Is Bob Lang

[MikeFicacci]

Some hooked and some spun. The track was not perfect but adequate. I for one thought the Gary Richard/Holbrook pedal-fest was awesome. Can't agree with Stock being called for Q2 while guys are still getting fuel check. We just skipped Q2.

[Bill Hawk]

Originally Posted by David Barton

To make my experience even worse, I had to race Biondo heads up in the 2nd round of the Eliminator and probably would have won if I didn't spin. I'm usually not a sore loser but when it's due to the lack of track prep I fealt I was ripped off. Half of the reason I spun is because I removed all of the ballast from the car to run and support the Factory Showdown. I added my regular weight for the bracket race but needed to remove it again to race Sal.

David, with all due respect your comment about probably beating Sal is a little premature. The starting line was terrible, but our car has only spun once since is was built. It spun against Gary Richard in the final of the Shootout, we tried to step it up and the track could not handle it.

The track was bad like I said, but against you we added weight and adjusted for the poor traction. Something maybe you should have thought of. There was no way we were going to give it all we had in those conditions. You have a legitimate gripe, but my issue with you is thinking you could out run Sal and blame the track for the loss. Blaming the track for spinning is legitimate, the loss is a stretch.

You showed no performance advantage all week. You may have been saving it for when you needed it, but given the track conditions we were not setup to let it all hang out at this race.

[John DiBartolomeo]

I think I have to agree with Jack... Bob Lang would have to be crazy (no comments here) to come on here and answer questions. But I can guarantee he's listening. The week before the Maple Grove divisional, members of the super category SRAC had a meeting to discuss some issues, most notably track prep. Bob Lang was invited and gladly attended to rationally (key word here) discuss our concerns. He was more than willing to listen and accept some of our "suggestions." At the 'Grove, if anyone was paying attention, you would have noticed a marked difference in how the track was prepped, both before racing began and in between sessions. With Lang in charge of track prep at the nat events, that same scenario took place at E-Town. I'm not going to defend the poor starting line there, nor the crazy schedule but expecting to run two classes back to back with those cars shocking the tires in roughly the same place on a track that had temps well above 100-degrees, was probably a mistake. Something I think they (whoever "they" is at NHRA) would agree.

VP vs. VHT (which is really now PJ1)? Nat events use PJ1 (VHT). I don't know what they use on a weekly basis at E-Town or at a lot of other tracks, but the bottom line that both work well in most cases. My thoughts have always been that we spray too much and don't drag enough. Cars have to stick to rubber and the spray is only there to facilitate the rubber sticking to it.

Here's my point: If you think they're not listening, you're drastically mistaken. In regards to the track prep, trying to prep the track for different types of cars can drive anyone to drink. Trying to find that happy medium would probably have most of us popping open the Jim Beam a lot quicker than NHRA would.

[1320racer]

Originally Posted by John DiBartolomeo

I think I have to agree with Jack... Bob Lang would have to be crazy (no comments here) to come on here and answer questions. But I can guarantee he's listening.

Maybe he's reading but listening has yet to be proven and since you can "guarantee it, do tell us how you KNOW!

With Lang in charge of track prep at the nat events, that same scenario took place at E-Town. I'm not going to defend the poor starting line there, nor the crazy schedule but expecting to run two classes back to back with those cars shocking the tires in roughly the same place on a track that had temps well above 100-degrees, was probably a mistake. Something I think they (whoever "they" is at NHRA) would agree.

Sure sounds like you ARE defending the deplorable starting line.

Here's my point: If you think they're not listening, you're drastically mistaken.

that has not been proven in the past or now!

In regards to the track prep, trying to prep the track for different types of cars can drive anyone to drink.

Again, sure sounds like you ARE defending the deplorable track conditions!

[MikeFicacci]

Not trying to be a pain, just asking a question here, but is it NHRA's job to make sure that every single car hooks, especially when set up on kill? The V10 Dodge's made enough smoke at the Atco Open to shoo away the bugs.

[Randall Klein]

I'm sure Lang won't get into a discussion on i-sites, as NHRA has a leash on social dialogues where the company line (or silence) can't be legal-proofed....it sure looks like they came down on Travis at one time, who now uses a disclosure

That said, it would be helpful if ND would just address what most of us believe, that is National Event track conditions are set up for wheel speed not dead hook...just confirm it and let the hi-HP sportsmen classes adjust chassis, low end power for that contingency

Since I believe NHRA will not listen to SRAC, board chatter or start line histronics, if I owned a new factory hot rod, taming 800-1000 HP on 9" tires, after spending $100K with one of the big 3 mfgs, I would ask those mfgs with their supposed clout to address this with NHRA.....how do they want their brands to come across to spectators, or heaven forbid, their customers

This is assuming they care after the sale

Since many believe Ford has lined NHRA pockets to acheive some unknown corporate stock-enhancement with their shareholders, and, it seems, the Ford flagship drivers are unhappy, go to Ford racing (or Mopar or GM) and ask them to intervene....do they want their corporate image looking like a tire-frying street junkie or a high flying wheels up balls-to-the-wall 21st century factory hot rod

Finally, it sure looks like NHRA is sending many signals that National Events are not for S/SS racers....if you attend, I think you must plan on the worst (parking, schedule, track prep, cancellation, no empathy)

[Bobby Fazio]

We should run class in the driveway/front yard of whatever a**hole sued to get this despicable 10:00 - 6:00 curfew. Airplanes are ok but race cars are not, one weekend a year? They are probably in the Hamptons or Belmar this weekend anyway..

That schedule was ridiculous from the start, which is why I started a thread about it 5 days before the race. Factory radiators aren't going to cool a stocker much in 90 degree heat for 6 rounds in a row. Then super stock was herded like cattle for two runs in 30 minutes at the end of the day and screwed out of our third run.

[Byron Worner]

Thursday schedule was horrible along with the track prep. I had no troubles but there were A LOTTTTTTT of races decided by the poor track prep.

[David Barton]

Originally Posted by Bill Hawk

David, with all due respect your comment about probably beating Sal is a little premature. The starting line was terrible, but our car has only spun once since is was built. It spun against Gary Richard in the final of the Shootout, we tried to step it up and the track could not handle it.

The track was bad like I said, but against you we added weight and adjusted for the poor traction. Something maybe you should have thought of. There was no way we were going to give it all we had in those conditions. You have a legitimate gripe, but my issue with you is thinking you could out run Sal and blame the track for the loss. Blaming the track for spinning is legitimate, the loss is a stretch.

You showed no performance advantage all week. You may have been saving it for when you needed it, but given the track conditions we were not setup to let it all hang out at this race.

Bill, I'm not looking to pick a fight. You seem to be a little defensive for me stating I thought I had a chance if I had some rubber. You guys won fair and square and I applaud you for that. The bottom line is NHRA did not prep the track to the best of their ability. I really believe if they would drag it more often there would have been less problems.

Mike, I don't even know what to say about your pedal fest comment. That race was far from awesome. I thought it was really sad that Gary Richard, a guy that has provided NHRA with millions of dollars, wasn't provided the track surface he deserves. Same goes for anyone who paid their entry fee.

[Bill Hawk]

David,

I didn't think you were picking a fight or trying to. You said probably, and now you say you thought you had a chance, that's a big difference. I would have never posted if you said thought instead of probably. The track was bad we all agree, lets just leave it at that. You have more issues to deal with, so I will say no more about it, good luck.