NHRA Lifts Ban on Drag Racing Factory 9-Second Cars Without a Cage
Cars like the Dodge Challenger SRT Demon and Tesla Model S Plaid have famously been prohibited from competing—until now.
www.thedrive.com
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Good or Bad?
- Thread starter Cliff
- Start date
www.thedrive.com
I am a little surprised.
Personally I don't think it is a good idea, although it MAY help keep them from racing on the streets.
Not having a cage in the car, and the possibility of a crash at those speeds scares the $hit out of me.
Whats next, a "factory" built super gas car running without a cage?
Personally I don't think it is a good idea, although it MAY help keep them from racing on the streets.
Not having a cage in the car, and the possibility of a crash at those speeds scares the $hit out of me.
Whats next, a "factory" built super gas car running without a cage?
The other way to look at it is, people buying these cars aren't installing roll bars and wearing helmets to street race, so if they take it to the track instead, that's a positive.
Dragracer
Nitro Member
It's a great idea until something real bad happens and someone gets injured. I thought NHRA was the sanctioning that has always put safety first like early on with the Safety Safari. I guess as time goes by some of the old GOOD ideas aren't a big deal anymore.
"REAL BAD IDEA" So I guess the COPO Camaro and Dodges really don't need the Safety equipment they have?
"REAL BAD IDEA" So I guess the COPO Camaro and Dodges really don't need the Safety equipment they have?
ironpony
Nitro Member
the cars today are a lot safer than in the past with airbags, traction control etc.
There is also a point where roll cages are required, going this fast at the track is still a lot safer than the street. And if you crash you may only kill yourself not any spectators.
The new ruleset was announced on Tuesday, March 1. It states that 2008 model year and later production cars that are plated and run DOT tires can now run as fast as 10 seconds in the quarter-mile (or 6.4 seconds in the eighth) at up to 135 mph—so long as they retain all their factory safety equipment. Model years 2014 and up are allowed to go even quicker, down to nine seconds flat in the quarter (or 5.65 seconds in the eighth) at up to 150 mph
The cars of today are much safer than the cars of yesteryear. All of the crash testing they've done and the advancements in crumple zones, air bags, etc. is much, much better than the vehicles of the past. I have a 2017 Audi A6 that runs in the 12s (I'm in Denver). I'll take my Audi with 14 air bags, anti lock brakes, AWD, etc. over a '68 Camaro with no air bags, drum brakes, and a roll cage any day of the week.
That’s what has me confused about this. Yes, today’s cars have all kinds of driver aids. What is not taken into account is the quality of the driver.
Sure, they might have a car that runs high 9s. But, can the driver actually handle the car? Too many times we’ve all seen results of having too much car and not enough driver.
So, who ends up getting sued when somebody wads up their car, or somebody else’s, because they couldn’t handle the car, NHRA or the manufacturer, or both?
n/a
Nitro Member
Ted stated; So, who ends up getting sued when somebody wads up their car, or somebody else’s, because they couldn’t handle the car, NHRA or the manufacturer, or both?
First thing I thought of is that maybe the insurance carrier had something to say about where the limit is for non-caged cars.
First thing I thought of is that maybe the insurance carrier had something to say about where the limit is for non-caged cars.
Wonder how the 1020hp Tesla Plaid fits in, which other than the multimillion dollar exotics like the Chiron is the only factory street car capable of over 150mph in the quarter mile that I'm aware of. Lift a little early, I guess, which is what Plaid owners have been doing already.
Dragracer
Nitro Member
The Plaid and the Chiron did identical quarter mile times. I think NHRA needs to take a long hard look at what they have done by this change. Performance statistics on all cars are available so I hope NHRA takes a look at them before it lets a car run.
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nedannouncer
Nitro Member
With nearly a year of work on this including data and input from OEMs “a long hard look” has been taken.
“Dumb dumb dumb” is actually the attitude that someone woke up on a Monday and this was made to happen by the end of the week.
The degradation of factory safety engineering that occurs when a modern car is caged is significant.
Crashing a 2021 Mustang is not the same as crashing a 1965 Mustang. Most of the takes on this site are hilarious, but this one really goes the extra mile.
“Dumb dumb dumb” is actually the attitude that someone woke up on a Monday and this was made to happen by the end of the week.
The degradation of factory safety engineering that occurs when a modern car is caged is significant.
Crashing a 2021 Mustang is not the same as crashing a 1965 Mustang. Most of the takes on this site are hilarious, but this one really goes the extra mile.
nedannouncer
Nitro Member
As the resident guy who knows every problem, deficiency, failure, missed turn, and nefarious activity ever perpetrated by the NHRA in the history of drag racing, you seem far more capable of answering that question than I.
Luke Nieuwhof
Nitro Member
As well as better safety standards, modern cars are also far better handling. 150mph in a straight line is not a precarious situation, especially in a controlled environment.
If things do go pear shaped, most of the incidents I have seen with modern vehicles show them sliding rather than rolling. And then it is up to the safety equipment, where airbags and crumple zones will handle a big hit on the wall.
There are some seriously ill handling drag racing vehicles out there, much more prone to an accident. I don’t think we need to pearl clutch about modern vehicles - unfortunately a lot of the response (especially on Facebook) seems to be based around envy rather than rational thought.
If things do go pear shaped, most of the incidents I have seen with modern vehicles show them sliding rather than rolling. And then it is up to the safety equipment, where airbags and crumple zones will handle a big hit on the wall.
There are some seriously ill handling drag racing vehicles out there, much more prone to an accident. I don’t think we need to pearl clutch about modern vehicles - unfortunately a lot of the response (especially on Facebook) seems to be based around envy rather than rational thought.
Check this out from Dragzine...
More money than brains...
A signed waiver. Probably not. ("Outlaw" track)
Sliding. Not rolling, yes.
Uneducated driver. Yes
Lucky he was not hurt.
More money than brains...
A signed waiver. Probably not. ("Outlaw" track)
Sliding. Not rolling, yes.
Uneducated driver. Yes
Lucky he was not hurt.
Nick Name
Nitro Member
Didn't even try to turn into the slide. Probably never been in a sliding car before.
