Originally Posted by A56 (Post 398185)

I have had a meeting with Danny Gracia this past week at Indy. We have talked a few times previously, and NHRA tech along with other header fabricators input have come up with some ideas and I believe have come up with a final solution which should be in writing very very soon.
To begin this rule is absolutly nessesary, there have been lots of incidents and people have been seriously hurt. NHRA has to cover there butts from further incidents, and keep racers from getting hurt in the future. I believe this is a good rule, and now that simple collector retention devises have been thought of, it will be simple and inexpensive for each one of us to install.
The Lokar Collector Tether and the Tether previously mentioned are not going to be the final requirement, im sure you can use that type of system, it will be very effective, but the cost will be to high. Believe it or not, NHRA does not want each of us racers to have to buy a tether system that costs that much. They also dont want us running to Home Depot and fabricating something out of low grade materials. Again, this tether system will work great, and it will be approved for those that have already purchased it.
What has been proposed and is pretty much is a simple wing tab kit with a nut and bolt. Originally I had proposed this with a lock nut, but it was rejected due to the fact that the lock nut could fall off. What has been decided on is to use the wing tabs and a nice aircraft bolt with possibly a castle style nut and a cotter key. This system will be in addition to our already existing spring tabs or A/B collector tabs. The actual Bolt / Nut / Cotter Key has not been decided on. I dont know if it will be a 1/4", if it will be a castle style, and what the clip or cotter key will have to look like. But what I do know is that it will be simple and inexpensive.
NHRA was actaully great to work with on this situation. They just want something simple, safe, and inexpensive for us racers. So dont go jump the gun on buying parts just yet. Give this all a little while till we see it in writing. I will be stocking all the parts needed for the fix, but not until its in writing. I think once its all said and done well have a solution to our problem for 30 to 40 bucks using stainless tabs and aircraft hardware.

Mark Lelchook
D/ED F/SA

Originally Posted by 1320racer (Post 396802)

Bottomline is collector tethers are required as of 2014 and until someone else comes up with an NHRA accepted solution as well cheaper solution, you will be buying these tethers or welding your collectors.

Originally Posted by 1320racer (Post 396849)

I have yet to read one post where a racer has stated he is going to invest his time and money to produce another solution, get it approved by the NHRA and sell it cheaper than the current solution.

Originally Posted by 1320racer (Post 398197)

Bravo! An informative post from a racer who is doing something other than complaining, speaking to the NHRA and trying to come up with a cost effective and approved solution.