Re: What caused V. Gaines to crash @ Carolina Nats?
 

We all know it takes a much different track prep for Nitro and everyone else. So with two tracks you would think at least at this race you could make everyone happy and use both tracks and the proper track prep on each. Problem is that would make sense and we can be having that at a NHRA race.

Re: What caused V. Gaines to crash @ Carolina Nats?
 

Downforce

Re: What caused V. Gaines to crash @ Carolina Nats?
 

Pro Stockers don't have a wing; they have a wickerbill that produces very little downforce. A T/F dragster generates almost 10,000 lbs of downforce at speed and a F/C generates almost 7000 lbs; in contrast a Pro Stock car generates less than 500 lbs of downforce.

Re: What caused V. Gaines to crash @ Carolina Nats?
 

Think everybody in racing knows that Pro Stocks have virtually no downforce and are the hardest cars to drive. Apparently Graham Light never learned that or had Morgan, WJ, etc. voice it to him...yea, right. Bruton got his gate and spectators and racers got something else altogether.

Re: What caused V. Gaines to crash @ Carolina Nats?
 

On Friday the Track crews were working in lane 1 in the area of 660' for over 30 min. But the announcements were they were scraping the track because of the rain. That maybe true but they were also repair the surface.

Re: What caused V. Gaines to crash @ Carolina Nats?
 

I agree with the racer who felt it's a lack of track prep (primarily not treating the last 320ft of the race surface like they did the first 1000ft)! That was an issue this year here in Phoenix, which caused some Pro Stockers to get loose here (as well as a Super Gas car to roll at the national event)?

I'm glad just glad that V. Gaines didn't get hurt, but I hope that NHRA will re-run the whole Pro Stock field, because as much as I'm more of a Jeg Coughlin Jr. fan, than a Greg Anderson fan, Greg had a chance to possibly win that first round race against Jeg, until he past the 1000ft mark and got a bit loose himself (in the same lane V. was in), which allowed Jeg to get back around him for the win. I wonder what the incrementals said about the race, because they were neck and neck until then....

Re: What caused V. Gaines to crash @ Carolina Nats?
 

Gaines lost it at the 1/8th mile, well before the 1000'. They prepped the snot out of the track. If anything, I was shocked at how *much* they were doing with the track. Prep the track, run 8 pair of bikes, prep the track, run 8 pair of Pro Stock, prep the track, run 8 pair of Top Fuel, prep the track... it was ridiculous.

I haven't watched a Pro session live in a long time. It's shocking how long they take to run a pair of cars. This weekend was one of the quietest I've ever heard at a dragstrip. I'm not surprised that people wouldn't want to pay top dollar to see that show. The runs put down on Saturday were great... tight fields all around, but good grief, it's like pulling teeth inbetween.

$.02,

Re: What caused V. Gaines to crash @ Carolina Nats?
 

These guys could have some downforce if they wanted it, but they are scared of losing a few hundredths.

Make them put a bigger wickerbill on and it may not cure all the issues, but it would help.

Re: What caused V. Gaines to crash @ Carolina Nats?
 

Actually fan they do have a wing. The wicker is attached to the rear of it. I thing nhra added 1/8" to it this year for 3/4" total height. Maybe they need to add a little more and change up the front splitter a little.

Re: What caused V. Gaines to crash @ Carolina Nats?
 

From the very beginning of the run both cars were loose. As they proceeded down the track, things began to get worse. I really believe both cars would have crashed if the other car would not have aborted the run. Cause: not enough traction period!