1/8 mile racing...

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70aarcuda

70aarcuda

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Due to high winds on Saturday the elimination part of the race was shortened to 1/8.....my opinion of 1/8 racing is it is like Premature Ejaculation....once you get comfortable for the ride...it is over.....just my opinion...lol
 
I agree. There's an 1/8 mile track less than 10 miles from me. I don't like it. I've watch a lot and run it before. What's worse is, they have the land to stretch it out to 1 1/4 mile track and the resources but they won't do it.
 
Only trophy I ever got for racing was at an 1/8 mile track in Guatemala City. Best thing about it was beating the fasted guy in the JDM club crew. (Japanese Domestic Market). I like 1/4 better.
 
The faster you go the funner it becomes. It makes a way better racer of you as things happen so much faster. Just look at how much mph is gained in the last 1/8 mile and make a spreadsheet of it. It’s kinda shocking.
 
Only ran 1/8 mile once, in Fargo N.D. about 20 years ago. Crosswinds were to strong to run the full 1/4, had a bone stock '87 Thunderbird 5.0, went 5 rounds, finally lost when it spun out of the hole, to a 67 Chevelle with a big block that I had beaten earlier, he was allowed to buy in again. Have to agree, 1/8 mile is less than inspiring. Much rather run 1/4 mile, far more of a challenge.
 
I will admit, it's closer to red light to red light than 1/4.
 
RustyRatRod said:
I will admit, it's closer to red light to red light than 1/4.
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MY CAR IS A STREET CAR, MORE BUILT FOR TOP END , I HAVE NEVER RUN AN 1/8 MILE RACE, AND DONT INTEND TO , I WONT EVEN GO TO WATCH THEM.
As always excuse the caps .
Course at my age I`m just not that enthused anymore !

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Around here, Sportsman is 1/4 mile (12.0 bottom dial) and everything else is 1/8 mile (Pro, Super Pro). Apparently it is cheaper for the tracks from an insurance perspective. The only time they run 1/4 for the fast cars are special events (index racing and such).
 
I like both.


My car goes through the 1320 traps at 6200 in 3rd gear.

It goes through the 660 traps at 6200 in 2nd + overdrive.


In my opinion it takes a better car and a better driver to be good at 1/8th mile. There is no room to make up for mistakes. It's also easier on the car.
 
Wind at LVMS sure can be a *****. Several friends Saturday morning were saying "I hope the don't make us run the 1/8th." Plenty of crosswinds,dust and debris you get in the desert.
 
Personally I think 1/8 mile racing is more challenging than 1/4, unless you have a really slow car. Nothing is more boring than watching a bunch of 12+ second cars run the quarter.
 
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. If I had s car that ran let’s say 7.20 and I had to race 1/8 mile I would quit racing tomorrow. At 6.0’s it’s a fun ride for me and makes for a better, faster program at the races I go to. My class (top class, box class) runs 1/8 mile at the 4-5 tracks I race at now mostly because of safety and insurance reasons
 
Once, because of winds, our strip would only race 1/8 mile. Another time it was a 1/8 mile event and I didn't know it. Hated it both times. ** and stop light wars can be cool, but "who has the fastest car" has always been settled out on a back road on a marked off 1/4 mile. That's why I like 1/4 mile.
 
pittsburghracer said:
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. If I had s car that ran let’s say 7.20 and I had to race 1/8 mile I would quit racing tomorrow. At 6.0’s it’s a fun ride for me and makes for a better, faster program at the races I go to. My class (top class, box class) runs 1/8 mile at the 4-5 tracks I race at now mostly because of safety and insurance reasons
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My car runs 7.20 ish in the 1/8 and i am having more fun racing it( because its ultra consistant) than anything i have ever had. Have fun pro tree 11.50 index racing, 1/4 mile, you name it. I have a much bigger bullet to put in it that is going to continue to collect dust. And i have plenty of money to go as fast as i want to( not bragging, but i do)
And i have raced longer than you.
I have had it with 9 sec cars and all the xtra equipment, costs and maintenance that are required to go 1 second faster in the 1/8 than my car goes.
And yes, i raced a small tire smallblock at 3350 pounds than went 6 teens in good air for years
This current car is more fun, goes more rounds and wins more money.
 
