New rule amendments released 3/25 and effective immediately:

Head and Neck Restraint for all cars over 150 MPH or faster or 7.49 or quicker.

Also a couple Pro Stock Bike and Nitro amendments.

https://www.nhraracer.com/cont...eid=72754&zoneid=132

Gonna be a lot of people scrambling. I guess I can be thankful that my kids just aged out of juniors so I have a couple nice ones laying around.

I thought that's what it was already for the last many years??? Honestly, I think they should be required for any car that requires a chassis tag and competition license......And HIGHLY recommended for all others....there is no downside to wearing one...NONE......

Did not see a note but know TA/D had to go to one-piece suits also. Well the A/Fuel guys not sure what the one guy with blower is required to wear.LOL

Wow! Way to wait for the last minute! I wonder if there’s enough stock out there for everyone that will need to get one in a short time frame.

Really doesn’t make sense that they’d release this now. It’s already been the rule for faster than 7.49. Maybe they mean 150 in the 1/8? If they mean 1/4 that’s going to affect a whole lot of people.

quote:

Originally posted by Coloradoracer:
I thought that's what it was already for the last many years??? Honestly, I think they should be required for any car that requires a chassis tag and competition license......And HIGHLY recommended for all others....there is no downside to wearing one...NONE......

There is one down side for the cheap ass people that have a hard time spending the money, is buying one.

I do not have any problems with the Head and Neck restraint rule but it is rather stupid to implement it effective immediately.

Rules like that should be done at end of season effective at start of next season so people have time to prepare. Luckily Head and Neck Restraints are fairly cheap and easy to get. Give them a little time to shop around and see what fits best and feels most comfortable for them.

How well do the restraints work with loose as hell seatbelts?

Effective 1-1-2024

Not really a surprise since it was rumored to be coming a while ago....

quote:

Originally posted by wideopen231:
How well do the restraints work with loose as hell seatbelts?

The idiots that do this will find out the hard way....Always amazed me how people will do as little as possible to meet the rules, yet will scream bloody murder when something goes wrong....I know of drivers that have the "I've done it this way for years, never had a problem" syndrome...some have their belts so loose they can almost put them on without undoing the buckle....just slide under them. Here's hoping they never wreck...not that wrecks ever happen in drag racing, we only go in a straight line for a few seconds, right?????

quote:

Originally posted by SCDIV1:
Effective 1-1-2024

Not really a surprise since it was rumored to be coming a while ago....

They must have made an amendment to the amendment, since I did a direct copy/paste last night and there was no future date reference.

That does make more sense, just from a timing perspective.

My seat belts are always tight as can be, my seat itself is tight around my shoulders and My arm restraints are set so I can move but not go out of cage.

I have not seen it much lately but there used to be a bunch of guys who would wear those nylon pants when racing. That is worse than wearing shorts. Those pants are flammable and once they start burning really hard to put them out. And the scars from them when they melt and burn you are terrible.

Just have to shake your head at some stupid stuff people do.

If the head restraint rule is effective 1/1/2024 that makes more sense.

8.90 @ 148 gonna be the new rage in S/C

quote:

Originally posted by wideopen231:
How well do the restraints work with loose as hell seatbelts?

A number of years ago a local racer in an altered lost it on the top end. Known for wearing belts loose for a good look at the finish line. He lived for long enough to get to the hospital. They said his organs were all beat up and no way to stop all the bleeding. You give your body a head start hitting those belts repeatedly, and they will mess you up.

I've worn a neck collar since the early 2000's. I feel safer in my car going down the track at 150 mph than I do in my daily driver going down the highway at 60-70 mph.

quote:

Originally posted by AlkyIROC:
I've worn a neck collar since the early 2000's. I feel safer in my car going down the track at 150 mph than I do in my daily driver going down the highway at 60-70 mph.

Only thing is, neck collars do absolutely nothing to support the head, believe it or not. They are for fire mitigation and nothing else....There is no substitute for a good HANS type device, period....I won't race without one... But I do agree with the last statement, I feel safer in my car at 180+ than driving to work.....

I often feel it is almost as dangerous towing to the track as it is racing. People pull out in front of you and you can not change lanes or stop very quickly.

Thing is at speeds we race it could get ugly if you ever do crash. Hopefully you will never need the Head and Neck restraint but if you do it just could save your life.

How is 2024 immediately ?

quote:

Originally posted by Coloradoracer:
I thought that's what it was already for the last many years??? Honestly, I think they should be required for any car that requires a chassis tag and competition license......And HIGHLY recommended for all others....there is no downside to wearing one...NONE......

I get your point, but that is also a slippery and expensive slope to go down. I said long ago that the occurrence of the types of crashes and injuries and deaths that haans devices mitigate is low over the history of our sport. Glancing blows are what we usually see. But when you do get one, it can be what saves a life. But we can use this to require 5 layer suits for more of the racers and even ****pit canopies. This is not an argument against haans. Our sanctioning bodies will and should be safety proactive, and my son and I both wear them. I just don't want the "no downside" argument to lead us down a path that a lot of racers just don't need nor want.

A assume this is NHRA. Every track has a few Darwin Award Contestants thinking safety equipment was optional. Seen loose belts on a few idiots often. This is good rule and should save some families from loss of their loved one or nightmare of dealing with a quadriplegic for ever.