Danika loses ride, finally

[BlueOvalFitter]

Originally Posted By: CajunLariat
NHRA has always been my go to racing. Where else can you ACTUALLY see the air move from 10K HP (Top Fuel, Funny Car) and feel it going right into your body like a sonic boom! NO WHERE, but at an NHRA event! That's real racing.

That's right son, you tell them. Your old man taught you right!
BTW, everyone, this is my son Robert. He's new to the site.

 

[02SE]

Originally Posted By: CajunLariat
Originally Posted By: Mr Nice
Originally Posted By: billt460
Originally Posted By: Mr Nice
New sponsorship of Monster Energy drink will not attract younger folks wanting to see cars turn left for 200 laps. They are into import cars and drifting events.


95% of those same people wouldn't know a good race if they saw it.


True.

But ultimately NASCAR is in trouble with dwindling fans, expensive races fans won't attend, silly rules and big names like Tony and Dale Jr retired, many fans simply lost any desire to watch.

Now that Dale Jr and late father no longer racing..... I've changed the channel to watch F1.


NHRA has always been my go to racing. Where else can you ACTUALLY see the air move from 10K HP (Top Fuel, Funny Car) and feel it going right into your body like a sonic boom! NO WHERE, but at an NHRA event! That's real racing.


I'm glad you enjoy the show. But make no mistake, Top Fuel cars (Dragsters in particular) are severely restricted. With adequate run-off, and restrictions removed, they could go MUCH quicker and faster. Since there are several venues on the tour which are land-locked, so the track can't be extended, that's not likely to change.

It's funny, back when the NHRA acknowledged they were producing 8k HP, they were producing 10k+ HP. Now the NHRA has acknowledged 10k HP, but they are capable of producing well in excess of that. It's all about what makes insurance underwriters nervous.

A little inside info.

 

[Virtus_Probi]

Originally Posted By: CajunLariat
NHRA has always been my go to racing. Where else can you ACTUALLY see the air move from 10K HP (Top Fuel, Funny Car) and feel it going right into your body like a sonic boom! NO WHERE, but at an NHRA event! That's real racing.


Do they still run rocket cars?
I saw one of those set some kind of national record at Great Lakes Union Dragway in WI, think it was for top speed and not time as the driver didn't get the greatest start. I thought those things were incredible as they would basically just disappear in front of your eyes, the jet cars were loud and made lots of flame but took quite some time to get going by comparison.
Believe the record setting car I saw used a Sidewinder missile engine...imagine what they could do with one from a Sparrow or AMRAAM!
Would guess that the prospect of one of those exploding with a crowd nearby might not be appealing to an insurer...and you can't do anything without being insured these days.

 

[billt460]

I think you are thinking of the Budweiser Rocket Car. It was big in the late 70's and early 80's.

 

[gman2304]

Bill Elliott qualified at over 212 mph in 1986 at Talledega. Attendance has dropped along with the speed yet NASCAR can’t figure it out.

 

[Virtus_Probi]

Originally Posted By: billt460
I think you are thinking of the Budweiser Rocket Car. It was big in the late 70's and early 80's.


No, there was a rocket car class in the races my dad would take me to at Great Lakes Dragaway and I specifically remember that one used a Sidewinder solid fuel engine. I would guess that its competition used liquid fuel and am not sure how they got the solid fueled car into position, as I am pretty sure that once you fire a solid fuel rocket, there is no way to stop the burn.
I found some YouTube videos of rocket car drag races, but nothing like the record setting car we saw...everything looked liquid fueled.

 

[billt460]

Most of the civilian rocket stuff is powered by Hydrogen Peroxide / Silver Catalyst Engines. I don't know how a civilian could even obtain a Sidewinder rocket engine. I know that's what the Budweiser Rocket Car used. But they only ran that vehicle on military installations like Edwards Air Force Base, with special permission.

 

[Virtus_Probi]

Originally Posted By: billt460
Most of the civilian rocket stuff is powered by Hydrogen Peroxide / Silver Catalyst Engines. I don't know how a civilian could even obtain a Sidewinder rocket engine. I know that's what the Budweiser Rocket Car used. But they only ran that vehicle on military installations like Edwards Air Force Base, with special permission.


I can still hear the announcer talking about the Sidewinder engine in my memory, but I can't find anything about it online...IDK, maybe I am confused, I was probably about 11 then. The rocket car I am thinking of destroyed its competition and, as I mentioned before, set some kind of drag strip record that day.

 

[BigD1]

Originally Posted By: JamesBond
I hope she finds a ride, if Derrike Cope can, she can too.


Cope won the Daytona 500.

