Since the middle of the 2010 season, NHRA has been testing different ways to reduce the power of nitro cars.

Initially, the NHRA was seeking to conclude data gathering no later than July. That deadline, however, has been extended. This past week at O’Reilly Raceway Park in Indianapolis, Robert Hight and Antron Brown were doing some more testing for the NHRA.

“We tested a 413-inch engine and a 350 gear,” said Jimmy Prock, who is the crew chief for Robert Hight at John Force Racing. “We made two runs with it in Chicago and I made four runs with it here (at Indy). At Indy, it ran 4.16 seconds at 288 mph (at 1,000-foot).”

Depending on what the NHRA does, there is the possibility the sanctioning body might have the nitro cars return to traditional quarter-mile racing.

Since the middle of the 2010 season, NHRA has been testing different ways to reduce the power of nitro cars.

Initially, the NHRA was seeking to conclude data gathering no later than July. That deadline, however, has been extended. This past week at O’Reilly Raceway Park in Indianapolis, Robert Hight and Antron Brown were doing some more testing for the NHRA.

“We tested a 413-inch engine and a 350 gear,” said Jimmy Prock, who is the crew chief for Robert Hight at John Force Racing. “We made two runs with it in Chicago and I made four runs with it here (at Indy). At Indy, it ran 4.16 seconds at 288 mph (at 1,000-foot).”

Depending on what the NHRA does, there is the possibility the sanctioning body might have the nitro cars return to traditional quarter-mile racing.

The NHRA has already tested the value of a smaller gallons per minute fuel pump.

“I have no idea if they (NHRA) are trying to use this (the 413-inch engine) for the quarter-mile,” Prock said. “That engine doesn’t have the power that ours has (now). We’re just trying to help them (NHRA) gather information, and they’re going to do what they want to do. I do not know what that is.”

While Robert Hight and Prock were testing the smaller engine, Brown, who drives the Matco Tools Top Fuel dragster for Don Schumacher Racing, also was testing a restrictor plate for the NHRA last Tuesday at Indy. Brown made four laps at Indy.

Brian Corradi, who is the co-crew chief of Brown’s dagster with Mark Oswald, said they also did some testing for NHRA in Chicago in June, making two passes.

“The restrictor plate we used at Indy was two square inches smaller than what we used at Chicago,” Corradi said. “The car had good ets (elapsed times), it just didn’t have good mphs. It is having a hard time above 8,000 rpms.”

Corradi said Brown’s dragster clocked a 3.89-second run at Chicago and a 4.95-second effort at Indy. Brown’s top mph with the restrictor plates was 305.

“We’re just helping the NHRA gather information, and it is not our decision whether the NHRA does that (use restrictor plates) or not,” Oswald said. “We just want to be part of the process and help out, so we’re not left out in the dark. My thoughts are if the NHRA goes to restrictor plates, we have run it, so we have a leg up, so good for us. I think it is just a matter that they collecting data for the future, so they do not ever get caught between a rock and a hard place. In case something happens and you have to make a move, you have data because you have tried things.”

Prock says he doesn’t believe the NHRA will make any major changes in the near future.

“I do not see the NHRA going and doing what we did right away because it is too expensive,” Prock said. “I just think they wanted to see what we would run (with that 413-inch engine). The gear does a good job of slowing the speed down. It ran 288 mph at 8200 rpm. I do not know if they (NHRA) have any other tests planned. You can’t change something like that right away, you have to give them some time. There’s too much inventory of parts. It’s not an unchangeable thing because a lot of it is expendable parts, but you can’t say you’re going to change that right now. You could not do that. You wouldn’t have enough parts. I think they (NHRA) are trying to look at different ways in case they need to do something.”

Graham Light, NHRA’s senior vice president, racing operations, said the sanctioning body isn’t in a rush to make any decision about engine combinations or reducing the power of nitro cars.

x“There’s no plan to make any engine changes for 2011,” Light said. “Something unforeseen could happen in a month and make a liar out of me, but at this point there’s no plan. We’re just gathering data and looking at a number of different combinations. We’re keeping accurate files and what we want to accomplish is have one or two combinations that have been well tested, have all the data on it, and have them on the shelf, so when the time comes for whatever reason that may be, we have some methods that have been well tested and we can share all the information with the race teams and make it as easy as possible for them to adapt to the change.”

