The Myth Busters

[Joe T.]

I have read countless accusations of wrong doing on the internet. Most of which have little or no facts to back them up. I for one am a behind the scenes type guy. While most internet types are hyped up over who is holding up the Wally, I am more interested in just how things evolved to get to that point. Who is in the engine shop and back in the pits turning wrenches.

Many rules in the rule book evolved as time went on. Things that were done in the past may not have been considered illegal at the time. Years ago I read in the National Dragster that Larry Morgan had a device in his hood scoop that misted alcohol into the air stream. The rule at the time was nothing was to be introduced into the engine. NHRA made him remove it and later revised the rule book. "Pizza John" Mafaro once put dry ice in the air scoop of his Pro Stock motorcycle. Once again, it was not an infraction of the rules at the time. NHRA made him remove it and revised the rule book. Ken Duttweiler ran a twin turbo car in a single turbo class in Super Stock. In the text of the rule book there was a reference to the “turbos” inlet size. His interpretation was turbos is plural for turbo and hence you must be allowed more then one.

Is it possible to have an open discussion on this message board about things like this that won’t turn into a bash fest? With all the changes NHRA is planning it would be nice to talk about going fast and racing for a change. I'm starting to wonder if it is too late already.

[jpee]

Joe I like your train of thought... I was just thinking of (forgot name) of a PS racer who was DQ because a wrist pin was to light.. however when NHRA weighed the whole assembly (Piston, Rod, & Wrist pin.. it was within the tolerance..
We were just bench racing today at Reading... PS came up.. the rule says 500ci... ok I'm assuming you can get that 500 with ANY bore & stroke combination you want...but NO you can only use approved blocks also why would NHRA prohibit 4 valve heads.. if the motor is 500ci & someone wants to design a 4 valve head why stop him.. ?

Also in TF there are only 3 blocks permitted.. & I think Kenny Bernstein bought one of those co. when the owner died... I have no prob with that but why cant a TF team run a jpee block it it meets the specs..

Or better yet... look at the tires.. on TF they have to be a certain size.. ok agreed.. but what if M&H or Hoosier came up with a tire that was the correct size.. but HOOKED BETTER than the Goodyears... no dice M&H is outta luck.. so is the guy in PS who don't meet the "cookie cutter" rules...

JMHO

[prostockfan]

It was Mike Edwards whose wrist pins were 2 grams light.

NHRA is 100% politics - for themselves and the manufactures. Not only in the pro divisions but the sportsman as well. Probably the biggest scam they had was with the mufflers a few years back. Saying it was MANDATORY that all super classes run mufflers. Gee, do you think for one second NHRA did not approach the manufactures and say- we will make this a rule for a few years, so due to the HUGE increase in sales you will get we want 10 of the gross.

NHRA is a bunch of ego maniacs - both in the management offices and the PRO racers who also run things.

I believe it was Alan Johnson who bought the block co - not Berstein?

Run a few IHRA races and you will see the difference in the way you are treated. You can run super street and they treat you like a human being. NHRA unless your name is Shumacher, Bernstein or Force - forget about it.

JMHO

[The_Leaker]

Holding up a wally is a powerful thing......and im sure some would sell there mamas to do it

I have 1 and let me tell you the dollars (o my) I spent getting one (sportsman) was one of the most memorale events in my life even if it took me 15 yrs..

Even the oscars (divisional events) i own were exceptional wins and hard to come by and each was cherished

I cannot imagine the feeling of a pro win and the amount of work that must go into pulling a NHRA pro class win must be, but i can tell you this im sure theres not much a person will try to do to get one.

I ran some pro in ihra and let me tell you the class and feeling is not the same as the nazi racing group.

You may hate them but they are the show and the place to be and the place to win at.

For some of us as don schumacher states "keyboard racers" its all we have.

We watch and in some cases race sportsman classes and spend our hard earned PERSONAL money to try and win that little gold *******.

WHAT EATS UP THE WHOLENESS of drag racing is the MONSTER that sponsers and team owners have started

You have a good driver and have that guy under contract and because he doesnt have any money he must sit because 1 his contract wont let him drive a race car for anyone else because the team owner is a nazi himself

NO MONEY NO RACING and you must sit because i have you under contract and basically screw you

This is the problem i have with drag racing today and yes this is directed towards the NAZI teamowners and the creations they have made and im sure thats why we have the bad taste in our mouths towards pros

welcome to the world of sportsman racing o yea and according to schumacher "keyboard racers"

Sorry to rant but drag racing used to be a great great sport on the national event level now its become a cockfest and a kiss azz fest for the sponser and team owners

And once the moneys all gone there gonna leave it in ruins

Having team owners limited to 2 cars might open up some doors to others and to otherwise drivers who wont get a 2nd look do to the lobbying efforts of the super rich team owners

IF Tony schumacher lost army ya think shoe would spend his own money for the gratification of winning and i mean like for a few years?


NO



"wining eights rounds is alot harder then 4"

[Joe T.]

Joe I like your train of thought... I was just thinking of (forgot name) of a PS racer who was DQ because a wrist pin was to light.. however when NHRA weighed the whole assembly (Piston, Rod, & Wrist pin.. it was within the tolerance..
We were just bench racing today at Reading... PS came up.. the rule says 500ci... ok I'm assuming you can get that 500 with ANY bore & stroke combination you want...but NO you can only use approved blocks also why would NHRA prohibit 4 valve heads.. if the motor is 500ci & someone wants to design a 4 valve head why stop him.. ?


JMHO

The Pro Stock rule also states that the engine must have 2 valves 1 cam. Here is the thing about allowing too much evolution. NHRA Pro Stock has had the same parameters since 1982. 500” @ 2350# naturally aspirated. Back in ’82 they were going 7.80s. Now they are over 1 second quicker. By keeping the rules restrictive and consistent the racers need to refine what they have. This is what promotes good racing. When you start out with a clean slate, the money will rule the roost. Once things get settled down, the talent will filter in. If the class evolves faster then the parts wear out, then how can anyone afford to invest their time and money in the class? A customer of mine was in to the Mustang racing for a few years. By the time we got the car going fast with what we had, they had all new (and bigger) blowers, heads, and blocks, that made racing our parts a waste of time. BTW, we started out with the newest and the biggest blower. We had it on the car months before it was released. In one season it was old news.

[Nativeson]

Yes, but it also costs 10X as much to run in PS now even though the rules haven't changed. The ET's have decreased as development of more exotic parts, equipment, and expensive tune ups have evolved. It'll always come back to $$$$ when it comes to drag racing. Unless someone develops a spec drag racing assoc. where you lease all the cars in the class, the teams that can afford the best will usually do the best.

I can only afford to take my car out a couple times a year, but I still have fun doing it! :)

[Joe T.]

In the beginning IHRA had no limit to engine size for Pro Stock. This was back when the parts available could get you about 600”. Then the engines started getting bigger. Before you knew it they were 800+”. Suddenly, IHRA put a limit on engine size. Even the deepest pockets can’t afford to start from scratch every season.

For a class to be entertaining there needs to be good close competition. Once you say spec anything, the class will lose all respect from a real fan. Ever watch an IROC race? (Yawn). To attract the talented people that make racing what it is, the class needs to be impossible to win. That is when the people that do the impossible put their minds together.