We really like it when sportsman racers turn bloggers. Not so much because they are the next Hemingway, but rather – because they tell it like it is. Chris Parent, Street Legal racer and owner of the BB Nova Racing web site, recently wrote a Top 10 Drag Racing Tips article that is a great “101” guide for the newbie heads-up racer. In the article, he talks about things like safety, tire pressure, and how to read a track — a good starter guide that I’m sure everyone wished they got before their first trip down the 1320.
Here’s something Chris wrote about pulling the parachute when in trouble:
It happens, and it’s every drivers worst nightmare. Something thought about, but only talked about in hush voice, and even then on rare occasions.
You are roaring down the track at 100+ MPH when all of a sudden, without notice, your car starts dancing out of control, what to do?! Of course you should try to regain control of the vehicle, stay out of the gas pedal, and let instinct take over. But 1 tip in addition to this is to pull the chute. Pulling the chute will not only slow the car down, but keep the back end of the car pointed towards the tower. With the back end pointed towards the tower, the chance of your front wheels giving you control of the vehicle is much greater. Remember steering a car only works when the front wheels are on the ground, with solid contact and rotating. It’s nearly impossible to control a car that’s sliding sideways; you are pretty much just along for the ride.
So if you are a relatively new racer, check out his Top 10 Drag Racing Tips article. Nice job Chris.
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