FEEDBACK ARTICLE: FROM THE GRANDSTANDS: GIVE ME THE OLD SCHOOL

I was there from day one when we started index racing at OCIR. What ever they did up north was fine. The bottom line was that back when it was started and we decided on a 9.80 index. It really did not matter what the index was you had to get your car to run whatever time to be competitive. We were what drag racing was all about. My car could run 9.65 on a cool night, but I knew that and would count on cutting a good light. I staged my car with a foot brake. At times, with the foot brake, getting as much stall out of the converter I could without creeping and possibly red lighting. Today the Super Gas cars have a trans brake with a delay button and an electronic throttle stop. I use to run 9.80 at 138mph. Today with all of the techno gadgets 9.90 at 170mph. I went to the World Finals at Pomona and, in the pits, saw a Super Gas car(75,000), motor home(150,000), trailer(40,000), and they towed in from Tennessee. I bet I could beat these Super Gas racers today if they could not use any electronics and just had to stage and race with their foot brake. I was one of the 16 Pro Gas racers at Pomona that showed NHRA what index racing was all about. They loved it and decided to put that type of racing at their meets. NHRA took our idea and changed the index to 9.90 and called it Super Gas because we weren't professionals. That was OK, but if they left it as we started it and did not allow electronics I and a lot of other original So-Cal Pro Gas racers would still be racing. I and others don't have a fat wallet like the racer from Tennessee I mentioned. - Rick Abood

I was there from day one when we started index racing at OCIR. What ever they did up north was fine. The bottom line was that back when it was started and we decided on a 9.80 index. It really did not matter what the index was you had to get your car to run whatever time to be competitive. We were what drag racing was all about. My car could run 9.65 on a cool night, but I knew that and would count on cutting a good light. I staged my car with a foot brake. At times, with the foot brake, getting as much stall out of the converter I could without creeping and possibly red lighting. Today the Super Gas cars have a trans brake with a delay button and an electronic throttle stop. I use to run 9.80 at 138mph. Today with all of the techno gadgets 9.90 at 170mph. I went to the World Finals at Pomona and, in the pits, saw a Super Gas car(75,000), motor home(150,000), trailer(40,000), and they towed in from Tennessee. I bet I could beat these Super Gas racers today if they could not use any electronics and just had to stage and race with their foot brake. I was one of the 16 Pro Gas racers at Pomona that showed NHRA what index racing was all about. They loved it and decided to put that type of racing at their meets. NHRA took our idea and changed the index to 9.90 and called it Super Gas because we weren't professionals. That was OK, but if they left it as we started it and did not allow electronics I and a lot of other original So-Cal Pro Gas racers would still be racing. I and others don't have a fat wallet like the racer from Tennessee I mentioned. - Rick Abood


As an old "footbraker" who raced with Ted from the 70's through the early 90's, it's great to see he's still doing well.

Went to a division race a year or so back and was appalled at how the super classes had devolved into a grandstand idle parade with a high end charge. How can any fan be pumped by seeing that?

One fix would be to outlaw all electronics from the classes but we know that could never happen(money talks and the e sponsors would never stand for it)

But there is an easy fix!

mph breakout.

Super Street car runs over 128mph? . . . breakout

Benefits -

Safety - cars would be much closer to each other in relative speed at the finish
line.

Fan Appeal -

Would keep the spectators from fallin asleep as the cars would no longer be
idling by the grandstands.

Manufacturers -

Would keep the e manufacturers happy as they could design and sell a whole new
line of products to conform to the new rule. - Dan McFall

I know and like many of the New School racers in the Super Classes of NHRA, but Old School is the way to go!

I applaud Tim and his views on Old School drag racing.

I would like to point out the index classes with alternate sanctions like PSCA.

PSCA index classes do not allow the throttle stops, stutter boxes, timers, etc., that make for boring racing. The racing there is tight and fun. The winners are truly Old School! - Dale Tuley

The last one about electronics in so called "super" racing is spot on. Super Gas and Super Comp has nothing to do with drag racing at all anymore. Everything you need to do in a normal drag race has been taken away. Can't cut a light? Put a box in. Can't run the number? Put a box in. Drivers are not even needed any more, might as well just race RC cars.

We need to get the electronics out of the cars if the sport is to survive. Many of my friends who have never raced and go to the track with me want to race but don't see the point when you have to cut a .001 light and run 9.901 to even have a chance to win. Driver skill has been totally taken out of the picture. - Mark Wolfe


Once again Timmah is dead on. The sad part is that in order to run the super classes and have a shot, you have to have the boxes. Sure there are a few guys out there with some success but not enough. I would support heads up no box indexes on the national and divisional level. Sounds great to me. - Jeff Thompson
 

5-22-2009

Man are we on the same page! Couldn't have said how I "feel" any better, great read. - Tim Stevens

AMEN!  Once again Tim hit it on the head!  Great Column! - Steve Bussius Jr.


Give that man a big fat cigar!  If there were ever a more bullseye hit, then I haven't seen it. God bless Dedenbear for being a great entrepreneur, but his product did nothing for the sport of drag racing ... nothing.  Think back to when Formula 1 drivers actually drove the cars, had to shift them manually and had to look at the tachometer!  God forbid they would have to do that now!  Ditto for the "Box" racers.  Ditto for Jason Lamb, and ditto for Super Gas, Super Comp, Quick Rod, etc., etc.  Boring isn't the right word....try sad.  My new heroes..."No Box".  - Dave Gutierrez


You are absolutely right.. BOOOOORRRRRIIING.  I go to the track a lot and mostly the only people that have any interest in throttle stop car are people in them or their friends.  I would much rather watch little Johnny with his moms 17 sec minivan run sweet Carla and her 6-cylinder one-legged mustang.  They get a lot more excited and have more fun, it's contagious. - Steve Camp


Throttle stops and delay boxes are crap, it's no wonder everyone leaves the grandstands when they come to the line. Look at pinks all-out they fill the stands to see heads up racing, maybe NHRA should have index classes with no electronics besides a transbrake or line lock, but everyone knows NHRA is not about change so I will keep leaving the stands after the alcohol cars run. - Rhett McNair
 

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