I find myself paying more attention to my reaction time, the 60, 330, and 1/8 mi times than anything so it doesn’t matter to me if I’m running 1/8 mi or 1/4 mi. If I’m running 1/8 mi and want to translate to 1/4 mi I multiply the 1/8 mi et by 1.57 and it’s close to what the run would have been in the 1/4 mi. No doubt the 1/8 mi programs run faster than the 1/4 mi. More if there’s track cleanup involved.

I ran at Brainerd Raceway (1/4 mi track) this weekend and delays due to weather and breakage were in abundance. The wait for the track cleanup was brutal.

Cheers.

Well we have only ever had 1320 racing here at SPR apart from TF (1000ft) and Junior Dragster/bike. The only advantage of running the 1/8th I can see from a spectator point is the fact that we wouldn't see cars launch/stop then go again and run 9.90@150+ etc. ...recently we have had a few 1/8 ml no prep style races on real virgin tracks, seemed to go off ok and there was prize money of £1000 and £2000. Most don't have a clue on how to set their car up from what I saw apart from a few who raced when I was racing 25yrs ago, so could do well at that and pick up some money for a change if I were to have a go again.

Must be why all the big radial tire 1/8 mile races have more viewers than an nhra event.

They didn’t over build a car for the 1/4 mile.
They built a car to run 1/8 mile, which a majority of tracks in the south are, which is where this originated.
There a big difference between 130 mph, and 230 mph at the end of the 1/4 mile.

Ever see the radial races where cars get airborne? Imagine doing that at 230 mph.
If you ran the 1/4 mile next to one of these guys, they’d be at the stripe, before you got to the 1/8...

You do know, that the tracks are 1/8 mile, right? They were built that way.
They didn’t “ change the rules” the tracks have been around for years. They just didn’t start to build them.

Most of the tracks in 5he sou5h are only 1/8 mile.... so that IS the whole track.
1/8 mile radial racing is thriving.

Nice

I HATE 8th mile. The radial 8th mile deal is pretty much a fad and will drop off as soon as the Street Outlaws TV ratings drop and the show is canceled. It will run it's course. Most of their spectators and followers are 19 year olds who will be on to the next fad in a couple of years.

For dinosaurs like me, who have cut their teeth on B body Hemi cars, or even Maxies, it's not appealing. Those cars have always made their ET in second and high gear, and are a fish out of water in the 8th.

I've been racing my Hemi 65 Dodge since 1969. It's still old school, SS springs, "J" converter, cross ram Hemi. I've had quicker motors, but this one is set up to run C/NSS with a 426 incher. A 11.00 index. Works good.

The difference is this, other makes will run 11.00 at 121mph. This one runs 11.00 at 124-125. That big high gear has won a lot of races over the years. Someone is out front, lifts, and we'll boogie right on by. It's a hallmark of these cars. Without it, I might as well build a Camaro like everyone else has, which is totally out of the question. I'd jump off a bridge first.

I realize brackets do not draw spectators, so this aspect may be immaterial, but watching 8th mile racing is like watching grass grow. It's very interesting and I can see how the drivers and participants really get it, because it is intense, but to watch it's a snoozefest. Too much inside baseball stuff for the average guy/gal. I went to the local track to watch a big money bracket race, 8th mile, good cars, and although some very good cars and drivers, there wasn't a dozen folks there to watch. Drag racing, even local tracks, need to increase their marketing to attempt to draw some spectators (I'm convinced it can be done), not further alienate them. The tracks make no money at all from bracket racing without them....none. What money they make comes from a big car count, and with car counts dropping off there needs to be a shift back to what has always worked. Back to basics. You can't re-invent the wheel, which is what everyone seems to want to do.

Going 8th mile universally is not good for the sport, overall. I realize it's big in the south due to room, and 8th mile has always been big down there.

Drag racing was made popular because it was full of cool cars. Recent things I've seen still verifies that the cars are the stars, and they are what draw. Purpose built 8th mile dragsters and bracket cars, while being impressive technically wise, lack a good bit of the cool fact. They are mostly identical, and set up the same way.

But, I'm a dinosaur. What do I know?

