LET'S DESIGN SOMETHING NEW
I hate to say it, but maybe the NHRA should take a look at NASCAR and create the “Nitro car of the future.” Some sort of concept or test car, so to speak. Try different wing combinations, no wings, move the rear tires behind the wing (I know that’s probably not a good idea).
What happened a few months ago where they had the carbon fiber-wrapped wing struts to protect the wing? Was Garlits the only Top Fuel racer that thought of improving the cars? I
feel he has done more or at least tried more for Top Fuel than all the other racers combined. Remember the days of the airplane and “rubber band” front tires, bubble cockpits, a totally different front nose monostrut wing, rear engine dragsters and the list goes on. If NHRA will not step up and push new development like this we need a guy like Garlits back in the sport that will come up with new ideas!
I realize it takes money to do it, but didn’t NHRA turn a nice profit last year? Maybe it’s time to put some of that toward an R&D effort! You would also think some of these multi-car teams with big $$$ would like to make the sport safer for their drivers. I just feel NHRA gets the “Nobody is going to tell us what to do” syndrome where if it’s not their idea it’s a bad idea.
As Brandon and others have shown, if you keep the wing on, the car can be somewhat controlled, so I’d like to see a Kevlar/Carbon Fiber (or whatever material it takes) wheel tub tested. If it worked I know that would just be a band-aid on a larger problem, but I don’t think they can make their own tires. What about taking the wing off and design the car from the engine back with the rear half of a Funny Car body and wing? I know the Funny Car guys are having chunking problems too, but I don’t recall any of them having the same tire exploding problems the dragsters are.
I have so many more ideas racing through my head on this subject including tire development that I won’t bore you with. You would think if a weekend bracket racer can think up things to try, someone with more knowledge and know-how than myself would start trying something to solve this problem.
Klay Henderson
|
