@@muncieZ310 I think he's serious about winning and is a very competitive person. Just because he gets pumped when he runs well doesn't really mean he has attitude. Personally I like to see the single car private teams win races. I always used to root for tim wilkerson too.
@@MarkJohnson-ou6xz Anderson had a safety equipment violation. The absolute dumbest thing one can have in a 200 mph race car. Violating safety protocols should carry a much stiffer penalty than just losing a run.
@user-ih1mo8vv7o Well, it's an interesting rule. I get that teams flow their manifolds. How else can you consistently tune? Many teams flow in-house. The problem is the discoloration of the magnesium. Troublesome for the tech crew. Tasca swears the dimensions are unchanged, but that media blasting smoothes out imperfections, and alters airflow from "as delivered" There's a reason why the manifolds are coated, to detect any alterations.
its been political for decades. I beat Dave Boertman & Bob Burkitt in 1st 2 rounds at Milan back in 71 . afte4r losing 3rd round, i was told to "tear it down" to get round points ... no 1 beat those 2 in consecutive rounds in those days.....i was legal, btw
Come on NHRA!!! This is pathetic. This sport was pioneered by people that were innovators and the NHRA is turning it all into cookie cutter cars and parts. Disgusting!
Cookie cutter is right. Remember when funny-cars looked very much like actual road cars? Pintos, Vegas, Camaros, 'Cudas, 'Vettes, Mustangs... Now they look like a cross between a fighter jet and a submarine -- and they are all identical!! I don't know why they bother putting a Chevy or Ford (or whatever) logo on the nose, 'cause they don't look anything like a car made by that company.
NHRA has gone the same direction NASCAR went. The more that money gets involved in motorsports, the more all of the cars become the same. They may as well call it Formula Drag from here on out.
That doesn't make sense. NHRA didn't single out Eddie Hill when he made the first 4 second run in history at the Texas Motorplex, when it was an IHRA race!
That could be a BIG factor.... I was at thst race..... Best fuel meet I ever saw. Very professional, and EVERYONE loved it. NHRA is scared.... or should be
@@user-wf2bs2nj8v NHRA isn't scared. You guys forget they disqualified Tony Stewart last year because of an illegally modified fuel pump. Likely cost him the World Championship. You didn't hear him whining about it!
Agreed. I went to 3 events a year for 18 years. The 1000 ft. 🐂💩 was the last straw for me. A quarter mile will always be 1320'. Havent been to an event since 2008. 🤷🤦
The NHRA has made mistakes in the past they didn't own up and they really stuck it to Clay Millican last year AND WERE PROVEN WRONG but denied that so stick to your principles Bob and humiliate the NHRA!
@@RandalSmith Totally! They were wrong! The thing we need to do is a silent protest against the NHRA by asking all fans to not buy any NHRA products, but support the teams.
The problem is that Bob Tasca went out and annihilated the record in one shot . If he had done it in small increments, it wouldn't have stuck out like a sore thumb . The NHRA is on a mission to figure out " how he did it " and he has two choices here , 1 , put up with their B.S. and ride this out , while hoping that his crew chief did nothing wrong ( not saying that he did ) , or 2 , pack up his toys , and go home while telling the NHRA where to go . Or he could have a mysterious break in and robbery at his shop . Older guys will know exactly what this is in reference to .
The manifold turned color because the inside of it had been media blasted , which changes the surface finish making it smoother . Heads and intakes used to be ported and polished to increase power . Did you notice that Tasca only wanted to admit to the color change and not what had caused it ?
@@bobbrinkerhoff3592Right there with you. Glass beads can remove metal, period. If they’re going to spec a manifold for dimensional changes, could it be done by measuring volume? I didn’t realize manifolds were spec’d these days, but my interest in the sport has diminished the past few years. It used to be I didn’t miss a race in Gainesville. Now I don’t even know when they run. I’m tired of all of the Forces, their schtick is so old. I can’t stand watching Enders, she’s so plastic and fake. I miss IMO the class act of NHRA Bernstein, the Professor Warren Johnson and Bob Glidden. Those guys really made the sport for me. I think the big teams with multiple cars in the same class, influenced race outcomes and “created” champions. However, at this point it may be the only thing keeping the sport alive.
