Joe Kizzire

As for NHRA changing the rule forget it! It won't happened. It a waste of time and a stamp.
From previous experience NHRA don't budge on safety issues once they are in "the book".

<small>[ February 22, 2003, 02:14 PM: Message edited by: Joe Kizzire ]</small>

McRat

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by Joe Kizzire:
<strong> As for NHRA changing the rule forget it! It won't happened. It a waste of time and a stamp.
From previous experience NHRA don't budge on safety issues once they are in "the book". </strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">I know the odds are slim.

I'm hoping that down in Hell, there is a small refrigerator that will hold a snowball. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="gr_images/icons/wink.gif" />

Can't stop me from trying. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="gr_images/icons/wink.gif" />

GeorgeC

Go for it, but I have to side with Joe K. on this one... There's no way the NHRA is going to even consider it. They're constantly getting more stringent with the safety rules.

As far as hitting your head on a rollbar on the street... That's what padding is for. You're required to have it on the bar anywhere that your head can contact the bar. The padding may not totally prevent a head injury, but it will go a looong way in lessening the effect.

AndUAndI

After watching my 16-year-old daughter wreck at the track last June, my next car will have a roll-bar. I watched the whole run and she could have easily flipped, and that still shakes me up. Life is too valuable. Safety is a huge benefit for the weight trade-off.

Before I saw this post I was out today as a matter of fact having a chassis builder give me a bid on installing an 8-point roll bar. Only disappointed that he is 5 weeks behind -- our track here opened up this month.

My 2 cents.

Pat

WeatherGuy

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by GeorgeC:
<strong> As far as hitting your head on a rollbar on the street... That's what padding is for. You're required to have it on the bar anywhere that your head can contact the bar. The padding may not totally prevent a head injury, but it will go a looong way in lessening the effect. </strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Exactly. That's why I have padding on mine. Also, while it can happen under bizzare circumstances, the most likely way I can figure I would hit my head on mine would be if an accident collapsed my cage - but any accident that could collapse the cage would definitely kill me without the rollbar.

McRat

Your head would hit the rollbar if you were rear ended at 25mph with the stock seat. The padding on the bar is a very good idea. It minimizes the impact when a helmet hits it. But I've seen a friends wife get 20 stitches in her un-helmeted head from hitting a padded bar when a sandrail rolled. If the bar wasn't padded, she'd be in far worse shape. She should have had a helmet on.

I still haven't heard anyone claim that a 1970 Camaro with a bolt-in rollbar is safer in a crash than a 2000 Camaro without one. Like the picture above shows, the body has built-in roll protection that the earlier cars didn't have.

McRat

Here's a comparison test you can do at home to validate rollbar padding:

Put rollbar pad on an aluminum baseball bat. Have someone hit you in the head with it. Or to do it more accurately, have someone drive a car toward you at 25mph holding the bat out the window.

I spun my car out at 70mph and smacked my head (with a helmet) against the center bar in a T-Top and it rang my bell. I was a little punch-drunk, but finished the race. If you've seen my pics before, my head sticks out of the top of the car when AutoX'g. I run with the panels out.

<small>[ February 22, 2003, 10:03 PM: Message edited by: McRat ]</small>

MADMAN

iTrader: (4)

No car no matter the year is safe with out a roll bar after 12.00. I build my cars with a catastrophe in mind.( Any chasis builder would do so) Yes their are people who THINK they have more knowledge of roof construction etc. but go out and hit the wall at speed and see what happens. The roll bar is like an insurance policy IF you dont have the ***** to purchase one then dont!!

McRat

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by MADMAN:
<strong> No car no matter the year is safe with out a roll bar after 12.00...</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Actually no car is safe without a rollbar at any speed. That's why they build them different than they did in the 1960's. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="gr_images/icons/wink.gif" />

The IHRA seems to think 11.50 is OK.

McRat

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by MADMAN:
<strong> ...IF you dont have the ***** to purchase one then dont!! </strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">zip...

Yup. I got a pair hangin'! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="gr_images/icons/wink.gif" />

I've raced Desert at speeds exceeding 120mph where you don't know where the course is. Ran my first 12 second ET at 16 years old. Hit the 10's at 19 years old.

