Interesting Day at the Track

I've also now heard back from another track who's tech director has never had this question come up in the past and who on reading the rule thought I was OK but he was going to go to NHRA for a ruling as well.

So the tech director at the second track called the same dude at the NHRA and got the same answer.

Good Lord!!!!!!!!
 
Been there done that. Had to put stock fronts on in the middle of race at Maple Grove in the early 2000s. Had the same argument, lost, threw the stockers on and proceeded to win the race! That was actually my first win and felt even better as it was kinda like a F-U to the tech guy who made a big deal about it!

Adam
 
it was kinda like a F-U to the tech guy who made a big deal about it!

Tech is there to keep everyone safe, not to hope we fail. They deserve a big thanks for an otherwise thankless job, I think.

And good job on that first win.
 
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I've talked to the tech guys at three tracks. The one where I was cited which is more of a local type track and two others that both hold NHRA national events and neither of the other tracks was aware of the rule, however both contacted the NHRA and came to the same conclusion that the space saver wheels were NOT allowed regardless of what the rule book seems to imply.

It seems like the type of deal where you can get away with space saver wheels since it not a well known rule but if you are flagged then you are stuck.

For most of the people in this club who only race a few times a year I would stick with the space savers....for me I'm going to bite the bullet and upgrade.
 
That's awesome Brian! I'm glad to see it all worked out for you. The less the suspension moves the better. If you hook with that low of travel, then you have a lot more that you can throw at it. What gears are you running? If you get to a point where you just raise your launch RPM to get 60 foot then you're more prone to spin as opposed to increasing torque multiplication from gear change. Converter plays a good part in it too.

Other than changing parts, just start cranking the leave RPM up and finding the point where you spin. From this video looks like you'll be changing the compression shock adjustment, possibly changing rear springs. Your extension adjustment is pretty good looking for bias ply tires. If you get to a slippery track then softening the extension adjustment will let the tires plant a little harder, but if it's too hard it will wad up the middle of the tire and make you spin.

Just some tips!
 
I'd have to check my notes but I'm pretty sure on the pass in the video I left at 4200rpm off the trans brake with 13psi in the tires. Shocks were set at the mid point of the adjustment for both extension and compression. I run a 3.73 gear and trap at a little under 6k rpm.
 
The front tire thing is just a matter of NHRA throwing their weight around which is fine, it's their gig. Space saver wheels such as we use are DOT approved which is to say lot more stringent set of requirements than the crap that is often passed off as "drag race only". A lot of drag race wheels and tires are just pure junk really. It's also funny that we see 9 sec cars running street tires on the fronts of their cars that are often rated for only 112mph, or that we see drag racing tires that have no speed rating whatsoever. How does that even work?

Oh, and thanks Brian for making an issue out of this so now we ALL have to upgrade. :p J/K
 
Oh, and thanks Brian for making an issue out of this so now we ALL have to upgrade. :p J/K

No problem....I think every track in the Northeast is now up to speed on this rule.

I get not running the spare tires but the wheels!!!! Come on..........
 
No problem....I think every track in the Northeast is now up to speed on this rule.

I get not running the spare tires but the wheels!!!! Come on..........

Great. You going to upgrade all of us poor Northeast car owners now?? :p

Ira
 
Brian,

I'd be thrilled with 1.5 60fts...1.4s is dream stuff for my cars. Haven't see anything better than low 1.6s since I stopped using nitrous.

David
 
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