[PONTIAC DUDE]

Had my 76 T/A re-certified before Norwalk and was told there are a LOT of chassis changes going into effect after the 1st of the year.
Better get done what ya need as NHRA is trying to knock out the fast street cars. They don't care. they don't have a class for them anyway. But most fast street car organizations run their safety rules.

And it sure will make the chassis shops more money to increase the contingency money for NHRA.

I'm a big proponent of safety, but not when it's to line pockets un-necessarily.

But I'm just a small fish in a big pond.

Owner of......The Quickest Pontiac Powered "REAL" Street car on the PLANET!!!!Will Race for Food.
Build it fast, build it right, build a Pontiac.

http://PontiacDude.cc

[tikiklubracing]

Talked to NHRA (Div. 3) today and they say; "That must be a track rule there in Houston. If the T-tops are in, the car is teched as a full bodied car. If they are out they, must tech the car as a convertible." : Conv. rules, 13.99 rollbar, and 5 pt. driver restraint system, SFI approved and dated within 2 yrs.,and helmet. At 11.99 arm restraints and gloves. All I can say is to get the others at your track, with t's, and band together and ask track to follow the NHRA rulebook. Believe it or not this works! Also ask them to call their Div. tech dept. and get this straightened out. Hope I Helped HIH

BIGGERISBETTER-78 Catalina, 3650#, 13.750, 400 .060, 6x8, Q-jet. 15 yrs in NHRA tech ret. Next drag car, 78 Bonne Stationwagon.

[MoJo]

There's always the throttle stop option. Take a good book to read rolling down the track.

[tikiklubracing]

P-Dude, I've heard of new rules. Just on newly built dragsters. Must have kidney bars, no more single bar back there on new chassis. What have you heard?

BIGGERISBETTER-78 Catalina, 3650#, 13.750, 400 .060, 6x8, Q-jet. 15 yrs in NHRA tech ret. Next drag car, 78 Bonne Stationwagon.

[PONTIAC DUDE]

When the dude inspected my Chassis he mentioned something to the effect that all cars running 8.50 and quicker next year might need a F/C style cage, even with stock floor and firewall. That takes the street look away from most cars Especailly mine.

If I get that fast. LOL.

Also the wall thickness. He mentioned, might be determined by car weight. The heavier the car, the thicker the tubing. And other deals as far as 7.99 and quicker and 25.1 stuff.

I couldn't keep up with all the possible changes he was mentioning.
Just glad I'm now good for another 3 years.

I believe in safety, but if this is true, then I feel it's a NHRA, Manufacture, Contingency conspircey.
But just an Opinion.
Sorta like the window net deal.

Tiki, missed ya at Norwalk?
Also. I heard a rumor that in the rule book it says nothing about the window net being replaced if it doesn't have a date tag, just the seat belts? Interesting.

Owner of......The Quickest Pontiac Powered "REAL" Street car on the PLANET!!!!Will Race for Food.
Build it fast, build it right, build a Pontiac.

http://PontiacDude.cc

[bs78ta]

My son talked to a friend of his today that owns a speed shop and builds race cars. He personally called NHRA tech and it is official. He said it would ne announced in the next issue of dragster something. Ttop cars are now classified as an open bodied car like the convertibles and such. 13.99- 11.00 6 point rollbar 5point harness. At 10.99 10 point cage. Looks like we will be hitting IHRA tracks for a while now. HRP was closer but we will have 2 IHRA tracks within 150 miles from us. One in Seguin and a new one to open soon in Lufkin for all us racers around the Houston area :rolleyes

Butch

[Mike Davis]

Dude- they were giving some of the guys a hard time at the NMCA races for running to quick with back halfed cars- Stock front frames, stock front suspensions, stock firewalls and floor pans they limit pill size now in Nostalgia Pro Street- guys were bumping the 7.50's with these cars.

NMCA A/M #421 1966 GTO

[Brian Baker]

7's with a back halved car is too fast. I think 8.50 or faster should be required to have a 25.1C chassis, but that's just me.

