Bracket Talk
New belt restraint rule for top sportsman and top dragster
December 08, 2024, 02:43 PM
AlaskaracerNew belt restraint rule for top sportsman and top dragster
You know what pisses me off about this new rule? Implementing it mid year. Why not come out with the rule at the end of the normal season and say starting jan 1, 2025? Or effective beginning Jan 1, 2026??? Starting it mid year is just stupid and is going to create a problem for many racers. My car isn't easily modified for this, and I've already reached out to the track owner to see if they will grandfather in the racers this will affect until the end of the season since ours is a wee bit shorter here than down below....
I agree with Steve on the et rule as well, move it back to 6.00. The license is for 6.00 and slower, the chassis cert is for 6.00 and slower, so make the et the same....
Mark Goulette
Owner/Driver of the Livin' The Dream Racing dragster
www.livinthedreamracing.com"Speed kills but it's better than going slow!"
Authorized Amsoil Retailer
December 08, 2024, 09:24 PM
Bruce WilliamsI also have just finished my dragster a few months back. I would have liked to know about this before powder coating, paint and such.
As far as becoming effective in the middle of the year goes, the advance ET license drivers are required the new belts at the first of 2025 I believe.
I would venture a guess this will give most racers a bit of time to get every thing updated and the belt manufactures up to speed as well.
What would be nice in my opinion is to have the NHRA Tech department publish some sort of diagram pictures description, something to let us know which way the belts will need to be mounted to meet their requirements.
Heck it took me half a day surfing on the internet to see which way then belt went over or under the driver! LOL
Bruce Lee

Experience is what you get when you don't get what you want.
December 09, 2024, 09:38 PM
Hotrod Corvette6 and 7 point belts have been around for years.
Maybe NHRA FINALLY got tired of fast racers not upgrading belt systems themselves with new builds.
Why are builders not automatically integrating 6 point tabs in all of their TD/TS racers cars? Because they won't force you to be safe, and you will not ask for improved safety.
Maybe if you were more concerned for your own safety, rather than saving...what maybe 100 bucks on your new builds.
Puts you in the same category as the guys still wearing sweatpants.
Just saying...
Burt
I'm So Proud To Be An American And Not A Democrat...
December 09, 2024, 10:11 PM
seabassnot happy about this myself but its really pretty easy to get past this as well, i think, hopefully im not wrong.
as far as the 6.10 rule, although I didnt/dont like it I really dont see why people get so upset about it, its only .1 of et... very minor in my opinion, amd some quit over this... theres no rule that says you cant run 6.00-6.10, just cant dial or qualify quicker the 6.10
J.R. Baxter
""Fathom the hypocrisy of a Government that requires every citizen to prove they are insured ..but not everyone must prove they are a citizen."
2025 Miller
Rolla Competition Engines
ProCharger
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Abruzzi
December 10, 2024, 08:01 AM
Larry ScarthWhat does a motor cost for a Top Sportsman or a Top Dragster car? You are complaining about the cost of a safety upgrade? REALLY! Maybe it's time to find another hobby, fishing comes to mind. Come on racers think about what you are complaining about. Just saying! My 2 cents. Larry
When everything is coming your way, your probably in the wrong lane.
December 10, 2024, 08:37 AM
racerdude2054quote:
Originally posted by Larry Scarth:
What does a motor cost for a Top Sportsman or a Top Dragster car? You are complaining about the cost of a safety upgrade? REALLY! Maybe it's time to find another hobby, fishing comes to mind. Come on racers think about what you are complaining about. Just saying! My 2 cents. Larry
I’m all for safety. It’s how NHRA goes about implementing new policies that amazes me
Did they just knee jerk reaction this decision? Probably not. If they were thinking about it then go ahead and tell everyone you are thinking about implementing a new rule. Then people building new cars can easily add it in case it might become a new rule.
December 10, 2024, 11:56 AM
Lenny5160quote:
Originally posted by Hotrod Corvette:
6 and 7 point belts have been around for years.
Maybe NHRA FINALLY got tired of fast racers not upgrading belt systems themselves with new builds.
Why are builders not automatically integrating 6 point tabs in all of their TD/TS racers cars? Because they won't force you to be safe, and you will not ask for improved safety.
Maybe if you were more concerned for your own safety, rather than saving...what maybe 100 bucks on your new builds.
Puts you in the same category as the guys still wearing sweatpants.
Just saying...
Do you wear a SFI 20 rated suit and funny car boots in your car?
They've been making those things for quite a while now, and they're obviously safer than what has been required for your ET/MPH.
Tony Leonard
December 11, 2024, 07:31 PM
Hotrod Corvettequote:
Originally posted by Lenny5160:
quote:
Originally posted by Hotrod Corvette:
6 and 7 point belts have been around for years.
Maybe NHRA FINALLY got tired of fast racers not upgrading belt systems themselves with new builds.
