Shut down distances.

[Mike Pearson]

Originally Posted by Ed Fernandez

Your talking about 300 ft plus or minus.I dont know about eating a sandwich but it could be the difference between turning or smacking the rail.
What track was it where Woodrow went into the swamp a while back?
Hey tough guy,you got that right.Thank God I've never had to prove it.Hope nobody ever has to.

That was Gainesville where Woodrow went in to the lake at the top end. As I remember the brake rod came out of the master cylinder and he had no brakes. The catch net was rotten and the car went right through it. Woodrow was lucky he didn’t drown. Gainesville is really long on shut down area.

[Tom Broome]

Originally Posted by Mike Pearson

That was Gainesville where Woodrow went in to the lake at the top end. As I remember the brake rod came out of the master cylinder and he had no brakes. The catch net was rotten and the car went right through it. Woodrow was lucky he didn’t drown. Gainesville is really long on shut down area.

The same thing happened to a SS/AA car I crewed on a LONG time ago, back when Super Stockers footbraked. When the car touched down from the wheelstand the free swinging brake pedal bumped the driver's ankle, he recognized something was wrong and idled the rest of the way down the track. That made a big impression my young mind, and it's still something I pay attention to after all these years. I won't use the brake light switch for a pedal stop, and sometimes I have fabricated a "guide" to keep the rod aimed at the master cylinder.

[340Cuda]

My son and I have gone to a lot of different tracks on Hot Rod's Drag Week.

The only one he was a little uncomfortable at was the NHRA owned (at the time) track at Columbus. The car with him it it is about 3,500 lbs, only went about 120mph and had Willwoods on the front and stock drums on the back.

[Frank Castros]

Lebanon Valley when we raced there in the eighties was a challenge to stop a Max Wedge car with eight inch drum brakes!

[Tom Broome]

Originally Posted by Frank Castros

Lebanon Valley when we raced there in the eighties was a challenge to stop a Max Wedge car with eight inch drum brakes!

Yes, but the brakes were light weren't they. I know what you mean, same six cylinder brakes on a SS/IA Roadrunner at Dallas (Ga) Dragway quarter mile. Before they changed to eighth mile. Had Hurst/Airheart single piston discs on an IHRA SS/AA....really scary!

[Ed Fernandez]

Anybody run at the old South Mtn. Raceway. I ran there in the 90's once on the way home as a sideline to a big AMC show at Gettysburg. Staging lanes held about 10 cars. You had to make a u turn to get into the water box then if I remember correctly it was uphill to do the burnout. After the finish line there was a banked (ala Nascar) 180 degree turn at the end of the very short shut down area. This was with my first Gremlin (bracket car going low 11's). That was a novelty to say the least.

[Bob Don]

Here you go, Ed:

[Steve Stasko]

Originally Posted by Ed Fernandez

Anybody run at the old South Mtn. Raceway. I ran there in the 90's once on the way home as a sideline to a big AMC show at Gettysburg. Staging lanes held about 10 cars. You had to make a u turn to get into the water box then if I remember correctly it was uphill to do the burnout. After the finish line there was a banked (ala Nascar) 180 degree turn at the end of the very short shut down area. This was with my first Gremlin (bracket car going low 11's). That was a novelty to say the least.

Still pretty much the same at South Mountain. The turn into the water box isn't that bad, and it is slightly uphill to do the burnout...not Quaker City uphill though. I believe they've moved the starting line back, as I had no issues stopping my '64 Dodge there the other year.

On that topic...Sunset, outside of Mercer, PA. Basically South Mountain without guardrails. Back into the burnout box, 1/8th mile with about 700' of downhill shutdown, and a hairpin turn to the right at the end...first place I ever ran a car down the track.