Thread: A Force ??

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Originally Posted by BigTruckDriver

I see there is a lot of talk about rookies, lets post some actual racing experience for the rookies.... I think its pretty amazing to be able to jump in a fuel car with less than 10 years racing experience ,but I guess thats just me...

There is no training for driving a funny car other then what she's been through.... She ran a top alcohol car, went to a good funny car driving school, and moved up to nitro funny car... Same as the majority of the top fuel drivers. Nothing other then a funny car will train you to drive a funny car....Nothing... The only way you learn how to handle the situations that come up in a funny car is by being in them. Everyone who is in funny car and top fuel now has crashed at least once, some many more times then that. Read the other posts, there is a listing of other top fuel drivers who crashed in their rookie season. Crashing and making mistakes is part of being a rookie... All the top fuel drivers were rookies once and they all went through the same ordeal. It's no different for Ashley they it was for any of the others.. We all learn by making mistakes. If you're looking for drivers who haven't made mistakes....well....quit looking!!!!! Did you see her first pass? The car got loose, moved out of the groove and was all over the track, she brought it back to the center, ran a good time, and won..... She has a competition license and has met all the criteria that NHRA has for driving a funny car... I believe those folks are much better at determining a driver's competence then those of us watching it on the tube!!!!!

Going with your logic, I must be qualified to drive a top fuel car, I've been drag racing for better then 40 years!!!!!

Rookies are rookies and make rookie mistakes. The only reason the spotlight is on Ashley is because of who here Dad is....

Though I haven't seen any footage of the crash that killed Eric Medlen and doubt that any of us ever will, I wonder how close in similarity her crash was to his? Point being that Eric had quite a bit of experience in contrast to Ashley. It's a dangerous sport, always has been and always will be. IMHO it's part of her learning curve which will continue as long as she drives. So many have come and gone before her and each and everyone of them have experienced crashes and/or burn downs. She will get better with each pass and will be a force (pun intended) to be reckoned with in the coming years.

The guy sorta forgotten in all this is John Medlen. I would bet that the replays in his head as he watched Ashley smackin' the wall would scare the most grizzled vet. Then to know that the head restraint system he developed for the cars worked for Ashley had to bring him a sense of relief, pride, and most likely remorse for not having done it sooner. Such are the lessons of life.

I think its pretty amazing to be able to jump in a fuel car with less than 10 years racing experience ,but I guess thats just me...

I guess with more experience she would be a lot better, but if she (or anyone else) needed to wait 20 years before making he jump, they might be past their prime with reflexes starting to diminish. I know there are a lot of older drivers still in racing, but it really is a younger person sport. For most, but not all, the quickness of the mind and body start to diminish with every passing year and at some point it seems like every passing day.

Get out there and do as much as you can when you are young so you don't regret it when you're old. I, for one, am glad she is in the sport, regarless of lineage. She's got her credentials and has paid her dues, no reason for her not to be there. Besides, she's much more pleasant to see and watch then her competitors.

I guess even with my prelim statement about thinking she will make it and all I shoulda figured the flames would still be turned up a bit.

MY POINT IS, if this were an average team that brought up an alky driver to learn the fuel FC ranks she would get the hook, be sent back down to the minors, period (at least in all likelyhood).

So if you wanna make me out to be the bad guy then lets go with that.

So I ask, what driver has started on arguably the best team with the best equipment and had more incidents in such a short time? Im not saying there isnt one but surely cant remember anyone with such an 'exciting' start.

Originally Posted by NTFDAY

Though I haven't seen any footage of the crash that killed Eric Medlen and doubt that any of us ever will, I wonder how close in similarity her crash was to his? Point being that Eric had quite a bit of experience in contrast to Ashley. It's a dangerous sport, always has been and always will be. IMHO it's part of her learning curve which will continue as long as she drives. So many have come and gone before her and each and everyone of them have experienced crashes and/or burn downs. She will get better with each pass and will be a force (pun intended) to be reckoned with in the coming years.

