Got something we should cover? Click here to tell us! Close this box
MOTORCRAFT BACK
It’s been a while, but it looks like the Ford Motorcraft brand is back in NHRA Drag Racing. In addition to their support of new nitro Mustang of Bob Tasca III, Motorcraft banners are all over the Pomona Fairplex property for the 48th Annual Winternationals.
Last Friday, NHRA announced that it had just signed a marketing partnership with Wyndham Vacation Ownership, new sponsor of Don Prudhomme’s cars. Wonder how long it will take for NHRA to go after a marketing partnership with Motorcraft?
For a look at the Wednesday action at the Winternationals, see Race Coverage on the table of contents. (Darr Hawthorne photo) [2/7/2008]
NHRA QUIETLY CHANGES SOME RULES
After his questioning of some of the “safety” rules for sportsman racers in his January Dead-on column, Jok Nicholson, DRO’s Bracket Racing Editor, just happened to be looking at the NHRA rules as posted on their website. Lo and behold! There were some changes. Nicholson reports:
Recently NHRA made some revisions to their newly released NHRA Rulebook. Revisions are part of the process in getting rules and terminology straightened out, however, these revisions were aimed directly at racers in the Advanced ET section of the rulebook. That means anyone running 7.49 or quicker (1/4 mile).
They added "naturally aspirated on methanol" to a prior rule that had super charged and turbocharged mentioned. This could encompass a lot of racers and it was not a rule that was announced, it was hidden under "Rule Revisions" on the NHRA website.
The rule change meant any bracket racer who can run 7.49 or quicker (on methanol) had to have a 3.2A/15 fire suit rather than the 3.2A/5 they had to have before. There was also a new glove and fire boot rule. The suit alone can cost $1200. The rule said it was in effect immediately. WOW! If you race in February that meant you could not delay, you had to order and buy the new fire suit to be ready for the first events.
Then a week ago or so, the NHRA changed the rule again. Never mind, they crossed the revisions off and things go back like they were, for now.
The strangest part of this rule about the methanol cars needing more fire protection never made sense. Why not the cars with tanks full of high-octane race gas? What, gas doesn't explode!
Thousands of dollars spent and the only response was that NHRA crossed out the revision. How would you even know they did that? I just happened to look. If I had already bought a $1200 firesuit I'd be ticked off! [2/7/2008]