Safety requirements (street vs race)?

[Pascamp]

I recently went to a test and tune session with a friend to help him figure out his car. While there I noticed a vast disparity between the safety levels deemed acceptable for street vs race cars. Every single dedicated race car had a cage, harness, remote kill, fuel cell, ect, regardless of ET. Actuall street cars that drove to the track and home made up about 70% of the field. I didn't see a single cage or roll bar, no fuel cells, no remote kills, and a couple harnesses. Wheel stud requirements, c-clips, ect...no way. These were factory cars with under hood bolt-ons. These cars were ripping 10's and 11's all evening. One guy had two runs in the 9.60's. These were basically all Camaros, Mustangs, Vetes, 1 Challenger, 1 jeep, and a few ricers.

I have a feeling if I showed up with a 71 swinger running 10's without a cage, no harness, switch, or cell I'd have gravel in my *** from being thrown out so fast. What gives? Are there two sets of rules?

 

[Fisher]

It all depends on the track, and what sanctioning body they follow if any? Either NHRA or IHRA. Both have a rule book for ET & MPH. I had a 9.60 Camaro with a BBC and nitrous. My car had all the safety gear in it, and would certify to 8.50 ET if needed, had a full cage etc on and on. My duster makes 525 hp should run mid 11'S? I did not want to put a roll bar in the car, and will most likely never go to the track anyway. I built the car as a street car, and as it stands, i could run up to 11.50 as the car is. I would be flirting with the roll bar rule now. I did add a 2 year old set or racing lap belts for both driver and passenger, an upgrade over factory belts.

 

[Cope]

I'm guessing it's just your track is lax on tech?

As far as saftie goes my thought is more is better...
My car is set up to pass 9.50 tech even tho it's no where near that fast. (Yet)

I know if I put it into the wall there is a very good chance I get to go home that night.

On the other hand I've seen a few stupid fast "street" cars pushing 800HP and running factory belts and little more than a hoop. The last one my motor guy built after his test drive he told me "that car is gonna kill somebody" and he was not joking. It's just to fast for what it is.. seems like a lot of the street guys dont want a race car.
What they do t understand is that all the stuff that makes a race car a race car is there for a reason and that reason it to keep you alive.
We got folks who want cages built but they sometimes are like "I dont care if the bar is close to my head" or "all these rules are stupid, I think they (the NHRA) just make this **** up"
I always tell em "all these rules aren't just made up, someone probably died for each of these rules to go into the book" and I strongly believe that that's how most of the rules came about. Some one dies and the NHRA is like, well that sucked, we cant have that happen again.....

 

[Fisher]

Leaving the battery up front eliminates a lot of pain in the *** work on the car. Plus your not really gaining much anyway by moving it. Don't need a fuel cell in the trunk either unless you have severely back halved the car. As long as you have proper fuel line and fittings, and a driveshaft safety loop if you are funning slicks, street tires don't require a loop. A Snell approved helmet is a no brainer a single layer racing jacket is always a good idea too, regardless of how quick the car is.

 

[Fisher]

In any sport or type of work, SAFETY evolved due to people finding ways to die. At the end of the day it's your *** on the line.

 

[Pascamp]

I'm in no way trying to circumvent the rules. I was truely wondering if there were separate rules now since factory cars are so fast. I've raced circle track my whole life. I've walked (and limped) out of cars that looked like they got dropped out of planes, and had to load dozens of cars into the trailer with a sawzall, or leave it and come back with an open trailer. I had a HANS (actually Hutchens device) before they were mandatory.

This was a fully sanctioned NHRA track i was at.

 

[mderoy340]

I'm in no way trying to circumvent the rules. I was truely wondering if there were separate rules now since factory cars are so fast. I've raced circle track my whole life. I've walked (and limped) out of cars that looked like they got dropped out of planes, and had to load dozens of cars into the trailer with a sawzall, or leave it and come back with an open trailer. I had a HANS (actually Hutchens device) before they were mandatory.

This was a fully sanctioned NHRA track i was at.

A rule change was made for 2008 and newer unmodified cars to run 10.00 and slower without a cage. This does not apply to convertibles. Once you hit 9.99 all normal safety rules apply. NHRA license, belts, etc. At my track during a week night TNT a couple of hellcats were running faster than 10 in the no time lane and they were told they could no longer run. It's best to get with tech at the track you run and make sure you are in compliance for the class you are running. Tech is at the end of the track and they keep an eye on how fast cars are running. My street/strip car runs mid 11s in good air and will stay that way since I do not want a cage.

