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Originally Posted by jabba
I new that comment of mine would get a few feathers ruffled, just didn't think someone would actually cry about tho... Oh well..
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Crying? Nope. Discussion and questions? Yes. OMG, that is what we DO in a forum! You should feel privileged that you have started such an interesting debate!
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Originally Posted by jabba
But seriously drag racing is fun and I do enjoy it, but some of you who go out there and run your automatic car for 400m and claim King, king of what.. Your really good at standing on the accelerator, stalling your car up to 3000rpm and letting your foot of the brake.... Where's the skill in that apart from bettering you best reaction time, I am unable to see were huge amounts human skill become involved because the auto transmission changes gear for, all you have to do is hold the peddle flat for 400m.. In my opinion it is not a sport until you start getting into the serious stuff such as funny cars Funny Cars. Then were talking Motorsport. It like comparing surfing a surf board and riding a blow up surf mat...
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Not everyone races an auto on the 1/4 mile. I dont. Now, I have done a few things in my life time. I have driven both autos and manuals of various cars on a circuit (a relatively difficult one, Mallala) and also taken my MANUAL 5 speed BA down the strip at Heathcote on quite a few occasions too. Now, from personal experience it DOES take some skill to launch a manual, 5 speed, heavy BA 6 cyl off the line with a dodgy, very slippery clutch and NO LSD! I have somehow managed to do that and get a reasonable 60 foot time of 2.23, and a PB ET of 14.80. My car has also done 95.33 mph. I also have a reasonably painful busted left foot. Please dont comment on the skill level of people who do this sort of thing. I am SURE without doubt that there is someone who could get a better time in my car than myself, but that just means they have MORE skill in something that is quite difficult to do!
Driving on a circuit is a very different thing, I grant you that. However, in some ways is not so difficult. You usually only race on a circuit in a car that is very well set up for it or there is no point, so braking is not so much of an issue as the brakes usually cut it anyway. As does suspension and set up generally. Obviously it very much depends on the level at which you are racing, such as in the V8 SC series, that would be seriously difficult. However, those of us who do it in only a semi-serious manner I dont think would find it much more difficult to do than any other sport at that equivalent level.
I personally, find both challenging at that level - and I am not that good at either of them. Both require a lot of experience in learning when to change gears at the best time, changing gears quickly as to not lose ET or maximise acceleration coming out of a corner - either way a slow gear change can cost. Launching is also a drama on a circuit if you are looking to beat a lap PB or actually race another car.
If you are not racing in the V8SC, you have more room to make a mistake and make it up on a circuit as you have more time and opportunities... if you slip up only to the tune of 100th of a sec on a 1/4 mile, your ET is poo... and the earlier you make the mistake, the bigger the cost at the other end.
And that doesnt change whether you have auto or manual. I have taken an auto down the track too, and found it very difficult to launch. And I think ANY reasonably powerful car will be difficult to launch, regardless of auto or manual as you have to avoid wheelspin at all costs as it wastes valuable time. In fact I think it is harder to launch an auto in a way, as for the most part you cant really stall it up as much as in a manual and you have less control over the launch without a clutch, even though you can actually change auto gears in a semi manual fashion. I know that many will disagree on the auto v manual thing, and think that auto is easier. Please note that it is just my personal opinion, as I have had very minimal experience racing autos and even driving them generally over my life time.
I think both are difficult enough to do PROPERLY to be considered a sport, and I dont think that auto or manual make any difference, and it certainly shouldnt be assumed that everyone drags in autos!
Both are also quite costly to do properly, so as to have a car that is not only powerful but well set up!
So here's my opinion....
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Originally Posted by jabba
If your racing a street car at a TnT, I call it a social...
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How do you define the difference? What about racing a street car, but what if its running semi slicks on the night (not cheap), what if it is a street car but it has had $10K worth of go fast mods spent on it, to improve set up and power to the tune of increasing in tenths of a second? What if it is a street car but it is also an R&D guinea pig for a high end workshop in order to improve times in the future for a group of cars?
My car is a street car. It has a baby capsule in the back and will have removable car seat next time I drag. It transports my two oldest kids to school and my other to various appointments. I use it to get to work and to do my shopping. I have also spent a lot of money on it to get it faster for the 1/4 mile and will be spending a lot more on it. It is not a dedicated drag car and it probably will never do any better than a low 13 second pass, and I will probably never be the best driver to run it either.
But I consider what I do a sport. I travel interstate to do it, which is more than social. I want a PB. I have also raced in bracket racing and have come runner up, so there is the competitive element.
It is just as much as a sport as my son's Saturday footy game in the under 10s...
So if I am not participating in a motorsport, then I will take my Ford tomorrow and trade it in on a Datto 120Y and just give up on drag racing altogether!
Geesh!