I am looking for anywhere to say this.I want to know why drag racing is going to shorter distance.I say its the insurance companies and the pussification of society in general.Some things just need to be left as they were.People who race have always been thought of as silly or wierd anyway.Lets stop this before were told its too dangerous and drag racing goes away all togeather.

Here in the mountains of Appalachia it's always been 1/8th mile tracks. I hated it when I first moved to the area. I guess it's because we don't have the flat space available. But after 10 years or so I've gotten used to it. I don't think it's easier, racing the strip seems harder, I guess because everything is happening faster.

Jeff.

Just curious but what do you race and what does it run. At our Track cars 9.0 and slower have a choice. Box 1/8 mile, no box 1/4 mile.

I can understand the drag strips that have been historically 8th mile, due to space. I can get that, and it makes perfect sense.

My issue is 1/4 mile tracks that only race 8th. In order to be successful at 8th, you have to be set up for it. It's best with a light car, real quick reacting and short times. I get that, too.

For me, after almost fifty years of racing with my old Hemi, the day that 8th mile is the only option is the day I park everything. To me, it's half a drag race. Not remotely interested in doing it, and even less interested in watching it. Watching two dragsters race 8th mile is like watching the neighbor paint his house. It's exciting to the guys doing it, but to everyone else it's a big snoozefest. BORING.

Insurance and/or property values, depends on the situation. There have been tracks that started out as 1/4 mile early on, but cars got too fast to stop safely. Some 1/8 mile tracks would like to go to 1/4, but property values may prohibit that. Competition is just as close and the way things are going, I'm happy just to have a place to race.

I much prefer to test and tune 1/4 mile but I don't mind bracket racing 1/8th mile. I used to whine about 1/8 mile but my only two wins have been on 1/8th races.

If drag racing went to only 1/8 mile i would find a new hobby literally tomorrow.
I have had all kinds of different ET cars, and 1/8 mile has never appealed to me. I enjoy the xtra speed and not shifting gears the last half the track.
My local track ( US131) has over the last several years went from exclusively 1/4 mile with( a huge shutdown), to about 1/2 the events being on 1/8 mile. I hate it. Fortunately i am older so wont be racing forever.
I get there is a core of hard core points chaser types who prefer 1/8 mile. But the bigger majority of people like myself who test and tune and or bracket race but dont chase points due to work requirements, not wanting to sit at the track on a 95 degree day etc, make up a larger amount of people. And..... certainly not all points chaser types prefer 1/8 mile either.... many dont.
I have raced points in the past, but sometimes i think peo0le can take this stuff to seriously. Dont get ne wrong, i am ultra competetive, but virtually nobody i have ever met makes a livin at this, its a hobby. As a hobby i prefer the 1/4 mile

So many of the hard core racers of today are very different than the hard core racers of the past, I think. The motivation is totally different.

I got started in this game as a passion, a passion for cool cars and going fast. I still do it because it's a passion. Love it, and live for it.

The modern guys bracket racing see it as a business....the car is a tool to use for your business. There is no passion involved.

It's just totally different.

Agree 100%. That said, 99% of guys lose money going to the track no matter how “ businesslike” they are. That fact hasnt changed.

When it comes to the length of the track you need to remember that drag racing in the west side of this country was started to try and stop kids from street racing, which was stoplight to stoplight or when ever the other guy let off when he was behind
Riverside Raceway tried 1/2 mile drags for a while, it didn't last long due to a lot of the racers blowing their motors up between the 1/4 and 1/2 mile finish line
As far as NHRA making decisions on the lengths of the tracks, insurance costs have to come into play, same thing on most track operators also
My current S/P car runs high fives at 115 MPH in the 1/8 mile and 9.00s at 147.+ MPH in the 1/4 mile so it spends a little over 45 % of it time in the 1/4 mile running the last 1/8 mile
It gains right at 30 MPH in the last 1/8 mile in less than 4 seconds but goes from a dead stop to 115 MPH in 5.85 seconds in the 1/8 mile Which is more thrilling

They're going to 1/8 mile because that's what guys want to run. Most of the big money brackets is 1/8. The event moves faster, less wear and tear (expense) on the car, and the car can be set up for it and left alone.

Where's the beating the dead horse emoji? lol

The last time I ran a 1/4 mile race my Dart had the 340 in it and ran 11.60's, it ran 7.24 in the 1/8. The last 1/8 of the 1/4 was boring, I was in high gear before the 1/8 so all I had to do was hold the wheel and decide how to drive the stripe.

My Dart will now run 6.30's in the 1/8 so maybe the 1/4 would be more fun. For me there is a lot going on in the 1/8, all the shifts then the stripe, no time for my mind to wander. I've ran some 1/8 mile heads up street stuff that was a hoot.

To the guys who think watching 1/8 mile racing is boring go watch a big heads up race. If 3.70-80's at 200 mph is boring you need to be checked for a pulse. I agree ANY bracket racing is boring to watch, doesn't matter what the distance is. Bracket racing for the most part is a participant sport not a spectator sport.

I run a 15.0 duster

In the 1/4 mile

because there are cars going over 200mph in the eighth, on radials...
they'd be doing close to 250 in the 1/4. at those speeds, someone is going to get killed. they are also harder to stop from those speeds, because of their weight. it's also harder on parts at that power level.

how fast is your car?

the really fast guys that run 1/8 mile, would be done with their run, ( if it was a 1/4 mile and on the return road) before you got to the eighth...

some of the street outlaws have been high 3's in the eighth. your car runs about mid 9's in that time...

I prefer 1/4 but won't stop if its only 1/8th. Honestly racing is racing. You don't need a light quick car for the the 1/8. You need the same as the 1/4, a consistent car, good reaction times and be able to race the stripe.

Operation cost's and also Keeping the entertainment within view. just my 2 cents.

But it could just be that all the low performance drives cant handle it...lol