Pro Stock Penalities after Atlanta

[MHayes]

How many times was that wide eyed video of her played without a word being said by the NHRA?

Hmmmm, maybe because her shield was DOWN!

Alexis Dejoria begins her rookie year in the Patron Toyota - YouTube

 

[MHayes]

I think GA's fine was what Sheriff Buford T Justice would call an "Attention Getter". We can sit here all day and post photos or videos and point fingers ... but NHRA fining GA has put everybody on notice to knock it off, playing around with the safety equipment during/after a run is no longer going to be tolerated. IMO, it is much more effective than putting out a press release. You can bet at Topeka team owners will make sure that visors are down and belts stay buckled so they don't have to eat 5K or more.

As for Rickie's fine, they modified a system without NHRA's approval that they aren't really supposed to be tampering with. That system is in place so it works the same on everyone's car ... Rickie's team tampered with it and it bit them that it activated early in the run, it could have just as easily bit them and not come on at all should he have had an incident and actually needed to use the system. 25K seems steep ... but the message has been sent loud and clear ... do not monkey with NHRA's safety system, even if you are trying to "enhance" it.

Exactly!

 

[Fast16Racer]

NHRA's Glen Gray says GA had been warned, in writing, three previous times. He also said they probably gave him at least one verbal warning before that.

Competition Plus - Drag Racing Magazine - NHRA?S GLEN GRAY ADDRESSES PRO STOCK FINES

 

[my friends call me Zappy]

Could you enlighten us as to what all these infractions may be?

Be glad to sir. Lets see , where to start:

1) when PS/B is on the line and the CC lifts the rear of the bike with the wheelie bars.
2) In P/S when two crewmen lean against a car in the water.
3) also in PS the crew standing in front of a car under power comming at him.
(what could possibly go wrong here??)

4) adjting the wheelie bars on the line. P/S and PS/M

5) P/S being towed with driver NOT in driver seat, but sitting on roll bar.
(About 3 races ago didn't Line run into huis own tow cart cause he coudn"t to the brake in time.??)

5) Both nitro classes are hand pushed to the line.
6 F/C Crewman hanging off the fenders leaning down wiping the rear tires.
(tell me THATS a goo idea)

Now it's been a while but last time I looked at a rule book it said
A DRIVER MUST STAGE THE CAR UNDRER IT'S OWN POWER

All the above are accidents waiting to happen. (imo)

 

[Paul]

Be glad to sir. Lets see , where to start:

1) when PS/B is on the line and the CC lifts the rear of the bike with the wheelie bars.
2) In P/S when two crewmen lean against a car in the water.
3) also in PS the crew standing in front of a car under power comming at him.
(what could possibly go wrong here??)

4) adjting the wheelie bars on the line. P/S and PS/M

5) P/S being towed with driver NOT in driver seat, but sitting on roll bar.
(About 3 races ago didn't Line run into huis own tow cart cause he coudn"t to the brake in time.??)

5) Both nitro classes are hand pushed to the line.
6 F/C Crewman hanging off the fenders leaning down wiping the rear tires.
(tell me THATS a goo idea)

Now it's been a while but last time I looked at a rule book it said
A DRIVER MUST STAGE THE CAR UNDRER IT'S OWN POWER

All the above are accidents waiting to happen. (imo)

The last time I checked none of the items above are against the rules. The crewman don't push the car to the line when staging which is what the rules states. Your beef is with the lack of rules, not any team or driver breaking an existing rule.

 

[MHayes]

The last time I checked none of the items above are against the rules. The crewman don't push the car to the line when staging which is what the rules states. Your beef is with the lack of rules, not any team or driver breaking an existing rule.

The one regarding the P/S crew guys leaning on the car during the burnout is a rules violation, it's just that no one ever does anything about it. I always get a kick out of the crew guys standing there with their ass against the car "acting" like they don't know what they are doing!

BTW, that is in Section 2- Race Procedures - Burnouts. It specifically says "No person is permitted to hold or touch cars during burnouts."

 

[Leebone]

Seems really cut and dry to me. You break the rules, you get fined. Simple as that. Look how many infractions Force has had over the years. He just pays the fines and moves on.

 

[JB3]

NHRA's Glen Gray says GA had been warned, in writing, three previous times. He also said they probably gave him at least one verbal warning before that.

Competition Plus - Drag Racing Magazine - NHRA?S GLEN GRAY ADDRESSES PRO STOCK FINES

Perfect Bill ... Thanks. I stand by my original statement even more now, break rules and be prepared for the consequences no matter how many others may be breaking the same rule. In this case the NHRA bashers on this forum grabbed their torches and pitch forks without knowing any details. GA was defiantly continuing to break a rule after repeated warnings, he got whacked. And deservedly so !!

Chris Cook is dead on ... gotta send a message. Go after the most prominent offender and the others will take notice.

I am done with this discussion ... we got lots of racing coming at us this weekend. Topeka, Norwalk Regional, etc.

