[Mike Carr]

There have been many inconsistencies between Bracket and Class rules. At a S/SS race I did at Quaker City Raceway in 1999 or 2000, a racer (John Musial, I believe) had his H/SA there, and had no jacket. The track would not let him run without it. He told the track that Stock rules didn't require a jacket. The tracks response was that "Here, you're an 11.99 and quicker bracket car, so you need the jacket". He was able to borrow one from a fellow racer. It always puzzled me, since (at that time), a low 10 second Stocker could race in a t-shirt, but a high 11 second Footbrake car needed a jacket. In March 2004, myself and Billy Nees were both DQ'd in tech at another S/SS race I was putting on at Mason-Dixon Dragway for a crack in the windshields of our cars. Stock required a windshield to be "in good condition", but bracket rules say windshield "must be in good condition and free from cracks". So, my car that had raced nearly half a year in NHRA/IHRA (including the US Nat'ls) was not allowed to run. Same with helmets. Required in all NHRA/IHRA classes, but only in bracket cars that run quicker than 14 seconds, and/or faster than 100 mph (varies by track, I believe). I'm sure these are just a few of many irregularities in rules between the two. I guess it would be easier if some safety rules were universal across the board. I think that's why NHRA changed the rules in regards to jackets and other things in Stock a few years ago.