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Not Understanding No Prep

padam

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Last Saturday my home track Magnolia in Ohio hosted a private event for no prep pyop racing.
Looks like they had a pretty bad crash, although I don't think anyone was hurt.
Link is below.
So I guess they are trying to get like the street racing scene.
What I don't get, is they supposedly strip the tracks, and then the racers put down their own traction compound?(pour your own puddle?)
Seems really sloppy and inefficient to me, not to mention dangerous with a flag man.
I'm surprised the tracks go along with it.



 
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Slow motion footage looks like he launched fine and then overcorrected and rolled? (4:38)

I don't think that's track prep, I think it's just driver error.
 
Yes, just doesn't seem safe to me. Our local airport just had a race this past week and it is no prep with cars running in 9 second range. There is a concrete are for the start but then on to grooved asphalt. I must say after cars get some rubber down it gets better for traction. Two years ago I watched a green horn with a fast car leave the line to start spinning in a few circles and head for the spectators. ruffcut
 
They just do it to mimic the "Street Outlaws" format.

Draws bigger crowds and more younger guys are interested in it than NHRA racing.

Hey, I'm fine with it as long as the tracks can stay open/profitable. They even reopened my local track (75&80) that was previously slated to be a shopping center to mainly do Noprep racing. They will still do shows, test and tunes, and some prepped races, but I'm just happy tracks are being saved and maybe drag racing will grow in popularity again.
 
I saw that on SRC the old man said the car did a burn out then did not back up in his tracks. Out of the groove and lost traction on one tire, like breaking an axle. Nasty wreck. We are having a no prep race this friday at Arryo Secco. Going to be mostly street cars. If the rain holds of it should be a Crazy time.
 
It’s a total win for the track. They make great money with all the spectators, and no crew to prep the track.

It costs track lot of money in a sweeper truck, labor crew and materials to have a good prepped dragstrip. Now they don’t have to do any of it and the place is full of cars and spectators. Making money with these events. $$$
 
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Seems like a big step back to me, but if that's what it takes to keep the tracks open, I'm not going to argue.
 
The tracks have to do something, there is nobody in the stands anymore. The only people there are the racers and a few hard core fans for the most part. The last times i saw the tracks really full where back in the late 80's, early 90's when 5.0 Mustangs and Grand Nationals where in their hay day. The average person going to the track can't identify with the types of cars they seeing today, think pro mods. No prep, for right or wrong, they can identify with as it is much more like street racing. Better to do it at the track then on the actual street, i'm all for it.
 
The tracks have to do something, there is nobody in the stands anymore. The only people there are the racers and a few hard core fans for the most part. The last times i saw the tracks really full where back in the late 80's, early 90's when 5.0 Mustangs and Grand Nationals where in their hay day. The average person going to the track can't identify with the types of cars they seeing today, think pro mods. No prep, for right or wrong, they can identify with as it is much more like street racing. Better to do it at the track then on the actual street, i'm all for it.
I understand all the stuff about lack of fans, and such.
But what does intentionally creating a track surface with poor traction do?
Is it just about increasing the likelihood of the fans getting to see an accident?
 
But what does intentionally creating a track surface with poor traction do?
Is it just about increasing the likelihood of the fans getting to see an accident?

Sad if true, no doubt..... Kinda reminds me of the early 80's when Supercross started heavily promoting impossible triple jumps in arenacross.... Next thing you know all our future superheroes are in wheelchairs and they had no choice but to pare it back a ways.... Seems barbaric actually. Those kids would try anything.
 
I understand all the stuff about lack of fans, and such.
But what does intentionally creating a track surface with poor traction do?
Is it just about increasing the likelihood of the fans getting to see an accident?
Has nothing to do with increasing chances of an accident for the fans that happens on tracks regularly... It imitates REAL street racing conditions in a legal environment where the smartest guy could win verses the "fastest" guy with the most money..
 
And here I always thought street racers were imitating drag racers.
Shows what I know...
 
Unsafe, to an extent
& that's part of the draw for the crowds
sort of like the old fuel altereds, it was all about the showmanship
noise & crowd-pleasing aspects, sell tickets
cars look like cars (far from real streetcars) but not swoopy racecars,
albeit some are that too
but;
they know what they're getting into/signed up for also
drag racing has gotten away from it's roots
(for safety & insurance reasons mostly)

IMO a cold track or an un-prepped/stripped of it's rubber track surface
(that's not followed up with traction compound, coke syrup spray/vht etc. aka, dragged & Prep)
is slicker than (most any street) especially tarmac/asphalt
or more so flat concrete road surfaces will ever be...

lots of power on wrinkle wall slicks, with no track prep
is like pulling a grenade pin & waiting, for the Kaboom
it's not if , it's when someone will hit the wall/s
or go on their roof or into the other's lane etc.