@@charlieromeo7663 I hear you . Most of these " experts " seem to think that media blasting means using sand which will remove material . They don't realize that there's glass beads , walnut shells , dry ice , steel shot etc. Or that you can remove material in very thin layers to smooth out the surface .
Amazing ! Tasca and his team need not worry about being embarrassed NHRA is the embarrassment !! Will be fun watching how they weasel out of this … really sad. We should see their media department working overtime to justify their real poor decision . Maybe just make the NHRA “rules” gurus walk around with a “kick me in the nuts” sign on their backs for the next few races.
Tasca seems to have valid points but I always like to hear the other side's argument before coming to a conclusion. But based on what is said here, one has to wonder if painting a body or any engine parts would technically be a modification.
It sounds like tome that NHRA is trying to control who wins. I feel that you and your team is trying to make the best performance you can. It’s for the fans of drag racing not the NHRA to decide who wins. Keep up the good work.
Can we get a little common sense here? NHRA returned the manifolds and now there's a problem? I doubt Tasca would jeopardize his sponsors and his reputation.
C'mon NHRA Tech seriously! So what, is there supposed to be some special additive during blasting that coas then disintegrates blending with the fuel and increases performance WOW!😮
He said the magic word near the end, the “finish” is different! Now finish is very likely including the texture of the surface. If they can give the surface finish a texture that can create a laminate barrier for the air flow, that would reduce friction and flow more air, theoretically. The dimensions would still be the same but the surface finish could provide a performance advantage in theory. Small advantage, but still a possible advantage.
@@steveng9463 Tasca said it was about color . The NHRA said that the manifold had been media blasted , which will change the color while also smoothing out the finish of the internal passages . Can we say polishing ?
the part is made with one color. Any change will draw the tech. guys eyes immediately, that is their job. Bob admits he is not an engineer, but I believe a manifold company got into his head.
I'm watching the video your commenting on funny I need to explain that to you,the 5% you somehow came with is just enough to answer Bobs questions for him.
Rules are the rules. But if you leave and you’re the only one nobody cares. If everyone would stand together like all the funny car guys and girls would leave, then that would get NHRA’s attention.
You're right... Rules are the rules, and then there's BS harassment!!..... NHRA is pissed because he ran 341.68 during qualifying..... at a NON - NHRA event in Florida (the Pro SuperStar Shootout 2024).... and then they (NHRA) said they didn't "recognize" that run and speed as a world record.... most likely because it wasn't on "Their timers" at one of "Their" events.... Who the "H" is NHRA to discount his run. NHRA has gotten Far too politically correct, corrupt and too big for their own britches, anymore.... and the "fans in the stands" have been slowly, but steadily... disappearing over the last several years, if you haven't noticed.
The fact that you are not aloud to modify the intake manifold is BS NHRA has removed innovation from most of the classes. That’s the reason I will not and have not gone to NHRA for the last 12 year. 3:11 . NHRA No Happy Racers Aloud..
It's "allowed" Like ALL motorsports sanctioning bodies, there is a fine balance between innovation and keeping costs down. Most teams are not well funded. Unlimited modifications would run guys like Terry Haddock out of the sport!
@@garyjackson3531spec racing is killing the sport across all disciplines. Fans and spectators are gearheads, we are interested in the competition in the engineering and in the garage as much as we are on the track
Saying innovation isn't allowed on 12,000 HP 335 mph race car could be the dumbest thing I've ever heard another human being say. Some times it's just better to not speak.
@garyjackson3531 Big Daddy explained it best in a recent interview. If you find a mechanical edge. You have to make it available to everybody or you can't use it. Now it's all about the tune and reaction time. And that's just not the essence of racing.
@ShaunHensley This isn't the dawn of motorsports! All forms of motorsports have matured. I've been around drag racing, as both a racer and a fan, for over 50 years. The racing today is better than it's ever been. Today fuel cars, the good ones, are as consistent as a bracket car. Close racing at 335 mph is exciting as hell. It wasn't always this way. Pro Stock qualifies an entire field within between .05 and .08 of each other. It comes down to who is the better driver. As it should be! The only class where you have total dominance is the scooters. Gaige Herrera is racing in a completely different time zone! If you want wild combinations and innovation, stroll through the Competition Eliminator pits! Go look at Bruno's car. Racing is better than it has ever been and new sponsors are involved.
