Volume IX, Issue 3, Page 15

Reaction to NHRA’s new Sportsman oil down policy

03/09/07

I had another column planned for this month, but luckily I was running behind and got to make a last minute ‘audible’ when the latest NHRA oil down penalties were posted. It’s time to take a good hard look at this, and wonder, ‘what the hell are they thinking?’

For those of you that may not be familiar with the situation, here’s a quick rundown of the past six months or so. NHRA mandated at the end of last season that all racers in Comp Eliminator will be required to run an SFI 7.2 spec diaper in 2007. Due to the complex nature of nearly every Comp car, every diaper required a custom fit, and the wait list was pretty long with nearly every manufacturer. Certain cars, specifically dry sump equipped, had some very difficult issues, coupled with the wait time, so the implementation date was pushed back to May 1 for all wet sump cars and 2008 for dry sump.

That was up until yesterday when NHRA ‘revised’ their oil down policy. Citing excessive down time due to sportsman oil downs, they have changed their spec on the diaper to “NHRA approved” and “highly recommended to be 7.2” rather than sticking with the 7.2 spec. Added to the mix was that a belly pan can be used in lieu of a restraint. Talk about jerking the racer around. The best was yet to come though.

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In addition to changing the rules, NHRA is implementing a new oil down penalty system that will apply to all sportsman classes. The first time you oil down the track, $250 fine and 5 points. The next time you oil the track (same event), an ADDITIONAL $500 fine and another 10 points. On the third infraction, you are disqualified and lose another 15 points.

Ok, the alcohol classes aside, just how many oil downs from Comp down, are penalties realistically going to deter? Why are penalties being implemented before the diaper/belly pan rule is enforced?

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to realize the latest ruling is more than likely a knee-jerk reaction to a lengthy Comp oil down in Phoenix, where an oil line came apart, causing nearly a two-hour clean up.

I just don’t get where the fines on the first oil down do anything but kick a racer in the gut. Ok, we’ve taken a big step to prevent oil downs with diapers and belly pans. If oil lines are a problem, do like the alcohol cars and make all pressurized oil lines be factory crimped and tested. Analyze the problems and come up with technical solutions to the problem, if realistic.

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