Corradi says if the NHRA did utilize the restrictor plates at one point, it wouldn’t really impact a team’s budget.

“That would be more cost effective for restrictor plates for most teams out here because can just put it on our car without making a lot of changes,” Corradi said. “But, if you were to change the ring gear, change it to a 350 gear or change the engine combination to a smaller displacement, that’s going to be costly and you’re not going to have a lot of people out here racing. That’s what we need. We need people out here racing. Yes, we need to make the sport safe also, but it has to be cost effective.”

Light also is well aware of how possible changes might impact the pocketbook of teams.

“It just depends on the nature of the change,” Light said. “You could have a change such as what we’re testing with Antron’s car where it is a simple restrictor plate in between the injector and the blower and it does not require any new parts. They’re running a different gear ratio, so maybe it would require a gear ratio. Before we implement anything we would get with manufacturers and look at what their availability is to supply the teams. Obviously, the cost. A lot of these items on the cars are disposable products anyway. Crankshafts, pistons, and rods, they cycle through them in a very fast period of time. Some things aren’t. Depending on the nature of the combination change, that dictates the lead time that you need to give both manufacturers and racers to try and cycle through their existing inventory to make it as painless as possible. We have always been concerned about the economics to the race teams and we’re particularly concerned about the economics in this economy. The last thing we want to do is implement something if it causes us to lose those, some of those lesser-financed. That’s not the best interest of anybody. At the same token, we need to get ahead of the curve, we need to do a lot of testing. We need to understand the effects of different combinations. Whether it be small engines, smaller fuel pumps, smaller tires, downforce, I do not care what it is. Test them all. Some things will work very well and some will be huge failures. Maybe there would some advantages out of a different combination, that long term would be cheaper for the teams.”

Light believes smaller motors could make sense financially.

“It appears on the surface, a smaller motor because of the shorter stroke, the crankshaft life may live considerably longer,” Light said. “Crankshafts are expensive items and if they are having to replace them on a regular basis, so if they could double the life that may make it more affordable. Those are all the things you have to look at and consider. We’re not going to surprise anybody with a short notice change. We have been very open with all of the teams, sharing with them what we have been testing. Most of the teams have been there and watched either when Robert (Hight) has run (Tim) Wilkerson or Antron Brown. They know what is being done and the crew chiefs are being very cooperative working with Dan Olson and his people. Right now we have had a lot of cooperation from teams. Some of them have taken it as an interesting challenge. We’re learning a lot.”

Oswald says there are some other things to consider with restrictor plates besides its affordable price.

“The only issue with restrictor plates is what does it do in different altitudes,” Oswald said. “So, it probably should be tested in a higher altitude like Las Vegas, or a place like Bristol or Brainerd, versus a sea level place like Gainesville, you would need to know that information. A place like Bandimere may be a place where you take it (the restrictor plate) off. You might have three different restrictor plates. You might, we do not know that, that is what this testing is about.”

Light confirmed to Attitude's CompetititonPlus.com Sunday, NHRA will do no more testing this season in regards to reducing power in the nitro cars.

“The Countdown guys are in the championship mode, and there’s minimal time off, so we (the NHRA) will start doing some more testing in the offseason,” Light said. “I would have to talk to Dan (Olson) because he is heading that program up, but certainly we will do testing at Phoenix in the offseason, maybe even the latter part of this year and the first part of next year, and I do not know what else he has planned.”

Since the on-track death of Scott Kalitta, the son of NHRA legend Connie Kalitta and a two-time NHRA world champion, on June 21, 2008 during qualifying for the Lucas Oil SuperNationals Old Bridge Township Raceway Park in Englishtown, N.J., the NHRA has had both Top Fuel dragsters and Funny Cars race to 1000-feet, instead of the traditional quarter-mile (1,320 feet).

