New NHRA Rule...BS

[CanadianZL1#992]

Originally Posted by Todd in Vancouver

While I understand the rules (use to race certified car in the '99s) these new cars today are just crazy fast. To illistrate my point lets look at mt ZL, which has recieved a very high crash rating and we've all seen crash pics on here and agree its a very safe car. I add a CAI and a Ported TB, 10% pulley and a tune and go the track and get kicked out because im to fast at 11.4'ish. Buddy shows up runs his stock HellCat/Z06/GT500 with slicks and go 10's but he is OK because you know its stock.

How the he11 does that make any sense? I get they need to draw the line so whay not take all the new era muscle cars say anything 2008'ish and up and breaks below 10.0 you'll need a carge, shut-off, batter relocate, etc. It would leave us weekend warriors to have fun and do what we can within a safe zone with our cars. They have got to move out of their old paradigms and get current. Safety first but common sense needs to come with it.

Well said Todd, it's funny at our track sometimes I run in the hitter lane with some of the older cars running 10's. Some of them look on the verge of being out of control on a mid 10 pass, my car hooks and goes dead straight. Only time I have a problem is after someone's oiled down the track!! BTW our battery is already in the trunk. Lol

[ChrisBlair]

But don't you think its is fair to say that they feel they can rely on factory engineering since it's tested? And by the same token, they must assume I'm in over my head at some point? I mean, they will fall back to the lowest common denominator, to cover their asses if nothing else.

[CanadianZL1#992]

Originally Posted by hairtrigger

There are far more safety rules than a 5 point roll bar in the 10.0 to 11.49 bracket, like aftermarket axles, long wheel studs, drive shaft loops, 5 point harnesses, jacket, trunk mounted battery external shutoff etc.

I run slicks on my car and have open lugs that have the proper amount of thread protruding, no need for longer studs, installed a metco driveshaft loop and also wear a fire jacket. Like I said the battery is already in the trunk. I have 80% of what you have listed. When I went to school that was a pass. Lol

[AZ-ZL1]

Originally Posted by Todd in Vancouver

While I understand the rules (use to race certified car in the '99s) these new cars today are just crazy fast. To illistrate my point lets look at mt ZL, which has recieved a very high crash rating and we've all seen crash pics on here and agree its a very safe car. I add a CAI and a Ported TB, 10% pulley and a tune and go the track and get kicked out because im to fast at 11.4'ish. Buddy shows up runs his stock HellCat/Z06/GT500 with slicks and go 10's but he is OK because you know its stock.

How the he11 does that make any sense? I get they need to draw the line so whay not take all the new era muscle cars say anything 2008'ish and up and breaks below 10.0 you'll need a carge, shut-off, batter relocate, etc. It would leave us weekend warriors to have fun and do what we can within a safe zone with our cars. They have got to move out of their old paradigms and get current. Safety first but common sense needs to come with it.

I meant to say that! Exactly how I feel.

[Mikes fast ss]

Originally Posted by hairtrigger

There are far more safety rules than a 5 point roll bar in the 10.0 to 11.49 bracket, like aftermarket axles, long wheel studs, drive shaft loops, 5 point harnesses, jacket, trunk mounted battery external shutoff etc.

True about the additional rules but the stock axles and lugs are legal. External shutoff is 9.99 and quicker.

[Emvici]

So why didn't you just enter into the altered class?.

Or is it that you are unaltered, but need a cage to run faster?.

Your post was a little vague to me.

sorry

[2013 ZL1 #7860]

Originally Posted by Emvici

So why didn't you just enter into the altered class?.

Or is it that you are unaltered, but need a cage to run faster?.

Your post was a little vague to me.

sorry

What?

[DrkPhx]

There are some good points here; but consider the rules are for both drivers going down the track. If you have ever made a pass when the car next to you has something happen you will appreciate the safety rules.

With that said it would be nice if they put an addendum to the rule to include " unaltered" and "altered" that allows cars in the same category (2008 up street car) with bolt on mods. They really should address it especially considering how many new performance vehicles have forced induction from the factory and will continue to considering the even tougher CAFE standards coming up.

