The NHRA adjusted its traction-compound-to-alcohol ratio, and it took several races into the 2018 season before it settled on a reduction from 75 percent compound, 25 percent alcohol to 65/35.
“We made some changes at the (season-opening) Winternationals to reduce the amount of track prep at the top end of the track, which seemed to be the root of the problem.
“But then we reset the record four times in Phoenix, and speeds were continuing to climb. So we had to make more adjustments, which we did going into Houston (in April). The momentum is slowly shifting because the single-car teams know they don’t have to go out and run that quick (elapsed time) or fast (speed). It’s saving those teams that don’t have a vast resource of parts or money.”
https://autoweek.com/article/nhra/2019-nhra-preview-steve-torrence-jr-todd-put-traditional-powers-notice
Know what the alternative is? Fewer racers, less attraction, NHRA withers and dies. How about that. So, just like Nascar has carb limiters to keep speeds from, getting much over 200, NHRA doesn't want speeds much over 320. I do believe that was shy they cut the track to 1000 feet distances vs the traditional 1320 feet. to prevent higher speeds.
Actually, when they ran 1320 feet, they were hitting an aero wall at about 1000 feet due to the massive drag from the wings, so top speed hardly changed with the shorter track. What changed was they had 320 feet more feet to stop in. But that's fascinating about detuning the track compound to limit performance.
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