Excessive Breaking?

[Jon Sarrett]

Originally Posted by Brett C

Right or wrong; agree or disagree; hit or miss on this call; like NHRA or don't; like Jerry or don't (can't see how one couldn't)...smashing the brakes at the big end is just straight up dangerous! Ask anyone who has slammed the wall on the top end or anyone that has watched their fellow racer being air lifted out of the track how it feels.

This! I am a causality of braking at the stripe and trading paint with the guard rail. I always thought, I can handle it if it gets out of shape. The right front tire blew and that was it. Car made a right turn into the wall before I could correct.

[Jeff Stout]

[QUOTE=Bobby DiDomenico;528242]Clearly tire smoke is excessive braking unless it is caused by the other car coming into your lane. Locking the front tires (probably hard to lock the rears first) even without smoke could cause loss of control, would that count?

Yes you could lose control of car without smoke. #3 in my opinion would cover the DQ. The key to being DQ'd is did car lose control? Will sliding tires on surface and leaving black marks on pavement make smoke?

No smoke, No crossing line or hitting wall or competitor, No turning sideways = No excessive braking

[Pistol Pete]

Originally Posted by SStockDart

Jerry, his brothers and family are great people, so this is not intended against him. It is just that Jerry was DQ-d.

IMO excessive braking needs to be eliminated somehow. We have all been dumped or dumped someone but the history of drag racing indicates that it is an acceleration contest not a acceleration / braking contest. I for one was racing a soft dialed 155 MPH Modified car with my 131 MPH car. I was in the right lane and watched him brake/smoke twice. I won, he still broke out. Point is...150 mph and locking up brakes can not resemble being safe.

I am in favor of racing that takes slamming the brakes out of the equation. Enter 60, qualify 48 and run dial within 5 hun perhaps.

I'd say give a .03 hun Cushion. NO BRAKES PERIOD !!!! NO letting off either. Or your DQ'd. Unless the other car broke our spun during the run. If it's a close race YOU must STAY at FULL Throttle.

[Bob Mulry]

This is so easy, that my head is starting to hurt......

NHRA.....DO YOUR JOB and issue a written policy.....


PS:
Do you think it would help if I sent them a banner from the New England Patriots????

PPS:
There is also that famous quote from Blazing Saddles "Are we doing any good or are we just jerking off????"

Those could be words to live by??????

[Paul Precht]

Originally Posted by Carguy49

I have a question about this deal.

Instead of excessive braking, what would happen if you just lifted your foot off the throttle a bit at the finish line???

Might take a little time to know how much is enough and I am not talking taking you foot completely off the pedal, just enough to slow down safely.

Yes, I know it is about dumping the other guy or gal.

That's the only way I've ever done it.

[Bryan Worner]

Originally Posted by Chuck Westcott

Maybe you need to re-think your comment !
Either Race the rules or park it !
Slamming the brakes at the stripe is a no no -- no matter what class !
I can't tell you how many crashes I've seen at the stripe because of Idiot's slamming the brakes ! Or don;t race in NHRA !

And you NEVER hit the brakes at the finish line Chuck? Come on now...

[Ed Carpenter]

Ask my good friend Ashton Hudson about his life flight trip to a trauma center in Dallas after hitting the brakes. Car was totaled. Now he holds it wide open and rides the brake if necessary. No slamming the brakes. I've seen two cars cross lanes at the finish line slamming the brakes against each other. All I know is if someone slams the brakes against me and wipes my car out they better hope I die in the crash.......thats all ill say...

[Don Kennedy]

Originally Posted by Ed Carpenter

Ask my good friend Ashton Hudson about his life flight trip to a trauma center in Dallas after hitting the brakes. Car was totaled. Now he holds it wide open and rides the brake if necessary. No slamming the brakes. I've seen two cars cross lanes at the finish line slamming the brakes against each other. All I know is if someone slams the brakes against me and wipes my car out they better hope I die in the crash.......thats all ill say...

Why if a Person wants to Know the rest of the story ask Emmons what happened ,Then no hearsay Just saying

[Carguy49]

There has been a mention of NHRA putting it in writing.

NHRA 2015 Rulebook - - Race Procedures - Section 2 page 8 Disqualifications states - Anytime it has been judged that excessive braking has resulted in loss of control that resullts in contact with the guardwall and/or light fixtures or crossing the center boundary line, INCLUDING PAST THE FINISH LINE, the contestant will be disqualified.

There is a little more, but this pretty much sums it up.

[Jeff Stout]

Originally Posted by Carguy49

There has been a mention of NHRA putting it in writing.

NHRA 2015 Rulebook - - Race Procedures - Section 2 page 8 Disqualifications states - Anytime it has been judged that excessive braking has resulted in loss of control that resullts in contact with the guardwall and/or light fixtures or crossing the center boundary line, INCLUDING PAST THE FINISH LINE, the contestant will be disqualified.

There is a little more, but this pretty much sums it up.

Hopefully the rest of the rule addresses smoking of tires.