rpm.espn.com: Users split on Stephens suggestions

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Tuesday, June 11
Updated: June 12, 8:32 AM ET
Users split on Stephens suggestions
ESPN.com

Bill Stephens shared his thoughts about nitro levels and oildown penalties. Now check out what RPM.ESPN.com users had to say:

Your suggestion of reducing the nitro percentage is right on. That will keep the speeds in check for safety -- and reduce failures and operational costs to all teams. But I disagree with your suggestion to take away points and assess cash fines. NHRA should just deduct points ... more points than the current 10. Major teams don't care about the fines. NHRA can't make the cash fines high enough to be a deterrent to the top teams, without seriously hurting the small (low-funded) teams. But, the top teams do care about the points immensely! In conclusion: I say, reduce nitro to 80-percent and increase the point deduction to 15 or 20.

Ron Sutton
Sacramento, Calif.

Go back to 100-percent nitro and no points penalties before the fuel categories become high speed bracket racing! And get rid of the lame 90-minute rule while we're at it!

Bryce Armstrong
Cheyenne, Wy.

One hundred percent, 90 percent, 85 percent or even 50 percent won't make a difference. Crew chiefs are crew chiefs and their job is to go as quick as possible with whatever rules are implemented and that will make engines explode just the same. Engines will always be stressed to the breaking point, always! Whatever happened to everyone experimenting with dry sump oiling systems? I haven't seen one in a few years now after it became a "good" idea by a few people about eight to 10 years ago. As far as I know, the only reason they ditched the idea was weight. Mandate the system and see what happens.

Gary Lawrence
Montreal, Quebec

Maybe the pros could race a Ford Focus?! Give me a break! This is nitro racing. If you want to make the race day go smoother, get rid of the slow, boring classes. I am sorry, but if you have to run a throttle-stop, or hit the brakes, or wait 'til half track to hit the "loud pedal" you are boring me and probably many other paying spectators. Racing should be "heads up." I would rather go get something to eat or use the restroom during an oildown than to see more limits put on the nitro teams. Let's have 20-car fields in A/fuel and AA/fuel and "trim" down the other classes, or have them run their finals Saturday.

Pete Hokenstad
Griswold, Iowa

I think you are on the right track to cut down on the oil down problem, but I think the problem has been the tire situation and not the nitro content. Until the new tire came out we saw much quicker elapsed times and most cars made a full pass consistently, not so since the new tire this year. I think we need to see how the Generation 2 tire does in the near future and go from that point on. It would also help if, when some of the drivers feel the motor going away, they back off from the run. This weekend we had drivers like Andrew Cowin who continued to push a car in qualifying, way after it was obvious that the run was shot and the motor was starting to hurt parts.

Ed Neilander
Mesa, Ariz.

The idea of further reducing the nitro percentage is a good idea, but evolving technology will soon catch up and more and larger melt downs will occur. I believe money and point penalties don't deter some teams from being careless with their equipment. I think the NHRA should instead suspend teams from qualifying sessions once they reach a predetermined oildown quota. If a team gets to the point where they miss all four sessions, then they are suspended from racing at the next event.

Tony Baker
Tulsa, Okla.

As long as there is nitro under pressure something is going to go boom. The problem is more deeply rooted. In the interest of profit margins, I believe the quality of the parts has suffered. I've been told you can't find aftermarket rods manufactured in this country anymore. The internal technology and engineering of the nitro teams hasn't improved dramatically. When a valve hangs open, bang. These are still pushrod engines that have suffered from a technology drought. Eighty-five percent will only last so long till the oildowns start again.

Dave Wallace
Shiloh, Ill.

I agree with your ideas, and one addition -- get these guys out of the wind tunnels (where the deeper pockets have perhaps the greatest advantage) and put bodies on them that look like the cars they represent. Oh, for the early days!

Stan Carpenter
Dillsburg, Pa.

Interesting subject. Personally, I don't think monetary penalties are very effective; it takes money away from low-budget teams that could (and probably would) use the money in their operations, and it's insignificant to the top teams. On the other hand, points penalties are very effective. As competitive as the nitros are, points infractions could easily play into where a team ends up at the end of the season. I also think the "3 for free" rule should stand, as a team might have random mechanical failures during the course of the season that could cause an oildown. But, a team pushing the edge too hard will get over their limit of three fairly quickly, and will then either: A. figure it out; B. back off their setups; Or, C. take their lumps. As far as the 85 percent rule change goes, I keep hearing how they're making more horsepower than they can use, so I think that's something worth looking into.

Mike Bridges
Granbury, Texas

I feel that if the NHRA were to limit these guys again with yet an even lower amount of nitro it would not be like NASCAR. NASCAR limits cars with restrictor plates at certain tracks. Yes, this makes for good entertainment, but also puts more cars in contention that may not need to be there. If NHRA were to impose more points deducted but keep 90 percent that would be great. I mean these are 325 mph-plus cars. Why take away more nitro? I feel it would not be in the sport's best interests.

James Chaney
Athens, Ohio

My opinion is to let the nitro level be determined by one factor ... allow two "oildowns" per weekend per car running nitro. If these guys want to run 100 percent, they know the consequences -- two blown motors or "oildowns" and you are out, regardless of the standings.

James Shope
Franklin, N.C.

Leave the 90 percent nitro and keep the penalties as they currently are. To promote technology and mechanical advancement offer bonus points as an incentive for not blowing up engines, maybe do it cumulatively as the year progresses. NHRA is about speed and excitement, don't dilute the best racing anywhere! Promote technology and keep the speed. Remember the classes are top fuel, not top kinda fast.

Scot Paul
San Bernardino, Calif.

I don't think it would matter too much to the fans. Even if it slowed the cars down to the 4.70 range, the average person could not tell the difference between a 4.70 pass and a 4.50 pass without looking at the scoreboard. And let's face it, who likes to sit there while they clean up the track 10 times a day?

Bryan Bielski
Galva, Iowa

This is not another attempt to keep the show moving for the fans in the seats, it is another attempt to keeps things sped up for meeting all of the television time lines. The 90-percent rule was good for safety, but as usual the NHRA is looking at the bottom line not the fans. I was a member for 20-plus years, since the organization is now run by mostly people that do not care or know much about racing, they are looking at bottom lines not the racer. The racer is the last one being considered.

Bob Sights
Sylmar, Calif.

No way -- next they will want to run them on pump gas. I think the problem has been the tire. You are going to blow things up when you loose traction and put a cylinder out and the car starts spinning 15,000 rpm. As a matter of fact I think they should give back a freebie to those teams who oiled down because they lost traction and hydrauliced they engine, leave it as is and see how the new tire does. Because if they slow them down they wont be worth watching and they might as well trade the top fueler in for a junior dragster.

Jason Kottmyer
Ft. Thomas, Kent.

I think the 85-percent nitro rule would be a good start. Especially for the underbudgeted teams, to help save money. With the technology of today, the crew chiefs will come up with ways to get the speeds and elapsed times up again. They did it when they were cut to 90-percent nitro. As for as the oildowns, reduce the number to one for free. Things do happen with all the horsepower, track conditions, tires, etc. As for as increasing the fines, not really, but increasing the points penalties would have more of an effect than the increased dollars. Those points could mean the difference in winning the championship and finishing second.

Ed Werner
Anderson, S.C.

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