[PONTIAC DUDE]

If you run 9's Brian, you need:
A full cage.
Window net.
Seat belts.
And a Comp Licence.
Gloves.
Neck brace
A different heavier firesuit.
SFI shoes.

My car runs 150 mph+ and you could drive it with your little pinkie. Except on a bad track.

Maybe the tracks should get their acts together sorta like Montgomery for NMCA. I don't think it was the fast cars that caused all those wrecked cars.

Norwalk was one of the best tracks this year I have been to in a long time.

Bad tracks are dangerous, not fast cars!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Owner of......The Quickest Pontiac Powered "REAL" Street car on the PLANET!!!!Will Race for Food.
Build it fast, build it right, build a Pontiac.

http://PontiacDude.cc

[tikiklubracing]

certified cage- 5 pt restraints- SFI gloves-suit 3/2a.5 five layer suit- neck collar, which may be modified, for you guys with no neck- 150 mph, chute- 9.99 trans and flexplate shields- comp. lic. etc. Don't need shoes unless no firewall on nitros. I've made phone calls and surfed every rule rev know to civilized man and find no changes pertaining to brackets.

BIGGERISBETTER-78 Catalina, 3650#, 13.750, 400 .060, 6x8, Q-jet. 15 yrs in NHRA tech ret. Next drag car, 78 Bonne Stationwagon.

[Brian Baker]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by PONTIAC DUDE:
If you run 9's Brian, you need:
A full cage.
Window net.
Seat belts.
And a Comp Licence.
Gloves.
Neck brace
A different heavier firesuit.
SFI shoes.

My car runs 150 mph+ and you could drive it with your little pinkie. Except on a bad track.

Maybe the tracks should get their acts together sorta like Montgomery for NMCA. I don't think it was the fast cars that caused all those wrecked cars.

Norwalk was one of the best tracks this year I have been to in a long time.

Bad tracks are dangerous, not fast cars!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Owner of......The Quickest Pontiac Powered "REAL" Street car on the PLANET!!!!Will Race for Food.
Build it fast, build it right, build a Pontiac.

http://PontiacDude.cc<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I only plan on one 9 second pass at Atco, well, for this year anyway.

Still need my chassis cert', my license, firepants and shoes and gloves, and neckbrace.

Already got the jacket and everything else on the list.

If I had known it would be in the low 10's at this point, I would have already gotten the chassis cert' and tried for some licensing runs between now and Atco. Next year.

[TTS]

I don't put anything past NHRA. Just when you think federal safety standards are stupid- just wait NHRA has a better one. Don't get me wrong, safety is an issue. But everyone that races knows that, and knows the dangers of racing. Racing in organized form became what it is because of laws and regulations off the track. The more NHRA pushes, the more cars return to the street. What the NHRA forgets is that fact.

[thirdgen455]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by TTS:
The more NHRA pushes, the more cars return to the street. What the NHRA forgets is that fact.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

you are so right.

[tikiklubracing]

NHRA doesn't bow to mfg.lobby. Rules changes come from a system of keeping incident reports at NHRA tracks. Everytime there is an incident on track the track owner is "supposed" to file a report with NHRA. These are then followed up to see if the injury would be lessened by a rule change. Although anyone can submit a rule changes to NHRA before june of that yr. Not all, or sometimes none of the changes are put in effect. NHRA set up SFI themselves, then let them do the testing on safety equipment. The best safety rule I can remember is when they mandated that NHRA tracks move the walls up next to the track if they wanted a major event to take place there ie. div.pts.meet, national open, jegs super quick, Nat. event. etc. 8148 members could do something about the rules. BUT DO WE DO ANYTHING, EXCEPT COMPLAIN TO EACH OTHER?....NO....

BIGGERISBETTER-78 Catalina, 3650#, 13.750, 400 .060, 6x8, Q-jet. 15 yrs in NHRA tech ret. Next drag car, 78 Bonne Stationwagon.

[PONTIAC DUDE]

But do they take into account the track/conditions sucks for the cars?
Those bunch of cars that were destroyed at Montgomery Ala had nothing to do with the way the cars were built. The TRACK SUCKED!!!!!!!!
It has Nothing to do with the car!!!!!

