I was reading about rollbars and cages in the rulebook and it says that if you run 10.99 or quicker you will need a cage. BUt it also says that if the car uses stock firewall, floorboard, and something else I forgot, then a roll bar can still be used.

so if I only have a rollbar and stock firewall, floorboard, yadda yadda, then I can still get away with going faster than 10.99?

 

No Paul...you need a full cage. What it does say in their though is that if you are running the stock firewall and the enforcement that goes across with that, you dont have to run that bar across the cage. Its the bar that would go under the dash across from the left to right. NHRA wont even let you have a 6 point cage let alone a 4 point role bar for those speeds.

 

tahnks...I thought that maybe they'll let me get away with an 8point bar

so all it's saing is that you don't need teh bar going across the dash?


[Modified by paul_vang, 5:13 PM 11/12/2002]

 

wait im confused, i thought u only needed at least a 5-6 point cage to run 10's or better ? its 8? can someone correct me on this, id say my car will be somewhere in the high 10's...

 

11.99 requires a roll bar and 10.99 requires a cage.

 

doesn't 11.99 need a 5pt and what does 10.99 need?

 

You really need a rule book because of the various requirements. If you want a number, I believe it is 8 point but don't think a number is specified. You can download the book for free at nhraimport.com

 

As long as you have the stock, uncut floor and firewall, a rollbar is permitted all the way to 10.00 (slower than 135 mph). The "except for wheeltubs" thing is a left over from domestic rear wheel drives. An NHRA rollbar is technically a "5 point"; the main hoop behind the front seats (2 pts), minimum 2 rear supports from the top of the hoop angling rearward to the floor (2 pts) and a diagonal bar on the driver's side from the main hoop to the floor (1 pt). The door bar can be swing out or removable, should pass somewhere between the shoulder and elbow when in the seat. A cross bar, from one side of the hoop to the other, is also required behind the seat to anchor the shoulder harness. This bar should be shoulder height to 4 inches below shoulder height.

A roll cage is all of the above, plus a tube that runs from the top of the main hoop, along the top of the door and down the windshield post to the floor (on each side). There is also a bar across the top of the windshield to tie those two together. The under-dash bar is only required when the OEM firewall has been modified.

There's a lot more detail to get it all right, along with checking the rules on nhrasportcompact.com, you can also call Jeff Giovino in Glendora Tech office, or email him at jgiovino@nhra.com.

 

Good...I read the rule book the way Old Guy stated. 10.00 with a roll bar.

 

Those rules are general guidelines, for ET Bracket or street type cars. You have to be careful if you're building a car for a Heads Up NHRA class like All Motor or Hot Rod. Any All Motor car requires at least a roll bar, regardless of e.t. Any Hot Rod car requires a full roll cage, regardless of e.t.

 

Gee Jim, finally someone from my generation. Didn't know you were that ancient. I guess we can't argue with you about the rules...just bitch about them
Actually, the changes this year all look for the good. Glad to see Vegas getting the first race. Should be the best race ever at a great track.

 

wow, thanks alot, cleared up the confusion..

 

Thanks Earl. Can never please everyone, but overall the responses have been favorable to changes for next year.

Ancient???? Old, maybe, but not ancient!

I like all this new technology, and I really like working with this group of racers. I'll never be 25 again, but it's nice to be around younger people. I can hopefully pass on some of the benefits of our experience, and at the same time they can keep me full of new ideas and fresh ways to look at things. I'm having a blast.

 

so I can use a roll bar up to 135mph right?

 

Yes, as long as you don't go quicker than 10.00 e.t., AND your car still has the original, uncut firewall and floor.

So, for example:
If you go 9.99 or quicker at ANY mph, you need a roll cage.
If you go 10.00 or slower, but run 136 mph or faster, you need a roll cage.
If you cut the original floor and/or firewall, and run 10.99 or quicker, you need a roll cage.

Floor and firewall is critical to keeping some structural integrity in a unibody car. You start cutting into either one, starts weakening the structure, so we ask for the roll cage at 10.99.

How much cutting is too much? If we tried to answer that on a car-by-car basis, at the race track during tech, no one would ever get through the tech lines! That's why we just say "if it's cut on, we need a roll cage."

 

Can a roll bar consist of 4 point set up, or must it be a minimum of 5 point like pictured in the rule book?

 

If you're running 11.99 or quicker (or enter the All Motor class), must be the 5 point configuration as shown in the rule book. If you're running 12.00 or slower, but want a roll bar anyway, then you can get away without the side bar.

Be carefu though, if you put a bar in the car, make sure it is attached to the floor per the NHRA rulebook as a minimum, and make sure it is made of adequate material. Putting a bar in with only 1 bolt on each side because you want "the look", or putting in one of those "pretend" roll bars made of thin wall tubing is asking for trouble in an accident. Won't matter if it happens at a drag strip, at a street race, or sitting at a redlight when some drunk runs into you; if the bar comes loose from the floor it will chase you around inside the car, and probably kill you. Same for those "show only" bars.

OK, I'll get off my soapbox!

 

Wow, I agree with that. Some of those monkey bars are absolutely lethal.