No helmet required?
Thread Starter
Race Director
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From: Phila PA, Bonita Springs FL
No helmet required?
In refenence to the track where the National Challenge was held:
I find it UNFAMTHOMABLE that a track in this day & age with modern cars running, does NOT require helmets to be worn!
That being said, NHL goalies in the 60's & early 70's were NOT required to wear face masks either..
Both of the above, just incredible & unbelievable..
Discuss....
I find it UNFAMTHOMABLE that a track in this day & age with modern cars running, does NOT require helmets to be worn!
That being said, NHL goalies in the 60's & early 70's were NOT required to wear face masks either..
Both of the above, just incredible & unbelievable..
Discuss....
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From: Former NCM Drag Racing coordinator, National director Corvette Challenge Spring Hill, Tennessee: Whiting, New Jersey
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Ellis at my pre race drivers meeting I discussed all the safety issues and told everyone that the track was not going to enforce any safety equipment untill 11.50. That was the track rules. I suggested that everyone wear a helmet but we are dealing with grown men not kids and I wasn't at that time going to over rule the track, I didn't have that kind of power then but I do now.
So The good side of all this is that is that the driver is OK.
I have taken a position and the NCM has agreed that all future NCM drag racing events helmets will be required reguardless of the tracks position on this matter.
So the next NCM event at Beach Bend will be in July and helmets will be required.
So The good side of all this is that is that the driver is OK.
I have taken a position and the NCM has agreed that all future NCM drag racing events helmets will be required reguardless of the tracks position on this matter.
So the next NCM event at Beach Bend will be in July and helmets will be required.
Last edited by mackeyred96; May 27, 2006 at 11:19 PM.
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From: Boynton Beach Florida
St. Jude Donor '07-'12, '20
Mackey i'm glad to see the NCM has now decided that the participants must wear helmets at future events. 
Fortunately at all my events I do have the power!
None of my guy's or gal's ever get's on the track without a helmet, regardless of the time they run. I explain it very simply, I would much rather you mess up your hair and be upset at me for that, than have to go see a loved one and tell them I did not require you to wear a safety device and something terrible happened. If you don't have a helmet you don't race. This is not a track rule it's a Bob/Corvette Challenge Rule. 
Bob
Fortunately at all my events I do have the power!
None of my guy's or gal's ever get's on the track without a helmet, regardless of the time they run. I explain it very simply, I would much rather you mess up your hair and be upset at me for that, than have to go see a loved one and tell them I did not require you to wear a safety device and something terrible happened. If you don't have a helmet you don't race. This is not a track rule it's a Bob/Corvette Challenge Rule. Bob
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From: Former NCM Drag Racing coordinator, National director Corvette Challenge Spring Hill, Tennessee: Whiting, New Jersey
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Originally Posted by 16Again
Mackey i'm glad to see the NCM has now decided that the participants must wear helmets at future events.
Bob
Bob
We had a long talk on this at the NCM on friday and we will be setting more of our own standards.
And now in my new position at Drag Racing co-ordinator for the NCM I now have the power.
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From: Boynton Beach Florida
St. Jude Donor '07-'12, '20
Originally Posted by YO-EL
As a somewhat newbie to the sport, I've never heard of a no helmet rule..
Only a roll bar limit rule..
Only a roll bar limit rule..
Last edited by 16Again; May 28, 2006 at 11:27 AM.
Team Owner
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From: Former NCM Drag Racing coordinator, National director Corvette Challenge Spring Hill, Tennessee: Whiting, New Jersey
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Originally Posted by YO-EL
As a somewhat newbie to the sport, I've never heard of a no helmet rule..
Only a roll bar limit rule..
Only a roll bar limit rule..
Ellis, it's a different world here compaired to other tracks.
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From: Boynton Beach Florida
St. Jude Donor '07-'12, '20
Originally Posted by mackeyred96
We had a long talk on this at the NCM on friday and we will be setting more of our own standards.
And now in my new position at Drag Racing co-ordinator for the NCM I now have the power.
And now in my new position at Drag Racing co-ordinator for the NCM I now have the power.
Every cloud has a silver lining.
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Race Director
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From: The Top of Utah
NHRA requires a helmet for any car (except "dune-buggy-type vehicles")running 13.99 and quicker. For our cars, if running 14.00 or slower, a helmet is the driver's option, per NHRA. Other sanctioning bodies and individual tracks may have different rules.
RACE ON!!!
RACE ON!!!
Race Director
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From: State of Confusion
Originally Posted by CFI-EFI
NHRA requires a helmet for any car (except "dune-buggy-type vehicles")running 13.99 and quicker. For our cars, if running 14.00 or slower, a helmet is the driver's option, per NHRA. Other sanctioning bodies and individual tracks may have different rules.
RACE ON!!!
RACE ON!!!
Drifting
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Originally Posted by YO-EL
As a somewhat newbie to the sport, I've never heard of a no helmet rule..
