Nhra blues!!

Floyd Gomez · 05-06-2009, 02:31 PM

My chassis was certified less than 3 months ago by IHRA to 7.50. I took the car this past weekend to Louisiana when I visited family and NHRA failed my certification. THere claim is that IHRA certifies to 7.50 way to easily and gave me a list of things I need to add before they will let me compete. Has anyone else had this issue? It is a full tube chassis with funny car cage C/M. NHRA wants an additional helmet bar and reomve and replace kidney bar 1/16 inch higher than it is now. Also claim dash bar is 1/2 too low.

Michael Pliska · 05-06-2009, 03:11 PM

Were you certifying to the SFI spec, or to the 8.50 non-SFI (straight out of NHRA rulebook)?

Regards,

Floyd Gomez · 05-06-2009, 03:13 PM

SFI 7.50 by NHRA guidelines

Michael Pliska · 05-06-2009, 03:32 PM

Were the items they cited in the SFI spec with that level of detail?

I've had regular (not chassis certification) tech inspectors give me grief for things that are not in the rulebook, claiming that they were trained at the seminar to enforce the rule a certain way even if it was not in the book.

Floyd Gomez · 05-06-2009, 05:17 PM

measurements are from chassis not floor pans as he measured. Said that was the way he was taught. Now I have a failure on file with NHRA so I am not sure if I could go to another certification and try again without changing anything.

Bryan Gillespie · 05-06-2009, 06:33 PM

Had some problems with my new car (kidney bar & crotch strap location) had chassis shop fix it for under 500.00 and by the way it's your ***** that's in the car.

63corvette · 05-06-2009, 08:14 PM

Does anyone really think moving a bar 1/16 of an inch will change anything?
If it does I have been building things pretty loosely for a lot of years.
My 2 Cents

Floyd Gomez · 05-07-2009, 06:05 AM

I agree 63. The inspector already had a chip on his shoulder because of the IHRA sticker. I heard him tell another guy "great, more IHRA junk" then walked over to my car. At first I didnt think he was talking about my car but I guess he was. This is an S&W chassis that was done maybe 3 years ago and updated last year. I am sure those guys know how to build a car by now.

BEDNAR1320 · 05-07-2009, 06:17 AM

I would try again with a different inspector. I just had my older (96) dragster nhra certified to 6.50-the tech guy did'nt like the way one diagonal was installed(did'nt look quite like what was in the sfi book)but gave me the sticker anyways(it was a recert-had a nhra 6.50 sticker already)maybe that was why he gave it to me.

buzzinhalfdozen · 05-07-2009, 07:20 AM

I've built quite a few cars and have never had one fail chassis cert. For the most part the tubing dia. and wall thickness are the only real issues. Having a bar 1/16 of an inch misplaced is NOT a reason to fail a car. I've watched many times as other cars have been tagged and looking at the welds and fitment I couldn't believe they passed, being sure I could knock half the bars out of most with a hammer. I agree that you should run it through again just with a different inspector, his opinion of the IHRA and it's tech people should not affect his decision. And if it does he should be professional enough to keep it to himself. Joe

05-06-2009, 02:31 PM	#1
Floyd Gomez Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: South Carolina Posts: 275 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Nhra blues!! My chassis was certified less than 3 months ago by IHRA to 7.50. I took the car this past weekend to Louisiana when I visited family and NHRA failed my certification. THere claim is that IHRA certifies to 7.50 way to easily and gave me a list of things I need to add before they will let me compete. Has anyone else had this issue? It is a full tube chassis with funny car cage C/M. NHRA wants an additional helmet bar and reomve and replace kidney bar 1/16 inch higher than it is now. Also claim dash bar is 1/2 too low.

05-06-2009, 03:11 PM	#2
Michael Pliska Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Happy Valley, OR Posts: 260 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Nhra blues!! Were you certifying to the SFI spec, or to the 8.50 non-SFI (straight out of NHRA rulebook)? Regards, __________________ Michael Pliska 643 S/G

05-06-2009, 03:13 PM	#3
Floyd Gomez Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: South Carolina Posts: 275 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Nhra blues!! SFI 7.50 by NHRA guidelines

05-06-2009, 03:32 PM	#4
Michael Pliska Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Happy Valley, OR Posts: 260 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Nhra blues!! Were the items they cited in the SFI spec with that level of detail? I've had regular (not chassis certification) tech inspectors give me grief for things that are not in the rulebook, claiming that they were trained at the seminar to enforce the rule a certain way even if it was not in the book. __________________ Michael Pliska 643 S/G

05-06-2009, 05:17 PM	#5
Floyd Gomez Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: South Carolina Posts: 275 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Nhra blues!! measurements are from chassis not floor pans as he measured. Said that was the way he was taught. Now I have a failure on file with NHRA so I am not sure if I could go to another certification and try again without changing anything.

05-06-2009, 06:33 PM	#6
Bryan Gillespie Banned Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Maryland Posts: 456 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Nhra blues!! Had some problems with my new car (kidney bar & crotch strap location) had chassis shop fix it for under 500.00 and by the way it's your ***** that's in the car.

05-06-2009, 08:14 PM	#7
63corvette Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Canyon, Tx Posts: 552 Likes: 128 Liked 359 Times in 103 Posts	Re: Nhra blues!! Does anyone really think moving a bar 1/16 of an inch will change anything? If it does I have been building things pretty loosely for a lot of years. My 2 Cents

05-07-2009, 06:05 AM	#8
Floyd Gomez Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: South Carolina Posts: 275 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Nhra blues!! I agree 63. The inspector already had a chip on his shoulder because of the IHRA sticker. I heard him tell another guy "great, more IHRA junk" then walked over to my car. At first I didnt think he was talking about my car but I guess he was. This is an S&W chassis that was done maybe 3 years ago and updated last year. I am sure those guys know how to build a car by now.

05-07-2009, 06:17 AM	#9
BEDNAR1320 Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: OCALA,FL Posts: 11 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Nhra blues!! I would try again with a different inspector. I just had my older (96) dragster nhra certified to 6.50-the tech guy did'nt like the way one diagonal was installed(did'nt look quite like what was in the sfi book)but gave me the sticker anyways(it was a recert-had a nhra 6.50 sticker already)maybe that was why he gave it to me. __________________ I'd sure like some of that stimulus money-to go racing,of course

05-07-2009, 07:20 AM	#10
buzzinhalfdozen Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Bellevue Ohio Posts: 984 Likes: 0 Liked 11 Times in 8 Posts	Re: Nhra blues!! I've built quite a few cars and have never had one fail chassis cert. For the most part the tubing dia. and wall thickness are the only real issues. Having a bar 1/16 of an inch misplaced is NOT a reason to fail a car. I've watched many times as other cars have been tagged and looking at the welds and fitment I couldn't believe they passed, being sure I could knock half the bars out of most with a hammer. I agree that you should run it through again just with a different inspector, his opinion of the IHRA and it's tech people should not affect his decision. And if it does he should be professional enough to keep it to himself. Joe __________________ Joe Buchanan SS/BX 3117