Is Bob Lang

[Jim D'Amore]

Just curious if he is responsible for the schedule and track prep for all divisional and national events in division one? The reason I ask is so I can talk to the right person.

A little background on myself. I have sponsored race series for the past 14 years. Fun Ford Weekend for 10 years, we owned two classes in that series and NMRA for four years and had one class in that series. We have also sponsored Shake Down in E-Town and a dozen more in events across the country. I have been at almost all the tracks out there and I have been helping 6 or so racers in the NHRA series for the past few years.

This schedule this weekend at E-Town was the first I have seen of its kind where they ran ten rounds of small tire cars with high horsepower back to back, this all being done in about a four hour period. When you have a warm track, I would not say hot because the highest track temp. I saw was 124 degrees. Slippery track you don't put that many rounds of 9 inch tires, you must put some big tire cars in between. Especially the dragsters. They would help allot.

Factory Stock Shoot Out would have been more exciting if the track was working. I am sure Ford, Dodge and GM would have been happier if after first round if most of the guys weren't trying to take horsepower out of the car so they could get down the track. It was an insult to the factory stock class. It was tough enough they ran four rounds that close together in that type of heat.

Tracks prep is everything. I have been at tracks that where over 140 degree track temp and cars were working just fine. I don't know if it was the mixture of the new VP Compound, the balls of rubber leading up to the starting lines or bald spots clear out to the 60 ft. I do know what I saw could have been fixed.

I know of one instance that they were cutting the VP Compound with alcohol and they were using achohol with top end lube in it and that caused bad tracking conditions and caused accidents. It just seems like NHRA has not realized that allot of its Stock Eliminator cars make as much torque as Pro Stock with a 1/3 of the tire and suspension. They cannot blame this on the stock guys. They approved these cars. There is allot of the new and old drivers using them.

This is a very ego driven sport. NHRA being the promoter of these events should work with the sportman ego not against it. After all it cost each individual anywhere from two to five thousand a weekend.

Jim

[Ed Fernandez]

Good luck getting any traction with the knuckleheads in Glendora.Seems they could give a rat's sass if any sportsman racer can get down the track safely.Just collect the entry fees
and let 'er rip.
I think Bob tries to do the best he can with what he and the Div 1 crew are handed.That goes for the Nat. event guys also.

[David Barton]

I believe Bob Lang is the guy. At least that's what Danny Gracia told me when I had some words with him after losing to Connelly in the Showdown. I commented to him how I thought the track conditions were a joke. JC Beattie spun, Jack Matyas spun so bad I saw a cloud of smoke, then I went right behind them and did the same thing.

I know NHRA didn't do everything they could have because I was standing right there as the ***** happened. They kept misting the track with their spray without dragging it with the tractor. Before the 2nd round of the Showdown they sprayed and passed the tractor once in each lane. They both went up the right lane and came back in the left and parked. Without surprise both lanes still had bald spots.

Numerous people made comments to the starting line crew but they simply ignored most. The one time I heard a reaction they said they needed to hurry up and stick to the schedule. I'd rather lose a time shot if it meant the track prep would be better.

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.

Anyway, I have a lot to say about it but its not getting us anywhere. What do we need to do to make a difference? Many people were pissed with good reason this past weekend and something should be done about it. We can't keep sweeping it under the rug.

After I lost to Sal I honestly felt like I never wanted to come back ever again which isn't fair to me, my business, my car owners, sponsors, fans, and many more. NHRA is really pushing it if you ask me.

[chris ok]

Thank you Jim for what you do sponsoring. As a fan who read about it all it needs to change. I could only go today, Sunday, when the Factory super cars can run in a class to be exposed to fans. Glad I did not take a no pay day from work Thursday now.It was a great day today, but so little sportsman racing. Only semi's and finals. They need to shorten show I guess? for fans attention span? I been here going back to the 80's for the old summer nats in July.
Good luck in all you do. Chris

As a fan since the 80's, I thought today went great. All pro classes were awesome. I did miss more sportsman as they only ran the semis and finals. The show is shortened to acccomidate the newer demographic? shorter attention spans?certainly an easier ride home today After watching telecast rain was a possibility. Still a great day Sunday thank you.
4 points I will make.
1 many drag racers want heads up classes. They are no longer interested in anything brackets to watch or compete. Cecil County had anothershootout Saturday and maybe today too where a lot of locals were. I know that for fact. A few told me. Now NHRA , they included 11.50 index. I like the index classes and they are fun to watch.
2 The young ones today like lowering cars and nice wheels, some graphics and intakes(air filter systems as I would say, they dont) and exhaust are not track kids. They don't like domestics. I work for Lexus, and see it daily with coworkers and customers rides.
3. The economy still stinks and many can't afford this.

4. Alan Reinhart gave the very best heartfelt thank you I've ever seen at the track today. They know people just can't afford the day out, tho June is graduations, proms, bdays month of the year People don't have the disposible income and many are recovering from Sandy and otherstorms also. I was with one today.
I was moved by his speech. Any tape of it?

