[TBear5033]

As a recent double entry racer at NHRA events, I'm learning some interesting things about how grade points for entry into National Events work that I did not know previously. I have talked with NHRA's competition department who gave me their explanation of what they combine and why and then how you can use your combined points when it comes time to enter a National Event.

The explanation I got was kind of long and complicated, but here's the summary of what I walked away with:

1. They take your last year or last 3 year average grade points earned in a category whichever is higher - that's have many you have to use to enter that same category. If you ran in any additional categories, you earn grade points in this manner for each separate class you ran - Divisional and National Opens only of course.
2. To get to a combined grade point, they take only last year's earned points and add them together. This means you could have fewer combined points than you show if you manually add your category points together.
3. When you want to enter a National Event, if you do not have enough grade points earned in the class you are trying to enter, the system will give you an option to use your combined grade point total. If you say "yes" to the prompt, you will be entered in that class and now you have zero grade points available to use for a second class you would like to race at the same event.

Here's an example:
Stock grade points 12
Super Stock grade points 3
Combined grade points 14

Option 1
Enter STK when a race opens - no issues have 8 grade points
Enter SS - have to wait until grade 3 is available

Option 2
Enter SS when race opens - "Do you want to use combined grade points" - Yes = entered
Enter Stk - have to wait until grade 0 is available.

My question to this group - is this inline with why NHRA uses grades points which is to reward racers that support Divisional and National Opens?

Folks - I'm going to respectfully ask that comments to this thread stay on topic and respectful. I would like to start a dialogue and gauge the racers options who are affected by this situation in order to determine if there is support to discuss it further with NHRA. Thanks in advance.

Rachelle Thibert
T-Bear Racing
Stk 5033 K/SA
SS 5033 GT/M