 

[chop]

Those dang in car cameras have caused a lot of problems over the years. Remember when P/S cars had pneumatic shifters? Well they were outlawed when a certain P/S driver had an in car camera and had both hands on the steering wheel and the trans changed gears on it's own. It's bad when a driver can't even push a button to change gears.

 

[DrRocket]

I remember an in car camera mounted in Bob Glidden's car the caught him, after crossing the finish line and dumping the laundry, shucking his helmet, tossing into the back, and then shedding the shoulder harness. All while still slowing down from the run. In fact, iffen I remember correctly, it was that footage that caused NHRA to enact the rules we have today.

 

[T.Smith]

Since starting a nitro car is dangerous, maybe NHRA should come up with a rule where you're not allowed to start a nitro burning engine.

 

[my friends call me Zappy]

The one regarding the P/S crew guys leaning on the car during the burnout is a rules violation, it's just that no one ever does anything about it.

BTW, that is in Section 2- Race Procedures - Burnouts. It specifically says "No person is permitted to hold or touch cars during burnouts."

Thank you Mr. Hayes.

 

[None]

Part of the problem may be that there are two rule books. The second would be "The Policy Manual", where the ink is never dry. It can, will, and has been changed by Compton and Light to help or hinder who ever they want.

 

[Fast16Racer]

Since starting a nitro car is dangerous, maybe NHRA should come up with a rule where you're not allowed to start a nitro burning engine.

Some of NHRA's rules/policies don't make much sense to me, like hitting RJ $10K AND points for shutting off the fuel pump via the safety device. I get they broke a rule and it was wrong, but was $10K necessary for a team trying to be more safe?

Rules like leaving all your safety gear on until you are off the track are easy to comply with and make sense. I do it, its not hard. Many accidents happen between the finish line and the turn off when a run is "over". Racing is dangerous, but it is a calculated risk. Taking your gear off early exposes a driver to an injury that could have been easily prevented, IMO.

 

[NGNBLDR]

The one regarding the P/S crew guys leaning on the car during the burnout is a rules violation, it's just that no one ever does anything about it. I always get a kick out of the crew guys standing there with their ass against the car "acting" like they don't know what they are doing!

BTW, that is in Section 2- Race Procedures - Burnouts. It specifically says "No person is permitted to hold or touch cars during burnouts."

Yes, the rule book probably still has that rule in it. At one point it was enforced and the crews did not hold the cars. NHRA has now let the crew guys hold the car in place in the burnout. There are a couple reasons for this, one is that a Pro Stock car can and a lot of times does get pretty sideways in the burnout. That can be caused by several reasons which I don’t need to bore everyone with. Having the car go straight makes the burnout and tracks left down better and safer for the guy standing out front and the NHRA crew. If anyone has ever held a car in place before, would know that the force of the car against you is little to none. You could hold the car and during the burnout push or pull the back end with little to no effort. So the crew guys are not trying to hide it but it only has to be against you to keep it straight. Hopefully that might help shed some lite on the matter.
Nick

 

[Paul]

Thank you Mr. Hayes.

Ok that's one of the laundry list of items you said were against the rules, what about the rest? Also, take a look at Nick's post above about why the NHRA allows it (it's harmless).

 

[MHayes]

Yes, the rule book probably still has that rule in it. At one point it was enforced and the crews did not hold the cars. NHRA has now let the crew guys hold the car in place in the burnout. There are a couple reasons for this, one is that a Pro Stock car can and a lot of times does get pretty sideways in the burnout. That can be caused by several reasons which I don’t need to bore everyone with. Having the car go straight makes the burnout and tracks left down better and safer for the guy standing out front and the NHRA crew. If anyone has ever held a car in place before, would know that the force of the car against you is little to none. You could hold the car and during the burnout push or pull the back end with little to no effort. So the crew guys are not trying to hide it but it only has to be against you to keep it straight. Hopefully that might help shed some lite on the matter.
Nick

Thanks Nick.....and yes, I totally understand why they do it.

 

[TooTall999]

Hmmmm, maybe because her shield was DOWN!

Alexis Dejoria begins her rookie year in the Patron Toyota - YouTube

When I first saw the footage on tv it looked like it was up...my bad!

 

[Reese]

This is just wrong. You see the tree BETTER with the right shield. Different shields for different light conditions. Orange for overcast, clear at night, tinted in the sun, etc. And fogging is a non-issue with a good helmet and some Rain-X. Shields are an advantage, not something to avoid.

Jack Beckman and I spent 20 minutes on this topic. On what shield, and what delay to put into the box on each different light scenario. At night, this, during the day with the sun behind you, that, with the LED bulbs, something else. The guy changed his delay by thousandths based on the angle of the sun...

There is just no excuse for this behavior. They should all be fined.

Yes they should all be fined and I bet NHRA will make sure they got the message too. Also this is just something I noticed while watching the super classes or at least most of the dragsters and roadsters.

 

[Nick Name]

When I first saw the footage on tv it looked like it was up...my bad!

She flips it up at the end. Is she on the return road by then?