In an unprecedented move, NHRA drag racing’s top nitro tuners are gathering in a unified movement to combat the complex issue of trying to slow their cars in a safe and economical manner. They are also aggressively attacking safety and involved in the procedure is the NHRA.

Clearly the move is intended to return drag racing to its quarter-mile roots. In the meantime, the crew chiefs will do their best to comply with a thousand-foot racing drag strip. Some prefer this as an interim band-aid until the issue of safety is better resolved.

“The way I see it, we have been racing to 1,000 feet for years and hanging on for the last 320 feet,” said John Force Racing crew chief Austin Coil. “This change is nothing but good. When you get to the top end is when the track get a little slippery and you get parts breakage. This change really won’t affect performance numbers that much for the fans. The speeds and times won’t be that much slower. This change just provides everyone more room to slow down and we can still race hard. The Funny Cars and Top Fuel Dragsters are on rev limiters at the top end and like I’ve said, when you are on the rev limiter you really aren’t seriously racing anyway.”

 

High level meetings amongst crew chiefs brings forth new ideas

In an unprecedented move, NHRA drag racing’s top nitro tuners are gathering in a unified movement to combat the complex issue of trying to slow their cars in a safe and economical manner. They are also aggressively attacking safety and involved in the procedure is the NHRA.

Clearly the move is intended to return drag racing to its quarter-mile roots. In the meantime, the crew chiefs will do their best to comply with a thousand-foot racing drag strip. Some prefer this as an interim band-aid until the issue of safety is better resolved.

“The way I see it, we have been racing to 1,000 feet for years and hanging on for the last 320 feet,” said John Force Racing crew chief Austin Coil. “This change is nothing but good. When you get to the top end is when the track get a little slippery and you get parts breakage. This change really won’t affect performance numbers that much for the fans. The speeds and times won’t be that much slower. This change just provides everyone more room to slow down and we can still race hard. The Funny Cars and Top Fuel Dragsters are on rev limiters at the top end and like I’ve said, when you are on the rev limiter you really aren’t seriously racing anyway.”

One of the ideas brought forward in a meeting this week was a “master” kill switch on Funny Cars should a driver get in trouble. This switch would be mounted on the steering wheel of nitro cars and when a driver depresses the switch the fuel pumps will shut off as well as the magneto and the parachutes would deploy instantly. Also bantered would be a full disc braking system in an attempt to slow errant race cars such as the one that killed veteran Funny Car driver Scott Kalitta last month in Englishtown, N.J.

The drivers are beginning to see a unified effort in the name of safety and a lot of this credit, some say, centers around the NHRA’s insistence to get involved.

“The one thing that I can tell you right now is, speaking with Jim Head, Tom Compton, Graham Light, all these people, this is the first time I honestly believe that they’re going to work as a group,” said Gary Scelzi. “And it’s not all NHRA’s fault.  I’m going to tell you, us as the racers are as guilty as anyone of not being able to make decisions, and everybody not getting along.  Not that NHRA doesn’t have some problems, too.  I had some conversations with Jim Head, all the major crew chiefs were talking yesterday, and agreeing on a lot of things, and there was very little bickering.

“I think finally this one [Kalitta’s accident] has put us over the edge and everyone is going to work together.  I don’t care what happened two weeks ago, I just care what’s going to happen two weeks from now.  And it all looks good.

“I’ve got to be honest with you. You know me, I’d tell you if I didn’t think it was.”