I have a question, since div. 2 allows transbrakes in our footbrake class, what are most of you guys going to do ? I don't feel I can be competative against people using a button.

When I go to Atlanta to race for division points, do I use the button, and then when I go to Montgomery to one of these races use my foot because it's called a footbrake race ?? Montgomery is a NHRA track, will it be legal to use a button because the division says it's ok ?

How are we going to know when to footbrake or to use the button ?

I think what NHRA and the track operators did was ruin what the southern boys had going for them. Now all we got is 2 trans brake classes and a 1/4 mile street class. Oh, let's not forget the 2 new index classes we got now, 6.50 and 7.50.

I would like to hear from Jared, and Steve. I would like to know what Doyle is going to do. How about Brooks Stevens ?

Most of you know how I feel about footbrake, so how do we get it back ???????

Your footbrake President,
Randall Roop

Those are great questions Roop. I can pretty much speak for both Jared and myself here when I say that we are both all about FOOTBRAKE!

This is a very heated topic among drivers in the pits right now. Alot of this makes absolutely no sense at all. Apparently the NHRA Division 2 track operators got together and voted on this issue and decided that transbrakes should be allowed in "Footbrake". These are the people we count on to make the decisions that are in our best interest as racers. At first glance, I'd have to say they didn't get that memo as they've definitely went against what the majority of racers in this area want.

The biggest question, as you stated, is how do we get it back to pure FOOTBRAKE as it should be. Right now, the best advice I could give would be to support the tracks that have refused to conform to the "no-box"(transbrakes allowed) rules. As of right now more than half of the NHRA Division 2 tracks have elected to remain FOOTBRAKE ONLY! These are the tracks that have stood up for their racers and deserve to be rewarded for it. In my opinion, if you support a "no-box" track then you're basically saying you're just fine with it and I can almost assure you that you'll NEVER see it change back to Footbrake.

Good points Steve. This is especially true with the current economy. Air/electric shifters, transbreaks, and the like raise the price of competing in the class. Guys on a Tite budget are starting to feel like there bringing a knife to a gun fight and cannot compete. Call your division 2 director and voice your opinion. Tell all the track owner and operators what you think. Roop, youve got my vote for foot brake President.

Mike Fieramusca

My main problem at this time is I won the track championship at Atlanta, so I get free entry to all the points races this year, with just losing my job, the only way I'll get to race is by using this free entry. So I can't boy-cot the track. I am planning on using my transbrake, winning every race, run all the competition off, and say I told you so. My old leg is so inconsistant, it's what beats me every time. Let me get my unbeatable 4 link car tuned to leaving off of a button.

How many people are there that will keep coming to race if the same few people win all the time. The inconsistaty of the Leg and Foot are what makes it possible for any body to win. Even Doyle Kay's leg misses the gas pedal once in a while !!!!!

Let's not even mention the fact that when we are footbrake racing, it's easy to see someone using a transs brake and/or a hidden box, now let's try to catch someone using a hidden box when it's ok to be studdering at the starting line.

If you guys think it's hard now to get 60 or 70 footbrake cars together and throw a big race, (say a $1000.00 at Montgmery ) wait and see how many show up because a few chose to race this way. I say no more than 25. We will never see a new guy to the sport, or just the regular guy come support us again.

This is the wrong time to be experimenting with what we got going on, people will be struggling just to get to race, not to mention buying a trans brake for their car. ( oh yeal, let's don't forget about the price of a box, just because it's hidden doesn,t mean it was free )

Thanks for listening,

Roop

You guys make great points, but what I think you are really going to see happen are a lot of older S/P door cars that are tired of running against diggers start to run no box. So I think you will see a mix of new blood to the new class. What we really need is a track operator run a sportsman class for just beginners and keep that true footbrake. There is where I think we will get new blood to the sport.

This is all just one man's opinion. By the way I am a footbraker, have always been a footbraker and always loved footbraking, but I do have a t-brake and a 4-link car so I guess I will run what the rules allows me to do.

footbrake cars shouldn't have transbrakes it's is a class of basic racing the old school way.on the other hand doorcars are tired of runnig piperacks(diggers)

You are right Glen, and I understand we are going to get those door cars from the box side, I understand where they are coming from, because I surely don't won't to start racing in the box class !!!!! I am no fool.

I have been racing footbrake for a while, and am racing regularly against the best footbrakers the southeast has to offer, and when we all get together, it is a great honor to once and a while find yourself on top, last man standing sort of. The south has a tradition of footbraking, I can't help people can't compete against the dragsters, I can't either, I had to build a better car so I could compete against guys that can kill the tree with their foot, I still didn't go crying for a button because my foot is not as consistant. I like the challenge as long as I know every body is racing the same way.

Thanks for the input guys !!!

Roop

Hey Roop - sorry to hear about your job. Seems to be the going thing these days. I'm sure our great president will get us all out of it...

The first thing that I would suggest to you is that if you are only going to run Atlanta this year and you think that you can not compete with a car running a transbrake, the decision seems to be obvious. Of course, that is suggesting that you think that you can't compete otherwise. First off, who at Atlanta are you worried about running the whole season who will switch to a transbrake and magically start dominating - as you guys have stated, we are in the heart of footbrake country and the guys that are going to switch over will probably take some time just trying to get the hang of it.

Also, the last time that I checked, double 0 or teen looks the same on the time slip and even means the same thing regardless of how you achieve it. Point being that there are plenty of racers that still footbrake in categories that allow transbrakes and/or rev limiters.

Good racers find ways to turn the win light on. I have seen a lot of guys do it without transbrakes or air/electric shifters.

I totally agree with what Stone Cold said. If you really disagree with what the track is doing, then don't race there. Are you going to tell me that if you had finished 2nd in the points, that you would have taken the year off? I totally understand the whole "losing your job thing", but after all, in your first post, you mentioned going to Montgomery and racing along with Atlanta. If you do want to support footbraking only tracks, Montgomery has the best deal for someone in your position. Once a month, two races in one day, low entry fee. If you add up the costs along with the payout, you probably don't save that much money trying to race Atlanta 2 and 3 times a month - especially driving from your side of town.

Having said that, I can't promise that I won't do any no box racing. I am deep stage racer who also admits to constantly trying to find a way to go shallow. If my new combo can be footfed from a shallow position, then no button needed. Otherwise, I might try out the dark side...

See you at the track
Jacob

Hey Jacob, thanks for a shot of reality.

I think I have to do the button thing bacause of people like Kelly and Toby. Very good racers that will use the button !! Or how about the guys that will hide a box, winning will make people do anything !!!!!

I would not go to Atlanta this year if I didn't have the free entry !

I think I will start off with my feet as I have always raced, and see how things progress, like you said, a .013 light looks the same no matter how it happened !!

Thanks, and I look forward to seeing you next week !!!

Roop

I have the perfect solution to the problem. Let the dragsters run themselves in a dragster class. Let Super Pro be delay and no box cars. Lastly, continue Pro (also called Footbrake) as the class where the Foot is still the way to leave the line.

Brenda Taylor

Hey Brenda, glad to hear from you. I hope you still find the time to race !!!!!

My 1st outing with the button was not going well during my 2 time runs, so I went back to footbraking, got beat 3rd round by Chad who was using the button. So I will come back with a new program.

We need to be going to a .500 pro tree like open comp., in the 7.50 heads up class I had a ball. Once I discovered I could go deep, I made it to the finals.

A good footbraker still has a hard time being as consistant as a button !

Talk to you later,

Roop