In a move designed to encourage more street vehicles to compete on the quarter mile, NHRA has revised its requirements for rollbars, SFI spec clutches, driveshaft loops, driver restraints, and certain protective clothing.

Beginning Jan 1, 2005, a rollbar and an SFI 16.1 driver restraint system will be mandatory on any vehicle running 11.49 or quicker and for convertibles running 13.49 or quicker. An SFI 3.2A jacket will be mandatory for all drivers running between 10.00 an 11.49 seconds. On any car running 11.49 or quicker, a flywheel and clutch meeting SFI spec 1.1 or 1.2 and a flywheel shield meeting SFI spec 6.1,6.2,6.3,or 9.1 will be mandatory. A driveshaft loop will be required on all cars running 13.99 or quicker and utilizing slicks, except vehicles equipped with street tires running 11.49 or slower.

Is that for "any" car or only late model cars like new vettes and Camaro's etc. I thought only for late model cars

Pretty sure it's just late models. Don't know what they consider late model though.

I think they call that the Pure Street Class or something like that. The car has to be factory stock with very few exceptions. Any power mods put the car under ET Bracket rules.

The post above was quoted from the Nov 5 "National Dragster". The heading above it was..
Adjustment to E.T. Requirements
Which leads me to believe that it applies to all ET cars.

Good info... but is it just me, or do these rules still seem way too strict? :confused:


I can walk down to the local dealership today and buy a 100% stock auto that can run faster than those numbers... and according to these rules I would have to put a rollbar in my brand new car in order to be allowed to run down the strip?.?. Yet, I can cruise over to the closest highway and do a 0-100 blast down the entrance ramp and endanger the lives of anyone around me. It just makes absolutely no sense. If the risk is so great, how come the NHTSA doesn't require GM to a rollbar in all 'vettes since their top MPH is 185?


Example: 2005 Corvette C6 coupe or covertible. Both can run faster than those number right out of the dealership lot. Do they really expect people to put a rollbar in their brand new C6 convertible just to make a few passes down the 1320'? No way... keep dreaming. graemlins/sad.gif


I mean.. our speed limit here is 70 MPH. Anyone who has been to my state can tell you EVERYONE here (except for the tourists) drives 90 MPH. The C6 in 1/4 goes 110 MPH. So, I need rollbar and driveshaft loop all of sudden to go 20 MPH faster than I already do everyday?!?!?!?! graemlins/clonk.gif

http://www.dragtimes.com/Chevrolet-Corvette-Timeslip-4025.html


I understand it's all about liability and insurance... but if they really want to stop street racing, they need to take a dose of reality. People aren't going to make these major mods to their cruisers just to make a few passes at the strip.

What car runs 11.49 off the showroom floor?

Sounds like they are copying the IHRA rules. Makes sense that they should have consistent rules as many people run at both IHRA and NHRA tracks.

Both NHRA and IHRA require SFI chassis certifications for sub 8.50 also - NHRA used to allow to 7.50 with a basic rollcage.

Here is a link to NHRA's press release.

http://www.nhra.com/2004/news/june/062202.html

If it looks stock, it must be stock, right? ;)

Why not lower the ET Break from 12.00 to 11.00 especially for street cars Legal to 10.00 :( :(

Looks like the only mods permited are to the suspension, exhaust, and ignition.

Suspension:

"All cars must have a full suspension system of the type produced by an automobile manufacturer (i.e. springs, torsion bars, etc.). Lightening of stock components prohibited. Rigid mounted suspensions prohibited."

Notice it doesn't need to be OEM.

Exhaust:

"All vehicles must be equipped with mufflers and a functional exhaust system that extends at least behind the drivers' seat. Competition exhaust permitted. Exhaust must be directed out of car to rear, away from driver and fuel tank."

Headers are OK.

Ignition:

"OEM-designed ignition system permitted."

Permitted but not required.

--
Also, interesting is convertables can run 11.50 without a rollbar or DS loop:

"As an example, under existing Summit E.T. rules, a convertible running 13.99 and quicker must have a driveshaft loop and roll bar. Under the new rules, a pure-stock street-legal car will not require this equipment unless it runs 11.49 or quicker."

Notice, too, that nothing is said about gearing, so any gear ratio should be legal.

So I can take my Chevelle into the 11's next year and not have to put a bar in it? Won't do me any good though running in Street Eliminator class, the fastest they let you run that class is a 12.0 I'd have to run trophy or heavy.

If your car is Pure Stock with only the mods allowed, yes. If you have modified the engine or trans, no.

