Clay's "Disqualified" video (1 Viewer)

[Marchboom]

I’m aware of the definition, Alan. Could be argued that all parts on a car fit that description too, since everything adds weight.

I don't know how you can possibly consider all parts on a car "ballast". Semantics has nothing to do with this. As said above by Randy Goodwin ballast is, "Anything on a race car which serves no useful purpose, except to increase the weight of the car, in order to balance it or make minimum weight for the class it's participating in." On most race cars if the item is not necessary to make it run OR to comply with the safety rules and class rules, it's not on the car. As we all know extra weight slows down a car.

The NHRA needs to take a serious look at the wording in their rule book. And how they deal out notifications and punishment.

 

[Randy]

Speaking of minimum weight....Funny story.

Anyone that knows me knows I'm "dimensionally challenged," especially for a race car driver back in the day. I'm 6'4" at 280 pounds, so my car was always about 50 pounds overweight. When I drove my TA/FC years ago I made a run against Lou Gasparrelli in qualifying at Arizona's Speed World Motorplex. While towing through the scales, we followed behind Lou with the body down. Lou himself was about half my weight. He goes first and he and his car are right on the money minimum weight. Then it's my turn. The guy reading the scales in the scale house sticks his head out and yells, "HEY! HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE IN THAT CAR!" Totally out of character for me, I raised the roof hatch and gave him the "Just one," gesture. I came back later and apologized.

True story.

 

[Slowpoke96z28]

If the chassis was damaged enough to have to go to the shop, weight coming out of a legal weight box, that just so happens to be tube shaped, should be considered a weight box failure. The weight box was within the rules with proper thickness, it only failed because of an impact hard enough to damage the chassis, so I don't see the issue. Then to dq all runs, fine money and points (if I understood correctly) is an entirely separate injustice. Seems like the header fairy struck again.

 

[Just Paul]

If the chassis was damaged enough to have to go to the shop, weight coming out of a legal weight box, that just so happens to be tube shaped, should be considered a weight box failure. The weight box was within the rules with proper thickness, it only failed because of an impact hard enough to damage the chassis

Did you watch the video or see the pictures? Must not have obviously. The chassis isn’t bent until the front end slams the ground. The weight clearly fell out while the front end was in the air, before any damage was done, so your theory is completely inaccurate.

 

[Butch]

Clay's weight box/tube was designed for weights that are disc similar to a hocky Puk with a threaded rod going through the center.
NOT a bag of lead shot, that's why the bag fell out of the end of the tube when the chassis went up.