Alan, I appreciate your input on this topic, and I hope you understand I'm not trying dump on NHRA or anybody else just for the heck of it, I just think they need to handle situations like this a little better. Regarding your comment:
Do you think NHRA should issue a statement, or call a press confrence every time there as a failure of some type?
Alan
When its a simple and fundamental component like a wheel stud that failed without any other impact other than acceleration, yes they absolutely should have a standard process, like, I hate to bring them up again, NASCAR follows.
1) Impound the parts that failed before they get lost or mishandled.
2) Issue a statement to the public and the teams that NHRA has impounded the parts and is investigating this problem. Typically done in NASCAR the day after the race.
People on this forum would love this step, as it would prevent threads like this one from goobering up all the much more important silly season discussions (just kidding fellas, I guess). Seriously though, step 2) is important to let the public know they are on top of this problem and care about safety issues in general, it builds a positive perception of the organization instead of a negative one.
3) Either use internal technical resources or if required external tech resources to figure out what happened.
4) Issue a final statement. This could range from a conclusion that it was an isolated incident and no changes are required, to a requirement for a more controlled procedure for torquing and replacing the wheel studs, or possibly a requirement for stronger parts.
Of course it doesn't make sense to do this for every parts breakage that occurs in drag racing, but it does make sense to do it for some, and wheel studs definitely fall in the category.
If the wheel had come off when the car was going faster and had gone into the stands and hurt somebody, would everyone feel that the approach taken so far with the issue was good enough and kept the public informed enough on what was going on to prevent this from happening again?
Paul T.