B3422w5 said:
My car runs 7.20 ish in the 1/8 and i am having more fun racing it( because its ultra consistant) than anything i have ever had. Have fun pro tree 11.50 index racing, 1/4 mile, you name it. I have a much bigger bullet to put in it that is going to continue to collect dust. And i have plenty of money to go as fast as i want to( not bragging, but i do)
And i have raced longer than you.
I have had it with 9 sec cars and all the xtra equipment, costs and maintenance that are required to go 1 second faster in the 1/8 than my car goes.
And yes, i raced a small tire smallblock at 3350 pounds than went 6 teens in good air for years
This current car is more fun, goes more rounds and wins more money.
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From an engine builders side of it, building a semi quick let’s say 6.0 area on a budget shows what the builder is capable of. My driving skills lack more than my building skills but part of that comes from having a father that never raced that could pass down some of the skills to me like many do today. Heck these kids can start racing at what, 8 years old now in jr dragsters. Heck I street raced for 6 years and that passed on some bad habits of the first one to the finish line wins. Lol. My son took his first pass in the car he now races before he was even born while my exwife was pregnant with him and he has been at the track ever since.
 
I think the whole this or that time is fun to race or fun to watch is very personal and subjective. I used to think 12's felt fast, now I don't. Doesn't mean it isn't fun for a lot of people. And watching racing is more than the speed of the cars. Ever watch index cars with throttle stops go down the track? Fast times, boring and stupid as well in my book.
 
I have an 1/8 mile track 10 miles away on back roads.

The nearest 1/4 mile tracks are both 60 miles away in either opposite direction.

I'd race more if the closer track was 1/4 mile.

I've said before, the 1/8 mile tends to favor a higher numerical final gear, which in turn makes for a less street friendly car. A 3.23 equipped car might even have a chance to get back some low end loss vs a 3.55 car at the end of the quarter.

In the 1/8, that's super magnified, but most successful guys, even in the "backyard" category tend to run 4.56 or lower gears in the 1/8. At least around here.
 
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YY1 said:
I have an 1/8 mile track 10 miles away on back roads.

The nearest 1/4 mile tracks are both 60 miles away in either opposite direction.

I'd race more if the closer track was 1/4 mile.

I'v said before, the 1/8 mile tends to favor a higher numerical final gear, which in turn makes for a less street friendly car. A 3.23 equipped car might even have a chance to get back some low end loos vs a 3.55 car at the end of the quarter.

In the 1/8, that's super magnified, but most successful guys, even in the "backyard" category tend to run 4.56 or lower gears in the 1/8. At least around here.
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Agree. 8" 5200 stall, 5.13 gears....
 
roccodart440 said:
YOu don't have to have gears that steep and unles your peak tq is at 4700 or higher that stall doesn't need to be that high either.
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Unless you have boost, big bottle, or diesel, most build a 1/8 mile car with the ball park I quoted. I mean, you CAN race 1/8 with a stock slant and 2.76 gears, but.....
 
My car has ran 6.40 @ 109.89 mph in the 1/8, pump gas small block with 4.10 gears. It weighs 3350# and burns 93 pump unleaded and I drive it a lot on the street. If I were serious about racing it would have 4.88's but I like driving it. There are a lot of compromises built into the car to make it streetable. I think if I put two more points of compression in it, more duration in the cam and some gears in a lighter car like some guys here are running it would run 5.80's in the 1/8.

Several years ago I was at a race in IL and a burgundy 68 Dart came idling by, it sounded pretty mild. It was a street car with 275 radials on it. I was standing on the trailer a little later and got to see it make a pass. When it left I remember thinking that it didn't get out of the hole very quick but it was flying on the big end. It ran 6.0 something with some insane mph. Later I walked down to the guys pit and struck up a conversation with him. The car still had the 8 3/4, full interior with not even a roll bar. What it did have was a HUGE Indy headed big block, around 600". Also it only ran a 3.23 gear, that's why it didn't look very impressive off the line and the mph was insane. It was one of the most impressive pump gas street cars I've ever seen.
 
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I ran a no prep 1/8 race in a 7.50 bracket. It was boring for me. That doesn’t mean I don’t like 1/8 mile. Each has their place.
 
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