1000-ft track prep causing racers and NHRA major grief

Notice the tires of Antron Brown and Terry McMillen as they near the finish line at Englishtown last month. (Debbie Gastelu photo)

The NHRA’s decision to shorten the track for Nitro cars but retain the traditional quarter mile for all other classes is one they may have come to regret.

The problem they face is that today’s Top Fuel, Funny Cars and Pro doorslammer tune-ups are based on a track surface that is sticky enough to pull the shoes off a man’s foot from the starting line to the finish line. NHRA track crews have made a science out of delivering such a racing surface and now the racers cannot and will not accept anything less.

But here is the rub. It has been proven that the Goodyear-built rear tire surface tends to “chunk” when the driver steps off of the throttle on a “glued” track surface. When NHRA decided to shorten the track to 1,000 feet, the Top Fuel and Funny Car teams demanded that the NHRA only “glue” the track to that distance as a safety measure. Unfortunately, the Pro Stock and Pro Mod cars, which have been using less and less rear wing in order to go faster and faster, now sometimes have to race on a track where the last 320 feet aren’t glued.

It would seem the NHRA really has just three options to satisfy all of the professional racers: 1. Quit prepping the track to a “shoe pulling” surface from the starting line to the finish line, which could mean a return to the 1320 for all classes; 2. Make all of the pro classes run 1,000 feet and continue to prep the track the way it has been; or 3. Run Pro Stock after the Top Fuel and Funny Cars have completed their laps every time and keep gluing to 1,000 feet. I don’t see any other options left for them. (Jeff Burk) [7/15/2010]

NHRA makes carbon fiber brake rotors mandatory immediately; announces more safety rules for TF, FC, TAD and TAFC

Following the fatal accident at Seattle last weekend NHRA announced today (July 15) that carbon fiber brake rotors and pads will be a mandatory part on Top Fuel dragsters, Fuel Funny Cars, Top Alcohol Dragsters and Top Alcohol Funny Cars effective July 21, 2010. Front carbon fiber brakes will be mandatory for Nitro Funny Cars and Top Alcohol Funny Cars by August 11, 2010. 

NHRA is currently working with manufacturers on a secondary tethering device for parachutes for the Top Fuel, Funny Car, TAD and TAFC classes. This is in addition to a new specification for parachute mounting for the same four classes that was introduced earlier this year.      

A radio frequency-activated shutoff device, which shuts off the fuel supply, cuts ignition and deploys the parachutes if the driver has not done so after passing the finish line, will be mandatory beginning in 2011 for the Top Alcohol classes. 

All of today’s announcements follow a series of safety enhancements for Top Fuel, Funny Car, Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car implemented this year. These include a burst panel-activated safety shutoff system, which releases parachutes automatically when the manifold burst panel breaks; the use of a cable around the main element of the rear wing to automatically deploy the chutes if the wing breaks; improved oil catch can systems; use of the Eject helmet removal system; and fireproof tubing around brake lines. [7/15/2010]