 

[yellow rose]

I'm in no way trying to circumvent the rules. I was truely wondering if there were separate rules now since factory cars are so fast. I've raced circle track my whole life. I've walked (and limped) out of cars that looked like they got dropped out of planes, and had to load dozens of cars into the trailer with a sawzall, or leave it and come back with an open trailer. I had a HANS (actually Hutchens device) before they were mandatory.

This was a fully sanctioned NHRA track i was at.

I recently went to a test and tune session with a friend to help him figure out his car. While there I noticed a vast disparity between the safety levels deemed acceptable for street vs race cars. Every single dedicated race car had a cage, harness, remote kill, fuel cell, ect, regardless of ET. Actuall street cars that drove to the track and home made up about 70% of the field. I didn't see a single cage or roll bar, no fuel cells, no remote kills, and a couple harnesses. Wheel stud requirements, c-clips, ect...no way. These were factory cars with under hood bolt-ons. These cars were ripping 10's and 11's all evening. One guy had two runs in the 9.60's. These were basically all Camaros, Mustangs, Vetes, 1 Challenger, 1 jeep, and a few ricers.

I have a feeling if I showed up with a 71 swinger running 10's without a cage, no harness, switch, or cell I'd have gravel in my *** from being thrown out so fast. What gives? Are there two sets of rules?

Yes, there are two sets of rules.

 

[jbc426]

Darwin spotted it and called it out in nature. Lawyers and their frivolous law suits have led common sense to near extinction in this country. The dumb are surviving their stupidity as a direct result of the growth of the Nanny State. Scary part is they have been breeding for decades, and want even bigger government and even more rules to control every aspect of our lives. The NHRA is no exception.

 

[Garry in AZ]

Some NHRA or IHRA sanctioned tracks have owners who choose to look the other way when casual "run whatcha brung" races are held. I have been to several famous tracks where cars ran in the 10's without a roll bar or driveshaft loop. The track operators risk losing the sanctioning bodies approval, but seldom is anything reported unless a serious accident occurs. For those of you who are curious about the actual rules, here is a brief sampling from my 2018 NHRA rulebook.

Current NHRA "Street Legal" rules state:
Unaltered 2008 OEM model-year and newer production cars running slower than 9.99 and 135 mph do not have to meet the requirements and
specifications for the Summit Racing Series except for the following: Convertibles and T-tops must meet Summit Racing Series roll-bar and roll-cage
requirements.

DESIGNATIONS
NHRA SUMMIT RACING SERIES NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
SUPER PRO: 7.00 to 11.99
PRO: 9.00 to 13.99
SPORTSMAN: 12.00 to 19.99
References in this section identify performance limits for various equipment and safety applications.
Any vehicle except E.T. Motorcycle running faster than 135 mph must meet minimum requirements for 9.99-second vehicles including driver credentials and protective clothing. The 135 mph rule does not apply to E.T. Motorcycle. E.T. Motorcycle must comply with 9.99-second e.t. restrictions.

ENGINE
One internal-combustion automotive-type, motorcycle, or snowmobile engine permitted. Motorcycle or snowmobile powered vehicles without reverse may not burn out across starting line. Harmonic balancer meeting SFI Spec 18.1 mandatory in any car running 10.99 (*6.99) or quicker. Maximum
height of crankshaft centerline 36 inches for trucks running 12.00 and slower; 31 inches for trucks running 11.99 to 10.00; and 24 inches for trucks running 9.99 seconds and quicker.

CLUTCH, FLYWHEEL, FLYWHEEL SHIELD
Flywheel and clutch meeting SFI Spec 1.1 or 1.2 (two-disc maximum) mandatory on any car running 11.49 (*7.35) or quicker or cars powered by rotary engines running 13.49 (*8.25) or quicker. Flywheel shield meeting SFI Spec 6.1, 6.2, or 6.3 mandatory on all cars running 11.49 (*7.35) or quicker.

DRIVELINE
OEM production line all-wheel-drive vehicles permitted.
Driveshaft loop required on all cars running 13.99 (*8.59) or quicker and utilizing slicks, except vehicles running 11.49 (*7.35) seconds or slower equipped with street tires.

