06' NHRA Rule changes

[acrdakota]

06\' NHRA Rule changes

The National Hot Rod Association has released its rules revisions and addenda for the 2006 POWERade season in advance of the actual printing of the rulebook. Among several expected changes in Professional category requirements, new regulations will present opportunities for a variety of new machinery in Competition Eliminator and the Super Stock fraternity will see a plethora of changes which will, no doubt, be the subjects of many conversations over the winter break. Here is DRO's take on the major notes of the November 1st press release. The revisions are in Italics. .............................................. (cut out prefessional stuff here)

General Regulations:

Any vehicle that runs faster than 135 mph must meet minimum requirements for 9.99-second vehicles, which include an NHRA chassis certification, NHRA competition license, and updated safety requirements.
— Translation: After all the years you avoided having to buy the safety equipment for a 9.99 or quicker machine because your fast street car wouldn't hook up on street tires, you now must pay.

Four-wheel-drive is permitted per class requirements; four-wheel-drive vehicles running quicker than 9.99 are prohibited.
— To all the DSM guys who've spent $1 million dollars each, we have no idea where this one came from.

During competition, NHRA prohibits the use of a portable computer while the vehicle is in operation. Such items as a laptop, PDA, Palm Pilot, programmer, and the like may not be installed or located in a vehicle at any point beyond the staging-area ready line. All functions or values must be preset prior to this point.

 

[Austin]

Re: 06\' NHRA Rule changes

Sounds like they've gone a little nutty. Looks like a lot of people wont be racing anymore.

 

[Fast Freddy]

Re: 06\' NHRA Rule changes

................ I say take it 2 the street then

 

[Sleeper]

Re: 06\' NHRA Rule changes

I expect to run high nines when the track opens again in the spring. I do have 5-point harness and roll bar (Autoform). I hope "chassis certification" doesn't require full cage. Anyone know?

 

[acrdakota]

Re: 06\' NHRA Rule changes

I expect to run high nines when the track opens again in the spring. I do have 5-point harness and roll bar (Autoform). I hope "chassis certification" doesn't require full cage. Anyone know?

http://www.nhra.com/tech_specs/ETQuickRef.html

Looks like you might be required to get it sfi certified and run a chute.

 

[Sleeper]

Re: 06\' NHRA Rule changes

Thanks for the link.

 

[Jay Herbert]

Re: 06\' NHRA Rule changes

It's all about being safe (and who pays the bills/liability/insurance/medical/legal if someone is not safe).

Doug Levin was happy he had a full roll cage and the additonal safety gear required when his Vette drag car started bouncing off concrete barriers........ Lingenfelter died even though his car met the rules....

 

[Joseph Dell]

Re: 06\' NHRA Rule changes

Doug's car was a race chasis tubbed out vette. Of course he had a roll cage. A race car and a street car are two different animals. Our cars are fast street cars!

JD

 

[acrdakota]

Re: 06\' NHRA Rule changes

I agree safety is important but thats something YOU need to decide. A lot of people take for granted just how fast a mid 9 sec pass really is, and it can get ugly reaaal quick. But at the same time I understand not wanting to hack up your street car. Give and take I guess, but with how sue happy everyone in the US is I don't blame them.

 

[Asp Man]

Re: 06\' NHRA Rule changes

Litigeousness aside, it's the guy in the tech booth who'll make the call. Trouble is, you've paid at the gate!
When a pass 'goes bad' the real problem is not if/not you have a cage, it's if/not the track crew know how to get you out, and quick.
I run a 9sec bike, so it's not a real concern. If I crash going 135mph+ it's not going to be pretty no matter what.
Personaly, I wouldn't set foot in a car that wouldn't meet the class specs. for the time/speed it runs.
That's just me.
Look for IHRA to adopt similar rules.

 

[Chuck 98 RT/10]

Re: 06\' NHRA Rule changes

I run a 9sec bike, so it's not a real concern. If I crash going 135mph+ it's not going to be pretty no matter what.

Isn't that kinda odd? They let a bike run 9s with 0 safety equipment. But if a car runs 9s it has to be caged?

 

[Jay Herbert]

Re: 06\' NHRA Rule changes

Doug's car was a race chasis tubbed out vette. Of course he had a roll cage. A race car and a street car are two different animals. Our cars are fast street cars!

JD

You are right of course, they are differnet animals.

But now-a-days... street cars are nearly as fast (sometimes faster than race cars!), so just as "potentially dangerous" in the eyes of the sanctioning bodies.... so all the drag racing tracks/sanctioning bodies are having to look at them the same from a safety standpoint. No favoritism.

It is easy to say, "It's my life, I can take it in my own hands if I like". The sad reality of our litigous society is after the accident, the ones left living are the ones sueing and saying: "The track makes 9 second race cars have full roll cages, but not 9 second street cars, it is the tracks fault my husband/son/wife/etc. is dead, show-me-the-money."

 

[Asp Man]

Re: 06\' NHRA Rule changes

I run a 9sec bike, so it's not a real concern. If I crash going 135mph+ it's not going to be pretty no matter what.

Isn't that kinda odd? They let a bike run 9s with 0 safety equipment. But if a car runs 9s it has to be caged?

Well, that's not quite right. You do need to have a helmet that meets current Snell ratings (2000 right now, if I'm right) And full leathers, boots and gloves(with palm protection) Plus a comp license, not as easy as it sounds. I'm just saying, if your gonna run a particular class, you and your vehicle should be up to *****. If your lucky enough to run 135mph in you V then you're probably gonna want to be safe(ish)