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Old 09-21-2020, 03:14 PM   #1
Tony Fagnilli
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Default I thought I had a fair chance to win class at Indy,

I was really on the fence about whether I wanted to post this or not. Well, here it is.





I was at Indy and was looking forward to class because every where we've raced so far in class, I was always in the combo. I made a good run in Q1. I ran an 8.54. There were two (2) Cobra Jets running in FS/AA and they both blew the tires off at the hit in Q1(that's the important part), so I’m thinking they might be a little lost. Jeff Lane was the higher qualified of the two, so it was he and I running for the trophy. Just before the call to the lanes, Reinhart announces that the Electric Cobra Jet, which was built by Jeff Lane, was going to make a hit against the Supercharged Cobra Jet. I’m thinking, “What?” I run to the fence and see just the Supercharged Cobra Jet make a pass. So I jump on my scooter, head to the lanes and see the Electric Cobra Jet sitting in the lanes. I ask one of the Ford guys “Who made that pass in the Supercharged Cobra Jet?” He tells me that Tony Pedregon was going to make an exhibition run against Tasca driving the Electric Cobra Jet, and that Pedregon needed some seat time. Of course, the Supercharged Cobra Jet went right down the track.

Five minutes later, they call cars to the lanes for Class. I walk up to Jeff Lane and he says “Sorry for being late, I had to cool this car down because Tony Pedregon just made a hit in it”. WTF? I'm PISSED. Lane runs an 8.54 to my 8.56 and has me by 3 on the tree. Now, I’m even more pissed. I talked to the Division Director and he actually told me that, "He told the higher ups that it wasn’t a good idea for that car to go down the track when it was still in competition."

So I finally find the guy who authorized this “time trial”, Tim White. He is the engineer for the NHRA. When I questioned White about how dumb his decision was, he told me that they didn’t get a time slip and that they pulled the SD card from the Racepak. White told me, “They got no data from the run, so it didn’t benefit them”. Are you kidding me? The car only had to go to the 60 foot to see how it would launch. I couldn’t believe it. For an engineer, he sure did make a stupid call.

Now here’s the thing. I honestly believe that Lane connived the whole thing. I think he needed a time trial, went to NHRA and said “Pedregon needs a hit in this car”. I asked White, “Who approached you with this whole “Pedregon needs a hit in this car” thing? He replied “I can’t tell you that”. His reply tells me two things:
  • White knew he messed up, and,
  • Someone did approach him and asked for another hit.
If Lane hadn’t blown the tires off in Q1, I would not have cared one bit. But, I think that extra hit on the track was unfair and it was wrong. What's the coincidence that Pedregon made a hit LITERALLY minutes before the class call?

After I stewed for a couple of days, I went and found Lane at his trailer. I told him that I was going to make a post about him and that it was going to be derogatory. I told him that I thought he connived the entire thing. I also asked him, “If Pedregon would have blown the tires off, would he have made a change to the car?" Of course he would have? But, his response was laughable. It was a yes or no question, but he said that car would never blow the tires off. LOL. Well it did in Q1, didn’t it? Of course he would have made a change. I then had some choice words for him and he told me to leave his pit. I had some more words for the tool, then I left.


Now, in no way am I stating that if the car didn't get a time trial that my outcome in class would have been any different. What I'm saying is that Lane got an advantage over me and I think it was a ****ty move.


Is NHRA to blame? Yes 100% They let this happen. But was it NHRA's idea? NO 100%


So that was my class experience at Indy this year. Great, wasn't it?
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Old 09-21-2020, 04:22 PM   #2
Bryan Worner
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Default Re: I thought I had a fair chance to win class at Indy,

Not surprised at all! He’s a west coaster and a known cheater! Nothing this guy does surprises me, but the lack of punishment by NHRA is pathetic!!! No wonder he continues to do so! He must be buddies with some higher ups!
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Old 09-21-2020, 06:01 PM   #3
Kevin Panzino
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Default Re: I thought I had a fair chance to win class at Indy,

Wow.
A Very, very disappointing chain of events that was allowed to be transpired.
Particularly since this “gent” has a bit of a history of rules/sportsmanship controversy....

