White98Z

iTrader: (3)

I guess street racing is going to get a lot bigger. SO when does another GP on WOLF start.

Drew778

iTrader: (2)

Someone just going to have to make a Carbon fiber replacement

That sucks

CAT3

iTrader: (9)

Wow. First my heart sunk as my buddy Drew778 emailed this to me. Then I figure i already have the 6pt in and only run low 11's, why not throw a few more bars in, give my son more "gym time" and go ***** TO THE WALLS....on and off track...build this MF to run 8's on the juice and hit the street then the track oh yeah! So, NHRA I in your general path of direction. And btw techmasters of rules....look at the structure of the hard top and t-top and you might actually see the T is not the softer of the two.

2002 Trans Am

Looks like I won't be racing anymore.
I like to go a few times a year to have some fun, but I won't be putting in a roll bar and 5pt harness to let me race.

This is BS, but I guess its for safety reasons so I can't complain too much

Paul F

iTrader: (2)

Okay the word we have "from NHRA" is that this rule is fact but wont be enforced until next year. We will all be fine for the Thunder Shootout. Seems the HRP thing was them not NHRA mandating anything yet.

I agree with everyone that this new rule, if they keep it, does suck. I would encourage everyone to call NHRA and let them know how you feel about this. Do it in a professional manner though. If NHRA does make this rule stick, as much as we love No Problem Raceway, the Thunder Shootout may have to move to an IHRA track.

SouthFL.02.SS

I wrote them already. Everyone please, shoot them a polite email.

Big Rick

iTrader: (1)

Why are there so many conflicting stories on this? There are a few people that have said they talked to NHRA headqaurters and head techs and have all come back with different answers. The truth will be told when it's printed in National Dragster.

NIRVANA

I'm glad Milan Dragway in MI is IHRA. Plus it's only about 20 minutes from home. I hope IHRA doesn't follow the NHRA on this one.

vette

Well I see a lot of unrest here and I do not see anything about this being done to be safe....at the track. My corvette has NO PROTECTION if you roll it over as from the FACTORY. It would go flat as a TURD. That is why I put a 6 point cage in it. As far as the Fbodies being safer than say a Chevy II hardtop I am not to sure about that being correct. I know of a few wrecks in older cars
and they faired better than some Fbodies that I have seen crashed. I know that the rule will suck, but it just might save someones life and I do not think that would be that bad....
I hope this does not offend anyone.....but if it does just KISS MY ***!!!! I really do not give a rat's ***

McRat

<--- Rat's ***.

It would be safer if we all drove armored cars and ran 25 second ET's.

Sell your Vette and go to a Brink's auction.

vette

Post deleted by vette

McRat

P.S. - I run a Vette FRC. It runs OK.

I'm interested in this issue as it affects our local events. Not all stock cars have rollbars in them.

McRat

OK Guys!

I personally got a call from Eric at the NHRA national hdqtrs in Glendora CA 5 minutes ago.

The NHRA is NOT planning on a rule change at this point.

Gonzo

Okay, here's what we got going on here...

I'm not taking anything away from MadMan Racing...but Pat at NHRA, who is the Technical Service Representative, says MadMan must have misunderstood what Dany Garcia stated. Pat has even talked this issue over with Danny Garcia as they've received a flood of calls, and Danny clearly stated that this is wrong information that is being spread out there.

Now, what MadMan may have interpreted from his conversation with Danny Garcia is that NHRA has this rule of T-Tops being looked at as an open cockpit vehicle for next year and that would put them in the same category as a convertible. Then again, I was not present during MadMan and Danny's conversation, but the rules have not changed for the T-Top making it an open cockpit vehicle.

As of the rest of this year, NHRA has no intentions on having a T-Top considered as an open cockpit vehicle.

Please help to spread this information!

Again, this rule may apply for 2004, but as of right now in 2003 this is not the case.

Colonel

"As far as the Fbodies being safer than say a Chevy II hardtop I am not to sure about that being correct."

That's because YOU haven't raced a '67 Chevy II. That makes you ignorant to the subject but I'll try to help you.

The likelyhood of having an accident is so far less in the F-body that it's not even funny. Why? It handles waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay better. I can't overstate this enough. The Chevy II was kinda scary at speed...especially on slicks. I've driven F-bodys to over 180 MPH and they're some of the most stable cars I've driven at high speed. No kidding, my Z28 feels alot better at 160 MPH+ than does my '01 'Vette. The F-body also has modern technology crumple zones, side impart bars, airbags, and excellent brakes which the Chevy II did not.

So, maybe the Chevy II is structually as sound as the F-body (not sure I even buy that) in the case of an accident but the chances of being in that accident in the first place are ahelluvalot better as well.

Ackattack1

iTrader: (7)

The reason a Chevy II may have "faired better" is due to the lack of crumple zones. Yeah, an F-body will crumple down and be totaled in a crash, but you're more likely to walk away from it....especially when you bust your face up on the steering wheel in an old car with only lap harness (that is one thing I fear about driving my old truck...hitting the steering wheel)

vette

Post deleted by vette

66ImpalaLT1

Why do you think your vette would go flat in a rollover?

I've seen pictures of a rolled C5 convertible and the windshield frame did not collapse. In an FRC you also have a hoop under the B-pillar going all the way across the top of the roof.

My understanding is the coupe and frc have the exact same roof structure under the skin.

Eric

Villain281H

iTrader: (5)

well just to add to the info, the latest issue of National Dragster is out (August 22nd) and there no mention of any rule changes.
I'll also say that the rules can sometimes be a little off. Example, my nova runs 12.teens in the summer, is a coupe, and has factory (1970 issue) lap belts, 4 wheel manual drum brakes, but has the NHRA-mandated cutoff switch for the battery, driveshaft-loop, etc etc and is 100% legal (until I open the bottle ). But if this rule passes, my low 13 to on a good day high 12 second t-top formula will need a rollbar? That's just ***-backwards thinking! I'm definately talking to my NHRA track (local Gainesville RAINway, oops I mean Raceway) and also our division 2 director about this. Hope you all do the same, because voices raised together (in polite fashion) will hopefully make them re-think this rule change!

Derek

Mr. B

iTrader: (1)

what is a FRC??