WHO’S COUNTING HEMI’S?
I read in an NHRA press release that 30 SS/A Hemi cars are entered for the Indy Nationals Hemi Challenge. The release also claims that this is the largest number of entries ever for the HC event.
Way back when these cars were brand new (1968-69), did the class entry numbers ever exceed 30 for either (or both) the stick and automatic Hemi cars? It pains me to admit that I
remember when C/Modified Production and B/Stock (due to the seemingly zillions of new Pontiac GTO's and 396 Chevelles entered!) were the classes with the most entries. Those were also the days of 1,500+ total Nationals entries!
I still enjoy the nitro wars, but the Hemi Challenge is, to me, the single most significant part of the current NHRA Nationals. It's also not difficult to make a strong case for "most popular" when the race fans stand up and cheer when the cars run and drive past the stands on their way back to the pits.
Guess that says Indy is still home to a lot of dedicated doorslammer fans who truly appreciate a hard-fought class-car drag race.
Jim Hill
Daytona Beach, FL
EUROPEANS DO IT QUICKER?
I noticed in Herman Marchetti's recent piece on the Nitro Extravaganza at Spokane, that he referred to "Gary Omlin ran 4.986 at 284.67 mph in what is believed to be the first ever four-second pass on an all-asphalt racing surface".
I'm afraid Herman is mistaken. On the European FIA Top Fuel tour, 4-second runs have been common-place since 1998. At Britain's (all-asphalt) Santa Pod Raceway, Kim Reymond ran a tremendous 4.645 second pass at 317.45 mph, back in September 2003. (Video: http://www.topnitro-uk.com/video/464.asf) On the Scandinavian Swing of the FIA tour, last month, 4.8- and 4.7-second passes were the order of the day with Switzerland's Urs Erbacher getting oh-so-close to breaking the 320-mph barrier with a 319.38 mph pass in his ex-Doug Herbert owned and now Glen Mikres-tuned McKinney dragster.
I can guess that Herman just used the line as a "throw away" statement, but a quick Google would have revealed to him this information and thus would have avoided the small gaff. His article was otherwise most interesting and informative.
Yours sincerely,
Richard Stirling
Derby, England
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