The battery gets transported in a battery box in my tow vehicle

Quick disconnect and it takes less then a min.

Nice

How many of you can shut the engine ignition, fuel off and pull the parachute blindfolded?

quote:

How many of you can shut the engine ignition, fuel off and pull the parachute blindfolded?

i can

Im fairly certain I had to shut car down blindfolded as part of my licensing. Its been a couple years.

Couple things I have seen too often as a track owner for 15 years, racer for almost 50 years are:
1.Safety harness not pulled tight (helmets and body can reach roll bars and head and neck injuries.)

2.Warming cars up or "testing the transbrake" etc on floor jack but NO JACKSTANDS..Please don't do that, it could be your family you run over.

3. Throttles sticking and "panic" sets in. Please practice what you would do if that happens.

4. Wish list- Master disconnect within driver's reach on every race vehicle (street cars excluded). Easy to do with a 12V electric solenoid master disconnect like a 100 or 200 amp RV solenoid.

5. If you have a MSD Grid you can program a Safety Rev Limiter. It takes engine down to a certain RPM so many seconds after you leave the line. 10 second car, you can set the RPM to 3000 at 11 seconds. Throttle sticks, lets say, the engine will be slowed down by the Rev Limiter to the 3000 RPM even if throttle is stuck and maybe you hot the wall in shut down and knocked out. Much better than throttle hanging open until it disassembles itself.

Just a couple ideas from an old racer who is still turning on win lights as safely as I can.

Be safe out there!

Jok

Know what is at the end of the track. Don't assume.

One thing I never understood after dirt racing for 2 decades before hitting the strip is wearing only a fire jacket wear the whole damn suit.

Also I know nhra allows m rated helmets but please get sa rated the difference is fire retardant materials in the helmet.

Sometimes I think the no drivin no timin facebook live guy in the other lane is the biggest threat....

Look guys often it is more dangerous TOWING to the races than racing. People pull out in front of you, cut you off, slam on brakes etc and big truck and trailer does not stop like our cars do. Even a tire blowout on your truck can be a handful.

Just be careful, have an emergency plan and back up plan. Think. Plan ahead. Plus we have to accept a little risk and responsibility for what we do. Make it as safe as possible and go for it.

quote:

Originally posted by adv ET 266:
How many of you can shut the engine ignition, fuel off and pull the parachute blindfolded?

I installed an aircraft style dead switch in our cars. I can be completely blinded and just sweep for it with my hand in an emergency and it shuts the car down completely. I do not use it for anything else - I want that switch fresh and ready if it's needed.

And if I can add to Toad's list - roll bar padding. Lay your arm down on your workbench, now take a piece of 1 5/8" steel tubing and give it a nice whack! That's what it feels like contacting that piece of tube with no padding on it.

Further on the shut car down fast and in the dark, I was thinking more it terms of a stuck throttle. I know rare but when it occurs it can be unforgiving on the top end.
-Parachute and brakes first
-IGN switch next
-Fuel last and that could be a Morris cable pull if a mechanical driven pump is used.

You absolutely need to be in autopilot when and if this happens.
Practice the sequence and when down pat, get good at in in the dark.

Happen to me, with no top end track lights and pitch black night. Totaled the long car and was just luck I didn’t get hurt beyond repair.
A hard item to convince many, until you’re the one. After all many are smarter or better.

My throttle stuck once from my scoop tray pivoting sideways.

It was the first week out with a Terminator
Had one nozzle plugged and was on 7 cylinders
I didn't know it at the time and ran it anyway
Was off 8-10 mph and going 162-163
My scoop tray is held on by a custom made retainer but was made for use with a carburetor and with a Terminator there was nothing preventing the scoop and tray from pivoting sideways and it did after a number of runs...

I did not panic but it was scary none the less.....I had a couple seconds to decide what to do and pulled my fuel shutoff after being a little undecided what to do at first. The engine shut right down and I had no problem getting off the track safely...

I fixed the tray so it was attached to the Terminator with bolts and could not pivot.

I think the right thing to do first is to shift to neutral if you have a safety reverse style trans brake.....let the engine hit the rev limiter until you can kill the ignition or battery

On my car now I have a Grid with the safety shutdown and I have it set and it works....

On my car I added dual separate brakes and a diaper from day one.....

when our daughter first started driving in the dragster, she was at Scotty's school. One thing he told her was if something was to hang, click into neutral. Gives a bit of time to think and act. His reasoning was the engine has a limiter anyway, and even if the engine was damaged, her health and life are worth more than the engine.

quote:

Originally posted by TD6297:
when our daughter first started driving in the dragster, she was at Scotty's school. One thing he told her was if something was to hang, click into neutral. Gives a bit of time to think and act. His reasoning was the engine has a limiter anyway, and even if the engine was damaged, her health and life are worth more than the engine.

That is my thinking, should throttle stick hit ignition, fuel, parachute and if it still going throw it in neutral and let engine go. Hopefully the rev limiter will shut it off before it blows. Regardless blown motor is better than crashed car and hurt driver.

Have a plan for an emergency and know what to do. Like others said be able to do it in the dark and emergency.

Ed, thanks for continuing spreading the word of golf cart batteries and removal. I still preach myself......I hope no one ever has to go through that.......Happy New Year to all......Howie

Happy New Year Howie

quote:

Originally posted by barnym17:
One thing I never understood after dirt racing for 2 decades before hitting the strip is wearing only a fire jacket wear the whole damn suit.

Or the guys that wear the suit but skip the gloves. Usually it’s a NT guy that’s guilty of it. If it caught on fire, I’d want my hands protected to get me out!