The way I understand it by people that were there and close to JFR Eric was dead before he hit the wall. Still unsure but looks like a tire problem...... the car shook so hard and fast he did not have time to do anything. Basically shook his brain loose before he hit anything. Also was told many of the welds on the car broke before hitting the wall.

Dont forget the time Brandon hit the wall stayed into it way to long flipped over the wall and broke his tail bone. The old man returned to drive that year. BB missed 1/3 or more of his rookie season.
So it happens to everyone sooner or later

This season it seems that even the masters are having a hard time keeping it to the track.

There is a reason why "big Jim" would not be able put up with it. He does not have the money and is not near as good in marketing as JFR. She is there fbecuase of her last name....but dont think for a second it is not easier to market a good looking educutaed female compared to Bartone or any other number of drivers Jim Dun nhas had in the last 10 years. I did however like the Penthouse car and the women they had in the pits for 2 races before the NHRA told him he could no longer have that sponser

Am I the only one to hear it or did I hear it wrong when they said that the run where she beat Capps was the first time in competition this year that she left before her opponent? I find that hard to believe but I think thats what they said.

Originally Posted by iceburgh

There is a reason why "big Jim" would not be able put up with it. He does not have the money and is not near as good in marketing as JFR. She is there fbecuase of her last name....but dont think for a second it is not easier to market a good looking educutaed female compared to Bartone or any other number of drivers Jim Dun nhas had in the last 10 years. I did however like the Penthouse car and the women they had in the pits for 2 races before the NHRA told him he could no longer have that sponser

isnt that like hes using her?????

Originally Posted by BigTruckDriver

isnt that like hes using her?????

It's professional drag racing and it's very expensive. If someone has to get "used" a bit to bankroll a new team, so be it. We're talking 300mph funny cars, not women's rights!!!! Way I see it, most every form of advertising is using or abusing something or someone...isn't that the American Way??????

Ok Dave, lets just ask for the sake of discussion here, lets say this weekend she scraps another body or sends some more cones into orbit? What then?

At what point does the NHRA step in suggest she try the alky funny's for a while?

Does anyone remember the NHRA parking someone before for being a little skittish on the track?



For the record I think she'll do fine. I may even pick up one of her T-shirts and if she wins this weekend I'll send it to Dave.

Originally Posted by Mike in Motown

Ok Dave, lets just ask for the sake of discussion here, lets say this weekend she scraps another body or sends some more cones into orbit? What then?

At what point does the NHRA step in suggest she try the alky funny's for a while?

Does anyone remember the NHRA parking someone before for being a little skittish on the track?



For the record I think she'll do fine. I may even pick up one of her T-shirts and if she wins this weekend I'll send it to Dave.

I don't recall NHRA ever revoking a top fuel license for other then drunk in the pits or something stupid like that.... She will without a doubt make many, many more passes in a squirrely car and probably pound out a few more cones, too. Heck, I took out some cones in a Super Gas car, stuff happens!!!! If they start sending drivers back to an alky car cuz they get a bit skittish on the track, sure will get easier to make the field!!!!! At this point in her rookie season, I don't see where she is actually doing any better or worse then most rookies do in their first year... Let's see, they want from Seattle to Sonoma this week, betcha Dad had her on a track someplace making some more passes this week!!!! I seriously doubt pulling her license was or will be even a consideration with NHRA.....nor do I see any reason it should be..... As I've said before, if she wasn't John's kid none of this would even have been noticed or talked about. Whether it's her or someone else, I sure do like to see new blood moving into the top fuel ranks!!!! Sure does keep the old dudes on their toes!!!!

I wonder what the most upsetting part of Ashley driving a funny car is too most folks. The fact that she's John's daughter, the fact that she's a woman, or just plain old jealousy cuz she has an opportunity to do what the rest of us can only dream about doing?????

Originally Posted by Dave Severson

It's professional drag racing and it's very expensive. If someone has to get "used" a bit to bankroll a new team, so be it. We're talking 300mph funny cars, not women's rights!!!! Way I see it, most every form of advertising is using or abusing something or someone...isn't that the American Way??????

True , yep!!!!!