Only a roll bar limit rule..
Only a roll bar limit rule..
Race Director
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From: State of Confusion
Originally Posted by kazman
Come up to Maple Grove, 14.0 and slower ...no helmet required. I can take my 14.8 Formula 'vert and run Pro against 9 second cars and I don't need a helmet. IMO everyone should put on a helmet. I even been known to put on the firejacket running 96mph against 140mph Pro cars. But hey don't dare run the 'vette ragtop quicker than 13.50. I had to detune the car from dead stock to slow it down. I guess I shouldn't complain the old 'vert rollbar rule was 13.99.
3-2A/1 jacket in a barely 12.80-ET / 106-MPH car:
there IS no such-thing as over-kill regarding safety.
Thread Starter
Race Director
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From: Phila PA, Bonita Springs FL
Like I said earlier, just try to imagine goalies without face masks.
Drag racing without helmets?>>
I just can''t understand the logic, no matter WHAT the ET is.....
Drag racing without helmets?>>
I just can''t understand the logic, no matter WHAT the ET is.....
Team Owner
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From: SE NY
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Common guys like you've never pushed your Vette to over a buck on the highway or twisties sans helmet, etc and done it for well over 12-14sec...
We all know that the drag strip is far safer than the open road or twisties as it is a straight-line event on a very well prepared surface.
Indeed we (as a nation) have gotten overly safety conscious thanks to good old Rahphie the Nager. Gees when will they require 6 air bags in 1/4 mile racing; we all know how safe they would make racing...
We all know that the drag strip is far safer than the open road or twisties as it is a straight-line event on a very well prepared surface.
Indeed we (as a nation) have gotten overly safety conscious thanks to good old Rahphie the Nager. Gees when will they require 6 air bags in 1/4 mile racing; we all know how safe they would make racing...
Race Director
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From: Melbourne Florida
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I can understand both sides of this issue...I firmly believe in following the letter of the law for the sanctioning body of the track I am running at even though they are sometimes arbitrary for liability purposes only...I am also not a particilar fan of superceding these rules "just because"...
If two racers have 15 second cars and one chooses to wear a helmet and one not, both within the rules, it is a personal choice...I have no problem with this...
If two racers have 15 second cars and one chooses to wear a helmet and one not, both within the rules, it is a personal choice...I have no problem with this...
Race Director
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From: State of Confusion
Originally Posted by Fuzzy Dice
I can understand both sides of this issue...I firmly believe in following the letter of the law for the sanctioning body of the track I am running at even though they are sometimes arbitrary for liability purposes only...I am also not a particilar fan of superceding these rules "just because"...
If two racers have 15 second cars and one chooses to wear a helmet and one not, both within the rules, it is a personal choice...I have no problem with this...
If two racers have 15 second cars and one chooses to wear a helmet and one not, both within the rules, it is a personal choice...I have no problem with this...
Hell, they didn't come-CLOSE to following the bare-minimum rules.
What we have is a racer with 25 years of experience (i.e. - should KNOW-better ), making a pass without a helmet in a car that will easily run quick-enough to require one (after 25 years, he didn't KNOW how quick a Z06 is? ), at an NHRA-sanctioned track that hosts the NHRA SPORTSNationals and a Lucas Oil Sportsman Series event (i.e. - THEY should know the rules, TOO ):
if this crash had a different outcome, and lawsuit been brought against the track, insurance carrier, or NHRA, it could've effected how (or IF ) we all, who DO follow the existing safety-specs, race in the future.
It is said that "accidents-happen" :
'this' wasn't one of those times.....
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From: Somers NY
Originally Posted by kazman
Come up to Maple Grove, 14.0 and slower ...no helmet required. I can take my 14.8 Formula 'vert and run Pro against 9 second cars and I don't need a helmet.
Not looking too Good For Him
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From: Melbourne Florida
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I agree with you Glen but I was speaking in general terms, not about this particular incident...we have all been to private track rentals (which this was) and, regardless of the sanctioning body, the rules were "relaxed" to say the least...
I hear ya JP...drag racers live with the possibility that on any run the opponent can cross over and whack them...some folks wear safety equipment over and above the requirements for just that reason...once again, it's a personal choice...
I hear ya JP...drag racers live with the possibility that on any run the opponent can cross over and whack them...some folks wear safety equipment over and above the requirements for just that reason...once again, it's a personal choice...
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From: State of Confusion
Originally Posted by Red96Coupe
Dumb question... in the above example.. lets say the 14.xx sec car leave the line...all is going well... he is at the 1000' line, & hear comes the 9 sec car at almost 140 mph... & gets out of shape & crosses into HIS LANE (14.00) If the 14 sec car get hit at 140 mph the driver only has a factory seat belt Not looking too Good For Him
Not looking too Good For Him the only alternative is to make what is mandatory for the 9-second car mandatory on the 14-second car.