NHRA shortens race distance for Top Fuel and Funny Car classes to 1,000 feet

[Hunid Racks]

http://www.nhra.com/


NHRA shortens race distance for Top Fuel and Funny Car classes to 1,000 feet as an interim safety measure

As the investigation continues into the tragic accident that took the life of driver Scott Kalitta, NHRA has announced that beginning at the Mopar Mile High Nationals in Denver, Colo., both the Top Fuel and Funny Car classes will race to 1,000 feet instead of the traditional 1,320 feet or one-quarter mile. This is an interim step that is being taken while NHRA continues to analyze and determine whether changes should be made to build upon the sport's long standing safety record, given the inherent risks and ever-present dangers associated with the sport.

[Joevette]

hmm, why not just extend the track so theres more room to slow down. Are they afraid that traveling the actual 1/4 mile makes the car more prone to lifting? bigger wheelie bars might help too.

[big swede]

I can't really see that helping anything really. They need to have much better sandtraps and run off areas and if a track cannot comply then they don't get the top levels of competition. I have walked through some sandtraps that were so hard from sitting there with the same horizontal grooming for so long that the rain basically turned them as hard a concrete. They need to have a softer sandtrap that goes up at a very slight angle so it would actually scrub off a ton of speed instead of these rock hard sandtraps that often times send a car straight up sailing through the air because they are too hard to deform in such a short amount of time.

[ZR1-S10]

Disrespectful and short sighted! Scott knew the risks but went for his dreams anyway and I don't think he'd want this, it underminds the very sport.

And just when prodution cars have started to get watered down to be "green" we get crap like this in motorsports. We can't have any fun anymore?

[DuraMax Hammer]

Originally Posted by big swede

I can't really see that helping anything really. They need to have much better sandtraps and run off areas and if a track cannot comply then they don't get the top levels of competition. I have walked through some sandtraps that were so hard from sitting there with the same horizontal grooming for so long that the rain basically turned them as hard a concrete. They need to have a softer sandtrap that goes up at a very slight angle so it would actually scrub off a ton of speed instead of these rock hard sandtraps that often times send a car straight up sailing through the air because they are too hard to deform in such a short amount of time.

I completely agree with you. There is no need to shorten the race distance, just extend the race track. If a track can not or will not extend it, then they loose their NHRA date. Plain and simple. Add another 500 feet or more to the end of the track, and lengthen the sand trap as well. Putting it on a slight incline is a great idea as well Big Swede. This is a very close minded thing to do in the wake of what happened.

[SDRacing]

This move is not permanent, just temporary. But all tracks need longer runoffs..

[chinamonty]

Do they use beach type sand or is it a denser material that is just referred to as "sand".
Pity to loose a good performer.