I think the rule changes are for all classes & I hope so. 11.49 seems much better to me it's hard NOT to run sub 12's with a mild street RAT!

http://www.nhra.com/2004/news/november/110102.html

Jason, you're right. I just got my ND and it does appear that this change is for all ET classes. Of course, now my roll bar, seat, lexan rear window and jacket are not needed :( . I think this is the first time I've seen NHRA loosen up a rule.

I contacted my local track. They said they just received notice of the new rule and if it indeed does go into effect, they will allow 11.50's in my class with no cage.

I think its nice to see the rule changes go from 11.99 with a cage to 11.49. Its not a massive difference, but its better for people that dont want to cage their stock appearing, haul a$$ cars. IMO, I think such rules should be based on MPH, not ET. I think its much more dangerous for a car spinning its way to a 11.80@140, compared to a 11.80@114. You crash at 140, I'd surely want a cage.

Cars that could get 11.49 off the showroom floor. Ford GT, Ferrari Enzo, Porsche Carrera GT, Saleen S7, McLaren F1. Lamborghini Murcielago, Dodge Viper SRT-10, Ferrari F40, and a few other supercars are pretty close. Cars like the C6, Viper GTS, 03 Cobra, Z06, etc can be deep in the 11s with just a set of sticky tires. Now I know supercars like the Enzo are very extreme and rare at the track, but they have every right to run their car down the 1/4, just like anyone else. And it'd be rediculious to expect the owner to install a roll cage thats designed for classic muscle or sedan type cars, especially when the chassis is safer than a lot of cars with a mininum spec roll cage.

I frankly don't see how any of the less restrictive rules are going to bring anybody back to the strip. It doesn't matter to me as i am no longer able to afford racing as a participant, but all the people here that regularly street race don't care what rules are required by the strip because they aren't going to go out there reguardless. Our strip operator is so gung-ho about getting a major event he'd do anything that IHRA wanted. He has also put up a sign saying that "no coolers" are allowed and that change alone has cost him about half of the midnight crowd that was the primary source of income for the former owners. I applaud the efforts, but doubt the outcome. Actually very few of the real street late model cars here can run 11.50-12.00 on real street tires without nitrous which i think negates the new rules.

How long do you think this guy will own the track Harold? TNT is where most tracks make their money, and Street Machine Nationals is a gold mine for our local track owner at OIR.

We have a program called Real Street Drags where the clocks are off and it's run what 'cha brung. It is both here at Wisconsin International Raceway and at Great Lakes Dragaway. I know for a fact there are cars running in the 9's with no cages in site. If the rules get relaxed cars will come off the streets.

http://www.realstreetdrags.net/

The old 11.99 rule was keeping me AWAY from the strip last year, I didnt want to spend the $$ just to get booted off the track. I am looking forward to racing at the track next year without hassles.

I have the 2005 rulebook... It applies to all hardtop cars with unmodified floorpans. Different rules apply to roadsters and convertibles.

There are guys that wont go to the strip for fear of getting the boot for running under the number without a cage. The .5 second adjustment wont bring a lot of them back. It does put them in sync with the IHRA rules though. ;)

Also .. This affects the saftey harness rules too. If you are runnig slower than 11.49 you dont have to replace your harnesses every two years. Providing that they are in good condition.

Hi Robert, The local man that refurbished our track has quite a bit of money so maybe he will get smart before he goes broke and relax his gung-ho attitude but he came from a road racing background where everyone has more money than sense anyhow. A local chassis guy has started a Shootout series to be run at Tulsa and Mo-Kan that might keep this strip alive if the jerk doesn't run all the spectators off first. I think it's neet that NHRA is relaxing the rules a bit, i just don't think it will affect anyone that i know personally. We got our chassis certified down to 7.50, i personally think that 8.50 would have been lower than we will run but it is better to have it and not need it than the other way around.

Hi knudsonm, All the previous owners just looked the other way but this guy is so afraid that someone is going to sue him he can hardly breath. Even when they turn the scoreboards off they still have the clocks running so they always know what you run and act accordingly. He's also greedy to the point of stupidity. Before the banning of the coolers he had a pretty good crowd and everybody enjoyed themselves, sometimes too much. Since the cooler ban the crowd has continued to dwindle to the point that he surely can't be paying his light bill, (he has installed monster floodlights most of the way down the strip and now expects to get it all back in the first season). He can't see that reasonable prices on food, soft drinks and beer and allowing small coolers would increase the size of the crowd and once all of their beer was gone they would buy his beer, kinda like half drunk sailors. This man is ignorant about human nature and thinks he can crap on everybody with no ill results, needless to say, attendance is way down! I made everybody mad when i posted this observation on his track website sometime back. His bracket racing program is even more of a disaster and at one event i counted about a dozen spectators.