All major event s/ss winners undrgo tech inspection

[Chad Rhodes]

Here is what I would do. Remember, we are looking for the flagrant cheaters, not the guy with .004 too much lift, with these inspections.

1. Impound top 10 after qualifying.
2. Everyone pulls carb,a spark plug, and a valve cover.
3. NHRA acquires an inspection camera that can go down an intake runner or through a spark plug hole.
4. A visual inspection of carb, casting number check on heads, visual on intake.
5. Stick camera down a few runners, looking for obvious modifications, Ti valves, etc.
6. Stick camera in spark plug hole to verify piston configuration
7. do an approximate valve lift check on stockers using a pair of calipers (not terribly accurate, but if someone has a BOGUS cam, its going to be WAY bigger not .015)

All of the above could be done at the scales, and then seal the motors. If there is anything odd in this cursory inspection, it would not be grounds for immediate DQ, just grounds for a full teardown.

Another possibility would be requiring an inspection plug in the pan that the camera would fit through, just to look for AL rods or ultralight pistons.

[Billy Nees]

Brian, you can pound salt in reguards to your "heaters" comment! My "heaters are better thought out than most $30-$100,000 Stockers.
Now in answer to your question, my DD told me years ago that he won't keep his people late on a Sunday night to be tearing down cars as most of them have already been there for 3 or 4 days and they have families and jobs waiting at home.
Chad, you don't need to just check the top10. If I were going to intentionally cheat I would run the car where it wouldn't attract any undue attention. 2 or 3 thorough random checks at a few events a year (Nat. and Div. and from all over the ladder) is all that is needed. Just the possibility of a teardown would clean up most of what you are looking for.

[Chad Rhodes]

Originally Posted by Billy Nees

Brian, you can pound salt in reguards to your "heaters" comment! My "heaters are better thought out than most $30-$100,000 Stockers.
Now in answer to your question, my DD told me years ago that he won't keep his people late on a Sunday night to be tearing down cars as most of them have already been there for 3 or 4 days and they have families and jobs waiting at home.
Chad, you don't need to just check the top10. If I were going to intentionally cheat I would run the car where it wouldn't attract any undue attention. 2 or 3 thorough random checks at a few events a year (Nat. and Div. and from all over the ladder) is all that is needed. Just the possibility of a teardown would clean up most of what you are looking for.

good point Billy. I think the process i outlined, applied randomly would be a good deterrent, don't you?

[Billy Nees]

Something else to think about but probably about as popular as an STD would be to pick your random teardowns from first round losers.

[Chad Rhodes]

Originally Posted by Billy Nees

Something else to think about but probably about as popular as an STD would be to pick your random teardowns from first round losers.

actually not a bad idea. But if you lose a heads up first round you are expempt, lol.

the problem with tearing down 1st round losers is.......................what are you gonna do, DQ them?

[Billy Nees]

Originally Posted by Chad Rhodes

the problem with tearing down 1st round losers is.......................what are you gonna do, DQ them?

Give them a vacation, the length to be determined by the infraction.

Brian, upon rereading your first post, I took it the wrong way. Must be my paranoia kicking in! You were referring to the "heaters" building the "heaters". My bad, sorry.

[THE LEGEND]

Why not teardown the winners and r/u?
I think that is a good idea.
I would teardown the winner r/u and #1 qualifier seal the motors for the remainder of the season.
Chip

[Billy Nees]

Originally Posted by Billy Nees

Now in answer to your question, my DD told me years ago that he won't keep his people late on a Sunday night to be tearing down cars as most of them have already been there for 3 or 4 days and they have families and jobs waiting at home.

Tearing down AFTER a race just ain't gonna happen.

[Mark Ruset]

You ain't going to stop cheating so don't beat your head against a wall. What needs to be done is enforce the safety rules. I can tell you from my own experience, that the last time an NHRA Tech guy asked me to place my transmission in gear and attempt to start the engine was back in 2007 at Bradenton. I wonder how many cars are lacking the neutral safety switches. Safety right now is what we should concern ourselves about.

[Peter Ash]

Is there still the rule of protest against a potential non legal car? Why not inform the rule stretchers of your potential protest and allow them to comply or back out gracefully? Or would that create a threatening situation within the big happy family and empty the field?

Just asking!


Peter Ash