Wheelie Bars are not needed for Safety on Stockers!

[Bruce Noland]

Larry,

They sent an email that said the notches must be fixed by Aug. 28, 2013. Sounds like you don't have to make the changes before the Chicago National. I know Bruce Bachelder is skipping a few of the Nationals this year but I would ask for a few minutes of his time if he is in Chicago.

[Ed Wright]

It's an insane deal that needs fixed. Maybe they can talk to some chassis shop owners for more information. I don't have a Stocker, but do work with Patterson's COPO some, and know what that thing can do at times. I would not want to drive that thing without wheelie bars. The track can just come around a little and it will decide to go straight up. Very touchy deal. So, they need to tear up the rear fascia when it decides to do that? Makes no sense.

A talk with one of the guys at ATI explained why the local big block 10.5" nitrous cars can hook on one stage of nitrous when my 350" SS Firebird would spin on the same track & tires. Stock & SS converters hit much harder than what they sell to bracket racers and small tire heads up cars. He said with my converter those small tire heads up cars would never touch the ground. But, their cars are just like ours, right? LOL

[Bruce Noland]

Originally Posted by Bruce Noland

Larry,

They sent an email that said the notches must be fixed by Aug. 28, 2013. Sounds like you don't have to make the changes before the Chicago National. I know Bruce Bachelder is skipping a few of the Nationals this year but I would ask for a few minutes of his time if he is in Chicago.

During my first call to nhra, on the issue of notches, Pat said that he had participated in a conference call with the srac about this problem. Jeff Teuton should be able to share info on the conference call.

Pat said the letters for correction were a bit premature and for me to sit tight until they got things in order. I asked about posting this information and he asked me not to post until they had it straightened out. I told a friend about this conversation with Pat and he told me not to trust anything Pat said. I thought this seems simple enough to straighten out so I waited. Then the second letter arrived stating that the notches must be repaired by 8-28-13 and I called Pat again and found a much different guy on the phone this time. He was spouting off about wheelie bars and then could not offer any remedies for our concerns. I concluded that he needed to get out to the race track more often. And I now understand that there are folks who are working on getting this problem corrected. We'll wait and see.

[Notch1320]

Originally Posted by Jack Matyas

Shawn - Seems to me you're against anyone having them on their car - why is that ? And BTW , I'll bet the ranch the notches will be back .......................and i'm just sayin' .

I'm not against them per say, I just was calling out the folks earlier who went on about 1000+HP car scenario, bla, bla, bla. Having spent some time now in the Heads-Up world outside of Stockers, my views on wheelie bars have changed I guess. No one wants to hear, or discuss that here though. If you are allowed to use them, then you can set the car up one way. If you are forced to do without them, you have to adapt and change the suspension & ballast, etc. on the car. Ride height can also come into play if the car is so low that you are notching the rear valance. < (Just an option) The notching could also be avoided by changing the wheelie bar design. These are all things that everyone here or that runs a high letter Stocker is smart enough to figure out if it came down to a "must comply" ruling. A rule specification seems to be in order and as you hinted, it may already be in the works. I too have had my dealings with the way the rules are written, and have had a few "dead end" discussions with Pat and others, but in the end, I ended up making things work within the "rules", and suggesting clarification in the good book.

[Chad Rhodes]

Originally Posted by Notch1320

And you are within the rules to use them Jack.....without notches.

I would bet that all of you running bars now would find a way to make the car launch safely without bars if you had to. Just sayin......

Possibly, but some may slow down.