Footbrake racing

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pittsburghracer said:
I’ll quit before I go that slow.
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I have gone as slow as 22.8 in the 1/4 mile and as quick/fast as 9.20 and about 145 mph.
I don't think I could do it now (under the same rules/equipment as in the 70's) But at one meet I ran my Z/sa valiant (16.75) in "street" bracket, and the Dragster (9.5) in super pro (no box) and won both.
But you run the equipment you want, and I'll stay "old school", and we can both enjoy ourselves.
PS: I was just busting chops. :) :) I thought I would get more of a reaction.
The reason I posted that info on myself, was just to supply some background, to show I'm not just a online racer. Now I am just an occasional racer. Age, finances and family health issues have put a crimp in my racing.
 
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Charrlie_S said:
I have gone as slow as 22.8 in the 1/4 mile and as quick/fast as 9.20 and about 145 mph.
I don't think I could do it now (under the same rules/equipment as in the 70's) But at one meet I ran my Z/sa valiant (16.75) in "street" bracket, and the Dragster (9.5) in super pro (no box) and won both.
But you run the equipment you want, and I'll stay "old school", and we can both enjoy ourselves.
PS: I was just busting chops. :) :) I thought I would get more of a reaction.
The reason I posted that info on myself, was just to supply some background, to show I'm not just a online racer. Now I am just an occasional racer. Age, finances and family health issues have put a crimp in my racing.
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If you are happy and having a good time let the crippled enjoy their crutches.
 
Charrlie_S said:
Exactly. I remember the days when you went to the track on race day and could get almost as many time shots you wanted before eliminations. Gates opened at about 8 am, hot track about 9 am, eliminations about 1 or 2 pm, finish racing about mid night. You could actually work on the tune up on race day, or even try some different parts to test back to back.
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I agree, but Tulsa nEver started on time back in the day ,track clean up after a chevy blew up was rediculous , and so were them keeping the clocks riunning right ...
 
B3422w5 said:
Arrogant much?
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my opinion > its easier to win in a slow car that is consistant , than one that always was traction limited...where everything had to be just right , including track prep (back in the old days ...

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Charrlie_S said:
Yes, I understand that. It looks totally stupid to someone that is not really familiar with drag racing. And the drivers are not really driving, they are just steering, the "computer" is doing the driving. Take the computer out of the car and show me what the driver can do.
PS: over the years I have competed in quite a few different vehicles. From a Z/SA- bracket racer 65 Valiant, a 65 Valiant with a 273, a altered wheelbase 68 Cougar with a 440 Chrys., Front motor dragster with SBC. I ran all four of those cars at 5 different races in the same week. ET's ranged from high 16's to mid 9's and I did well. I have held record's in three different stock eliminator classes with a Ford, a Chevy and a Mopar. I was runnerup at the "bracket Nationals" at Byron Ill. in 1976, also runnerup at the division one Bracket finals. Over the years I have raced at over 50 different dragstrips (even ran at Pittsburg) and I can't even say how many cars. And I never ran electronics, except for ign box. Fact is I never even had a "line lock" until 5 years ago. Back "in the day" I was very good, But I parked my car in 1985, because footbrake and box cars ran together, and foot breakers did not have a very good chance of making it to the "money" rounds at a big payout race. I resurrected slant six my car in 2000 to run the slant six series. I'm not so good any more, as I don't run my races or TnT's, and I have slowed down some at 82 years old.
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AGREE ^^^^^^^
I was`nt that good , almost couldn`yt do the same thing twice in a row , but I digress , I was too worried about hurting the hemi because I couldnt afford to fix it , if I tore it up !!
 
famous bob said:
my opinion > its easier to win in a slow car that is consistant , than one that always was traction limited...where everything had to be just right , including track prep (back in the old days ...

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One new rule I do like is the TRU- START that has been implemented at many tracks.
Where who has the worst red light loses, instead of who has the first one loses.
It tilts the playing field more away from wallet/ speed.
 
