You know how it works Tig, he may well have been putting down 1000hp but most 60 like they were stood still compared to a sorted chassis car, you'll pull 2 cars on them easy and they won't run you down with their 30mph better than their ET.

I remember TNT's as more fun than the meetings, less down time, more tuning for ET not just sitting around hoping to run within a few 100ths every time 2>3 times a day if that in brkts not touching anything on the car, its really all about using your ability to improve every time at TNT's with your knowledge of how you can run faster next time flat out, that has a real purpose in my opinion.

The new crowd are just that, they look at mph, the ET and the launch means squat to most where to us the 60 is what its all about for that low ET.

IIRC he was only 2-3 mph more through the stripe but way behind. I'm guessing his engine builder inflated the HP figures somewhat.

There has always been "wanna be's" at the track. I'm glad they are. A track needs cars to stay open. These guys are having fun no matter how misguided. Eventually some of them will be every weekend racers. And some, may even build a fast car. How many stories have we heard of "factory" muscle cars running 10's and pulling wheelies on the street back in the 70's. This is nothing new.
Doug

^^^ Yep

Re someone asking if I was retired... maybe in some parallel universe. In this universe I had no kids in marriage #1, but have 3 kids ages 21, 18, and 14 from my second one. The oldest is still in college, the middle kid starts college next fall, and the youngest will be a freshman in high school next fall. I'll be working till I'm 70...

The kid I mentioned reasoned his car was 850 HP because the guy wo sold him the tune had a Mustang just like his but was 1100 HP. The kid could run within two car lengths of his tuners car, so he had 850 HP. New math I suppose.

The guy and his girlfriend were both very polite and I was in return. He borrowed my tire pressure gauge a few times and I loaned him a socket and breaker bar to check his lug nuts. Before they left he came over and shook my hand and said thanks. A kind word and a little generosity is remembered for a long time, the same can be said for being a jacka$$. I hope to see them at the track again.

I am glad to see new people out there. The only thing that really makes me mad is when someone parks in my damn pit spot. I drive my car there but I have a tool box and a chair and a few things I unload. Usually every few trips to TNT I pull in to find someone parked right in front of that. I can't bring myself to show up with no tools yet, even though I seldom need them.

If you're not typing in all caps , you're either not that angry , or not that old.

I'm all for ANYONE who is at the racetrack. We have lost two more facilities permanently out here in the west, one was a national event track, the other was a divisional track. SoCal the "home" of drag racing has nothing left but one marginal dragstrip and one that is substandard, but they do the nest they can with very limited resources. Houston is loosing its national even facility as well. Anyone who still bother to go and support this hobby needs to be applauded for sure.

Having said that yes much of what Brad talks about it the norm. But that's ok with me I am sure I sounded just as dumb when I started. We are willing to help anyone with any issues or questions they have. We have helped a coupe local kids with advice, free work and free parts more than a few times. One just won a $5K race and another won $2500 the next day and they are still learning. I think we have to tolerate some of the dumb questions for sure to help promote our hobby or it is doomed, and that is getting closer and closer out here to becoming a reality. We all should work a bit harder to get new people t just come to the track and engage whomever we can.

But dumb questions and statements will rule the day. When we ran the no prep top 10 deal here a couple years ago it was in conjunction with street car night, Midnight Mayhem. I was astounded at the number of street cars that made more power than my car, and the numbers they thought my car made. We were always the #1 or #2 car, had alot of fun and talked to a lot of "newbies"for sure.

As for the N/T crap. I dont get it. We have been running in an organization that runs no time. Stupid IMO and the excuses I have heard as to why they do it dont hold water. the fans love to see the ET's on the cars. The cheers we have heard prove that. As for other racers in the class not wanting to be "embarrassed" maybe they need to use it as motivation to get better. Or find somewhere else to race.

Good times when PassTime was on TV.