand a chance in the real outlaw class. Papadakis has been competitive but miraculously so. The only reason that i think nhra is doing this is because the times are dropping, so if people want to see really really fast cars (read: fast *hondas*), the idea is that they will go to the NHRA races.

Unfortunate as it may be NHRA is a business, just like any other racing organization. They are out to get the most attendance and make the most money. Good luck, earl. I honestly can say you guys have done an exceptional job with not too much. The amount of money i know of being spent on a number of racecars is just sick, and you guys have gotten to the same point with so much less.

paulzy

iTrader: (1)

ditto....props Laskey Racing Crew

Evil DOHC

Big pay out should be available for the daily drivers. As far as I know imstar is the only program that is fair to the everyday racer.
EVIL

earl

I see your point Geoff and should probably tie my front towers into the cage. With all the big$$ suspension kits available, it's like you are driving a cage and the unibody is just a weight penalty. I would switch to a tube chassis class but then I might think I am to good to post here.J/K J/K J/K
I H-T

Arturbo

For the time being Im gonna remain silent on this subject, but Earl and Geoff know how I feel.

art

Lei Siew Long

it's funny because i was just discussing this topic (not exactly about the NHRA classes) with someone just the other day.

i was ranting about how i don't like where this sport is headed. on the one hand, this sport is saturated with wanna-be racers with altezzas, light up windshield washer nozzles, "double-double" spoilers, etc.

and on the other hand you have big corporations that aren't helping this sport much either. with their "fast and furious drag wars," and the big financial backing that takes the fun out of this sport.

personally, i liked this sport a lot more during the mid to late '90's when the biggest competition were shop cars and when this sport was at its peak.

is it me or does anyone else notice that attendance to these drag events have droppped off significantly since the mid to late 90's?

pagong

I agree with you on this one! back in the mid 90's when your biggest challenge is to beat the "shop cars" which was somewhat achievable without breaking the bank. Racing today seems like its a money game. Now with GM jumping in, building thier purpose built dragsters with X amount of money invested, where do we (regular joe's) fall into? We cant even afford thier lugnuts for christ sake

ninesecrx

Hey guys....I dont think my dad is trying to make this a personal issue towards are car and other cars running alky. We thank you all for the props cause it makes me feel good and my dad im sure too. The fact is, I still think we can go out and win on gas. If need be, we will switch to alchohol if need be. I think what hes getting at is the fact that NHRA told us the the reason they did this was to save parts and not make more pwer. The fact of the matter is, it will seperate the fans from the racers. How many guys out there are confidant enough to build a car that runs on alchohol. Its not going to be the local boys, its gonna be the hired guns.P.S. We will be the first Hot Rod class car to run over 180 mph.

paulzy

iTrader: (1)

they should at least make another class where unibody gasoline cars can still run with similar competition

ninesecrx

Its not like they alky cars are really even that much faster...cause we can go that fast on gas I think. Its more of a principle thing.

earl

Grasshopper speak with forked tongue

Arturbo

You can still go fast on Gas, Jojo is still on gas and he is winning everything. I think consistancy is a major factor and he isnt really making that much more power than everyone else. He has a good set up that works and last. Oh, I cant forget the money they have helps.
Im taking a vacation. hehe

art

earl

I understand Northern Cali is bear country

Arturbo

Do you two have your own computer or something? I heard that about NoCal and the bears. I think I'll like it up there...

art

Full-Race Geoff

yorue going to be the first to go 180? Thats a big statement, but i would be ecstatic to see this! So when do we get to hear some details?? ... or is this a secret (like most other things anymore)