B3422w5 said:
One new rule I do like is the TRU- START that has been implemented at many tracks.
Where who has the worst red light loses, instead of who has the first one loses.
It tilts the playing field more away from wallet/ speed.
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I agree. I was almost always at a disadvantage, as I was usually the slowest car, when racing in "all run" races. Plus it gets hairy when you are doing 16-17 sec, and the other car is at least a 11 sec car. I always worried about the closing car having a problem and coming into my lane at the top end.
 
B3422w5 said:
He actually hasn’t lost touch at all. He just fondly remembers a bygone era of racing that in many ways was much more pure than it is today.
I love footbrake racing too. It’s all I do. And I take great pleasure taking down higher tech opponents.
But, each to his own. Things evolve. It’s just nice that in spite of that, you can race how you want.
My friend Donnie Hagar won the million last year off the bottom, imagine winning it off the foot!
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he has lost touch of it all.
but like you said, to each there own.
 
Charrlie_S said:
I do and I do it for probably less money in my complete car than most box racers have in their boxes.
I will challenge anyone on this site (within a reasonable traveling distance) to run against me in a car they have no more than $3000 into. That's what I have in mine. Not everyone has a ton of money for racing.
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keyboard hero
 
pittsburghracer said:
Five guys on my ignore list and 3 of them posted on this post. Some minds think alike. Lol
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Wow !! with all the negativity this forum is getting to be like Moparts.com. There is nothing wrong with racing a "slow " car although my 11 second Dart is my primary race vehicle , my " slow " 15 second pickup actually has a better winning record. I race in two classes with my Dart that trans brakes are allowed in and I have been pretty successful foot braking against them with my 60 ft. times and reaction times being similar or better most of the time. I have resisted going to a trans brake although I only leave at 2,000 rpm I worry about rear and trans breakage in my 904 and 8 3/4 . Several friends have suggested going to a " glide " but the cost would be high and too much of my combo would have to change. I like my 904 its been in the car for 7 years with 0 problems.

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BVoelzke said:
Wow !! with all the negativity this forum is getting to be like Moparts.com. There is nothing wrong with racing a "slow " car although my 11 second Dart is my primary race vehicle , my " slow " 15 second pickup actually has a better winning record. I race in two classes with my Dart that trans brakes are allowed in and I have been pretty successful foot braking against them with my 60 ft. times and reaction times being similar or better most of the time. I have resisted going to a trans brake although I only leave at 2,000 rpm I worry about rear and trans breakage in my 904 and 8 3/4 . Several friends have suggested going to a " glide " but the cost would be high and too much of my combo would have to change. I like my 904 its been in the car for 7 years with 0 problems.

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If you read his above posts he’s crapping on everyone’s else’s type of racing. So I figured I’d give him a taste of his own medicine. I don’t care if he wants to go slow and footbrake race. But why does he want to mouth off on those that like another type of racing.
 
I've said itvefore in other posts but I'm just an old foot-brakin' fool. To me, that's what drag racing is/was. It was stoplight action that went to a track. Bracket racing/handicaps came in (as did all the various classes) to make it easier for anyone to compete.

And fun it is! Nothing like fender racing at the big end to see whose gonna get the win light! Still a hoot for me. I grew up watching the "big dogs" with their 10 and 11 second cars (I raced a roughly 14 sec car at that time) running the 1/4 mile and always dreamed of having one. The white "Casper" Barracuda, the black "Skunk" notchback, etc, etc. All those great Quaker City racers!!

I don't care for transbrakes or delay switches/boxes and 1/8 mile or any of that other stuff. But sadly (for me anyway), my view of what drag racing is and should be has mostly passed by and been replaced by all of this transbrake/delay box/index racing. They're just a different form of racing that I don't care for. But if others do, so be it.

At least for now, we still have the Sportsman class that is 1/4 mile footbrake racing so I'm happy to coexist with others that prefer these other forms. It's clear that my time has passed and if the Sportsman class goes away, I'll be on the outside wondering how the heck this happened and I got so old!! Fortunately for me, the tracks I go to don't adhere to the strict Sportsman limit of 11.50 or 12 sec or slower cut-off. My low 11 sec avatar car wouldn't have a place to race!

(Interestingly enough, my wife says to put a brake in the car and have at it. I just can't make myself do it. We also enjoy the car on the streets too much. Heck, I hardly get to drive it anymore as any cruise or show we go to, she insists on driving it. 408's are FUN!!)
 
