Another Racer Killed at E-Town

[Alan Roehrich]

Originally Posted by Mike Carr

I believe, in the Alexis Dejoria accident in 2009, when the 'chutes ripped off, they tore the brake lines too.

That would explain that wreck. I thought I read somewhere that oil or something fouled her brakes, but you may have information from a better source, or something they found later.

[X-TECH MAN]

Alan.....50 cubic inches isnt enough. Cut all of the fuel, and alcohol cars back to 400 inches. Back in the stone age they used 392 and 426 Hemis in nTop FOOL. . Why not now. Cut the blower size and over drive, fuel pumps and mags. They wont do it though. Slower in in the spectator eyes as the way to go.

[Alan Roehrich]

Terry, if you cut the blower speed way back, they only have to buy pulleys, not blowers. If you cut blower size, then you have to keep cutting speed.

If you cut compression, 50 cubic inches will be enough. If you don't cut compression, 100 cubic inches won't be enough.

If you make the changes easier and less expensive, it gives the teams a greater incentive to not just accept the changes, but to embrace them.

If you let them keep the same blower size, they don't need entirely new blowers, that keeps the cost down. It's a lot cheaper and easier to control it with pulleys. The most it requires then is belts and pulleys, as opposed to entirely new blower cases and manifolds.

If you take 50 cubic inches and compression ratio away, you can just change pistons and crankshafts, those are expendable anyway. Just take a 1/2" of stroke, and cut the compression ratio. Considering how much nitro loves stroke and compression, that will kill a lot of power.

They'd be better off not to cut mags, it'll help keep them lit, they hydraulic and explode when they're not lit. When you take displacement, compression, and blower speed, they'll slow down the fuel pumps themselves.

[k.pascoe]

If I remember correctly the last two T/F records set in 1/4 mile were at two of the shortest tracks (Columbus & Pomona) and it was done safely. Just make sure the damn chutes work. It's easy people, if the chutes don't work it doesn't matter HP or lenghth of the track.

[W J]

Everyone here, please go back and read post # 56 of this thread....Especially, the comments by the E-town event-winning TFC driver, Bob Tasca. They seem to make good sense...roughly only 40mph trap speed difference between the alcohol funny cars and the nitro funny cars....both should have IDENTICAL safety features.WJ

[Alan Roehrich]

Originally Posted by k.pascoe

If I remember correctly the last two T/F records set in 1/4 mile were at two of the shortest tracks (Columbus & Pomona) and it was done safely. Just make sure the damn chutes work. It's easy people, if the chutes don't work it doesn't matter HP or lenghth of the track.

When you invent the perfect car, component, and or crew member that never screws up, you will be a billionaire in a week.

Humans make errors, they always have, they always will. If they did not, engines would never blow up, and race cars would never crash. There would be no need for safety devices.

[Super Sport]

Originally Posted by k.pascoe

Just make sure the damn chutes work. It's easy people, if the chutes don't work it doesn't matter HP or lenghth of the track.

Div 3 checked parachutes at the Joliet points meet this past weekend because of a few failures the previous weekend at the Joliet Nationals. They made the drivers of cars that are required parachutes by the rulebook pull the lever when they came up for tech.

I understand that over twenty parachutes FAILED the test!!!

[Ed Fernandez]

Maybe we need some fast R&D on chutes and deployment methods.Remote doployment by someone past the finishline wouldn't be a bad idea also.
I remember the old jet cars,Green Mamba?Green Monster,years ago.They were heavy and had massive chutes to stop them.They did have malfunctions now and then though.
Maybe concentrating on launch methods might help.