[X-TECH MAN]

Originally Posted by Tim H

Has anyone else read about this yet ? A local track posted this

After years of urging by many small race tracks including ours, NHRA will change some major safety rules to keep in stride with todays modern day muscle car. The current rule calls for a roll bar in any car going 13.99 or quicker, as of next year that will be changed and changed in a big way.
"Recognizing the safety-inspired design and construction of today’s late model vehicles, the NHRA has actually rescinded its previous guidelines for street vehicles running 9.99 to 11.49 that required the use of a roll cage or roll bar, now permitting unaltered, 2008 and later model hard top vehicles to compete as they come from the factory without the addition of said roll bar/cage. The amendment, as its phrased in the NHRA’s 2012 to 2013 amendment document".
These racers who previously had to slow their vehicles down or not show up at a track at all are now able to compete without the modifying their expensive factory cars, and regardless of who this new rule applies to and who it doesn’t, it certainly opens some racers up to visit a race track again. This does not apply to convertibles and cars that are older than 2008, please keep that in mind, but does affect many of the street cars that compete

You did NOT need a roll bar in a hard top auto unless you went 11.49 and quicker. Rag tops needed a roll bar at 13.49 and quicker. This has been the rule for a long time. At least 9 or 10 years. A certified cage is not needed unless you went faster than 10.00. Some cars were required roll bars and cages if the floor and firewall was modified or replaced with alum.