2017 to 2018 Rule Amendments

[Michael Beard]

OMG.... how do you think they do tech at bracket races? Go through tech: "How fast do you run?" "10.50's" "OK, you need XYZ." This is NOT hard.

And YES, the tech guys already watch E.T.'s. A friend has always wanted to run a 9.99 just once with his Stocker, but doesn't have a full cage. He was specifically told there would be no grace period. One 9.99 and he was out of the event.


Again, the idea that one car running 10.80's requires far more stringent safety standards than an identical car running 10.00 is ludicrous. It also creates a potentially massive problem with insurance. What happens when a 10-oh car wrecks with a roll bar, -1 suit, etc., and the insurance company says, "Why didn't this car and driver meet the same safety standards as this other car that's much slower, but requires a full cage, -5 suit, competition license, ad infinitum?"

[SS3718]

Michael,
Some of the bracket races I've watched here lately doesn't appear to have any rules when it comes to safety....helmet mandatory, everything else is optional. It's not my style but it also doesn't directly impact me!

If you want the simplest rule when it comes to safety....everyone should wear the same thing and have the same requirements. After all, your 10.50 car is running against 8.50 cars going 160+.

Nick

[Bob Schmalz]

[QUOTE=SS3718;549006]Michael,
Some of the bracket races I've watched here lately doesn't appear to have any rules when it comes to safety....helmet mandatory, everything else is optional. It's not my style but it also doesn't directly impact me!

If you want the simplest rule when it comes to safety....everyone should wear the same thing and have the same requirements. After all, your 10.50 car is running against 8.50 cars going 160+.

Nick[/QUOTE

Agree on both points. I know of some late model street driven Corvettes, one that runs low 11's and another running low 10's that have done so with just a seat belt and helmet.

[Michael Beard]

Oh. You guys are totally right. Because some bracket race not operated directly by NHRA doesn't enforce the rules, that means that NHRA National and Divisional events cannot and should not be enforced... Fine, they can just keep doing what they're doing with jacked up rules. Enjoy.

[ken robinson]

Ok . So what do some of you guys run now on 350 & 400 for shields and did you have floor pan clearance issues ? My friends superstreet car runs a shield on its powerglide... I can the trans blanket is the cheap way out and it would be so dirty after 2 years its trash any how , plus no floor pan issues .......The rule didn't say auto trans only just 10;99 ! Are the stick cases sfi ? Like the ATI TH400,s on the new factory cars .

[ken robinson]

After reading it again its under automatic only .

[FireSale]

Anyone remember Bonzi starts from the 60s? Rev up with the trans in neutral and punch the button on the green light. Saw a stock 442 destroy a trans at Milan when I was in High School and the "staff photographer". Broke the driver's foot and put him in the hospital.

I run an SFI bellhousing and hard trans shield on my 302 C4 12 second bracket car. They call an automatic a slush box but it's really more of a shrapnel box if all that spinning steel ever takes a hike.

On the original topic, I don't care for the spread in safety across cars in the same category. A stocker with a roll bar is often chased by a much faster car with a 25.5 cage. This is fine as long as they stay in their own lanes but this isn't a given. If a COPO or CJ gets loose in the lights, the T/SA would be the big looser..

Just a thought.

[midnightbluS10]

Originally Posted by Michael Beard

OMG.... how do you think they do tech at bracket races? Go through tech: "How fast do you run?" "10.50's" "OK, you need XYZ." This is NOT hard.

And YES, the tech guys already watch E.T.'s. A friend has always wanted to run a 9.99 just once with his Stocker, but doesn't have a full cage. He was specifically told there would be no grace period. One 9.99 and he was out of the event.


Again, the idea that one car running 10.80's requires far more stringent safety standards than an identical car running 10.00 is ludicrous. It also creates a potentially massive problem with insurance. What happens when a 10-oh car wrecks with a roll bar, -1 suit, etc., and the insurance company says, "Why didn't this car and driver meet the same safety standards as this other car that's much slower, but requires a full cage, -5 suit, competition license, ad infinitum?"

Somebody want to clarify this for me? Are you talking about 2 of the exact same car having the differences listed or are you comparing a something like 2014 COPO Camaro to a 1970 Nova, for example?


If it's the latter, or anything similar, the reason should be obvious One is built with better safety standards, characteristics, and features built into the car and they're taking that into account, it would seem. Is it right? I have no idea. I'm no engineer or crash expert or anything else like that lol.

If you're comparing 2 of the same car then I don't have any ideas. Sorry.

[Michael Beard]

Originally Posted by midnightbluS10

Somebody want to clarify this for me? Are you talking about 2 of the exact same car having the differences listed or are you comparing a something like 2014 COPO Camaro to a 1970 Nova, for example?


If it's the latter, or anything similar, the reason should be obvious One is built with better safety standards, characteristics, and features built into the car and they're taking that into account, it would seem. Is it right? I have no idea. I'm no engineer or crash expert or anything else like that lol.

If you're comparing 2 of the same car then I don't have any ideas. Sorry.

275hp carbureted 360 in my Volare in SS/GT can run 10.00 with a roll bar, -1 suit, etc.
275hp EFI 360 in my Volare, FGT requires full cage, -5 suit, etc... all of the 9.99-quicker requirements but at ANY E.T.

[Mark Yacavone]

Originally Posted by Michael Beard

275hp carbureted 360 in my Volare in SS/GT can run 10.00 with a roll bar, -1 suit, etc.
275hp EFI 360 in my Volare, FGT requires full cage, -5 suit, etc... all of the 9.99-quicker requirements but at ANY E.T.

My favorite example:

A newbie with a 5.0 Mustang wants to try M/SA with NHRA..13 second car at altitude.
He needs a roll bar , 2 year belts , jacket, pants.
Or, he stays in brackets or test and tune nights, and needs none of the above, down to 11.50.
I talked to Bruce about this several years ago, and he sort of agreed with me.He said he'd bring it up.
Never heard any more about it.
Doesn't seem to matter to NHRA. They don't want the new kid anyway, unless he's willing to shell it out for 5-6 divisionals.