[Jim D'Amore]

David, I was standing under the tower when they were running factory shoot out. I watched almost everyone spun. I actually thought you broke your transmision. In my opinion the only way to correct the track would to scraped from the burn out box to the 60ft. Then let some big tire cars go down. I watched P.C Richard's Cobra Jet and Holbrook's have a peddle fest. Lord knows NHRA had enough people on the starting line that they could of scraped and had it done in an hour or they could of done it the day before. On Don Fezell's Cobra Jet he didn't want to run the FS class because the weight really disrupts his clutch but by Q2 he was at the FS weight lowered to leave 600 RPM's and took a full turn of base out of the clutch. Still lost a tenth in the 60ft. His first run of class we took another quarter turn of base out of it because there wasn't enough cool down time and the clutch was still hot. Which makes it grab harder. His 60ft. was a 1.49 from a 1.27 in Maple Grove last week. They strength is in numbers well stock was the largest class there and was the run the hardest in the shortest amount of time on Thursday. In the worst track conditions that was NHRA's choice.

Chris, thank you for the kind words. I have always believed in building and sponsoring classes where everybody feels they have a chance. When we had the classes in Fun Ford Weekend we had one starter for ten years. His name was Sammy, every driver trusted him. He had courtesy staging and he got to know the sound of your engine with the RPM launches. He would shut down the starting line to make the track work. In ten years I probably made a thousand passes down his prep track and to be honest with you I don't know if I ever spun. Most of the cars were low ten second to low nine second and they did not have the half the technology NHRA stockers have for suspension. Sammy use to say "spinning will brake parts, piss people off and ruin the show".

[Pistol Pete]

I thought the Run Schedule was Just Plain Awful !!!!!!

I was at fuel check after my 1st time shot & i hear them say " Stock To The Lanes"

I didn't even get back to my trailer yet to cool down, charge the battery, ect.....

I didn't even bother with the 2nd time run.

" Just Plain Awful."

[442OLDS]

Originally Posted by Pistol Pete

I thought the Run Schedule was Just Plain Awful !!!!!!

I was at fuel check after my 1st time shot & i hear them say " Stock To The Lanes"

I didn't even get back to my trailer yet to cool down, charge the battery, ect.....

I didn't even bother with the 2nd time run.

" Just Plain Awful."

I am not defending the schedule by any means,but what do you think it is like when you win the semi-finals and they are already calling the finals?

Sometimes,you have to get back up there with the car not cooled down and the battery not fully charged up.

[1320racer]

Originally Posted by David Barton

I know NHRA didn't do everything they could have because I was standing right there as the ***** happened. They kept misting the track with their spray without dragging it with the tractor. Before the 2nd round of the Showdown they sprayed and passed the tractor once in each lane. They both went up the right lane and came back in the left and parked. Without surprise both lanes still had bald spots.

Numerous people made comments to the starting line crew but they simply ignored most. The one time I heard a reaction they said they needed to hurry up and stick to the schedule. I'd rather lose a time shot if it meant the track prep would be better.

I'm usually not a sore loser but when it's due to the lack of track prep I fealt I was ripped off.

Anyway, I have a lot to say about it but its not getting us anywhere. What do we need to do to make a difference? Many people were pissed with good reason this past weekend and something should be done about it. We can't keep sweeping it under the rug.

After I lost to Sal I honestly felt like I never wanted to come back ever again which isn't fair to me, my business, my car owners, sponsors, fans, and many more. NHRA is really pushing it if you ask me.

NOTHING will happen to remedy this situation as long as you guys continue to show up to race on whatever junk lang decides is good enough.

What does it take for you guys to stick together and say enough is enough and BOYCOTT the next event?

Only when they lose $ will you get their attention.

When the track is junk from the get go, it's only because it wasn't prepped properly period!

I was in the stands on Friday and watched class car after car after car blow the tires off and not once was the program haulted to attempt to fix the starting line nor did I see lang anywhere near the starting line.

Only after several Pro stock and FC smoked the tires did I see lang walk the left lane to 330 feet.

I have been racing for 22 years and every comment I have ever heard about lang from division 1 racers whether running brackets or class is always the same.

[Larry Hill]

If Bob Lang is responsible for track prep, what is the job description of the starter? Does the track crew have to get permission from the tower to fix the track, or does the schedule trump everything including track safety?

So, if John Force spins @ Indy he needs to find Jay to express his disappointment in track prep?

[Bruce Noland]

Jim,
Thank you for your considered posts. You should consider creating a network of advertisers and event sponsors.The nhra executives have insulated themselves from the racers and fans to push their greed driven business model. They have developed a take it or leave it program for racers and fans alike. No one should forget that this corporation is still sucking off our tax dollars, at least for the time being. You can get the attention of this outfit only with the combined force that a network has to offer and possibly make a positive impact on our beloved sport.