Worst is the "oil retention device" ie: diaper. I can escape for one more year, but starting in 08 any car running 9.99 or 135 mph must have a SFI approved diaper. There are currently non-sfi diapers and the sfi rated ones. The non sfi cost about $250. The SFI ones work the same, but are made with anti balistic material. The cost $800+ and expire after ONE YEAR. Notice the line about implementing it for all other Lucas categories.....They will end up with them on everything, Super Stock included.

If that's the case I'm done with No Hot Rods Allowed. The NHRA can shove it. My home track is IHRA. I only keep an NHRA license and chassis cert so I can race at NMRA and other special events at NHRA tracks.

The diaper rule is just one of many. Take a look.

Comments?

David Cole

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557 BBF Powered, alcohol injected rear engine dragster. 4.88 @ 143 1/8 mile. 1.09 60'. I've got to be crazy to drive this thing.
SC/ET #2729

Mike
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Moderator, HardCore50.com
96 Undercover RED
540" BBF
7.523 @177.69

Anyone,
In the revised 'National Record Procedure', it's says, "...records will be retired automatically after two years..."...

What does that mean?

After setting a national record, if no 1 could break the record after 11 months, the record expired and went back to a minimum. Prior years it was for 2 years before it reverted back to a minimum. WHen I set the I/FIA record in 2002 no 1 else was able to reset it thus it stayed in the books until they decided to change things to 11 months. With a record at 11 months, who cares about setting it?? Even the manufactures didnt care at this point. Now maybe people will start caring again since alot of the racers would give credit to sponsors.

As everyone here knows, we work very hard on our stuff to go fast. Should someone go faster, then we need to work a bit harder and find some power. With this new change. I think you will see more racers trying to reset records more often.

quote:

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Originally posted by Capri:
Ryan,

After setting a national record, if no 1 could break the record after 11 months, the record expired and went back to a minimum. Prior years it was for 2 years before it reverted back to a minimum. WHen I set the I/FIA record in 2002 no 1 else was able to reset it thus it stayed in the books until they decided to change things to 11 months. With a record at 11 months, who cares about setting it?? Even the manufactures didnt care at this point. Now maybe people will start caring again since alot of the racers would give credit to sponsors.

As everyone here knows, we work very hard on our stuff to go fast. Should someone go faster, then we need to work a bit harder and find some power. With this new change. I think you will see more racers trying to reset records more often.

---

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William
M&M# 4256
MCA# 64831

Taillight:
For all NHRA Sportsman and E.T. racers, a functional light must be visible from the rear of the car. This eliminates all reference to night racing only, meaning a light must be functional at all times.

quote:

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Originally posted by jasonn:
Yep, and the seat belts are only good for 2 years. They have to be in cahootz with the safety manufactures.

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Ya think! The other part that really gets me is that the diaper is only good for a year, what the hell??? Why would it be only good for a year and how does a diaper go bad in the first place?

Try getting a diaper on a back halfed car with passenger headers. The headers usually barely clear the oil pan and the space needed simply doesn't exist. Then if you could get it on, you have to remove it at least partially to change the oil. Just not possible.

We are pretty well screwed in our area. Our 2 closest IHRA tracks just defected to the Nazi Hot Rod Association. Great!

One of the other rule changes involves Stock eliminator, allowing us to "modify" the crossmember to allow the removal of the oilpan...not something for the faint of heart...

quote:

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Originally posted by Earle Holt:
Engine diapers on SS cars is ridiculous. How many times do you see the SS show stopped because of an oildown? It's almost always Top Sportsman or one of the alcohol classes...especially the alcohol classes.

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EXCELLENT POINT, EARLE!!
I'm sure someone somewhere has the stats on which class of cars has the most 'problems' with oil downs, which should make it obvious as to which class should be 'wearing diapers'.

IMHO, as far as the seatbelts and helmet issues go, I think they should simply be periodically inspected rather changed for no good reason - just as the roll bars/cages. If the belts or helmets are deemed undamaged, uncut, frayed and the fasteners still work as designed - then they'd simply get re-certified.

At my home track, they have a rule of, "no anti-freeze in trailered racers" - yet no one enforces it. Why not? It sure isn't because no one blows a hose - 'cause it happens plenty!

