All racers please read this reminder!

Stephen Hughes · 05-28-2014, 10:56 PM

I will never and have never been under a car without jack stands, but I'm plenty guilty of not being in the car with it running with it sitting on the ground to check timing, look for leaks or whatever else. This year at Houston National event I had a funny noise in the engine after my second TT. I worked on the car for several hours and when I thought I had it fixed, I fired it up and was still hearing a squeaking noise. I had the car on the ground idling with my wife's SUV parked in front of it. I was listening trying to pinpoint where the noise was coming from. Next thing I know an nhra official had jumped a muddy ditch and was walking my way. I knew what was coming so I shut then engine off, listened to the lecture and just said "yes sir" and he left. He wasn't very friendly but hey I was breaking a rule and he did have to jump that muddy ditch to come lecture me. The car was in park and the wife's car was 5 ft in front of it. I think maybe this is one of those deals they are just getting fired up about enforcing the rule for some reason. I have seen plenty of nhra regulars with their stuff running facing the pit roads etc with nobody in the car...sometimes though, like those nice corner pit spots, it depends on who you are if the rules are enforced and what rules are enforced. Stuff like this and the tether rule is why I only run the big show once a year any more.

05-28-2014, 10:56 PM	#27
Stephen Hughes Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 22 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: All racers please read this reminder! I will never and have never been under a car without jack stands, but I'm plenty guilty of not being in the car with it running with it sitting on the ground to check timing, look for leaks or whatever else. This year at Houston National event I had a funny noise in the engine after my second TT. I worked on the car for several hours and when I thought I had it fixed, I fired it up and was still hearing a squeaking noise. I had the car on the ground idling with my wife's SUV parked in front of it. I was listening trying to pinpoint where the noise was coming from. Next thing I know an nhra official had jumped a muddy ditch and was walking my way. I knew what was coming so I shut then engine off, listened to the lecture and just said "yes sir" and he left. He wasn't very friendly but hey I was breaking a rule and he did have to jump that muddy ditch to come lecture me. The car was in park and the wife's car was 5 ft in front of it. I think maybe this is one of those deals they are just getting fired up about enforcing the rule for some reason. I have seen plenty of nhra regulars with their stuff running facing the pit roads etc with nobody in the car...sometimes though, like those nice corner pit spots, it depends on who you are if the rules are enforced and what rules are enforced. Stuff like this and the tether rule is why I only run the big show once a year any more.