quite the cat fight here... I have been drag racing longer than a lot of guys have been on the planet and there are a few things I have learned:
I can not draw a line between "street" racers and track racers and I never will...
Street racers are not usually near as quick as they think they are... Over the years, I have been involved in a number of drives to bring "street racers" to the track.. almost without fail, they get a boat load of "humble pie" They suck at the line (well at first anyway) and they are usually no where close to qualifying at a heads up event..
Will not even go into the "intelligence" of street racing.. :stoopid:
Real track racing:
Bracket racing: it does suck but it is VERY important to the sport.. Some of the VERY BEST racers I have ever met are "bracket racers" (Emmons brothers come to mind)
The upside is that most every guy that rolls to the line is on equal footing with the guy next to him.. (nature of the class) this tends to bring the best performers to the quarter/semi/finals.. Just because a guy does not have an unlimited budget, does not relegate him to the trailer after the first round...
Downside? the electronics... If I had my way? they would be outright banned.. (Sponsors will never let that happen, they make wayyyy to much money from this crap) Did I mention I hate computers in racing?
HEADS UP racing: ROCKS!! This type of racing brings the mechanical talent to the top and usually the best drivers.. However it also brings the guys with the largest pockets.. More money, more power, more speed (to a point).. Then the talent factor comes in to play.. In the pro ranks? $$ counts as much as talent, I can buy anything I need to win..
Worlds quickest rides live here.... PERIOD...
DOWNSIDE: $$$.... for all of our years of running Nitro Funny, we never made final round at an National Event.. just no way to compete against teams with a $30,000 + PER RUN budget.. Really, that was our season budget some years.. they spend it every time the roll to the starting line.. The day some pro decides he wants the AA/Fuel Altered record? our record dies.. :*(
Drag racing is a tough sport mentally... lots of time to think about stuff and very little margin for error on the starting line..
I sort of like the chest pounding part... but if you are going to do that? you better be ready to roll to the line and back up any claims... Someone IS going to call you out.. Love it!!
Overall? I think bracket racers are a bit more honed on the starting line.. (absolutely more consistent) Are they the fast guys? no...
but when you can go 1320' and tell me within a few thousandths how quick you are going to cover that ground? Guys, that is a mechanical miracle..
We could call it to the tenths on a VERY good night but it was about 10% luck to even get a full pass in..