Why engine diapers - why not tranmissions and/or rearends? I see way more of them breaking & puking than engines spilling their guts.... Where's the dude with the stats again?

Instead of of making knee-jerk rule-changes, why doesn't the sanctioning body gather facts, then provide the gathered facts and thus have something to base their decisions on? Seems like more folks would 'buy in & accept' any rule changes if they were supplied supporting evidence as to WHY a particular rule change is happening.

The NHRA does NOT want the ET and class racers. They want to develop into something more like NASCAR... Something with few participants and tons of spectators. This brings in more money for less work.

NASCAR is a money making machine. NHRA wants a piece of that. Races that drag on for MANY hours, if not DAYS is counter productive.

It's that simple.

I'm SURE it's their secret ambition to be the NASCAR of drag racing. Big fan money, advertisers, etc. Sell the drama of the big guys.

It REALLY bothers me to see Norwalk, and many other tracks switch to NHRA. It might be a BAD move for them as NHRA continues to look for the bid spectator money, and ignore the grassroots drag racer.

Could be hard days ahead.

quote:

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Originally posted by 70rancheroGT:
They're shooting themselves in the foot if they push out the ET and sportsman classes. How are new racers supposed to "come up".

---

Take a look at most of the new 'fuel' drivers in the Pro ranks. They are MEDIA friendly. They are young, well spoken, represent their advertised product well... heck, some are even teen agers! They don't even WANT some 50 year old grease monkey that has worked his way up the ropes. They want the young person who represents the demographic they are trying to sell their product to.

quote:

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Originally posted by n2oMike:
Take a look at most of the new 'fuel' drivers in the Pro ranks. They are MEDIA friendly. They are young, well spoken, represent their advertised product well... heck, some are even teen agers! They don't even WANT some 50 year old grease monkey that has worked his way up the ropes. They want the young person who represents the demographic they are trying to sell their product to.

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Good Point!!

quote:

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Originally posted by n2oMike:

NHRA will be happy to let somebody else fool with the... ...grassroots drag racer.

---

This leads me toward the urge to say, "Fine NHRA, go try & be another NASCAR. But realize I won't attend any more NHRA events."

Just as I've stopped going to NASCAR events because the RACING has taken a back seat to the hipe, the party, the movie/music star appearences, etc., I'm near the point of stopping to attend NHRA events as well.

What is everyone's opinion of the IHRA? Will they pick up the 'little guys' or do they secretly desire to be like NASCAR and will likely compete with NHRA for a PROs-only NASCAR-ish racing program?

I doubt any of the smaller groups [ANRA, NMRA, NMCA, SRA, IDRC (god forbid)] have the funds to step in to provide the "grassroots little guy" racers with a safe & sound racing schedule.

I'm thinking that many tracks around the country may not be able to finance the continuous upgrades and such to maintain a NHRA or IHRA sactioning body. Yet once they go 'independent', we see the level of safety and conditions go way down.....

Wouldn't it be cool if some outfit or a group of companies that has made they fortune from selling racing equipment to primarily 'blue-collar' racers (such as Edelbrock, Holley, Mr. Gasket, MOROSO, etc.) would come together and step up & build an association that would assume the 'care & feeding' of the little guy racers - to give alittle back to the same folks that built them into who they are?

Well maybe, maybe not.

< I haven't been to an NHRA national event in 7 years. Not exactly the picture perfect fan. I hate the taste of power ade too. So no help there.
< I dont care what their rules say, I run my car for my safety not theirs. sometimes these rules overlap, sometimes they don't.
< since I don't race their stupid classes that don't fit anything, I don't have to worry about passing their tech. I pass the local track's tech and that's all that is required.
< And to be honest, I used their rule book and the SFI book as a guideline to build my car, because I don't want to be dismissed from a race, but the event is usually some "other" sanctioning body that has adopted NHRA rules. So sometimes it is enforced to the nth degree, sometimes not.

I can tell you this, my belts were out the last year I ran, by one year and they let me run anyway. My bellhousing was out by a year ( SFI ) and they let me run anyway.

By the time my car is finsished it is likely my NEW never run ATI flywheel will be close to out. I doubt I replace it.

