NHRA finally amends Roll Bar rule down to 9.99

[u1arunit]

NHRA finally amends Roll Bar rule down to 9.99
Caught the following in Dragzine magazine. Should be great news for a lot of folks.

I say about time.

NHRA Amends Roll Bar/Cage Rules For ’08-Later Street Vehicles



The NHRA’s annual round of rule amendments to be included in the 2013 rulebook include a wide range of changes across every category in the sport, but one in particular is of rather great significance to street legal drag racers and the enthusiast community as a whole.

Recognizing the safety-inspired design and construction of today’s late model vehicles, the NHRA has actually rescinded its previous guidelines for street vehicles running 9.99 to 11.49 that required the use of a roll cage or roll bar, now permitting unaltered, 2008 and later model hard top vehicles to compete as they come from the factory without the addition of said roll bar/cage. The amendment, as its phrased in the NHRA’s 2012 to 2013 amendment document states:

NHRA DRAGS: STREET LEGAL STYLE PRESENTED BY AAA (Page xiv) (5th paragraph)
Additionally Requirements and specifications for Street Legal are the same as those for the Summit Racing Series with the following exception: 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, All drivers must meet the Summit Racing Series Helmet and Protective Clothing requirements.”

This amendment is in fact a huge boon to the enthusiast community that’s been driven away from organized racing at NHRA member tracks in the past due to the costs of making their vehicles legal to compete. Cars like the 2013 GT500 Mustang and the Corvette ZR1 are capable of surpassing the 11.50 mark right off the showroom floor. We’ve yet to conclude the exact meaning behind the wording “unaltered” in the text and whether that refers to the vehicle frame or the existence of power adders and the iike.

These racers who previously had to slow their vehicles down or not show up at a track at all are now able to compete without the modifying their expensive factory cars, and regardless of who this new rule applies to and who it doesn’t, it certainly opens some racers up to visit a race track again.

[PaxtonShelby]

That's good news. And I like that it only pertains to newer vehicles and not all vehicles. If/when my '66 runs under 11.49 it will definitely have a rollcage.

[scott5]

Unaltered is key word. That means right off showroom floor. If any modification is done to increase its performance it will be considered altered and thus follow the rest of the rules as far as cage. So if its just got a tune or cai and goes 11.49 it needs a roll bar

[yeahloh95]

i bet they will check for a tune lol

[scott5]

i bet they will check for a tune lol

I was giving example lol..

[SAC81]

Unaltered is key word. That means right off showroom floor. If any modification is done to increase its performance it will be considered altered and thus follow the rest of the rules as far as cage. So if its just got a tune or cai and goes 11.49 it needs a roll bar

That's not set in stone yet. 'Unaltered' may mean 'unaltered chassis' OR 'unaltered vehicle'- this is currently being debated. The NHRA hasn't clarified yet.

[JOlbert]

I want to know why they chose 08? here is an example: I buy a 07 Mustang GT & make it go 11.0's. that car needs a rollbar & stuff. why is the 08 car safer when it's the same? I'm just curious

[u1arunit]

I want to know why they chose 08? here is an example: I buy a 07 Mustang GT & make it go 11.0's. that car needs a rollbar & stuff. why is the 08 car safer when it's the same? I'm just curious

I'll be in the same boat if the year is a big deal.

[scott5]

Im guessing it will be because u will get the guys with an 06 saying well if u let the 07 run why not 06 and so on and so on..

From what i been reading on the bigger sites thats what the nhra is meaning

[Martin0660]

08 was picked because the middle of that year, new standards went into place regarding roll over roof protection.

Up until then a standard from about 1970 was in place that said that the roof had to "support" 1 1/2 times the vehicle weight.

The new standard is higher, and was in effect the summer of 2008 ... I am speculating for example that the '05 Mustang redesign met that, otherwise Ford had to add something to MY 2008 cars to meet the standard before the MY 2011 change.

I think the "law" was put in place something like 1999 so the manufacturers could be ready.

Don't quote me on exact years and timing, but that's the general point of selecting 2008, because it was required to be in place.

[Martin0660]

Further ... When people ask why these new cars come out so heavy, add in all the structure now needed plus all the electronic gizmos ... And there you go ;)

[Martin0660]

Also keep in mind that although they all usually follow the NHRA, neither the IHRA (PRP) or NMRA (or NMCA for the GM boys) have announced this yet. The NMRA rule book typically says meet NHRA rules plus their class specifics around engine / trans / suspension so it should fall in, but I'm very confident the NMRA will have a deffinition of "modified".

[yeahloh95]

people are going to have some funny looking 08 stangs at the track now

[mustang50lx]

I want to know why they chose 08? here is an example: I buy a 07 Mustang GT & make it go 11.0's. that car needs a rollbar & stuff. why is the 08 car safer when it's the same? I'm just curious

I wondered that too. There have been roll over standards in place since at least 2003. I don't get the 08 rule at all.

[Wolfpack Speed]

This has been a long time coming IMO! New cars are faster and safer, roll bars/cages and air bags don't mix. Driving a car with a roll bar/cage on the street sucks. The economy sucks and drag racing has been dying off for several years now. They mention that the cost of installing the roll bar or cage as a big reason but thats just a small part of it. What it boils down to is anyone with a nice, fast and honest street car trying to have some quarter mile fun doesn't want to hack up their ride by installing a cage or roll bar. Drag strips need the business, especially considering how popular flash light drags seem to be. Many tracks ignore rules for track rentals and test and tune for this reason but they can only get away with it so much and that doesn't fly on regular race day or at sanctioned events! I'm down with the general safety requirements such as a helmet, loop etc but a bar just isn't needed in newer cars until the 9.99 mark, I would even lobby to raise the mph to 140 or so.

Obviously it's all speculation until the final rules are written but as long as you are not altering the structure of the car, sounds like you wont need bars until 9.99 or 135 for hard tops. Assuming thats what the NHRA adopts, everyone else will follow suite or they will be out of business. This really opens up the door for struggling drag strips to bring in more business, absolutely no reason not open the gates 1 more day a week for street car racing and test & tune only.

[gmkillr]

This new rule change greatly helped my brother out as the threat of being booted was constantly there for him and his car is 100% factory stock and goes 10.79 @127 mph.

He really didn't want to have to put a cage in a brand new $100K car that isn't modified in any way so to say he is happy over this rule change would be a drastic understatement!

[Mark Aubele]

Wish the SCCA would do something similar. Having to put a bolt-on rollbar with the roof structure of today's vehicles is just stupid.

[Silverhatch]

A little late. What about all the guys that already have it done?

[Hawkeye]

10 sec car without a cage? Count me out. No air bag in existence is going to save you at that speed. I rather err on the side of caution.

[u1arunit]

A little late. What about all the guys that already have it done?

Safe is good.

10 sec car without a cage? Count me out. No air bag in existence is going to save you at that speed. I rather err on the side of caution.

Nobody is saying that you Can't have one. It's just not required. If you feel safer with one then by all means install one.