The NHRA rule as written:
Unaltered 2008 OEM model year and newer production cars running slower than 9.99 and 135 mph do not have to meet the requirements and specifications for the Summit Racing Series except for the following: Convertibles and T-tops must meet Summit Racing Series Roll Bar and Roll Cage requirements, All drivers must meet the Summit Racing Series Helmet and Protective Clothing requirements."

[Unreal]

Wild horse is very strict and to the book. They wouldn't even let my vette make a single pass, and my mustang is borderline running 12.1s without a driveshaft loop/extended lugs.

That "rule" varies track to track, but wildhorse interprets it as 100% bone stock besides tires (drag tires/etc will boot you). So either build a track legal car, or stay away.

Sucks having a big power car here with no where to run. This is why the 1/2 mile airport events are going to rock. Limited tech, and you can do as many runs as you want.

1/8th mile doesn't work either. If they see you braking hard at 1/8 or running <7s in 8th they will just boot you. Sadly they actually track it too and put your plate/car/name in the system.

[SS Blinder]

[/QUOTE]How the he11 does that make any sense? I get they need to draw the line so whay not take all the new era muscle cars say anything 2008'ish and up and breaks below 10.0 you'll need a carge, shut-off, batter relocate, etc. It would leave us weekend warriors to have fun and do what we can within a safe zone with our cars. They have got to move out of their old paradigms and get current. Safety first but common sense needs to come with it.[/QUOTE]

Too bad that in the USA, common sense need not apply, hence all the laws and rules

[Trackman]

Relaxing the rules on modern vehicles allows more competitors to come to the track creating more income for cash strapped facilities and gets more people in the sport. Some will go on to buy or build race cars. The biggest reason is it reduces street racing making our roads safer.

FYi. I am 99% compliant to run 10.0. Putting a bar in my street car was one of the dumbest things I've done.

[CanadianZL1#992]

Funny there is no problem with the safety equipment on the car for a road coarse. The car must run 130 to 140 on the straights on some road coarses??!! If the car was not built for those kind of speeds why are they okay on a different type of track. If I crash on the 1/4 mile at 135 or going into a corner on a road coarse I'm still relying on the same safety equipment to keep me from getting hurt

I'm not looking to start a huge debate... Just throwing it out there!!

All the street legal events I went to last year and only saw one accident. It was an unmodified SRT8 charger on street tires somehow spun around and hit the wall. Driver error and dodge putting pizza cutter tires on an SRT8 could have been the cause!!

[Stephen12ZL1]

At VIR my back straight speeds are 150mph, and (as you stated) there is no roll bar or cage required to run those speeds. Drag racing is dangerous and you must make sure your equipment is safe, but the speeds and potential for an incident at a road course is much greater due to high speed braking zones etc. So, why such a difference is safety rules? As someone pointed out, most of the drag racing rules are "carry overs" from the 60's era cars with very little factory safety equipment. I bet our cars would fare better in an accident at the track than a rusty 1970 Nova with a minimal roll cage. "Unaltered" to me means that all of the factory safety equipment is in place and no changes have been made to the firewall or basic structure of the car. Thank goodness my local tracks abide by the 10.0/135mph rules without any hassle.

[CanadianZL1#992]

Originally Posted by Stephen12ZL1

At VIR my back straight speeds are 150mph, and (as you stated) there is no roll bar or cage required to run those speeds. Drag racing is dangerous and you must make sure your equipment is safe, but the speeds and potential for an incident at a road course is much greater due to high speed braking zones etc. So, why such a difference is safety rules? As someone pointed out, most of the drag racing rules are "carry overs" from the 60's era cars with very little factory safety equipment. I bet our cars would fare better in an accident at the track than a rusty 1970 Nova with a minimal roll cage. "Unaltered" to me means that all of the factory safety equipment is in place and no changes have been made to the firewall or basic structure of the car. Thank goodness my local tracks abide by the 10.0/135mph rules without any hassle.

My point exactly!!! Our track has also chosen to let us run. They did require me to install a driveshaft loop ( which was a good idea anyways) and told me to get a fire jacket. I kept telling the track officials last spring when I was having problems that my car wasn't altered, it was enhanced! Lol. Took a set of heads off , replaced them with a better set. Took the cam out replaced it with a better cam and so on!!