No tech for some at St Louis?
 

I heard a rumor that some racers got to run without going through tech at St Louis. Anyone know if this is true?

Re: No tech for some at St Louis?
 

I was not there but heard from a couple of guys that some prominent racers just toodled up to the staging lanes for Q1 and handed their tech card to the official in the lanes.

Re: No tech for some at St Louis?
 

I wouldn't think this would be out of the ordinary for cars that they see at the events on regular basis. Shortens the tech line for the other guys,gals

Re: No tech for some at St Louis?
 

There were some that had that opportunity at Charlotte as well. Not sure I would do it if I was given the opportunity. I know a racer that was chosen, and was going to do it until he read the waiver that they wanted him to sign. It placed all of the liability on the racer. He said thanks, but no thanks.
Chuck

Re: No tech for some at St Louis?
 

i heard the same thing, they don't pick you, you can do it on line now, and you can get picked for a spot check, ya right Q1 take the 850 and put you 780 on for 2nd Q, This is not right, Plus the tech people will be loosing there jobs, also i heard there were some people from National Dragster were let go, CUZ there will be no ND paper this time next year, you will be reading it on line, get use to it, its coming. Brian

Re: No tech for some at St Louis?
 

I've heard from a couple of Racers in a couple of different eliminators that NHRA is working on a way to do a "yearly" tech inspection. You would pay for it yearly kinda like a chassis cert.. That way, they can hold the Racer responsible for what ever happens at the track. They can also get rid of all of those "high paying" tech inspector jobs. More money for board member's salaries.

Re: No tech for some at St Louis?
 

You and your crew cannot get credentials unless you have a stamped inspection card.

Greg

Re: No tech for some at St Louis?
 

Just asking but couldn't you do the same carb swap with the current system as long as you had the right one on when you went thru tech?

Re: No tech for some at St Louis?
 

Mostly what they check in tech now is the safety equipment, Dates on the safety equipment, Seat belts, grounds on the fuel cells. chassis certs, working tail light, operation of the battery shut down. Not so much the legality of carbs and such. Sometimes they will pick a certain item and check on all of the cars. There is not enough time to check every detail in the tech line.

Re: No tech for some at St Louis?
 

Carson got an e-mail stating he was selected for the "new techless" entry. I did not get the same courtesy however. Don't get too excited, they still came by in the lanes and checked his belts, and I think everyone in stock got their helmet checked in the lanes too.

Tracy

Re: No tech for some at St Louis?
 

Can't you have your car inspected once a year and receive an ETI card? I have plenty of bracket racers that have done it. They still have to go to tech but bypass line of they have card present and current. Not sure if this can apply to s/ss

Re: No tech for some at St Louis?
 

Just imagine no tech at Indy when 180 cars are trying to qualify for 128 spots.

Re: No tech for some at St Louis?
 

IHRA had a "Quick Tech" proceedure several years ago. At the beginning of the season, you get your car teched and a numbered decal on the roll bar. Afterwards, you just brought the tech card to the tech line. They discontinued it for Stock & SS a couple of years ago.

Re: No tech for some at St Louis?
 

There was really no tech in Brainerd since most of the racers were there for the LODRS the weekend prior. However, I didn't notice any checks in place to be sure that you really had been there the prior weekend. We all just rode up on scooters/golf cars and the tech staff made sure all of the necessary items were written down. Honestly, it was pretty nice!

The latest National Dragster from Indy is a joke. No stories at all for the sportsman categories. As was posted above, I heard that those writers have been let go.

Re: No tech for some at St Louis?
 

Apparently NHRA is testing the waters to minimize Tech and maybe personnel .
I received an Email today from NHRA to participate in a pilot program where you print out your tech card and just turn it in when you go to the credential trailer .
You assume all responsibility for your car and equipment and card being correct.
Also states NHRA personnel will perform spot checks.
Stock/ SS also gets their weight stickers at the trailer.
So if they adopt this ,the tech line wait will be gone and replaced by lines at the credential trailer.

Re: No tech for some at St Louis?
 

I normally wait a lot longer in the credential lines than I do in tech lines.

Re: No tech for some at St Louis?
 

I guess the racers will have to police themselves......

Re: No tech for some at St Louis?
 

I like the idea of a once a year tech. They could spot check cars during fuel check or in the lanes

Re: No tech for some at St Louis?
 

Myron the reason S/SS can't do annual tech in IHRA because a racer took advantage of the system at a division race couple years ago.

Re: No tech for some at St Louis?
 

That figures!

Re: No tech for some at St Louis?
 

Not sure I like this idea build a class car for rules and none apply? Kind of dumb . Makes me want to put a 632 in my camaro if they aren't going to check things anymore. . High dollar bracket race is all it is becoming with no payouts . Not as excited about stock as I used to be after hearing all the rumors ?? If anything they need more tear downs and to police it a little more in my opinion but who knows .

Re: No tech for some at St Louis?
 

This says a lot here. Especially the last couple of lines. I was really interested in rejoining this after I snagged my Mustang. Shortly after, had a son go bad, that created many joint problems, money being one. Then had both my mother and brother had simultaneous health issues. My mother has passed on. In the same year, my running partner lost his wife to cancer.

All that made it hard to want to work on the car. Then came the nasty IHRA rumors. I let my membership and comp# go back. Now it looks like NHRA is going to make their situation worse. If you have to attend every points meet to run a national. I won't be going.

Maybe some would say, I'm not a racer. My days of living this are long gone. No longer being young, have found there are other things more important in life. It's stupid expensive to build one of these things. You get the feeling the HRA's could care less if you show up or not?

Re: No tech for some at St Louis?
 

Most of the people that run stock Super Stock and comp follow the rules for their cases. There was only one car DQ'd at indy for a minor crankshaft stroke violation. I heard the stroke was only off by a few thousandths. You can always protest another competitor if you think that car is illegal. That doesn't happen very often. As I said in an earlier post tech before the event is mostly for the safety equipment. Tear down would be to check for legality.

Re: No tech for some at St Louis?
 

I'm fully aware of how it works. I was just saying there needs to be more tech guys not less.