Nhra

[05mustangman]

So how many of you guys went to the race on sunday?

Rain on and off all day long but ended up getting a good days worth of racing in. Basically soon as the day started the Matco Tools Top Fuel dragster crashed and sent a tire flying into the crowd. it struck a woman and the woman was airlifted to a local hospital. At the hospital she was pronounced dead. A sad beginning to a fun day at the drags. I dont know if anyone on here was near the debris flying but i know wade and shawn were about 30 from the tire when it was flying around. Im hoping everyone else is ok.


John Force was just dominating all day long. he will run in the final round along with the top fuel final round monday morning due to the time curfue.

Anyone else have stories from the drags please share them.

:wosautos1200:

[Stanger00]

The rain totally discouraged me from making the drive over there. I wish I had went to check it out...I have yet to see some top fuel/funny cars run down the strip.

[Wades GT]

That was such a wild accident. We were at the end of p18 where the wall is short and there is no fence on the wall. The tire hit the wall infront of us and then went into the tables at the end. I didn't see the poor lady get hit as I was still watching all the debris still comming our way. Shawn saw the tire go in the crowd and bounce over the trailers.

I have a ton of pictures of the whole day of racing that I'll post when I get home tonight. I was way too tired to put the pics on last night.

[Wades GT]

The rain totally discouraged me from making the drive over there. I wish I had went to check it out...I have yet to see some top fuel/funny cars run down the strip.

It's awesome.:veryhappy:



:wosautos1200:

[BurnTire]

I was there in section P5. That was a crazy crash and unfortunate result for the fan.
I don't think delaying the final had anything to do with the temperature or darkness as stated by the announcer. It was probably related to the death of the fan.

[silvrsvt]

I went friday to the qualifying and it was the first time I have ever watched the big dogs. It was awesome! I cant believe how loud those things are! and the smell reminds me of my R/C car lol I cant wait to go again.

[BurnTire]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GNpgz_JefO4

[BurnTire]

Another.

http://clipta.com/NHRA_Crash_Seriously_Injures_Spectator__nMzU4MTc4

[05mustangman]

yea that a very sad incident. and postponing it probably did have something to do with them finding out about the death. cause they saying the curfue was at 7pm. that seems really early for a curfue especially for it being on an indian reservation.

[Mr. Austin]

Wow i heard about the crash on the radio but WOW. THink anyone followed the tire with their camera phone? Sad. Hope her family is doing ok

[BurnTire]

The NHRA site says due to deteriorating conditions it was postponed. Lets see 60 degrees and no rain. Sounds perfect to me.

[4Jenna]

My son realy went nuts over the cars, I showed up just after the crash and had no idea the outcome untill i saw it on the news this morning.

Just terrible

-Chris

[azmustang]

ya the crash was crazy. when that tire hit that lady it looked like it was still going at least 100mph hit her and then bounced up over the truck behind her. thats to bad that she died. after that though the racing was pretty good. it was my first time watching the big boys race i gotta tell you if you have never seen them race it is definitly worth going to atleast once to really see/feel how fast they are.
also I have a video but I might wait a few months to post it

[Mr. Austin]

Good thinking Shawn

[Wharf Rat]

The NHRA site says due to deteriorating conditions it was postponed. Lets see 60 degrees and no rain. Sounds perfect to me.

Don't believe it. My money is on the PS teams telling them to stick it that they weren't going to run in that left lane anymore.

In case any of you missed it 2 PS cars went turtle in the left lane during qualifying and a bunch of the PS drivers were calling out the track for the "BUMP" in the left lane. Also, maybe a coincidence but of the handful of cars PS cars that made passes in the left lane on Sunday several of them hazed the tires out of the box or pulled the shutes early. Larry Morgan was in the left lane and didn't even come up to the tree.

http://www.motorsport.com/news/article.asp?ID=358238&FS=NHRA

[Wharf Rat]

BINGO! Soon as I heard that the PS cars didn't run today because of weather I knew it was BS.

