Really ? although I personally prefer 1/4 mile racing when I go and race my car for fun. I think you need to go and tell the people at Orsca that REAL racers run 1/4 mile. They will no doubt appreciate the enlightenment. http://www.outlawracing.com/HOMEPAGEMAIN/tabid/36/Default.aspx
Am I allowed to pile-on? I answer unto thee myself, "Please do, Rick". 99.9% of the experience happens in the first 60' (preparedness and launch). Anything passed the 1/8th is one more shift - and then there's not much difference than being a passenger. <-- Know-it-all
maybe he is not lucky enough to have a 1/4 track near by, when tracks dont have enough land, they run 1/8 , its all the same....
Wow... that was kinda rude. Out east here the green types and noise haters have had most all of the quarter mile tracks shut down! Even the eighth mile tracks are going away fast. Quarter tracks are few and far between, at least in the southeast. Comments like that are just throwing salt into our wounds.
well after the funny car death this last weekend, i wouldnt be suprised if they shortent the top fuel cars down to 1/8 mile or 1000 feet. I really suspect that they will never run at english town again. All the important stuff happens in the first 1/8 anyways. that last 1/8 is when you get to sit back and enjoy the ride. personaly I do prefer 1/4 but there is nothing wrong with 1/8 mile. just my 2 cents.
It has been rumored for many years that they (sanctioning bodies) have been looking at the 1/8. Paul..
OK guys, It was a stupid mistake - It was supposed to be funny - I almost never use emoticons so I tend to forget them. IF I have been chastized enough perhaps I can dig myself in a little deeper. All the drag racers that I know and have known raced on one of the three more or less local tracks at 1/4 mile. The professonals run 1/4 miles, and no - I am not a drag racer - although I have made a few runs down the quarter mile. All of my racing experience is SCCA and that was back when I was much younger. It is too expensive to race today - even in the Formula V class. The only car I ever ran down the quarter mile in was a 65 fastback mustang that I built a 350HP 289 for back in 1971. It ran in the high 11s at just over 125mph. I did not race against anything but the clock and I still managed to break things. After that I set the suspension up for hill climb and never looked back. It drove like it was on rails and cruised like a longlegged runner. I am building another with a milder engine with more cubes and torque. (probably a bit more HP too). It was never my intention to be rude or slight anyone. If you are drag racing I have a lot of respect for the commitment that goes along with it. So, I apologize for any hurt feelings and ask forgiveness.
Emails and forums are an easy place for mis-communication. Paul, we all like your input, keep it coming..
If you are at the dragway with your car and you race it, you have just drag raced. Now with that said, there are a lot of truths in what everyone has said. PaulS, I have said the same thing as you but, I too have been wrong in my wording. What do we mean by "real drag racers" I think we could say the "big boys" or even the "professionals" race 1/4 mile. Let be real, to go 300+ mph in the 1/8 G-forces that quick would make one black out, or your butt hole would really be puckering. I have a local track that I DON"T go to very offen, it cheap $25.00 to enter, only cost 25 in fuel to get there and back. Now for under a $100.00 I could go racing for a night. It's a older track with some ok updates but it 1/8 mile, that's why I don't go. I would rather drive 2 hours and spend $85.00 in fuel to get there and back, pay 40.00 to enter and all together spend about 150.00 to race, but this is a 1/4 mile track. Rick, I have personally raced both 1/4 and 1/8 many times and while I find part of your statement to be true, I will have to disagree with the second half of the 1/4 just being a ride with one more gear to shift. Now when it comes to the second half of the 1/4 your speed is increasing and at the traps it becomes a little harder to decide to brake, stay in it or just let off. Is that dragster going to catch me or not? I have been taught many a lesson by racing 1/4 mile. I was racing a firebird and this guy had a tank of NOS in the back of his car that look like one of those old propane tanks you would see outside of someone's home (yeah it was that big). This was a 11.50 car so I had to spot him a little better then a second. I caught him at the 1/8 mile because his light was so bad, I'm now thinking YOU LOSE. I let off the gas and just put my nose in front of him, bad move! It was now time for his car to hit the second stage of spray and he pulls out in front of me and I don't have enough motor left to catch him. My light was a .008 his was 2.77 and I lost. There is a lot to be said for racing the second 1/2 of the 1/4 mile. As always just my .02 Bossmav Both tracks have pro and cons, I guess it's what you enjoy.
I believe the speed only increases about 12-15 mphs on a 13-14 second car the over the last 1/8th mile (don't quote me - it's simply not a huge increase on the typical Street/Strip racer's car). Just curious, what is the mph difference in your 10 second ride (congrats on a fast Maverick, btw)? The same thing happens in the 1/8th, ya? Ha! That was a funny story (big nitrous tank) and I can relate. I too have had a few close calls like that (in the 1/8th). Usually it was a big block chevy coming up on me. Perzactly. One isn't "better" or "worse" than the other - just different. It really does come down to personal preference. :Handshake
Well...I finally made it to the track to try out the 347. Unfortunately I only got to make two passes before the bottom fell out. The first pass wasn't that great because it started cutting up around 5k. I did a minor carb adjustment and left the air cleaner off for my next run. Much better! My reaction time sucks but the car ran strong!!! 1st pass: et=7.649 RT=.5089 (Stunk) 60ft=1.828 330ft=5.225 mph=82.73 2nd pass: et=7.269 RT=.2989 (Better but still not good) 60ft=1.741 330ft=4.978 mph=88.07 Gotta work on my launches with that 4 speed. Do a little tuning and figure out where my CalTracs need to be. I think with a little practice I might be able to get some 7.0's. Finally got a time slip to post.
Ray I don't know what you were expecting but those times look pretty damn good for the first time at the track on that setup...I'd say with everything workin right on a good cool night a high 6 is a good possibility.:bananaman All the years I lived in Mobile I never went to Irvington dragstrip...how is the track surface? shutdown length? etc. etc.? What kinda tires were you runnin on? apparently you were hookin up decent if you were dumpin the clutch. You not itchin to get back their anytime soon are ya?
