Brittany Force flying once again.

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pittsburghracer

pittsburghracer

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Left Lane: Brittany Force Runs 3.641/338.94, Now #1; Best prior run: 3.742/328.46, Was #9
Right Lane: Justin Ashley Runs 3.706/329.42, Now #7; Best prior run: 3.765/315.19, Was #12

Force launched hard and kept the flames shooting high over the rear wing. She goes to the number one spot. She makes the fastest pass in the history of Top Fuel. Brittany Force's incremental times: 60ft-0.824 sec., 330ft-2.075, 660ft-2.928/297.94 mph.

Ashley is straight down the groove and moves into the top half of the show. Justin Ashley's incremental times: 60ft-0.836 sec., 330ft-2.117, 660ft-2.974/292.71 mph.
 
It’s like tuning, and for that matter riding a controlled explosion.
 
Now all this is still 1000 feet, right?
 
1/4 mile = 1320 ft

Today's 1000 foot drag race track.

That is 320 feet less distance compared to when Don the Snake Prudhomme used to pull the "Full" 1/4 mile.

Real Racing

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George Jets said:
1/4 mile = 1320 ft

Today's 1000 foot drag race track.

That is 320 feet less distance compared to when Don the Snake Prudhomme used to pull the "Full" 1/4 mile.

Real Racing

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Yeah, I know how long a 1/4 mile is. I've just not kept up with it and didn't know if they were still pussed out to 1K feet.
 
RustyRatRod said:
Didn't they make the decision based on "safety"? I mean seriously, 3 seconds to cover 1K feet? That's "SAFER"? LOL
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They put all the speed into the 1000 feet they were trying to get out of the 1320.
 
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ch1ll said:
Grubby is a hell of a tuner.
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Grubby was out during Pro Stock Q2 personally walking almost the full length of the lane they were going to be running in during Top Fuel Q2. He'd get off the track when a run was getting ready to be made, then go back on the track between runs.
Obviously he saw what he needed.
 
The big issue at the time was safety and lack of shutdown. It also killed the son of one of the NHRA most vested members. It was publicity and pr nightmare for the NHRA. But there was an undercurrent of a few racer crying about burning up parts past 1000 feet. When you have a modest budget, the difference between racing a 1000 feet and the 1/4 mile is the difference in racing a few races and a full schedule. The biggest voice amongst these few racers was Jim Head, but he races a full schedule so that makes him, well you know what.

I’ve been to IRP for the US NATIONALS quite a few times, I have car-tent camped at a private lot at the end of the shutdown area. I could see the net and the chain link fence at the property line. Owner told me a sportsman racer came through it one year I was not there and that wasn’t even a 200mph car. I just can’t imagine how he made it through that metal chain link fence in one piece, but they said he walked away from a totally destroyed rail. Plenty of shutdown at that track.
 
Yup, the choice was either cut it to 1000ft and keep racing, or stop racing at a bunch of historic tracks that didn't offer enough shutdown length.

The move to 1000ft has kept top fuel viable for another couple decades, hopefully.
 
Think this has a lot to do with today's 1000 foot track:

"But there was an undercurrent of a few racer crying about burning up parts past 1000 feet. When you have a modest budget, the difference between racing a 1000 feet and the 1/4 mile is the difference in racing a few races and a full schedule."

Considering they burn the spark plugs out of them at 330 feet and are running on compression ignition after that. Can easily imagine them melting the complete engine down by keeping their foot into it for a full 1/4 mile.

Those some expensive engines.
 
Yeah, you stop them from running by shutting the fuel off. All internals get changed every pass, most pistons are burnt anyways. Rods are stretched and most damage to the rods and crank you cannot see with your eyes. Better to replace with fresh parts and win than blow up used parts.
 
The reason I said it was a publicity and pr problem was sooner than later they would be passing the 330 mph mark in 1000 feet and they did. No amount of shutdown length is enough when the explosion/ fire welds the clutch together and your unconscious, the motor just keeps running and driving the car like it did in Scott’s case.

They are still blowing cars up, but they have added safety equipment like burst panels, automatic fuel shutoffs when explosions occur. They have addressed the welding problems they were having with chrome moly chassis tubing.
 
1000 foot racing was a smart move for lots of reasons. It saves lives being number one, racers costs, insurance, stopping distance, and the lists goes on.
 
Back in the 1980’s or 1990’s my exwife and I were at the NHRA event at Columbus Ohio. An alcohol dragster or funny car went flying off the track and across the road into a field at the end of the track. Connie Kaletta was jogging towards us in the pits. One eye was looking one direction and the other one was looking another direction. We were trying to get out of his way but we weren’t sure which way he was going. My ex froze because he was ready to spit a big hocker out, which he almost spit on her. To this day I still don’t know where he was trying to get to as he wasn’t going to catch that car. Man that guy has some goofy eyes.
 
pittsburghracer said:
Back in the 1980’s or 1990’s my exwife and I were at the NHRA event at Columbus Ohio. An alcohol dragster or funny car went flying off the track and across the road into a field at the end of the track. Connie Kaletta was jogging towards us in the pits. One eye was looking one direction and the other one was looking another direction. We were trying to get out of his way but we weren’t sure which way he was going. My ex froze because he was ready to spit a big hocker out, which he almost spit on her. To this day I still don’t know where he was trying to get to as he wasn’t going to catch that car. Man that guy has some goofy eyes.
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Do you think he had one eye closed so he could get a funny car down the track straight?
 
All said and done the drag strip is dangerous beyond imagination unless your walking it after hours. This includes fans in the stands as well. Alot of **** could go wrong, it’s a testament to these racers and crew including the safety safari how good they actually are at all this.
 
I’ll tell you being in the stands is nothing like standing on that starting line.

In the mid 90’s while I was at the US Nationals, my brother’s boss was racing competition eliminator in a econorail with a Pontiac super duty 4 cylinder rail. He gave me his participant id and I was on the starting line for his pass. Believe me I was squatting behind the retaining wall.
The violence these cars leave with is unreal.

He bought this car from jeggie as it was his super comp car when he was growing up. 500 hp, ran 10’s at 150 mph. Matter of fact the previous year he won comp eliminator in it.
 
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