I believe the org. intent was supposed to be like
a simulation of street surfaces 'was' the org. premiss
it's gone way past that

I like the fact they are booking races,
helps keep the tracks open, brings in cash & concessions etc.
some of it is hype too
not all the tracks are totally stipped or completely no-prep,
some of it is a marketing gimmick, some of it isn't

It's all about getting asses in the seats
it's a hot ticket today

would I run a 3000+ hp car
especially with a small tire like a 29.5 10.5 (none W slick) slick
on that ****
nope, probably not, especially not at full power
(I know there are different classes too, just an example)
I know there's some truly impressive runs on them 275s too
or even the 9" tires
even in an 1/8 mile

many are on big tires 15"x33" & many are even bigger

IMO cold tracks are bad enough, take away prep or have a bald surface
the surface is slick as ****
& it will be carnage
&/or a smoke fest

the org. deal they had for no-prep, was held in parking lots etc.
they were disasters
just tire smoke shows
but had huge crowds
not my idea of drag racing but it drew crowds & cars
it was hot at the time too

I know my old real dedicated racecars Outlaw P/S 7.00s & 190+
(I did drive it on the streets a few times, for shits & giggles)
or T/S cars 6.69 @ 217
or Pro-gas 7.20s @ 188 cars (drove it on the street a few times)
(neither of which are not fast enough in either case, in today stds)
these cars are basically shorter wheelbase & tube chassis
nonqualifying Pro-mods, "almost' as far as power,
with out all the downforce
without the mid-hi 5 sec. 1/4 mile ets/240+ to 260 mph
(they all run 1/8th mile, from what I've seen)
most of them will run in the low to mid 6.0's if they ran a 1/4 mile
a few would/could be a lil' faster
that's pretty damn impressive

None of mine
would have never gotten down or it'd been really sketchy getting down
even with all the electronic we have today
none of them were 3000+hp
(more like 1300-1400hp NA & then whatever N20 2000 total or blower etc.)
most of them have traction control of some sort now too
hell 1/2 of the big dogs have, (low %) nitro & methanol in the mix too

I personally would like to see a no electronic aids or
no electronic (computer) aided tuning race,
before a no-prep surfaced race...
get the real tuners out there

I raced some seriously sketchy tracks in my day too
lots of match racing crap too, some were truly dangerous

Now my altereds would go down ice it seemed
& never had an issue
the suspended cars were too unpredictable on sketchy surfaces
especially with lil' to no downforce/aero
not worth wrecking it for $40k winner take all nonsense
or a piece of $40k, divided among 32 cars
I had almost that much 'just in the drivetrain'... 20+ years ago

my $0.02 cents
 
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I will be around the 8th watching the carnage, good cars bad cars, good races, bad races
Beats the hell out of sitting home
Stop by ill give you a cheeseburger and a beer
 
It also discourages pros from partaking. Long ago no prep meant just local street cars that don't need prep. Now? It's an attempt to simulate street racing. The problem I have is that most the players cars are not street cars. Long ago you would cruse the strip and find someone to follow you out to a remote area for a race. Most all these cars can't "Cruse the strip?" Those high-end transmissions heat up way too fast.

1: No tube chassis. Must be stock framed. (Frame can be tied and/or with sub connectors.) Modifications is allowed as long as no frame rails removed.

2: 10.5" wide tire is max. (Unless it was wider by the factory. Which is near null.)

3: 35 mi traffic tour must be completed before entering drag strip grounds.

Now it's a street race.

JMO.
 
We’ve all seen enough of these wrecks by now that everyone understands what a no-prep Race is bound to deliver. At this point, what I see is: Stupid is what stupid does.
 
I don't want to see any wrecks at all, nothing makes me more sick than seeing good equipment getting torn up.... BUT these guys and gals know the risk when they stage the car.
It's really no different than watching a Sprint Car race... its not if it's when someone will wad their **** up.
It's popular because of Street Outlaws which I think is one of the best shows on TV my self, but also it's not bracket racing... it's grass roots first to the finish line wins drag racing. That's what fans want to see... (along with some danger and rivalry's between drivers)
Did anyone see how many people were at the NPK Race in Columbus? I could have sworn it was the 1985 Spring Nationals it was so packed..

If you think about it back in the day NHRA nor any of these local tracks sprayed traction compounds all they way down the track like they do today. They may have used a little gold dust on the starting line and that's it.... kind of like old school pimp juice lol
 
It's impressive to see how some of them get down a sketchy surface. Most of the heavy hitters have enough seat time logged on varied surfaces that they KNOW what one will take. Guys like The Firebird and Beater Bomb are fun to see, especially with their long travel front suspensions and Beater Bomb's contraption to mount weight way behind the car. These guys win on a regular basis because they have big power and are able to use it.

As for racing no prep, no way! My car isn't like the throwaway Fox bodies everyone uses. It was difficult to find parts for and I'd never be able to replace it. Nevermind it weighs 1,000 lbs. more than those little turds.
 
As for racing no prep, no way! My car isn't like the throwaway Fox bodies everyone uses. It was difficult to find parts for and I'd never be able to replace it. Nevermind it weighs 1,000 lbs. more than those little turds.
All those cars a tube chassis. With body panels attached and a roof. Why not pull up with a dragster? Horn, lights attached? Little front and rear bumpers? Lol. Its no more street illegal than those cars?
 
Agreed, compare it to dirt oval track. Cars get banged up. It's part of it. For sure steel guard rail is bad news. I wouldn't race this track with prep. The driving aspect of getting down the track seems challenging and interesting. But no desire to do it with my car. The amazing part to me is some of these cars are pretty nice.
Doug
 
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