A lot of cars were wrecked back in the day in certain Street classes because of the power and no wheelie bars allowed.
Early power and no way to control it has nothing to do with current cage safety regulations!!!!!!!!

BTW: The Tech dude did say something about having X bars in the doors for 2004 in all 9.99 cars and quicker. Can anyone verify?

Sorta like more accidents occur in the rain, but these cars run fine in normal weather and have tons of miles on them.

Safety Yes, overkill in the cage concept for Stock type cars, NO.
Certain Tube Chassis Yes and No.
I think NHRA is lining the manufactures and making sure they can continue to supply continigency and payroll money to themselves.
Just my "Personal" opinion.
Without contingency monies, where would they be????????

Why was it when I was running NHRA, back in the day, that 90% of the NHRA Officials were arrogant to anyone that wasn't a wheel when asking for info or a question?

Owner of......The Quickest Pontiac Powered "REAL" Street car on the PLANET!!!!Will Race for Food.
Build it fast, build it right, build a Pontiac.

http://PontiacDude.cc

[tikiklubracing]

P-dude don't blow a head gasket over rules that ain't even official yet. I feel for the racer that has to run on a crappy track, it's no fun. been there. The old guard track owners are from the Korea Gen. they will be gone soon and things will change or they will go out of business. You can post the track E-mail address you dissagree with and 8148 (current PY Membership) E-mails later they just may get the hint. Band of brothers type thingy. This can also be applied to NHRA Glendora Ca. Just tell us what you want us to do. We can be our own LOBBY through our computers. Dig it Man.

BIGGERISBETTER-78 Catalina, 3650#, 13.750, 400 .060, 6x8, Q-jet. 15 yrs in NHRA tech ret. Next drag car, 78 Bonne Stationwagon.

[Mike Davis]

Dude I agree with what you are saying about the tracks and not the cars. I was at Montgomery when we had 5 wrecks with a few of them on the lid. I made a pass and got loose at the 1000ft mark, when I got it straightend up I could see water on the guy in the other lanes tires went back up to the tower and told them water was seeping out of the track. They told me the track was safe- after 2 more wrecked they called the race. I feel it is as much the tracks responsibility to have the track prepped the best it can be as it is the drivers for having a safe car. Too many tracks skimp on track prep.

NMCA A/M #421 1966 GTO

[PONTIAC DUDE]

Like was stated on a Drag race program by "Big Daddy".

The reason they are restricting the fuel cars is not the ET's and Speeds.
It's the tracks can't handle the power and shut down areas are way to short.

Same deal with Street/Mod cars.
Most track are from the 60's and early seventies And the G force is so great on those cars that you can black out on the initial hit.

It has Nothing to do with car safety.

Owner of......The Quickest Pontiac Powered "REAL" Street car on the PLANET!!!!Will Race for Food.
Build it fast, build it right, build a Pontiac.

The #1 Smack talker on the Pontiac Boards.

http://PontiacDude.cc

[Ron]

This was posted on a Stock and Super Stock BB. I thought everyone would find this interesting.

Clarification on T-Top Rule

The NHRA Technical service department has fielded numerous questions, concerns, and opinions about a rule change that has been circling through Internet chat rooms and local tracks concerning T-Top design vehicles for the 2004 season.

No rule change is being implemented for T-Top design vehicles. A roll bar will be mandatory in all cars, including T-Tops, which run 11.00 to 11.99. A roll cage is required on all vehicles 10.99 and quicker.

"This rumored change is false," said John Miller, Senior Technical Communication Specialists. "As a technical staff, we have reviewed the subject and do not see a need to change the classification of a T-Top vehicle from following the same guidelines as a hardtop to that of a convertible design."

Hope this will help.

Ron

[tikiklubracing]

Ron, All cars rollcage at 10.99 is not true. You may run a rollbar to 10 flat if you havn't cut floor or firewall except for 1' square area for access to trans.

BIGGERISBETTER-78 Catalina, 3650#, 13.750, 400 .060, 6x8, Q-jet. 15 yrs in NHRA tech ret. Next drag car, 78 Bonne Stationwagon.