Unfortunately I started this thread. I didn't mean to start this debate. I don't Footbrake the AMX because it's so cramped.
Lots of big dollar Footbrake racing here in the southeast. I mean real Footbrake racing. Footbrake racing down here is with no transbrake's and no staging or starting line in hancer's.
The main reason I race what we call super pro , that it pays more.
At our local tracks on a weekly basis super pro will have 60 to 75 cars and it pays $2000. Pro " Footbrake " will have 40 to 50 cars and pays $1000.
I have lots of friends that only run Footbrake and their cars run mid 5's in the 8th.
I will probably Footbrake and Box race my Dakota when it's finished. But people should run whichever they prefer. But don't knock the other class.
 
tvt59 said:
Unfortunately I started this thread. I didn't mean to start this debate. I don't Footbrake the AMX because it's so cramped.
Lots of big dollar Footbrake racing here in the southeast. I mean real Footbrake racing. Footbrake racing down here is with no transbrake's and no staging or starting line in hancer's.
The main reason I race what we call super pro , that it pays more.
At our local tracks on a weekly basis super pro will have 60 to 75 cars and it pays $2000. Pro " Footbrake " will have 40 to 50 cars and pays $1000.
I have lots of friends that only run Footbrake and their cars run mid 5's in the 8th.
I will probably Footbrake and Box race my Dakota when it's finished. But people should run whichever they prefer. But don't knock the other class.
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Here’s a great “no box” race going on this weekend at Norwalk. I entered this several years ago and ended up getting my money back when they couldn’t sell enough entries. I put the pictured transbrake button in my car and never hooked it up after the race was canceled. Very few foot brake only big money races left in this area. I think maple grove has one. Some races will separate the foot breakers from the trans brake guys as long as they can then they are joined together. Only 300.00 to enter this three day race for a very nice payout. My son and a lot of my friends will be there. With my strut frontend and string 60 foot times if I leave on the third yellow I’m red. That’s why I bought this button so I could put a little delay in it. I’m not changing my suspension for something I rarely do.

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There's another difference for me: I'm not trying to make $$ at this. I would be one HUNGRY dude if I was!! I race simply for the thrill of competition. Trying to cut a light and then fender racing at the 1/4 mile stripe...loads of fun to me. And if I win some $$ then it's a great bonus. I don't clamor for those big payout races as they attract too many sharks!!

In the racing 1.0 version of me back in the 80's and early 90's, I won about $1200 the last year I raced. Good times as several trips to the finals!!
 
Demonx2 said:
There's another difference for me: I'm not trying to make $$ at this. I would be one HUNGRY dude if I was!! I race simply for the thrill of competition. Trying to cut a light and then fender racing at the 1/4 mile stripe...loads of fun to me. And if I win some $$ then it's a great bonus. I don't clamor for those big payout races as they attract too many sharks!!

In the racing 1.0 version of me back in the 80's and early 90's, I won about $1200 the last year I raced. Good times as several trips to the finals!!
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Trust me I’m not in it for the money but I love the racing and competition at these big money events. I would probably fall asleep if I ran a 1/4 mile race after running 1/8 mile for so many years. 1/8 mile happens so fast compared to 1/4 mile racing.
 
I guess we all do it for different reasons. Down here we are fortunate to have good enough weather to race 10 out of 12 months a year. There is a LOT of drag racing going on down here. I don't knock any class. And as John said above I like the thrill of BIG BUCK BRAKET RACING. Lots of people will flame me. But if I'm on the property, racing I think I'm the best one there. Am I? The statistics say no. But that's the way I honestly feel. I know this, if I do what I'm supposed to do and what I'm capable of doing. My opponent can't win. But I really enjoy braket racing. And as long as I'm able to do it. I'll keep on keeping on.
 
Speaking of BIG BUCK BRAKET RACES. Trying to get ready for this one. In Montgomery, Al

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I'll take you all on in my 64 Dart slant with pushbutton flite parts runner , you either won't catch me or breakout. lol
When you get bored and want to win, breakout the secret weapon. lol
 
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