Has the NHRA gone too far?

I want to go back to my first blog that when I wrote about Street Outlaws and if it was bad for racing or not. A lot of people have been talking about it and it goes either way. However there is one organization, a really big organization that is totally against the show and what it portrays.

That organization is the NHRA and this was designed to get racing off the street and on the track so people were safer while racing. They have made their opinion clear by sending letter and most recently calling the drivers on the show and letting them know that if they keep up their street racing antics that they will no longer be able to hold a NHRA license and race at NHRA sanctioned tracks and events.

Well this just does not sit well with me and many other people that are involved in the racing community. The show definitely portrays street racing there is no question about that, however it’s a reality television show! This means that a lot of the action on the show is staged however the racing is real and the roads are real.

Now we all know by now that the roads are shut down, lit up by lights, sanctioned by the local town, and safety crews are there in case anything happens. Kind of sounds like the race track if you ask me but according to the NHRA this behavior will not be tolerated. It has been a documented fact that the NHRA is losing money and viewers as time goes by, quite the opposite for the popular show Street Outlaws.

Many people may think that this is big brother (NHRA) ganging up on little brother (Street Outlaws) because of the success of the show. However in a statement by the NHRA, they stated that oranges were being compared to apples when it came to how each sport was viewed on television.

Well many people have taken their stance and even shut down the facebook page with support for Street Outlaws. Many wrote rude and crude comments while others just chimed in to let the NHRA know they will no longer support them by watching their broadcasts and going to nearby events.

Check out the link below for more information on why the NHRA issued the letters and leave a comment below with your opinion on the matter. 

 http://www.hotrod.com/news/nhra-responds-to-the-hate-over-their-street-outlaws-letter/

Nitrous Vs. Turbocharger

The world of any type of grudge racing or “street racing” has been evolving for years to date these days and one of the biggest things to evolve has been nitrous cars versus turbo cars. Five to ten years ago we would have been at the track or on the street watching nitrous cars race each other one after another. Now when we go racing we are seeing an even amount of turbo cars compared to nitrous cars.

We will always have a valid argument on which to use when it comes to a power adder. Both power adders can offer the same benefit, an instant boost in power at moment’s notice however they both come with different setups needed, especially how you tune the vehicle. Either way you have to build the engine to handle the different power adder and how you put the motor together really matters.

A lot of different racers will tell you that it is easier to blow an engine up using nitrous however if you do not put together the correct set up on your turbo car the same thing can happen. If you look at statistics however nitrous is a bit harsher on the motor and its internals. Turbochargers kind of seem to be a bit easier on the motor however can cause the same damage just in a different way. Both will have the same benefits as well, you just have to look at them at different angles.

You can set up a vehicle to run off each power adder and be successful at the local track or street that is closest to you. Both kind of have the same benefits just in a different monster. Nitrous is something that you have to purchase and depending on how much you use during the race is could cost quite a bit by the end of the season. With a turbocharger your wallet takes the hit right away with the purchase right up front. So depending on how long the turbo lasts compared to the nitrous you could save or lose money, but it is nice to not have to fill nitrous tanks every time you head to the track. Also a lot of people think that power is instant with a push of the button with nitrous but it is the same with a turbo. Tunes can be set up to where at the push of a button more power can be obtained.

This argument could go on for years but each argument could be valid to a point. At the end of the day this comes down to preference and how each racer feels about the particular power adder. I for one believe that turbochargers will make a big thrust to the top of the drag racing community.   

Check out the video below to watch a turbo mustang go head to head with a nitrous mustang!