Anyone Think That There Is Very Little Driving Skill Involved In Nhra/drag Racing?
I really cant see how these are called top class racing drivers. All they do is react as quickly as possible and accelerate in a straight line for 5-9 seconds. Fair enough, the cars are ridiculously quick but they also have huge grippy tyres on the back to give them traction. All they have to do is change gears. Its not a driving competition, its a who has the best machinary cpmpetition.
I really cant see anything that i would consider driving talent in it compared to F1, DTM, WRC, GP2, Le Mans, etc. No corners, no looking for the best racing line, no passing, no braking points, that has nothing to do with driving in my opinion.
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November 5th, 2009 at 11:41 am
I totally agree..
when you’re going on a straight line, there’s little to be done, the fate of the car lies at the mercy of your mechanical grip
Real racing takes skills and physical endurance
Lets see… physical endurance, you hardly get that in drag racing. Its only put to test in real racing where the drivers go through fast sweeping turn, because only then that the G-force is so high that in fact in F1, many rules were introduce to make sure an F1 car cornering speed remained humane.
We dont see drag racing having to reduce its acceleration to remain humane, simply because straight line G force is hardly that much. Jet fighter pilot experience more G force taking off a carrier’s catapult or landing on a carrier
Then there’s driving skills
Driving in a straight line does not take much driving skill, control yes, but its different
Take F1 for example, the drivers go through corner which not only takes steering control, but it also requires precise control with the accelerator.
Great drivers like Michael Schumacher can use both brakes and accelerator at the same time, balancing the throttle of the car through a corner. That’s why he’s faster than anyone else. Few drivers could match Michael’s skill, such as the great Mika Hakkinen
Drag racer do not need to control car in such a percise manner through a corner, simply because there’s no corner
Just because they are fast, it doesn’t meant it require as much skill as other fast racing are. No matter how you look at it, driving in a straight line require far lesser skill as compare to a driver who drives in a real racing circuit.
BTW, F1 cars are in now way slow compare to any drag cars. The level of mechanical grip on an F1 car is far superior to a drag car. Not to mention its powerful engine. That person obviously dont watch much F1
And yes, even in F1 the drivers are required to go at top speed on a straight line, if straight line is how people wants to measure skills =)
November 5th, 2009 at 12:09 pm
It still requires skill and bravery, but not in the way it takes to drive a car that goes left and right. I think the biggest skill requires not letting a small mistake turn into a really big one. I think it’s odd that people who have never driven a Top Fuel car can jump right in and be successful in a good car. Antron Brown is a good example of this, but there are others. I love drag racing, but I tend to agree with you.
November 5th, 2009 at 5:55 pm
It takes skill but is not a very versatile form of racing.
However, I wouldn’t blame the drivers for that, it’s what they do, so unless they develop a big mouth about their overall driving skills I wouldn’t worry.
They could always do it while talking on the cell phone with one hand and scratching their balls with the other so it would be more impressive.
November 5th, 2009 at 5:59 pm
I couldn’t disagree more. Just think about it: 9000 milliseconds in which a whole lot of stuff happens, make a mistake in just one of those millisecond and you are dead.
F1 is slow motion by comparison.
I think you should ask one of them to strap you to the back of the car for a test run! lol
November 5th, 2009 at 8:59 pm
Why are you so obsessed with putting down every racing series you know nothing about?
Just enjoy your F-1, DTM, WRC, GP2 etc etc. They have breaking points and racing lines, the things you understand.
November 6th, 2009 at 12:59 am
there are some skills involved – being very precise in making gear changes… i agree with you that it is not really your typoical driving skills that matter.. but some people watch and enjoy it and that is entertainment andthat is good enuf
November 6th, 2009 at 7:20 am
get a clue,the g force would make you cry,all motor sports take skill,some different than others.watch them sometime they need great skill to handle that power.
November 6th, 2009 at 10:34 am
I agree. I know it takes a certain amount of skill but it does look like anyone can be trained to do it well.