Blinder/Blocker clarification needed

[Alan Roehrich]

Originally Posted by KennyAnderson

The blinder police were out in force this weekend at OSW. There was a NHRA person at the head of the lanes checking as you pulled out. Most ridiculous was they made someone with a nice new Impact helmet remove the shield because the thin decal at the top of the shield where it said Impact..... constituted a blinder!! LOL!!

I really don't have a dog in this fight as I don't block but I do have one ask. Please NHRA if you are going to use a divider board on the tree... at least put one up the WORKS!! Even the National event tree has one but it isn't long enough. I can still see my opponents tree come down clear as day. There was no Divider/Blinder on the tree this weekend for Q1. After being reminded they put it on..... but it was useless.

Both of my G-Force helmets have those stripes across the top of the shield. I also use those helmets to ride my Harleys. I can simply tilt my head forward if the sun happens to be too bright. Now that's illegal? Seriously? Just for fun, someone should threaten to sue NHRA for forcing them to remove a factory installed safety device from a required piece of safety equipment.





Stupidity such as that is EXACTLY what I knew would come from this rule. It's pretty funny, actually, that this rule is a "safety" issue, but "ONLY" in 1-2 classes. ROFLMFAO.



And then, when people start trying to get others a DQ, starting arguments and fights, it'll be worse than Saturday night at the podunk race track.


How sad that a supposedly relatively adult sport among friends is degenerating to such a childish level.

[Jeff Niceswanger]

It's so simple Alan. They already have a size requirement. Obviously NHRA thought it was an ok size when they wrote it up. Change the language to say it must be on a swivel and swivel out of the way when not "in use". Usage is for on track usage only and can't be deployed until you pre stage, and both the left and right units must be swiveled away when not actually on the track.That's how I did it for YEARS. How is that not safe ?
Good Lord, why so complicated...

[Jim Caughlin]

Originally Posted by Jeff Niceswanger

It's so simple Alan. They already have a size requirement. Obviously NHRA thought it was an ok size when they wrote it up. Change the language to say it must be on a swivel and swivel out of the way when not "in use". Usage is for on track usage only and can't be deployed until you pre stage, and both the left and right units must be swiveled away when not actually on the track.That's how I did it for YEARS. How is that not safe ?
Good Lord, why so complicated...

I sent a letter to the powers that be at NHRA proposing to reduce the max size from 4x8 down to 12 sq inch max (which is plenty big) and require that any blinder be removed or swiveled up any time you were on the return road or in the pits, didn't get anywhere with that as a proposed revision to the rules.

[Larry Hill]

Kenny if the dividers are too short racers will be leaving off of the slower cars tree.

[jmcarter]

They’ve obviously never tried to stage a car at Bowling Green in the late afternoon or Pacific Raceway or Gainesville for first round Friday morning.

[KennyAnderson]

Originally Posted by Larry Hill

Kenny if the dividers are too short racers will be leaving off of the slower cars tree.

Exactly! When I'm faster, especially just a tick faster, I still have trouble occasionally with a bulb or less stagger. As long as I've been doing it it still throws me off occasionally. Hence.... put an effective splitter of don't bother.

[Whalen3186]

I reached out to Pat Cvengros, Lonnie Grim and Ned Walliser to voice my support for allowing the freedom to choose to use a blinder or not. A portion of the response that I received back from Pat C is highlighted below.

We have been told that this rule is solely based on safety as stated in the clarification posted on www.nhraracer.com Jan 20. IF that was the case, why is there a need to mention the fact that Stock/SS are full tree categories and bringing a level playing field to the starting line??

Maybe all 7 of the current SRAC reps can chime in and give us the details of the conversations that they’ve had with NHRA authorities over the past year or 2 on the subject.

‘I am continually confident that the new blinder rule will promote much better safety across the entire property and the end result will also make for better racing as the advantage of said blinder has been removed thus bringing a very level playing field in reaction time at the starting line back into play. It is a full tree category. The substantial difference in other classes that are still allowed a blinder is that they primarily tow to the starting line and from the top end of the racetrack.’

[Bob Gullett]

Originally Posted by Whalen3186

I reached out to Pat Cvengros, Lonnie Grim and Ned Walliser to voice my support for allowing the freedom to choose to use a blinder or not. A portion of the response that I received back from Pat C is highlighted below.

We have been told that this rule is solely based on safety as stated in the clarification posted on www.nhraracer.com Jan 20. IF that was the case, why is there a need to mention the fact that Stock/SS are full tree categories and bringing a level playing field to the starting line??

Maybe all 7 of the current SRAC reps can chime in and give us the details of the conversations that they’ve had with NHRA authorities over the past year or 2 on the subject.

But it states an oem sunvisor is allowed. Larger and covers more of the windshield than most blinders I’m guessing. I won’t get into how many times I’ve seen cars with hood scoops just about run into someone or something. But blinders are banned. So if we we choose to use the factory sunvisor as a blinder it’s totally legal correct? And for the record I use a blinder. Or at least I did. Still should be able to run a blinder if you want. Not because the people who chose not to use one (which is their choice) getting the rule changed that I can’t run one.

[Mark Yacavone]

Originally Posted by Bob Gullett

Not because the people who chose not to use one (which is their choice) getting the rule changed that I can’t run one.

....Which is exactly what happened to deep staging ;-)

[Jim Caughlin]

Originally Posted by Whalen3186

I reached out to Pat Cvengros, Lonnie Grim and Ned Walliser to voice my support for allowing the freedom to choose to use a blinder or not. A portion of the response that I received back from Pat C is highlighted below.

We have been told that this rule is solely based on safety as stated in the clarification posted on www.nhraracer.com Jan 20. IF that was the case, why is there a need to mention the fact that Stock/SS are full tree categories and bringing a level playing field to the starting line??

Maybe all 7 of the current SRAC reps can chime in and give us the details of the conversations that they’ve had with NHRA authorities over the past year or 2 on the subject.

Doesn't that mixed signal response from NHRA indicate that there is more to this than the 'safety issue' that initially was used as a basis for the change? Why would you start talking about the function of blinders as it relates to racing if the reason for the change was purely for pit safety? I'm hearing some rumors that this had more to do with certain racers burning NHRA's ear about banning them and not a safety issue at all. I still go back to my previous question, if there was a pit incident, someone on this site must have knowledge of it?