Brittany Force Is Officially The Fastest Person In NHRA History Story by Brad Brownell • 1h •

[273]

It sounds like many on here don't fully understand the modern TF and the driver's role. Essentially today's cars are automatic; they simply need someone to hold the pedal down the whole way. Whether or not any of us has the cojones to do that is another discussion. The performance is 100% what the tuner (crew chief) has set the car up for. And that setup is a very scientific process taking into account the track's grip, atmospheric conditions, etc. and tweaking the many available settings to get maximum performance. Perhaps the single most important thing to get right is the clutch application timers to get through the "shake zone" (approximately the first 300'), but sometimes it involves taking power out of the engine.

Crew chiefs set the car up to run a certain number based on data, and if everything works as intended the car will run that number. The only reason it will go slower is mechanical failure or a driver mistake (as Jim Dunn said). But the driver cannot, no matter what, make it go faster than it is set up for. How many times have you heard an interviewer asking a crew chief what the car will run before the run, and the car runs it, or within a hundredth or two? They already know what the car will run based on their tune-up and are rarely surprised by it going quicker, although often disappointed it didn't run the number they expected. It's never, "if he drives it hard it will be fast!" It's a very calculated run that can be executed perfectly - or flubbed by the driver. Note that they never predict speed because speed doesn't win races - ET + reaction time does.

It's not the old days of slipping the clutch with your foot, pulling or holding the brake to prevent wheelspin, or feathering the throttle to control it. In those days a skilled driver could affect the performance of the car, but not anymore. Today it's slam the pedal to the floor and keep it going in a straight line. Where a driver can make a difference and win races is with a good reaction time or feeling the car well enough to pedal it (lift and reapply throttle) when the tires begin to smoke.

So 413 is not wrong to say any competent driver can make the same run in that car. It's the car, not the driver. But to Brittany's credit, she is good at not making the driving mistakes that make the car run slower than it is set up for.

And of last night Brittany ran 343.16 mph (!) because conditions were excellent, and crew chief David Grubnic is THE MAN!

That's the way It goes the driver gets most of the credit, obviously the crew and car have to be up to the task for the driver to shine, point is why all a sudden pick on this record ? So all drivers should have there names stripped from any record then, give back their trophies then ?

 

[TheRacerDave]

That's the way It goes the driver gets most of the credit, obviously the crew and car have to be up to the task for the driver to shine, point is why all a sudden pick on this record ? So all drivers should have there names stripped from any record then, give back their trophies then ?

I'm not picking on this record at all; it's significant and likely to stand for quite a while. All I'm saying is that no driver can make the car run quicker than it's set up for. Congrats to her and the team for putting it all together to make that run. She was given a great car and drove it flawlessly.

It's true the drivers receive all the glory - and the tuners and team get undeservedly overlooked. Years ago the tuner and driver was often the same person - and they were also usually the owner/builder/truck driver/chief cook and bottle washer. You have to have a lot more respect for that "renaissance man" racer than someone with a singular duty, but that racer is an extreme rarity these days; if there's any at all.

I've often griped that many of today's drivers only drive and can't build/tune a car; but then it could be said others can build/tune a car but can't drive it. Contemporary professional racing requires a full team with specialized skills to win, which is why you can't attribute success to a single person, and why it's unfair to give all the glory to Brittany while overlooking the contributions of the rest of the team.

 

[273]

I'm not picking on this record at all; it's significant and likely to stand for quite a while. All I'm saying is that no driver can make the car run quicker than it's set up for. Congrats to her and the team for putting it all together to make that run. She was given a great car and drove it flawlessly.

It's true the drivers receive all the glory - and the tuners and team get undeservedly overlooked. Years ago the tuner and driver was often the same person - and they were also usually the owner/builder/truck driver/chief cook and bottle washer. You have to have a lot more respect for that "renaissance man" racer than someone with a singular duty, but that racer is an extreme rarity these days; if there's any at all.

I've often griped that many of today's drivers only drive and can't build/tune a car; but then it could be said others can build/tune a car but can't drive it. Contemporary professional racing requires a full team with specialized skills to win, which is why you can't attribute success to a single person, and why it's unfair to give all the glory to Brittany while overlooking the contributions of the rest of the team.

No one saying you have to attribute all the success to the driver but some want to attribute nothing to the driver, they weren't adding acknowledgment to the crew they were mainly dismissing Brittany. Yes Brittany and her Crew Chief and Team etc.. all deserve the praises and yes she gonna get most then crew chief and the rest near zero just the way it goes, really money had more to do with than anyone, without it none of it would happen.

 

[Desoto291hemi]

I hate to admit it but it’s almost all true .
The modern fuel cars are basically set on automatic .
After the launch,,,,then the sequence starts,,,,the timers really do almost all of it after that .

I’m not taking anything away from her,,,,but it’s almost all in the setup after that .

I miss the old days of no computers and no read outs !
Then,,,it was all talent,,,nerves,,,,and a whole lot of guessing the conditions .
Also ,,a little Luck missed in for good measure .

Tommy

 

[273]

I hate to admit it but it’s almost all true .
The modern fuel cars are basically set on automatic .
After the launch,,,,then the sequence starts,,,,the timers really do almost all of it after that .

I’m not taking anything away from her,,,,but it’s almost all in the setup after that .

I miss the old days of no computers and no read outs !
Then,,,it was all talent,,,nerves,,,,and a whole lot of guessing the conditions .
Also ,,a little Luck missed in for good measure .

Tommy

My Uncle races Top Alcohol, not cause he worked way up to it, he basically started there cause he could afford to do it out of pocket.

Automotive sports isn't like other sports, the car ($$$) plays a huge part in anyone's success

 

[Swinger 340]

Just smelled the cigs, hairspray and perfume.

Now-A-Days, it's the smell of rubber, that is the "turn-On".