Del Worsham, who pilots the Al-Anabi Racing Funny Car, thinks the NHRA should keep the nitro racing at 1,000 feet.

“My personal opinion on it, which might not be the opinion of the team or of the class, is that I would stay at 1,000 feet and I would like to stay at the horsepower we are at,” Worsham said. “I would rather go fast to 1,000 feet than slow to a quarter-mile myself. I just do not think it is going to be exciting running 4.95 at 300 mph at a quarter-mile in one of these cars with the stability and downforce and the size of cars and bodies and tires we have today. It is just not going to be what we’re used to seeing - that’s Funny Cars that are loose and skating and possibly blowing up and smoking the tires. We might lose a lot of what we like about Funny Car racing and I’m afraid if we reduce the horsepower that might be where we are.”

Bob Tasca III, who is in his third year driving a Top Fuel Funny Car, concurred with Worsham.

“I fully support what NHRA is doing right now,” Tasca said. “It’s always a good idea to look for alternatives and look for a better way. But, my personal opinion based on two years of racing at 1,000 feet, is that racing has never been closer and parts life has never been better. From a safety standpoint, the greatest gift you can give a driver when all goes wrong is 320 feet. Distance is everything because eventually a car is going to stop. If every track were like Phoenix or places where you had an infinite shutoff, then lets race to 1,500 feet. Believe me, we are not afraid of going fast. The real issue is stopping when everything goes wrong. That’s where you have seen fatalities in the past and you have seen fatalities this year and you will continue to see fatalities. This is the sport we’re in. There are risks involved with it and you accept those as a driver, but clearly you want to give yourself every chance to survive.”

Worsham, who made his Funny Car debut in 1990, has no insight on what the NHRA will do when it comes to making changes in the interest of safety.

“I have no idea what the NHRA is going to do, and it matters to me what they may do because I like what we have and I like going quick,” Worsham said. “To run that extra 320 feet to me isn’t that big of deal. I know it is to some people, and I feel bad for that, but I feel right now in my 20 years of driving, that I’m driving the safest possible car I’ve driven in 20 years.”

Tasca also understands how some diehard drag racing fans want racing to return to the quarter-mile for nitro cars.

“I think the purist do not like 1,000 feet racing, but I do not think there is anybody who comes to a race that wants to see somebody get killed,” Tasca said. “If they do, I could care less if they ever come to a drag race. We’re here to compete and have fun, but we want to bring the drivers home. I compliment NHRA on continuing to look at alternatives whether it is to go back to a quarter-mile or go stay at 1,000 feet. Personally, I think what we are doing right now, I have never felt safer in my Ford. If you’re a drag racing purist, you’re a fan of mine. These are the people who are passionate about our sport and how can you not love those fans. At the end of the day, it’s about insurance companies because you can’t race without insurance. It’s about our sport and it’s not good to kill drivers. No one is going to say that’s a good thing, not even the purist. So, you have to take a step back and the sanctioning body has to save us from ourselves, me included, and we want to race. At the end of the day, we have to be safe. We’re on race tracks that were designed for 200 mph cars. That’s a fact and now we’re going 330 mph. I do not see a day that we go back to quarter-mile racing.”

During Worsham’s career he has seen the full spectrum of Funny Car racing.

“I remember when we raced more than the quarter-mile,” said the 40-year-old Worsham. “We ran 66 feet past the quarter-mile to get your speed. The speed traps were 66 feet in front of the quarter-mile and 66 behind the quarter-mile and we used to call that driving out the back door. When I first started driving, we had these big painted Xs out there and that was the speed trap you went through and it was fun. That was quarter-mile racing at 275 mph. Now, we run 313 mph at 1,000 feet. I really do not want to go back (to quarter-mile racing). I hope the fans accept 1,000 foot drag racing and I hope NHRA does.”

Tim Wilkerson, who finished fourth and second in the Funny Car points in 2009 and 2008, believes the NHRA shouldn’t tinker with how the racing is now.

“I think we’re pretty good where we are,” Wilkerson said. “The racing is close and the competition is good. I’ve got beat and won races this year closer than I ever have in my life. From a fan perspective, I do not know how you can beat what we’re doing now. I’m not in favor of going back and racing at a quarter-mile.”