I quit watching N.H.R.A. when they refused to do anything to Steve Torrence assault of another driver for not staging like he thought he should and did the same thing himself a couple of races later. They fucked up NASCAR and lost a lot of viewers and sponsors. Stop playing games or we'll all stop watching. Torrence is a cry baby.
NASCAR is a prime example. Different sized restrictor plates for the Chevys and the Ford's in the 80s and 90s, taller spoilers for the Ford's through the early 2000s pending on the track. People wonder why they being ford has less cars on track and spending less on teams no matter what series you are talking about. Honestly I'm surprised they haven't backed out of racing completely.
@@gordongatzke7110 I don't like Golf but I watched the Masters instead of the Cup race and I have been to every NASCAR track and every big race on the East Coast schedule. I am done with NASCAR since 1956
@@dakotaautosales9673 But all the OTHER cars have big time manufacturers' (Toyota, Chevrolet, MOPAR) backing and that is what NHRA is probably protecting. It is very interesting that the Capco team (sponsored by Toyota) ended up giving him one of their manifolds and he went out and set low ET.
You may not have been aware of it , but Glidden was running nitrous back then . When his winning streak ended is when they finally found it . The NHRA wasn't about to admit that they had allowed it to happen for so long , so it was covered up . There was a video somewhere of one of the boys admitting to it .
@@rpasley The Capco Boys gave him a Allen Johnson manifold just like The one he was running Toyota may be a sponsor but as far as the parts go none of the Manu fractures have a damn thing to do with any of that So what is there to protect
Come on guys anyone who knows anything about engines knows gold and blue both flow better than silver or grey 🙄🙄🙄. (Sarcasm). Lol. This is pathetic. I understand the rules being what they are for a reason I follow alot of nhra but this is just ridiculous. Even way more ridiculous than clays dq last yr. I can spray paint 10 diff intakes 10 diff colors and they won't flow any better than they did before painted. And color doesn't affect flow. Maybe if they don't want color changes they should let them use diff material for intakes. And u can't tell me this is the first time an intakes color was changed a lil seriously. Why is it just now an issue
It's not the exterior color that is in dispute here . According to the NHRA his manifold was found to have been media blasted on the inside . Not only does that change the surface color , it also smooths out the as cast finish of the metal . Basically it got polished , which can provide a performance advantage . Tasca doesn't want to admit that they got caught .
@@cornpop3954 depends on how long the blast operator stays in one place , the amount of air pressure, and the type of media used . It can be done , you can also be totally careless and blast a hole clear thru a surface . You can take a car , that has had multiple different color paint jobs applied over the years and expose each color separately , if you're competent .
@@cornpop3954 you didn't bother to read what I said very closely , now did you ? Try again and think about it for a while , instead of jumping to conclusions . It most certainly can be done .
Intake Manifolds can flow better when they are Modified in ANY manner ! The same thing with exhaust Manifolds or Headers ! So if the Rules say NO modifications ! Then NO MODIFICATIONS ! I ported the double hump heads on my small block 327 , added a bigger cam shaft , up the compression of the Forged pistons to 11.5 to 1 and added a 1050cfm Holley Dominator carb , then added Hooker headers , All these things improve performance and horse power . The racing clutch, Lakewood Blow Proof bell housing, 4 speed trans and 12 bolt posi doesn't hurt Either !
Yes,speed and volume go hand in hand. If he coated the manifold on inside MIGHT get better flow numbers,but this doesn't seem to be the case. Let him be.
@@daleweakley5458 , Complaint Department is NHRA I could care less what he does . I follow Rules , So should everyone else , so direct your comment somewhere else .
I recall a Tech Teardown at 1971 Springnationals in Dallas. A well funded Super Stock team had changed "texture" in Cylinder Heads compared to a Pure Stock in next teardown stall. Pushed out in pieces to bring in Runner-up that passed.😮 Sometimes NHRA gets it right.
