Jello wrote:

] "1973 is the year drag racing stopped evolving,
] technologically if not aesthetically. The sport staggers on,
] zombie-like, but henceforth on a Galápagos of automotive
] innovation, the island that OPEC forgot."
]
] This is just totally fucking rediculous. Restrictive rules
] encourage engineering innovation to get that extra percent
] volumetric efficiency that will give you victory over the next
] guy. The fact is, most restrictions in NHRA classes are aimed
] at limiting costs.

actually, it was due to safety. The cars were getting progressively faster, but safety engineering was not even an afterthought. I would agree that the environment promoted better engineering, but pretty much all racing got 'restrictive' around this same time period due to the number of people getting killed.

] I just find that the whole article is poorly researched and
] written. The fact is, nitrous is not high tech, or cheating.
] It is employed by proponents of domestic V8's and imported
] inline 4's. And on the street, your average hopped up honda
] is not any higher tech than your average hopped up late model
] ford or chevy. Computers in cars are nothing new. The fact
] is, your average "ricer" just rolls back the ignition timing
] when he hits the red button... something that V8's have been
] doing for years.

I agree that the article is not well researched. It smacks of a reporter trying to cover the world of the racer, rather than a racer reporting on the world of the racer.

] And as far as modifying or replacing ECU/ECM's in cars...
] domestics have also been doing that since ECU/ECM's were put
] in cars.
]
] They miss the whole point. There is a tradition in the NHRA,
] of big bad mean machines. People love V8's. They're mean as
] hell. Young people like them too... but they find themselves
] settling for an imported econobox because they can afford one
] and they are reliable. Once they decide to go fast, they
] stick with what they've got. An obsession with Japan has come
] along with that, and there are cultural differences between
] the old and new schools, but thats the driving force behind
] the import "racing" culture.

some of it is cost. some of it is cultural. You gotta remember that most drag racing is California born, and a lot of California is populated by Asians (at least much more than Detroit). I think it's also typical youth rebellion. If the old establishment is based off of Detroit Muscle, then let's do the opposite and base ours off of Japanese front wheelers! Name a better way to piss off the old establishment? Each generation has to stake it's unique claim.

] The bottom line is that the new school isn't any more hi tech
] than the old school. In fact, the opposite is usually true.
] The guy with the Hemi understands his engine and builds and
] tunes it himself. The guy with the "go fast chip" and the
] bolt on nitrous kit just hits the button and prays. Thats
] hardly hi-tech.

Agreed. But I would say that the new school is definitely more attune to high tech than the old school. You've got a whole legion of kids who grew up never knowing (or needing to know) how to manually tune or config a carbuerator. But they can hack the ECUs. They started off mod'ing their rides with boomin systems and trick effects. THEN they got into engine mods. The old school is still (right or wrong) planted in 1961 for the most part. There's good and bad to both. And you'll find that the leaders in both sports are definitely influenced by each other. It's good for all of us wingnuts.

The bottom line (for me) is that we are re-entering a golden age of hot rodding. Not only is it easier and more cost effective than ever to hot rod old iron, but the volume and critical mass being generated by the street racing crowd is definitely helping the whole industry. It's a win-win. Places like YearOne and Jegs wouldn't exist if it weren't for the resurgence of interest in hot rodding today. And all I have to say to that is 'THANK GOD!'

RE: War of the Wheels