*****? Yup. But I don't sell rollbars for a living...

GeorgeC

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by McRat:
<strong> Put rollbar pad on an aluminum baseball bat. Have someone hit you in the head with it. Or to do it more accurately, have someone drive a car toward you at 25mph holding the bat out the window.
</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Damn, I guess I shouldn't have taken that seriously... My head hurts like hell now. <img border="0" alt="[bang head]" title="" src="graemlins/gr_banghead.gif" /> <img border="0" alt="[jester]" title="" src="graemlins/gr_jest.gif" />

McRat

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by GeorgeC:
<strong> </font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by McRat:
<strong> Put rollbar pad on an aluminum baseball bat. Have someone hit you in the head with it. Or to do it more accurately, have someone drive a car toward you at 25mph holding the bat out the window.
</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Damn, I guess I shouldn't have taken that seriously... My head hurts like hell now. <img border="0" alt="[bang head]" title="" src="graemlins/gr_banghead.gif" /> <img border="0" alt="[jester]" title="" src="graemlins/gr_jest.gif" /> </strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">It WOULD make a great "MTV Jackass" episode! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="gr_images/icons/wink.gif" />
<img border="0" alt="[jester]" title="" src="graemlins/gr_jest.gif" />

WeatherGuy

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by McRat:
<strong> Your head would hit the rollbar if you were rear ended at 25mph with the stock seat. The padding on the bar is a very good idea. </strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">No way that would happen at all with the roll bar install I have. Not even close. Maybe it is because I am only 5' 7" tall. But even supposing that were to happen, the roll cage is designed to a) prevent the interior of your car from collapsing from a high speed impact (probably frontal), and b), prevent the interior from collapsing when you roll the vehicle at speed.

I can see the case where a side impact can drive part of the cage into your side (ribs). That could suck. But, given a choice between a roll-over or head-on collision in my car with or without a roll cage, the decision is a no-brainer for me. But to each their own . . .

DriveATransAm

if i had the money to spare, i would have a rollcage in my car right now (mid 11s)

but i dont, and it kinda scares me. i leave TC on when im on the street because once those tires let loose, you are screwed if you realize too late.

are you telling me a regular seatbelt is safer than a 5 point too because its not just a lapbelt anymore? why risk your life?

i avoid the tracks that require a rollbar though. I used to run no driveshaft safety loop too, thinking id be ok. boy was i wrong on that. once that driveshaft breaks you will think twice about that.

chevyguy3

iTrader: (4)

if your head would hit the rollbar when you are rearended, then your rollbar isnt installed properly and isnt NHRA legal anyways. im 6'5", and my bar is high and wide enough that my head wouldnt hit it from a rear impact. the top bar must extend a minumum of 3" above the top of your helmet (so about 4" above the top of your head, figure in 1-3/4" tubung, and you have 2-1/4" between the top of your head and the bottom of the bar), and the side of the hoop must be at least as wide as your shoulders. on the street i wear my harness with the straps tight which will keep you in place better than a seatbelt as well

J-Rod

I have already sent a letter...


As for the comments about us needing cages. Gee, if the mfgs felt that a 5pt rollbar was necessary I think they would have incorporated it in my car at the factory...

As it is, the stock Z06's and the stock Vipers are past the 11.99 in as delivered shape. So, before I go to the dragstrip in a Z06 I sould have to cut my car up and put a cage in it.... Get real.

The Viper is a convertible, it can't run 13s without a cage... So, is that reasonable?

I'll pass on the rollcage... Thanks anyway...

Skelton

I can see where your coming from since alot of late model cars can easily hit low 11's with just bolt on's. I have one. But, and its a big but, you don't run an organization that has huge responsibility like the nhra. They have to be as safe as possible to keep liability to a minimum.Someone dying racing a car can be tragic and expensive. I don't have a problem with thier rules even though I too don't meet some of them. You can never be too safe and when it comes to speeds over 100, you have to be safe.

JaSSon

iTrader: (11)

hey texas guys we have a track opening at the end of march right down i10 just outside vidor in evadale that is ihra sanctioned. that means 11.5 all day no bithin. phone# 409 276 1903 hope to see sme of you there.

GeorgeC

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by J-Rod:
<strong> As for the comments about us needing cages. Gee, if the mfgs felt that a 5pt rollbar was necessary I think they would have incorporated it in my car at the factory...
</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">I didn't realize that any manufacturers were producing cars solely intended for drag racing. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Embarrassed]" src="gr_emb.gif" />

Do you wear a helmet at the track? Did it come with the car? If not, I guess you shouldn't have to wear it. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Roll Eyes]" src="images/icons/rolleyes.gif" />

Here's my take on the whole situation, and this will be my last post on the subject.

If you want to take your car and race at an NHRA facility, then you have to play by the NHRA's rules.

Turk01SS

its kinda scary that people complain about an organization that gives us the chance to do what we always wanted to do as kids, and make us do it safely. Rules are rules, they can be changed, but almost always rules are changed to be more strict. Being a former firefighter, I have seen what even medium speed impacts can do to the cabin of a car. I may not like the rule, but i'd abide by it, just because they didn't make the rule out of thin air. I bet there is a database of accidents at tracks specifically for gauging the needs of safety equipment. Ya ever seen what a car looks like when it hits something at 110+ mph. Not pretty. I'm considering putting in a bar just because i'm tall and I don't trust the roof an inch in the event of a rollover. Not for the strip, just for general safety. I like my melon nice and round, not pancaked. My $.02