There's also 3 sides to every story, Tasca's side, NHRA side, and the truth. Remember, Tasca has sponsors to protect and NHRA's track record shows that they wont out a racer, they let the racer dig his own grave if need be.
When someone keeps reiterating the same line it is usually to deflect from the actual issue. I am guessing that NHRA is not upset about the color change but the potential for the change in finish to increase the flow characteristics. Tasca mentions bead blasting twice (?) and my guess that that is one issue. The fact that NHRA tech now has his manifolds means they will be checking for surface manipulation in an attempt to match air flow and/or improve fuel flow through the manifold. The worst part of tuning a fuel car is controlling the fuel flow from the hat.
Finally someone else that gets it ! The NHRA issued a statement saying that the manifold had been media blasted in violation of the rules . Depending on the media used it would have smoothed out surface imperfections in the casting .
My suspicion is not that they smoothed it out but that they textured it with the bead blasting to provide a laminate layer of air, which improves the flow. Kind of like the dimples of a golf ball, on a much smaller scale!
@@donknetzger4266 Those who say media blasting roughens a surface don't understand it depends on what you use as the media. Peening a surface will get it a smoother dimpled finish. It's kind of a don't ask-don't tell situation. They don't want to give other people ideas, and the penalized doesn't want to say exactly what they did to make their cheat obvious. A fair amount of give and take, and pushing the rules. This is nothing compared to F1 level cheating. I think they paid a price for a long time because they let a few teams dominate and cheat.
Exactly! He also says that the “finish” is changed. I believe that the bead blasting provides a different surface texture that provides a laminate layer of air, improving flow.
So compounding/waxing your car should be illegal according to your statement. Or changing your matte finish wrap for a high gloss. Not all bead blasting is the same btw. Bead blasting can clean without changing any dimensions.
We aren’t saying that bead blasting changed the dimensions, he repeated over and over that it was dimensionally the same. It’s my assertion that the texture of the runner surfaces were changed and that is what made it illegal. If a similar surface texture on the body would help, I don’t know, but in the confines of an intake manifold under the boost they run, I believe it would help.
@@donknetzger4266 You have no idea what you're talking about. The only difference was color, the nhra admitted that. They had a problem with Wilson's disclosure of their process. Nothing was changed except for color. That's it. You're smarter than this, stop being stupid.
@@StreetEliminator why would one need to "clean" a brand new casting? Stop with the BS, you know what they are doing. A top fuel team "can't afford a flow bench"(his words)...total lies.
I use bead blasters on parts for work and yeah it does shine some metals but it also takes a fine amount of metal off to now enough to make a difference in Flo not sure but a smoother surface would help it Flo better so in retrospect I guess you could say that it is modified and if you can’t polish the inside of the intake then you shouldn’t bead blasters it either but if you can then it should be legal cause polishing also Takes a fine amount of metal away as well
NHRA needs to clarify things. HOWEVER, if Wilson media blasts these intakes, while internal dimensions may not change, everything WILL be smoother, which will improve airflow. It's interesting that NHRA looked at manifolds from another manufacturer that had been flowed by Wilson, and had no objections. There needs to be better clarity AND consistency.
I have had three manifolds acid dipped to improve flow years ago; much less common now. They would paint the whole outside of the manifold with something, I'm not sure what it was, and then submerge the whole thing in the acid tank and the acid would eat the runners open a little. He's saying "dimensional" often for a reason. Worked great on the old 90's manifolds that were hard to port without cutting them in half and rewelding.
NHRA started micro-managing the "Pro" engines, you knew there was something wrong. Pretty sure it started with the Dodge Prostock where you MUST run blocks and heads with Dodge's part number on it. What they should have done is lowered the cubic inches to slow the cars down. Whenever you tighten rules to slow things down, you invite people with deeper pockets to edge around the rules. Smaller motors and less "prep" on the track.
at 4:58 he says beadblasting If he is trying to say his manifolds are bead blasted and that it is only a color change he is being deceptive. That is like adding little divots to the surface similiar to a golf ball. We all know the golf balls are made like that to make them fly through the air better. I can see how bead blast surface can change air flow on the inner surface of the manifold. He is not changing the dimensions, but he is definitely changing how the air flows through the parts.