The best thing to do is NOT give NHRA any of your money. No T shirts, no tickets, no cup holders, nothing. I've been doing that for the last 8 years for no other reason than it is a waste of money. It's an even bigger waste now.

if you give your money to stupid people/organization, expect them to do stupid things with it.

There's other places to race.

quote:

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Originally posted by JSracing:

The best thing to do is NOT give NHRA any of your money. No T shirts, no tickets, no cup holders, nothing. I've been doing that for the last 8 years for no other reason than it is a waste of money. It's an even bigger waste now.

if you give your money to stupid people/organization, expect them to do stupid things with it.

---

JS,

You've made very good points & I tend to agree with you on your stance. I may just follow your lead.....

Ryan

P.S.
This issue reminds me of a part in one of my favorite movies, "Legends of the Fall". When, towards the end of the movie, Anthony Hopkins (as Col. William Ludlow) in his last days, he makes a jesture aimed at the US government and says,,,,

What the hell do we need a working rear light in the daylight for, at night it's a very good thing, should probably be a front light also since alot of tracks have poor lighting in the pits and return roads.

quote:

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Originally posted by roger:

Lobbists from safety, other suppliers steer them to make ridiculous rule changes like 2 yr. seat belt life? Even The major seat belt supplier will admit their cheapest belt material has a use life of 11 yrs, they used to boast about this, but suddenly this particular point is not use in adv. anymore, wonder why?

---

Which makes me wonder if the belt material is "no good" after 2 years or even 11 years, why can OEM belts be 'OK' for 40+ years???? If the OEM belts are still ok/safe to use, then it seems that aftermarket belts (of course made to the same spec) would also be safe/good for many, many years as well......

quote:

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Originally posted by Ryan Wilke:
Which makes me wonder if the belt material is "no good" after 2 years or even 11 years, why can OEM belts be 'OK' for 40+ years???? If the OEM belts are still ok/safe to use, then it seems that aftermarket belts (of course made to the same spec) would also be safe/good for many, many years as well......

Ryan

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I agree.

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• VIN 1F05M139343
  
• 71 Mach 1 Ram-Air
• 351C 4V 285 HP
• E-F-G/SA
  
• Stockers are way cool!

quote:

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Originally posted by Fordwiser:
My opinion is the diaper rule is because of TV coverage at National events. They don't want some lowly sportsman racer spilling there guts all over the track during Final eliminations, throwing there coverage times out of whack. Once again big money makes the rules!

Roger

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TV? When? I haven't watched NHRA drag racing on TV since the days of ABC's Wide World Of Sports.

Tracy

We'll see what they say.

If you all had run as many IHRA Pro Am series events as we have (where TD and TS have always been the top classes) you would understand the need for the diapers.
Since 1994 or so I do not believe that I have ever witnessed a TD and/or TS session in IHRA or NHRA without at least one oil down. Usually several is the norm.
It's the nature of the beast. The cars are run hard with power adders and many times far beyond the engines limitations.
They are the leakers of the sportsman catagories. (said with affection not malice)

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Alex Denysenko
Co-Administrator and Moderator

NHRA/SRA member and licensed Superstock driver
NHRA and IHRA SS/LA & SS/MA National Record Holder '00,'01,'02,'03,'04 &'05
First NHRA & IHRA 289 automatic Superstock Mustang in the TENS 06-99
First SS/MA in the TENS 04-03
IHRA division 5 Superstock Champion
Fleet of FoMoCo products including 88 ASC McLaren Mustang #28

The Barry of BarrysGrrl

quote:

---

Originally posted by Moneymaker:
As I read it, for 2007 the diaper rule is for TS and TD only... then in 2008 for other classes.

---

I believe 2008 is what people are worried about.

I agree on the classes you mentioned, but don't see the sense in requiring a $800 diaper on any ET car that they probably won't fit on, anyway.

Alex, I was also interested in your thoughts on the direction the NHRA is moving.

Thanks!

Mike, let me ponder it a bit more as I do have some thoughts.
Especially after what I witnessed first hand this past weekend at Homested.