What a bad, bad weekend for the NHRA.

http://www.dragracingonline.com/analysis/xii_2-The_Disaster_Nationals-1.html

[WildBill]

It was postponed due to the track conditions. The Sportsman dragsters couldn't get down the track at all, since they have very limited downforce surfaces
Naturally Force could get down the track well because his crewchief has been at this track for MANY years and do quite a bit of TnT here.
No pair of nitro cars BOTH got down the track in the last round. Absolutely NO HEAT in the track. The sun wasn't out enough! Air temp didn't even get to 60 until after 2pm

If they were going to shut the track down because of the accident, it would have been done FAR earlier in the day.

It was just fate that the woman was killed.

RIP Sue Zimmer!

[Wades GT]

http://www.2005stang.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10183/NHRA_race_day_2010_026.JPG
http://www.2005stang.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10183/NHRA_race_day_2010_027.JPG
http://www.2005stang.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10183/NHRA_race_day_2010_028.JPG

[Wades GT]

The rest of my pics are here...................................... http://www.2005stang.com/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=700

[WildBill]

Get it while it's still there.

http://s27.photobucket.com/albums/c192/blownzoom440/?action=view&current=100_3706.flv

[BurnTire]

Track Temps

Top fuel and funny car rounds
1. 88 degrees
2. 82 degrees
3. 71 degrees

70 to 85 is the optimum range for setting records. This was more than a temperature issue.

I know the PS guys were expressing concern about the left lane on Friday when the sun was out all day.

[BurnTire]

Get it while it's still there.

http://s27.photobucket.com/albums/c192/blownzoom440/?action=view&current=100_3706.flv

Wow that is crazy. It didn't seem like the tire was going that fast from my seat.

[WildBill]

Whatever you say.

Track Temps

Top fuel and funny car rounds
1. 88 degrees
2. 82 degrees
3. 71 degrees

70 to 85 is the optimum range for setting records. This was more than a temperature issue.

I know the PS guys were expressing concern about the left lane on Friday when the sun was out all day.

[BurnTire]

Whatever you say. Bill do you have to troll on ever thread I post in? Go to the NHRA site. The track temps on every round are in the results. Give it a break.

[WildBill]

Bill do you have to troll on ever thread I post in? Go to the NHRA site. The track temps on every round are in the results. Give it a break.

Ok Mr Smarty Pants. You're NOT that special...........no matter what your mommy told you.
I happen to have interest in this thread since I was there.
Both Don and I said to each other that it was the last round when the last pair of nitro cars SORTA went down the track.

[BurnTire]

Ok Mr Smarty Pants. You're NOT that special...........no matter what your mommy told you.
I happen to have interest in this thread since I was there.
Both Don and I said to each other that it was the last round when the last pair of nitro cars SORTA went down the track.

I was there also. Front row section P5 Saturday and Sunday. Give it a break and knock off the childish attitude. You posted your theory like an expert only to find out those temps were higher than you thought. Now you are back pedaling in damage control mode again. I have seen fuel cars go down the track in cooler conditions in Pomona on multiple occasions.

[05mustangman]

:popcorn:









on a side note that was the first video i have seen that shows the tire flying into the crowd. it feels like your still there when you watch that video.

[WildBill]

I was there also. Front row section P5 Saturday and Sunday. Give it a break and knock off the childish attitude. You posted your theory like an expert only to find out those temps were higher than you thought. Now you are back pedaling in damage control mode again. I have seen fuel cars go down the track in cooler conditions in Pomona on multiple occasions.
Well Jeffy. Where am I back peddling????????????
............did the sportsman dragters get down the track ok?
Did the nitro cars get down the track ok?
What would have been the track temps been AFTER AN HOUR for the turn around for the next round?
How many times did it rain at Pomona races you said were cooler? Rain takes a toll on the track prep.
I've seen an outlaw car run 6.00 and all over the track with track temps at 57* last November in Vegas.........shot the track with my own temp gun. I went back to the staging lanes and called off the test run. Two seconds later they said that's all for tonight.

Don't be mad because someone actually has experience with fast car.

[BurnTire]

:popcorn:
on a side note that was the first video i have seen that shows the tire flying into the crowd. it feels like your still there when you watch that video.

