Safety all the way to the end

Safety Jok Nicholson, thanks for writing about Safety Rules on 5/8/2009.

I've been racing for thirty-plus years and the things I've seen people do is scary at times.

Anyway, my point. Did you see the Jeg's Allstar race on TV? They had an in-car camera, I think in a Comp car, and it ran 8.50s. They showed the guy inside the car leaving the start line with his hand on the trans brake button with NO GLOVES ON. I just sat their thinking of your column. Why don't people think of what could happen? You know this guy has to be a good racer.

NHRA makes us put engine diapers on our dragster now for safety but don't enforce anything after you pass tech.

Thanks for your columns, I enjoy them.

Jim Dover
3358 /SC
Gobles, Michigan

Deteriorating condition

Jok Nickolson, your safety article is right on. Another thing they should check is fuel cell safety foam. A car builder told me that a lot of racers take it out because it deteriorates and causes problems in their fuel system.

I was shocked to hear this and it should be checked.

Thanks,

Steve Pramov
Phoenix, Arizona

Here’s one excuse

Oh, God please help you. You are nuts!

I wear my belts loose in staging up ‘til the burnout box and they start to get tightened up. How many times do you wait with all your gear ‘til they get things going on again with the racing. You are saying to have the belts tight while you are pulling out of staging. That is all we need is more stupid rules about when we have to tighten up our belts.

And you saying it is for when you hit the brakes at the big end. As far as I am concerned, if you hit the brakes going 120 or faster, the belts are not the problem, it is the person hitting the brakes. Hitting the brakes should be a no-no at the big end, and if you are doing it then you are putting yourself at risk for the win. I know they do it in Stock and Super Stock sometimes, but I think it is a no-no!

And for the head restraints, if a driver want to wear them he can, but I don’t think it should be mandatory on everybody, just because people are going 160 or so, because of throttle stop setting you’re going to make everyone have restraints. I have enough stuff that I have to have certified every year or two, and now you add more to the cost and you are driving out the little guy like me who doesn’t run a stop or big mph.

Why don’t you talk about high mph being the problem in your thinking. If these guys want to run their car this way, that is fine to me. I believe it definitely gives them an advantage over a lower mph. I don’t want to see the throttle stops car be restricted in any way ‘cause all it does is lower the car counts and right now I want as many cars at the races as possible.

Back off!

Sincerely,

Steve Willie Williams
Smallest motor in super gas, and it is a clutch car too!
North of Indy