Quote:
Originally Posted by Silverback51
Englishtown is one of the shortest tracks on the NHRA tour.
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Some racers were interviewed shortly thereafter and I think it was Tolliver who said he'd be willing to shorten the race length to 1,000'
right now. He discussed how even the slight difference in speed from 300 to 330 is a quantum leap at that level and adds a considerable level of risk on even the better built tracks.
So given the improvements in technology and how these cars keep getting faster, I wouldn't be surprised if NHRA starts to phase in some 1,000' races in '09 (with Englishtown being the first recipient).
Having drag raced when I was younger, I can understand the need to keep things at 1,320 (the quarter mile). Baseball hasn't changed 90' between the bases for 100+ years, despite better athletes and equipment. I suppose NHRA doesn't want to change the primary dimension of their sport either. But it's either a shorter sprint, ban certain tracks, back to watered-down nitro percentages (to keep the terminal velocities down), or a little of all-of-the-above. Heck, even the 90% nitro requirements earlier this decade didn't really slow the cars down...tuners found a way to make them just as quick.
Kalitta will be missed and my prayers go out to his family.
-Dean