Sounds like the manufacturer is the one who "flowed" the part to get the number, and as such, the coloured part is not modified in any way by the race team.....
Makes me sick to my stomach to hear this and I actually have my NHRA comp license to run my car. Almost wish all the tracks around me were IHRA instead
Bob......So sorry to see this BUT. It's the P.T Barnum show that you are running in........... "This is MY circus and YOU are MY clown"...........Has been for 50 plus years. Wishing U and your team all the best Sir!
Every team should just pack up and go home. They should refuse to race until there are totally new rules and the officials in the NHRA present are fired
@@cnftnf Alan may not have been able to measure the microscopic dimensional changes caused by bead blasting, which I ASSuME means glass bead blasting. That can change the surface roughness too, affecting flow, I guess. But it really sounds to me that Bob was targeted possibly by one of his competitors with what seems to be possibly bogus charges of using illegal intakes, causing the NHRA Tech group (Department?) to inspect his intakes. I also have to ASSuME that the Tech guys don't have the authority to change the interpretation of a poorly written rule that seemed on the surface to be clear at first. Now it's muddy and hopefully whoever DOES have the authority to change or reset the interpretation of that rule will do so before the next race so that all Teams can understand it clearly. Sorry for all of my assumptions, but I don't know where to get the NHRA Rulebook that gives details like these -- I'd really like a chance to read it.
@@bobvines00 Okay to all that. But how did they even assume it was bead blasted. By the color? Seems to me that's the issue. NHRA says it's a violation because any change including color makes it illegal. I doubt there were any measurements made, just a visual check. Going too far here. BTW the same thing happened with his headers. One day their legal the next day they're not. I think the tech crew may need to be examined...IMHO.
@@cnftnf Bead blasting leaves a particular surface fining on components that are blasted. I believe that the three men in the video said that the color change was caused by some kind of chemical reaction between the flow bench chemical(whatever it was) and the base metal.
Question I know with F1 adding color will add weight to the individual part. Is this a scenario where they removed the color and thus lower weight or vice versa?
I just have one question, and its a peripheral one... regarding the use of magnesium intake manifolds, as Tasca says he uses, magnesium can easily catch fire under certain circumstances, and when a supercharger blows or some other catastrophic event happens, its highly likely the magnesium will catch fire and burn down the car. SO: for the very slight weight reduction afforded by magnesium over aluminum, why use magnesium.? Why not use aluminum and be safe...? NOTE: Magnesium is what they use in flares, and it burns at several thousands of degrees.
I knew one of Bob’s crew chiefs and Bob very much cares about his reputation of doing things, right .. Of all the things one could do to a race car, I don’t feel that he would “do it anyway and just hope I don’t get caught” especially on this particular deal.. especially negating how much he has accomplished over 10+ years building up to this point.. I feel there’s too much scapegoat stuff that happens.. it’s just strange to me…. Anyway, not my deal but they’re definitely needs to be a lot more open lines of communication when the NHRA does stuff like this, because the synergy is very very clutch between teams, fans and sponsors..
@@konekillerking back in 1983 nobody worried about that kind of accuracy, IF the technology even existed to get readings such as those . That being said , if he's serious about being competitive, he better have someone in his shop that is aware of such things , and better yet , capable of building one . There is an old saying that still applies to this day , " necessity is the mother of invention " .
They always come up with bull when it comes to the FORD guys, just like they done in NASCAR when FORD was kicking every body behind with the 427 SOHC !!!!🐍
The perception of confusion, ambiguity and a lack of transparency will further reduce entrants in the NHRA fuel classes,racers and fans can only ask WHY?
Simple, provide two flow numbers- one before they “ changed the color” and one after they released it. That’s what NHRA should be asking for and that’s it. If it flowed more then it’s illegal.
The NHRA and all their ridiculous BS restrictions are killing this sport and making it really tough to stay interested in. Whenever a team innovates and gains an advantage they clamp down. Wonder if JF would get the same treatment? Good luck Bob, hope you prevail on this and continue to dominate.
Wait, he said "Wilson bead blasts them to get rid ofnthe burrs or whatever". Getting rid of the burrs in an intake manifold is a dimensional change. Did Bobby slip the tongue there?