REAR END
Aftermarket axles and axle-retention device mandatory on any car running 10.99 (*6.99) or quicker or any car with locked differential. Cars running 10.99 (*6.99) or quicker that weigh more than 2,000 pounds with independent rear suspension without upper and lower (both) control arms must replace swing axle differential with conventional differential housing assembly.
(Example: 1963-1982 Corvette). Cars with independent rear suspension using upper and lower (both) control arms may retain swing axle assembly regardless of weight or e.t. Must have 360-degree, minimum 1-inch-wide by 1/4-inch-thick axle retention loop on each axle.

GROUND CLEARANCE
Minimum 3 inches from front of car to 12 inches behind centerline of front axle, 2 inches for remainder of car, except oil pan and headers.

PARACHUTE
Mandatory on any car that runs 150 mph or faster.

ROLL BAR
Roll bar mandatory in all cars (including T-tops) running 11.00 (*7.00) to 11.49 (*7.35), in convertibles running 11.00 (*7.00) to
13.49 (*8.25), and in all dune-buggy-type vehicles running 12.00 (*7.50) seconds and slower. Permitted in all cars.

ROLL CAGE
A roll cage is mandatory in cars running 10.99 (*6.99) or quicker or any car exceeding 135 mph. In full-bodied cars, with unaltered firewall,
floor, and body (from firewall rearward, wheel tubs permitted), running between 10.00 (*6.40) and 10.99 (*6.99), roll bar permitted in place of roll cage. In convertibles running 10.99 or quicker or exceeding 135 mph, roll cage mandatory.

ROLL-CAGE PADDING
Roll-cage padding meeting SFI Spec 45.1 mandatory on any vehicle running 9.99 (*6.39) and quicker. Padding must be used anywhere driver’s helmet may come in contact with roll-cage components.
************************************************************************************************************************

SUPER STREET
DESIGNATION S/ST, preceded by car number. 10.90 standard.
Super Street cars run on a 10.90 standard (6.90 for eighth mile tracks) using a heads-up start and .5-second Pro Tree.
Reserved for full-bodied cars with full fenders, hood, grille, top, windshield, and functional doors. Sports cars, street roadsters,
vans, and panel trucks permitted. Open-wheel altereds, dragsters, Funny Cars, or motorcycles prohibited. Minimum
weight, including driver: 8-cylinder cars, 2,800 pounds; 6-cylinder cars, 2,000 pounds; 4-cylinder and rotary cars, 1,200 pounds.
Any vehicle running faster than 135 mph must meet minimum requirements for 9.99-second vehicles.

TRANSMISSION, AUTOMATIC
Spring-loaded, positive reverse lock-out device and functional neutral safety switch mandatory. Transbrake permitted.
Transmission that can utilize a high-gear transbrake must be supported by the use of two momentary buttons (one to arm the system, second as the main transbrake). Automatic transmission may be shifted with a preset timed or a preset rpm-activated (but not both) electrical, mechanical, pneumatic,
or hydraulic device, or by standard OEM operation only.
Rpm-based automatic shifters may not have a time delay incorporated into the device. Rpm-based automatic shifters may not be connected (directly or indirectly) to the delay box/ device. Time-based automatic shifters may not be connected (directly or indirectly) to the ignition system. NHRA-accepted
aftermarket automatic transmission permitted.

PARACHUTE
Mandatory on any car that runs 150 mph or faster.

ROLL CAGE
Mandatory in full-bodied car if vehicle has altered firewall, floor, and/or body (from firewall rearward, wheel tubs and 6 square feet of removable driveline tunnel permitted), or if vehicle runs 135 mph or faster. If vehicle is equipped with unaltered firewall, floor, and body (from firewall rearward, tubs permitted), roll bar permitted in lieu of roll cage. Complete roll cage per General Regulations mandatory in all convertibles.
BATTERIES
All batteries must be securely mounted with metal hold-downs outside the driver compartment.
MASTER CUTOFF
Mandatory on all cars with a battery.
DELAY BOX/DEVICE
Permitted.
IGNITION
Timed ignition-interruption devices (stutter boxes) prohibited. Starting-line and/or “high-side” rev limiters permitted. Two steps, rev limiters, or any other rpm-limiting devices, legal unto themselves but altered or installed so as to function as a downtrack rpm controller, prohibited.
All wiring associated with the ignition system must be fully visible, labeled, and traceable.

INSTRUMENTS
One tachometer allowed. No wiring (other than the two-step launch-control wire that splices into the transbrake or line-loc control wire) shall be connected directly or indirectly between any part of the ignition system and the delay box/device.

 

[Pascamp]

Well, I guess that explains it. Truthfully 70% of the field wouldn't have been there. So for the tracks to stay alive, I guess concessions are necessary.