 

[Eddie]

Danica beat many macho drivers and I hope she gets a ride. NASCAR is getting boring.

 

[Virtus_Probi]

Originally Posted By: Virtus_Probi
Originally Posted By: billt460
Most of the civilian rocket stuff is powered by Hydrogen Peroxide / Silver Catalyst Engines. I don't know how a civilian could even obtain a Sidewinder rocket engine. I know that's what the Budweiser Rocket Car used. But they only ran that vehicle on military installations like Edwards Air Force Base, with special permission.

I can still hear the announcer talking about the Sidewinder engine in my memory, but I can't find anything about it online...IDK, maybe I am confused, I was probably about 11 then. The rocket car I am thinking of destroyed its competition and, as I mentioned before, set some kind of drag strip record that day.


I was super curious about my memory here and could not find any record of a Sidewinder missile engine car at a drag strip, then read more about the Bud car and found that the said solid fueled engine on it could not be fired until the liquid rocket engine had already gotten the car up to several hundred miles per hour!

I must have been mistaken here, the record setting car I saw at Union Grove must have been liquid fueled. Another precious childhood memory ruined!!
;^)
BTW, dad stopped taking me to Great Lakes Dragaway after a piston engine exploded and killed some spectators. I'm not sure if mom forced his hand here or it was his own decision...I did have a sibling who was killed in an accident before I was born and they were both quite risk averse as a result. I know, probably was more likely we'd be killed in a car accident getting there and back...

 

[billt460]

It would appear that Danica's driving career isn't the only thing that's over. I've got to give Stenhouse credit. That kid is smarter than he looks.

http://www.tmz.com/2017/12/18/danica-patrick-ricky-stenhouse-break-up/

 

[02SE]

Originally Posted By: Virtus_Probi
Originally Posted By: Virtus_Probi
Originally Posted By: billt460
Most of the civilian rocket stuff is powered by Hydrogen Peroxide / Silver Catalyst Engines. I don't know how a civilian could even obtain a Sidewinder rocket engine. I know that's what the Budweiser Rocket Car used. But they only ran that vehicle on military installations like Edwards Air Force Base, with special permission.

I can still hear the announcer talking about the Sidewinder engine in my memory, but I can't find anything about it online...IDK, maybe I am confused, I was probably about 11 then. The rocket car I am thinking of destroyed its competition and, as I mentioned before, set some kind of drag strip record that day.


I was super curious about my memory here and could not find any record of a Sidewinder missile engine car at a drag strip, then read more about the Bud car and found that the said solid fueled engine on it could not be fired until the liquid rocket engine had already gotten the car up to several hundred miles per hour!

I must have been mistaken here, the record setting car I saw at Union Grove must have been liquid fueled. Another precious childhood memory ruined!!
;^)
BTW, dad stopped taking me to Great Lakes Dragaway after a piston engine exploded and killed some spectators. I'm not sure if mom forced his hand here or it was his own decision...I did have a sibling who was killed in an accident before I was born and they were both quite risk averse as a result. I know, probably was more likely we'd be killed in a car accident getting there and back...


The first Top Fuel team I worked with, had an engine explode at a National Event, prior to my joining the team. A piece of the blower case hit a fan in the leg, up in the stands. He was injured, but didn't lose the leg. Anyway, he tried to sue the NHRA, and the team. He was unsuccessful. The disclaimer on every ticket, and posted at every entrance stating the possibility of serious injury or death while on the premises, was enough to win the day.

 

[DoubleWasp]

Lol. Nobody wants to commit to her.

 

[CT8]

Originally Posted By: DoubleWasp
Lol. Nobody wants to commit to her.
Moto GP next season.

 

[sunruh]

Originally Posted By: CT8
Originally Posted By: DoubleWasp
Lol. Nobody wants to commit to her.
Moto GP next season.


as an umbrella girl?

 

[gman2304]

Originally Posted By: sunruh
Originally Posted By: CT8
Originally Posted By: DoubleWasp
Lol. Nobody wants to commit to her.
Moto GP next season.


as an umbrella girl?

 

[billt460]

Originally Posted By: sunruh
Originally Posted By: CT8
Originally Posted By: DoubleWasp
Lol. Nobody wants to commit to her.
Moto GP next season.


as an umbrella girl?


She has too much mileage on her at this point.

 

[CT8]

Tough crowd here.

 

[DoubleWasp]

Originally Posted By: sunruh
Originally Posted By: CT8
Originally Posted By: DoubleWasp
Lol. Nobody wants to commit to her.
Moto GP next season.


as an umbrella girl?


You think she can handle that equipment?