MCCULLOCH: NHRA TRYING TO FIX SOMETHING NOT BROKEN

The NHRA is in the process of gathering data as a means of reducing the speed of nitro cars so they might be able to return to tradition quarter-mile racing.

The sanctioning body seeks to conclude data gathering no later than July.

The NHRA has already tested the value of a smaller gallons per minute fuel pump, and a smaller displacement engine.

Veteran crew chief Ed “Ace” McCulloch, who is the wrench boss for the NAPA Auto Parts Dodge Charger driven by Ron Capps at Don Schumacher Racing, isn’t welcoming any change the NHRA
might implement. McCulloch is at the O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Summer Nationals which concludes Sunday.

“A lot of people say, I agree we have to do something, well I disagree,” said McCulloch, who also was one of the best Top Fuel and Funny Car drivers in NHRA history. “We all understand the pressures from insurance, we have been hearing that for years, and all of those sort of things. Right now, in my opinion, the cars are safer than they have ever been. The racing is closer than it has ever been. Percentage-wise, I think our crowds are down less than any other types of motorsports. Our crowds have been relatively good for the times we’re in. So, what is it, we’re trying to fix? I do not understand that. I hear they want 1,320, they do not want 1,000 foot. Do the people want to see the cars go 300 mph at a quarter-mile or would they rather see 318 or 320 mph dragsters at 1,000 foot, and give them the extra 300 feet to shutoff. A lot of this testing that is going on, there are selected cars that are doing the testing, and I disagree with that. We’ve gone to them (NHRA) and we’ve expressed to them that we would want to test and there are things we would like to test. We don’t want to be left out in the cold.”

Another issue the NHRA is trying to figure out is how to lessen the bomb in the nitro cars, but McCulloch doesn’t believe the explosions now are really any different from they were when he was driving in the 1960s, 70s, 80s and 90s.

“I had as big and as violent of explosions back then as they do today with a 20 gallon fuel pump,” McCulloch said. “They talk about reducing the fuel pump, and I disagree with that 100 percent. It’s nitromethane, that’s what it does. I do not understand the thinking because everything that comes down is going to cost the team owner a lot of money because of the changes that will have to be made. This fuel pump deal they are talking about and testing, we hear that it is not cast in stone. We do not even know if we’re going to do it, and then the next thing you hear, there is going to be some testing after Chicago and shortly thereafter the testing season decision will be made. I do not understand, it is beyond me. We disagree with the fuel pump and if you want us to do something, give us some other options. They (NHRA) are willing to give us a free day to test, but I do not know why we’re trying to fix something that is not broken.”

The 13th annual United Association Route 66 NHRA Nationals will be in Joliet, Ill., near Chicago, are June 3-6.

The on-track death of Scott Kalitta, a two-time NHRA world champion on June 21, 2008, changed NHRA’s stance quarter-mile racing.

Kalitta's Funny Car, traveling about 300 mph, burst into flames and crashed at the end of the track during final qualifying for the Lucas Oil SuperNationals at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park in Englishtown, NJ, Kalitta, 46, died a short time after being taken to the Old Bridge Division of Raritan Bay Medical Center in Englishtown, NJ.

Since Kalitta’s tragic wreck, the NHRA has had both Top Fuel and Funny Cars race to 1000-feet, instead of the traditional 1,320 foot quarter-mile.

“I was probably against the 1,000 foot thing initially as big as anybody,” McCulloch said. “I grew up drag racing, and we raced a quarter-mile. That’s what it was and you can’t take that away from us. After doing what was done and racing to 1,000 foot, I will be the first one to say that I was dead wrong. The 1,000 foot racing, I can't tell the difference standing at the starting line if they run it to 1,000 foot or to the quarter-mile. It’s closer racing, it’s safer and it is way better. I hear all the emails NHRA gets about the people who want to see quarter-mile racing. Are they willing to give up and do they want to see them go down the quarter-mile and go 20 mph slower, than what they’re seeing right now. I’ve heard different opinions, and different people saying other motorsports, and this is coming from NHRA people, run oval track and road courses, so why can’t we run 1,000 foot and a quarter-mile? Well, that’s really going to confuse the issue in drag racing. We need to be one or the other. You can’t  go to Pomona, Calif., and run 1,320 there because it is too short. There are too many race tracks that we have outgrown; safety-wise they’re too short.”

McCulloch also says he doesn’t want to be misunderstood on his thoughts about safety.

“I’m for safety and I want our cars to be safe,” McCulloch said. “Nobody wants to hurt anybody out here. But, if we screw this sport up, they’re really going to pay the price because if people decide not to come it’s going to be awfully hard to bring them back.”

There has been a line of thinking out there that some drivers might prefer racing to the quarter-mile at slower speeds. To those drivers, McCulloch did offer a solution.

“If the guys want to do that, then go run Nostalgia cars,” McCulloch said. “I hear people say the cars are unsafe and they blow up. Well, take a real good look, because anybody can have a parts failure and the thing will blow up. If you look at the big picture, the cars that blow up are pretty much the same cars that blow up all the time. The two biggest crybabies in the sport are Tony and Cruz Pedregon. I got some news for Tony, if he truly feels, and I’ve heard this on TV interviews, that he’s facing death every time he gets in that car; Tony, don’t get in it.”

Regardless of what the NHRA decides to do when it comes to the safety of the nitro engines, McCulloch knows he will have to just adapt.

“This is NHRA’s sandbox, if you play in their sandbox, you play by their rules,” McCulloch said. “Whatever they decide, team owners, drivers, crew chiefs, can talk about all they want, but the bottom line is that they (NHRA) will make the decision and that’s how it is.”

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