Header Retention Rule Revision

[BRINK]

Originally Posted by randall klein

look brett, i admire your history and passion for the sport, however i find your veiled historical snarky comments a little tiring....and not the boertman comment alone either

at topeka got ran over by a kid on a mini scooter, at denver, in the restricted area under the tower, got a rock off a burnout just above the eye, and on and on over 25 years....stuff happens, and if you've been around for awhile there's plenty of danger at the strip

a nanny state tries to insulate all from any possible consequences....maybe those worried about any potential harm should take up curling...oh wait! There was an injury in curling...maybe just stay in bed

amen, brother!!!

[Maverick]

I questioned this rule late last year, through my tech director and he sent it further up the chain. I questioned the rule every time my car went through tech last year, and showed them how my complete exhaust system was bolted to the frame/chassis. When we built my car, that was one item that was done so that the exhaust collector would not come off. Originally it had mufflers, but now collector extensions, that are bolted to the chassis. What good is it going to do, to put a tether on my car, when the exhaust system is bolted to the chassis. I sent pictures of my car, to my tech director showing how it was done on both sides. It made me mad, that some way everyone has to buy this rule change, and the people racing that have issues, don't look at what can go wrong and fix it before it happens. I definitely believe some cars need tethers. I have not bought mine yet and I don't intend to. I may go to a national event and fail tech on account of not having tethers, but I have fought this rule the way it was originally written, for over a year. And now there is a revision that says you can bolt the collector to the chassis. Halleluiah!!!! Some one can change there mind, and that is good. Fix you stuff, before you have a issue, have some one look at you car, who is not your friend and ask them if the see some thing wrong or unsafe. I always thought drag racers would go above and beyond to have good safe race cars. I don't have any luck with my SRAC rep, I go to my tech director. He listens, when he is not busy, and I usually wait till that time. You got a out on this rule, use it. I got caught up on the window net rule too, and wasted money, but NHRA is listening. I may still buy tethers, but the are not going to provide any more safety to my race car that the hangers that are bolted to my collectors and chasis. Yeah, It was Me!!!! Steve Williams S/G 351N The Blue Probe I am positive other racers have been doing the same thing I did, by sending pictures, and asking about the rule.

[james schaechter]

I just talked to Ritch Bowers. He is the D3 Tech Director for NHRA. He is at the drag expo in St. Charles Il. He had the new tether rule highlighted in yellow at the booth. He told me that I could secure my collector to the car and be ok without a tether. He knows our car and that it does not have full exhaust. Sounds good enough to me.

[Stephen & Horace Johnson]

Originally Posted by james schaechter

I just talked to Ritch Bowers. He is the D3 Tech Director for NHRA. He is at the drag expo in St. Charles Il. He had the new tether rule highlighted in yellow at the booth. He told me that I could secure my collector to the car and be ok without a tether. He knows our car and that it does not have full exhaust. Sounds good enough to me.

As with other incidents in the past...whats good for 1 division may not be for another division. ...

[SSDiv6]

Originally Posted by Stephen & Horace Johnson

As with other incidents in the past...whats good for 1 division may not be for another division. ...

Stephen, you are right.

Also, too many people have their shorts wadded up!
The rule change, although late, it just gives an option.
There are cars you can use an exhaust clamp to the chassis or frame.
However, there are some cars that will be difficult to do, therefore, they will need tethers.

There will also be racers that although they can put a clamp, due to esthetics, they will use tethers.

Much of the complaints and anger could have been reduced if NHRA would have allowed racers build their own. All it would have been required was to write the specifications for the hardware and a drawing in the rule book the same way as they do for the roll bar/roll cage. What made matters worse was when the initial approved offering cost was outrageous when many are aware of the cost of the components.