Mr Fagnilli, I would have to agree with your analysis that while this might have been mistakenly allowed by nhra in the chaos of this race, the true impetus of this originated in the Lane camp, not with nhra or in brother Pedrigon’s camp. A sub 4 second 320mph funny car driver really needs a hit on an 8.50 car for an exhibition pass?

Hard to imagine the Lanes’ displaying this class Wally proudly at their crib with any degree of integrity.

Maybe they just figure it’s a trophy you put on the shelf when folks come over to your house for dinner who have no knowledge of the details of our sport.

I dream most every night about winning a class Wally at Indy.
But this is not how I want to score one. I wouldn't be able to sleep at night having “won” one this way.

Kp

Last edited by Kevin Panzino; 09-21-2020 at 06:08 PM.
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Old 09-21-2020, 06:09 PM   #4
Kevin Panzino
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Default Re: I thought I had a fair chance to win class at Indy,

Wow.
A Very, very disappointing chain of events that was allowed to be transpired.
Particularly since this “gent” has a bit of a history of rules/sportsmanship controversy....

Mr Fagnili, I would have to agree with your analysis that while this might have been mistakenly allowed by nhra in the chaos of this race, the true impetus of this originated in the Lane camp, not with nhra or in brother Pedrigon’s camp.
A sub 4 second 320mph funny car
driver really needs a hit on an 8.50 car for an exhibition pass?

Hard to imagine the Lane’s displaying this class Wally proudly at their crib with any degree of integrity.

Maybe they just figure it’s a trophy you put on the shelf when folks come over to your house for dinner who have no knowledge of the details of our sport.

I dream most every night about winning a class Wally at Indy.
But this is not how I want to score one. I wouldn't be able to sleep at night having “won” one this way.

Kp
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Old 09-21-2020, 08:03 PM   #5
Keith 944
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Default Re: I thought I had a fair chance to win class at Indy,

Tony i have known you for a while, sadly, this is just how things work some kiss a** take the higher ups out for dinner, special perks etc, Then they just so happen to get "best appearing, best engineered" etc. Quid pro quo so to speak. as for you i would rather be known as a true champ rather than a chump champ!
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Old 09-22-2020, 11:55 AM   #6
bsimms89
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Default Re: I thought I had a fair chance to win class at Indy,

I was watching the results for FS/AA but was unaware that any of that happened. This year has been a wash for us due to a work backlog from covid, but next year am hoping to get our COPO out more in FS/AA and am disappointed to hear that this happened at indy.

Anyone should be able to tell that you don't need to have the racepak data if you're just making a test pass to get it to hook up if you blew the tires off on a previous run.

Last edited by bsimms89; 09-23-2020 at 10:26 AM.
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Old 09-22-2020, 02:02 PM   #7
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Default Re: I thought I had a fair chance to win class at Indy,

Tony, we have never met; however Marty speaks highly of you. Regardless, as a competitor/car owner, I, as do many others in our classes(STOCK & SS) take Class runoffs, especially INDY, very serious and very rewarding. I cannot fathom having a direct competitor getting or being granted ANY additional runs on or in his car, before, during and/or after Class Runoffs or Eliminations at any National or Divisional event. In the almost two decades of racing, I have never seen or heard of this happening. Unfortunately to some of the competitors out there, winning is everything, no matter at what cost...even their integrity. I just find it humorous that NHRA is suing their title sponsor for not following the rules of their contract; however NHRA's rules are up for revision, parity, change, case by case, etc....depending on WHO YOU ARE. Tony, I would rather lose honestly, than win knowing it was BS. See you in the lanes.

PS: Your a better man than me. I'm sure I would have gotten a year off + for getting the paramedics involved. LOL
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