Why are builders not automatically integrating 6 point tabs in all of their TD/TS racers cars? Because they won't force you to be safe, and you will not ask for improved safety.
Maybe if you were more concerned for your own safety, rather than saving...what maybe 100 bucks on your new builds.
Puts you in the same category as the guys still wearing sweatpants.
Just saying...
Do you wear a SFI 20 rated suit and funny car boots in your car?
They've been making those things for quite a while now, and they're obviously safer than what has been required for your ET/MPH.
If they were not required would you wear a SFI 20 rated suit and funny car boots in your car?
It is not about what I do. This is what about you do, or don't do.
Burt
I'm So Proud To Be An American And Not A Democrat...
December 12, 2024, 05:20 AM
racerdude2054quote:
Originally posted by Hotrod Corvette:
quote:
Originally posted by Lenny5160:
quote:
Originally posted by Hotrod Corvette:
6 and 7 point belts have been around for years.
Maybe NHRA FINALLY got tired of fast racers not upgrading belt systems themselves with new builds.
Why are builders not automatically integrating 6 point tabs in all of their TD/TS racers cars? Because they won't force you to be safe, and you will not ask for improved safety.
Maybe if you were more concerned for your own safety, rather than saving...what maybe 100 bucks on your new builds.
Puts you in the same category as the guys still wearing sweatpants.
Just saying...
Do you wear a SFI 20 rated suit and funny car boots in your car?
They've been making those things for quite a while now, and they're obviously safer than what has been required for your ET/MPH.
If they were not required would you wear a SFI 20 rated suit and funny car boots in your car?
It is not about what I do. This is what about you do, or don't do.
Your argument was about voluntarily going above and beyond the safety specs
December 13, 2024, 09:04 AM
Bruce WilliamsHas anyone found a sketch/diagram on what NHRA tech dept will accept as a proper way to mount the new belt configuration?
Bruce Lee

Experience is what you get when you don't get what you want.
December 13, 2024, 10:18 AM
undacuva67i have found no nhra schematic good luck lol but generally this is what i found ... A six-point (dual) sub-strap is mounted a minimum of 20 degrees rearward from perpendicular (drawn to the floor through the sub-strap hole in the seat, immediately in front of the groin.) Two points of attachment should be approximately 4 to 6 inches apart–2 to 3 inches to the right and left of centerline.
https://documents.simpsonracep...tallation-manual.pdfDecember 13, 2024, 01:30 PM
David GerardCrow Racing is almost the same word for word:
https://www.crowsafetygear.com/Pages/Install.htmlDecember 13, 2024, 02:14 PM
Big SteveBased on the way I read the simpson instructions you will need to get a new seat
"Two routing holes in the seat or a special seat mount may be required. Using the 5-Point hole detracts from the effectiveness of this system".
December 17, 2024, 08:13 AM
183NHere’s a diagram I found:
It would be nice if they put out whether a new seat is indeed needed in a dragster. Otherwise I’ll send both belts down the same crotch strap hole and try to spread them out as much as possible under the seat.
December 17, 2024, 09:35 AM
Big SteveWith so many variations in car construction a new seat may not even be possible, I know my PST seat is custom made to fit the chassis. If it is fiberglass I guess you could just glass over the current hole and cut 2 new ones, same with an aluminum seat, weld a patch in and cut 2 new holes. If you have a seat cover then I guess you would have to get a new one made so it looks nice
December 18, 2024, 08:38 AM
AZBased on the photo I would have to spread my legs wider than the inside of the dragster to get 2 belts up thru my crotch at that width.
December 18, 2024, 02:04 PM
CURTIS REEDI've been running these for 4 to 5 years now in my roadster. It's not that big of a deal other than having to add mounts if you have a nice powder coated chassis.
____________________________
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December 20, 2024, 11:48 AM
Paul S/Qwe put 7 way belts in our 22' Miller T/D when it was new ...rumors of this coming have been around for at least that long ...so if Crow "just heard about it " they've had their head buried in the sand ..
December 20, 2024, 12:19 PM
BP758quote:
Originally posted by Paul S/Q:
we put 7 way belts in our 22' Miller T/D when it was new ...rumors of this coming have been around for at least that long ...so if Crow "just heard about it " they've had their head buried in the sand ..
I’m sure the association didn't advise those who aren’t putting into the system. Can’t blame Crow or any of the others who build gear.
Kudos to those forward thinkers regarding safety.
California Screaming!
Raceless in California!
December 20, 2024, 12:47 PM
David Gerardquote:
Originally posted by Paul S/Q:
so if Crow "just heard about it " they've had their head buried in the sand ..
We even talked to our Division Director right before sending ours in and he said that there were no new rules that he was aware of, so I guess he had his head in the sand too!
Rumors and a dime will buy you a very cheap cup of coffee!
BTW: CROW took really good care of us on replacing the single center belt with the new double.