------------------
Alex Denysenko
Co-Administrator and Moderator

NHRA/SRA member and licensed Superstock driver
NHRA and IHRA SS/LA & SS/MA National Record Holder '00,'01,'02,'03,'04 &'05
First NHRA & IHRA 289 automatic Superstock Mustang in the TENS 06-99
First SS/MA in the TENS 04-03
IHRA division 5 Superstock Champion
Fleet of FoMoCo products including 88 ASC McLaren Mustang #28

The Barry of BarrysGrrl

quote:

---

Originally posted by Fordwiser:
The seat belt thing has always bugged me, how old dry rotted factory belts are fine for slower cars, but if you would want to put in a 25 month old 5 pt harness it wouldn't be legal even though it would be much safer.
Think it's been brought up before, how airplane seat belts are so flimse compared to what we use and I don't think there's any law on how often they need replaced.
Also would you think you would be that much safer with the new snell rated helmet over the not legal snell 90 helmet? I realize there may be some improvments in the new ones, but do you think it would mean life and death? Manufactures make a ton of money based on what nhra considers legal or not legal.

Roger

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quote:

---

Originally posted by steve'66:
We'll be running Top Dragster in '07

SteveW

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Congrats Steve! What engine combo?

My local buddy ran T/D the last couple of years and he had to get one.

I can't argue with requiring them on those classes except that many of those cars are dry sumps which really don't dump that much oil when they blow.

The problem is that not only engine oil gets put down. Trans fluid, rear end grease, and water also get on the tracks. Can they really expect to eliminate all spills? Nice dream, but not very realistic.

A dry sump will also reduce the amount of oil that can gets thrown out on the teack during an untimely mishap.

I don't think I'll have a problem fitting a diaper to the engine though. I agree on a diaper for 8.99 cars and quicker but not 9 second and slower.

quote:

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Originally posted by Buster:
Congrats Steve! What engine combo?

[This message has been edited by Buster (edited 11-23-2006).]

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Buster,

It's a 8-71 blown Alky injected BBC with hi-gear only glide. Our engine sponsor BadAssCars.com is building the spare this winter, in case we need it.
Melissa's website is www.girlpowerracing.com

------------------
Alex Denysenko
Co-Administrator and Moderator

NHRA/SRA member and licensed Superstock driver
NHRA and IHRA SS/LA & SS/MA National Record Holder '00,'01,'02,'03,'04 &'05
First NHRA & IHRA 289 automatic Superstock Mustang in the TENS 06-99
First SS/MA in the TENS 04-03
IHRA division 5 Superstock Champion
Fleet of FoMoCo products including 88 ASC McLaren Mustang #28

The Barry of BarrysGrrl

quote:

---

Originally posted by Moneymaker:
Don't have to worry about missing a shift.

---

Just leave on time and run your number.

Funny thing is T/D is just 200 mph bracket racin'.

quote:

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Originally posted by steve'66:
Buster,

It's a 8-71 blown Alky injected BBC with hi-gear only glide. Our engine sponsor BadAssCars.com is building the spare this winter, in case we need it.
Melissa's website is www.girlpowerracing.com

SteveW

---

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Kent

'68 Falcon wagon stock 289/C4
'68 Falcon wagon 200-6/C4
'65 Fairlane 500 wagon 10.5:1 351W/C4
'78 Fairmont wagon 10.5:1 302/C4
'76 Pinto wagon 392 stroker
'01 Focus SE DOHC 2.0L/Auto
'04 Explorer XLT 4.6 3.73 trac lock/5sp Auto

Pinto Wagon 392W 14.5:1, cast iron Pro Topline 64/215s home ported to 237cc, angle milled to 52.5cc, 2.08/1.60, ported Super Victor, 302 KB 116 hypereutectic pistons .200" dome, 1.72 rockers, Isky mild street grind solid roller(290/300 adv, 256/266 at .050", .650" net lift, 108LSA/108 ICL), Crane Pro Series solid roller lifters, 9375 1050 Dominator, Victor water pump, billet 9 key timing set, custom headers with 1 7/8" X 36" long primaries, 3.5" H-pipe and Hooker Aero Chamber mufflers, C4 w/9" 6000 stall, 4.30 gears, 28/10.5/15 MT ET Drags, 3200#s w/o driver and Street legal.