Unlike Worsham and Wilkerson, veteran Funny Car driver Ron Capps is undecided about 1,000 foot and quarter-mile racing.

“One of the most fun times I had in a long time was driving Steve Plueger’s L.A. Hooker nostalgic car at the March meet in Bakersfield,” Capps said. “Going a quarter mile, we ran 5.60 at 250 mph, shifting a nitro Funny Car. The driving part was put back into the car, and a lot of that is taken away nowadays with these cars and going a quarter-mile was fun. Right now, we have a great deal for the fans, it is really the best racing we’ve seen. It’s more stress for the drivers because there’s less race track and reaction times are so much more important. It really brings much more emphasis on what happens at the starting line.”

Capps also is aware of the test sessions the NHRA is conducting as part of its ongoing power reduction program.

“I know they (NHRA) have been testing things with a restrictor plate and a smaller engine and Dan Olson (NHRA’s director of Top Fuel and Funny Car Racing) was happy with the test the other day with the smaller motor and the restrictor plate,” Capps said. “I just hope everybody is real educated on what they are doing. They have good people in Dan Olson and Graham Light (NHRA’s Senior Vice President, Racing Operations) and I just hope they’re making an educated move because I would hate to make our show not as good as it is for the fans. In this day and age, fans are tough to come by and we have the best fans in the world. NASCAR is NASCAR, and they have empty seats and their ratings are down. Indy Car still advertises that they’re the fastest motorsport in the world, which pisses me off because it is not true, and they have empty seats there (in Indy Car) as well. I’m proud when we do a burnout on Friday afternoon, the stands are full. Right now, things are good, the cars are safe and 1,000 foot is good on safety.”

Capps said there was a driver’s meeting for the Pro Nitro Group Friday at Indy where safety concerns were addressed. Capps and Worsham formed the Pro Nitro Group, for Top Fuel and Funny Car drivers only, following Scott Kalitta’s death.

“The emphasis on that meeting was drivers shutting their cars off on time and not relying on this automatic shutoff thing,” Capps said. “By no means am I putting myself above any driver and saying I’m better. I have had Graham Light come to me and mention names and I’ve watched the TV show and slowed it down and there are some drivers with the flames out of the pipes at the quarter-mile mark. If something goes wrong, then we’re put right back in the position we were before. If we concentrate on doing the best we can, we will keep it as safe as we can. If NHRA wants us to go back to quarter-mile and they develop something that will do that at a reduced cost for the owners, I’m all for it, but I also love what we’re doing now, so I see both sides of it.”

Capps says the point in forming the Nitro Group was to give drivers a voice to the NHRA.

“We address anything safety-wise to Dan Olson and Graham Light because some of us drivers aren’t owner/drivers, we’re paid, hired drivers,” Capps said. “The PRO (Professional Racers Owners Organization) has always been something that was an owner’s type of thing, and wasn’t reflected by what the drivers go through safety-wise. So, now with the group we have, if we have a Funny Car driver for example who has an issue with a track he will call me, I will go talk to (Bob) Vandergriff Jr. and Larry (Dixon) and we will have a discussion about it and go see Graham Light and Dan Olson and it will be addressed.”

Despite a stout Funny Car field, no one could dethrone top qualifier Matt Hagan on the final day of qualifying for the U.S. Nationals.

---

{source}
<div style="float:left; padding:5px;">
<script type="text/javascript">
sr_adspace_id = 2000000613807;
sr_adspace_width = 300;
sr_adspace_height = 250;
sr_ad_new_window = true;
sr_adspace_type = "graphic";
</script>
<script type="text/javascript" src="http://ad.afy11.net/srad.js?azId=2000000613807">
</script></div>

<div style="padding:5px;"><script type="text/javascript">
google_ad_client = "pub-8044869477733334";
/* 300x250, created 4/3/09 */
google_ad_slot = "2028912167";
google_ad_width = 300;
google_ad_height = 250;
</script>
<script src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js" type="text/javascript"></script>
</div>{/source}