[60man]

Took all of 5 minuets to tie DS tail light to fuel pump relay in the trunk. It comes ON when the fuel pump is ativated. If you're anal about tail light being on in the daylight...just unplug tail light from relay wire..NO BIG DEAL. If you have a driver car.....just plug it back in wiring harness when done racing..
At any rate...it's one more thing I don't have to worry about when I'm straped in and can't reach the headlight switch...then what ??

[60man]

Originally Posted by boosted1

i just took the tech test yesturday the tail light does not have to be on during the day

Makes sense to me...you don't need it and can't see it from the tower anyway in the daylight ...

[WDCreech]

The rule changes; http://www.nhra.com/content/news.asp...17364&zoneid=8

The rule for taillight says, "For NHRA Sportsman and E.T. racers, a functional light must be visible from the rear of the car. This eliminates all references to night racing only, meaning a light must be functional at all times."
This says "functional", NOT functioning!
Phil, from WIR posted this; "The tail light rule and diaper rule were discussed yesterday at the NHRA Tech Seminar."

"The tail light rule says you have to have a functional tail light but you do NOT have to have it on for day racing."

"The diaper rule is still in question. NHRA said they are looking at a phase in process which may not include all classes solely based upon ET."

[Tom Vaught]

So we are talking a single "REAR RUNNING LIGHT" that must be activated on the run in the evenings, right? Road race cars have had that rule for years. It does help the visibility at night
and better safety is a good thing.

Tom V.

[johnta1]

The main reason I think they implemented this rule, is probably from all the whining like some here do.

At our track, it's required to have a tail light on when our track lights are on.
Well, we inevitably get about 10/15 people that don't turn there lights on.
Our track has a rise/dip after the finish line that is hard to see cars when you go over it. With no tail lights, we can't tell if they made it off the track.
It would be like at Norwalk, they have a rise/dip and also a lot longer.

Our rules state we can disqualify them, but how much b*tching would that be?

Anyway, NHRA decided, if they can't remember to turn there tail light on when it's dark, we'll make it where it's on all the time.
No if ands or buts.

The 'functional' part is going to be changed to functioning.
The printing of the rule was in error.
Probably have a correction in ND, maybe?

[johnta1]

Yes, Tom, only require 1 light.

With all these 'street' cars, what's the big deal?
If your track runs at night, you're required to have a light anyway before now.

[tikiklubracing]

At most tracks it will be a starters call. So now while he is wiping up after that leaky Chevy he must also keep an eye on the cars still on the track.

Keep an eye on rule revisions, keep this in your favorites;

http://www.nhra.com/content/general.asp?articleid=17519

Or in National Dragster.

[WDCreech]

At our track it is never dark. Late in the summer it might look dusk in the evening, but never dark, but there are cars, because of color, that are almost impossible to see, a half mile away, unless they have that little red light on even at mid day.

[60man]

Originally Posted by WDCreech

At our track it is never dark. Late in the summer it might look dusk in the evening, but never dark, but there are cars, because of color, that are almost impossible to see, a half mile away, unless they have that little red light on even at mid day.

How long are your days in the summer/winter..???

[WDCreech]

Originally Posted by 60man

How long are your days in the summer/winter..???

Troy, we have a short summer race season, from Mother's Day through Labor Day, and the track shuts down by 10:00 pm. Hours of daylight on summer solstice, about 20. Hours of daylight on winter solstice, about 4. During the race season, it never gets dark enough to worry about needing lights but I'm putting some LED lights in my glass front end because I've gone to tracks, outside, that didn't have any lighting in the shutdown and I want to see where I'm going (or what I'm going to hit)!

[60man]

Originally Posted by WDCreech

Troy, we have a short summer race season, from Mother's Day through Labor Day, and the track shuts down by 10:00 pm. Hours of daylight on summer solstice, about 20. Hours of daylight on winter solstice, about 4. During the race season, it never gets dark enough to worry about needing lights but I'm putting some LED lights in my glass front end because I've gone to tracks, outside, that didn't have any lighting in the shutdown and I want to see where I'm going (or what I'm going to hit)!

Man...I would have trouble adapting a sleep mode....on the other hand you could get a lot of outdoor work during the Summer..

[johnta1]

To me, if you have to rely on your parachute, you would replace it when it needed replaced.
I replace mine about every year because it wears out.
The pilot chute usually wears out before that.

[grnmnstr]

Wire your tailights in with your gage lights. When it gets dark, turn your gage lights on to see them, and your taillight will automatically go on.

[goquick]

I think I'll make a message l.e.d. light that says; Why is the slow down area & return road not lit up?
Think they will get the hint?

[tikiklubracing]

Originally Posted by grnmnstr

Wire your taillights in with your gage lights. When it gets dark, turn your gage lights on to see them, and your taillight will automatically go on.

Unless your track states differently you will need to run the taillights all the time not just at night anymore.

[WDCreech]

tiki, the rule says "functional" not functioning, but like with most rules, left up to the track's discretion.

[goquick]

Why don't all the racers get together and tell the tracks to get the lights put up for the slow down areas and return roads?

[tikiklubracing]

Originally Posted by WDCreech

tiki, the rule says "functional" not functioning, but like with most rules, left up to the track's discretion.

You can keep up with this, at this link, look for "functioning taillight" to be written soon. Put this in your favorites.

http://www.nhra.com/content/general.asp?articleid=17519

[Probird]

That would be nice. Last year my daughter raced at night in her Jr. Actually it was more like the next morning (12:30)am. She ran off of the road because she couldn't see where she was going and had never gone down the return road at night. It scared the crap out of her not being able to see and running off of the road. That is quite a bumpy ride in a Jr. Not to mention it tore up the fiberglass body a little.

[goquick]

Here's the thing that is gripping me about this rule. Most tracks light up only the 1/4 you race on and their towers can't be missed with all the custom lighting. But then these people tell you that you have to have a light so they can see if you got off the track. DUH AWIPES, put up the lights like your ugly towers have!! You could see then! It's like the stupid recert on 5 way seatbelts when a factory lap and shoulder belt that WILL hurt you is ok for decades. What, the wide 5 way belt makers didn't make them right the first time? The parachute recert rule is another very stupid rule. Want me to go on? If it's an issue, then track tech should check the condition of the 'chute and it's attachments. Is there any reason to think that the nhra is not just trying to help some overpriced manufacturer who is sponsering a class or some useless cable tv time? Want drag racing to grow? Put it on regular t.v. !!! And please, get rid of the 4 repeats of every run of top fuel and funny car. Show the Stock and Super Stock classes along with the Super Comp and Super Gas classes after trottle stops are banned. People are amazed at the wheelstands Stock and Super Stock cars pull. That is the attenion getter drag racing needs, not rob the racers pocketbook all the time. Done with rant this round.