Yea that was a very realistic video. I was so focused on the car I guess I didn't see how fast the tire was going.

[BurnTire]

Well Jeffy. Where am I back peddling????????????
............did the sportsman dragters get down the track ok?
Did the nitro cars get down the track ok?
What would have been the track temps been AFTER AN HOUR for the turn around for the next round?
How many times did it rain at Pomona races you said were cooler? Rain takes a toll on the track prep.
I've seen an outlaw car run 6.00 and all over the track with track temps at 57* last November in Vegas.........shot the track with my own temp gun. I went back to the staging lanes and called off the test run. Two seconds later they said that's all for tonight.

Don't be mad because someone actually has experience with fast car.

:hi::banned1:

[Wharf Rat]

The weather was just an excuse. It was the bumps in the left lane. Given the unrelated tragedy, I can understand NHRA's sensitivity on the topic but I am embarrased for the NHRA to not admit that the track was unpassable for PS cars ALL WEEKEND LONG! Weather was fine on Friday and Saturday when 2 PS cars ended up on thier lids in identical crashes.

Google some combo of pro stock, phoenix, left lane and there are many motorsports outlets with the real story.

http://www.competitionplus.com/index.php/drag-racing/news/13405-anderson-sends-strong-message-pro-stock-to-finish-at-gainesville

[trucker]

seems only way to get something fixed with nhra is just park the cars and not run cause without the big boys nhra is nothing........

[BurnTire]

The weather was just an excuse. It was the bumps in the left lane. Given the unrelated tragedy, I can understand NHRA's sensitivity on the topic but I am embarrased for the NHRA to not admit that the track was unpassable for PS cars ALL WEEKEND LONG! Weather was fine on Friday and Saturday when 2 PS cars ended up on thier lids in identical crashes.

Google some combo of pro stock, phoenix, left lane and there are many motorsports outlets with the real story.

http://www.competitionplus.com/index.php/drag-racing/news/13405-anderson-sends-strong-message-pro-stock-to-finish-at-gainesville

I agree. You don't read a single statement from a Professional Driver relating to track temps. It seems to be a track surface, prep issue with the drivers.

It seems like ever since we got that big rain storm the left lane is uneven towards the top end. At my ET it isn't a super big deal as I can still drive thru it.

[Mr. Austin]

DAMN!! The tire was bouncing way up!

[05mustangman]

that tire must have been going what about 200 mph when it left the car? i dont think it was going quite that fast though when it struck the fan. i believe i heard like 100mph then. that is still fast as hell for something that size. Does anyone know about how much those top fuel tires weigh?

[Mr. Austin]

next to the motor those are the heaviest part. Prolly about 20-30? cant weigh all the much. Although there is quite a bit of tire. Thats my guess.

[fazm]

not only was i there, but i was against the cement barrier at the 1000' mark exactly. the tire flew right by us, within feet (to the point where my outstretched arms would have hit it). Right after the tire passed we all got up (since we all hit the deck) and the dragster was still sliding and came to a rest about 50-100 ft down the track from us. it was a very confusing scene, i ran to the collapsed chain link fence thinking i was going to help someone that was minorly injured, definately wasnt ready for what i witnessed, and wont begin to describe it.

i left about 10 minutes after the incident

[Wharf Rat]

WAAAYYYYY more. The tire is a 36*17.5 and by itself weighs almost 50 lbs. No idea what a 16*16 wheel with a beadlock wieghs but the combo has to be about a 100 pounds give or take.

[05mustangman]

thats about what i was thinking around 100 pounds or so. amazing to see how many of us were right there and i was on the other side of the track but to see how many hps members were that close to the tire is just amazing. Just glad to see none of us was injured. Still feel terrible for the lady though.

[Mr. Austin]

WAAAYYYYY more. The tire is a 36*17.5 and by itself weighs almost 50 lbs. No idea what a 16*16 wheel with a beadlock wieghs but the combo has to be about a 100 pounds give or take.

Wow really? I would have Assumed they where light weights. Never Knew that! I forgot they were bead lock which will also add a good sum of weight.