While most of my racing has been 1/4 mile, I can’t deny that the heads up match racing I’ve done on the 1/8th has been a blast. I’ve only bracket raced one time on an 1/8 mile format. Really tightens the field up and you best have your poo in a group!

Steve1118...The 1/8 mile radial racing was going strong well before Street Outlaws came around. You realize none of the Street Outlaws are radial cars? Radials don't work well for the type of racing they do.

I don't really care one way or the other as far as 1/8 vs. 1/4. I do find 1/4 mile a little more fun and like to see that ET, but 1/8 mile is more challenging to race. Not to mention 1/8 tracks outnumber 1/4 tracks around here by a huge margin. It's all about the hard launch and acceleration down low to me, moreso than the topend charge.

I race 1/8 and 1/4 mile and every year it's less and less 1/4 mile.
Honestly once you race competitively 1/8 mile then switch back to 1/4 the last half of the race just seems to be a waste of time and fuel.

It's just a matter of time before it's all 1/8 mile.

Al

True racers don't care if it's 1/8 or 1/4. If your willing to give up racing and sell everything because it switched to 1/8th, than your not a true competitor, you just enjoy making laps in a car. 1/8th mile programs are easier on equipment, draw more cars and is a quicker program. 1/8th mile racing it typically a lot closer at the strip due to the shorter distance. Some like the 1/4 because it gives them time to judge the strip better, personally I like 1/8th. I hit high gear, look once for the competitor and go off my gut as to what needs to be done to try and get that win light, no time to think. Look at all the BIG money races, not one is 1/4 mile...that should tell you something right there.

I race both, and enjoy both. I know 1/8th mile bracket racing has made me a better 1/4 mile racer.

I laugh at 1/4 mile races that get cut to 1/8th because of weather and people loose there minds.

Not true. I am a “ true racer” and have been racing 45 years. And much prefer 1/4 mile.
By what you said i take it all the NHRA pro stock racers arent true racers because they race 1/4 mile every week. And yes, i do enjoy making laps in my car. Who doesnt? I sure dont do it to make a living. Do you?
I dont mind running my car a 1/4 mile and figure oif worrying about easier on equipment was the deciding factor i probably shouldbt be at a track enjoying an expensive interest anyhow, because i probably cant afford it.

Let's see
build a faster car so I can run slower. You guys kill me.

Here is how I see it.

I build a bracket car because I am a gearhead (in other words I like fast cars) It goes 135-140 in the qtr. And doesn't cost me an arm and a leg, hell I still have an open trailer.

How much would it cost to go 135-140 in the eighth? Whole different ball game.

Like I have said before, I would hate to do this but I would probably put a engine in a jet boat and go down to the river where there is no speed limits. Which is what 1/8 mile racing on a 1/4. track is.

I’m old and I’m scared of going to fast. Lol. The only thing in drag racing that I hate is allowing cars to “double enter” same car same driver. It’s becoming more and more popular and to me it’s high stakes gambling trying to buy the win. It’s hard to beat guys getting 2-3 times more passes down the track.

It's easy just smack them with a 00 package like you did their first entry lol

Al

[quote=pittsburghracer]I’m old and I’m scared of going to fast. Lol.

You must lose attention span with age too. You would rather see/participate inn a 5-6 second race than a 9-10 second one T

I’d rather see a car go 200+ in the eighth, than 140 in the 1/4...

It’s just the opposite. As others have said you better be on your game to win at 1/8 mile racing. You have to cut the light and play the stripe in 6 seconds. It can and will make you a better racer. And that’s a fact Jack. Off topic but they just dumped a bunch of Musky in the Allegheny River Jeremy. They are waiting for us.

Street Outlaws have nothing to do with 1/8 mile racing, around here people were racing it long before those guys were born and will be when their star fades from TV. BTW, if you're running an index you're bracket racing, the only difference is that the track picks your dial, not you.

My car is a street/strip deal with 4.10 gears and 28" tires and I have no doubts that my engine will survive the 1/4 just fine. Some times Bowling Green runs the 1/4 on T&T nights so when it cools off I'd like to haul it there and see what it'll do. I think it'll be pretty cool to run some low 10's with a pump gas small block on d.o.t. tires.

You guys do realize that if there was no 1/8 mile racing a bunch of us would have no where to race without traveling long distances?