[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.

[Jagtec1]

Only problem with mandating lights on return roads: Now your tech card costs $75 instead of $35! Not that I wouldn't like the lights!

I agree with the harness recert BS.

[Brian Baker]

There is no cert' on parachutes (yet). Just a subjective inspection by track officials if needed. In the 20+ years I've been frequenting dragstrips, I've yet to see a track official toss out a 'chute. For that matter, I've yet to see one fail and cause injury because it was worn out.

[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.

[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