Making steps backwards

Mr. Burk, I agree that the fuel cars must out perform the alky cars. But the fact is something has to be done, either with drive line or aero. But something must be done to reduce speed and breakage, and the fact is the people that manufacture the current parts will fight any change.

On an unrelated note, where is the concern for the fact that the Pro Mod cars are out of control? They destroy one or two every time they race. No worry from the insurance people about them?

The truth is the major forces in fuel racing, and by this I mean the top runners and the people who sell the parts, do not want any thing to change. They do not want any new combos that may allow some independent thinker to threaten their monopoly. They barely tolerate people like Bill Miller... A new combo will start everyone out even, and it cannot cost any more than it already has. It just may allow someone outside of the current circle a chance to compete. The current status in Top Fuel is not good! Maybe the same four cars will win every race this year. And Funny Car is not much better, and even more so in Pro Stock.

And I guess while I am at it, I will mention ESPN. Mike Dunn deserves better than Mr. Page. His attempts to pass himself off as knowledgeable about drag racing are embarrassing and unwatchable for anyone who knows anything about the sport... And the NHRA pays ESPN? I recall when TNN used to show the first round live at 11:00 am on Sunday morning with real drag racers calling the show, and then have the finals live that night, much better than anything today.

So it looks like in the last 15 years we have gone backwards. The last milestones in Top Fuel were the first four second run, and the first 300 mph run. Why can we not get the cars back in that area? It was good racing, and fairly safe and affordable when compared with today. Having said all of this, which I am sure no one in interested in hearing, I will leave the fix to the smarter people than myself... I just know that fuel racing is not as good as it was in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s.

Robert Brown
Punta Gorda, Florida

Looking for ‘intelligent balancing’

Response to "Burk's Blast: Mandating another nitro spec engine is a mistake"

How about this for a TF/FC slow down strategy: implement Dale Armstrong’s plan of limited compression ratio and blower overdrive, let everyone run whatever nitro percentage they want, and throw the retard boxes in the trash where they belong. With the exception of blower pulleys and rods, everything else would pretty much stay the same.

Intelligent balancing of blower OD and CR should allow the rule makers to hit the performance window they are looking for at 1,320 ft. Based on the results of Armstrong’s test runs with Prudhomme's dragster, you will probably have less engine damage than what you have today at 1,000 ft.

Dean Adams   
Southern California