NHRA ANNOUNCES ADDITIONAL CHANGES

NHRA officials notified Top Fuel and Funny Car teams, July 9, of a minimum tire pressure for rear tires beginning at the Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals in Denver, and the formation of a task force to evaluate and recommend short-term and long-term performance parameters. In addition, NHRA announced a change to the nitromethane/ methanol mix starting at the CARQUEST Auto Parts NHRA Nationals in Seattle.

Last week, a new Goodyear tire was introduced for Top Fuel and Funny Car competitors and NHRA required roll cage shielding for all Top Fuel dragsters. Beginning in Denver,

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and in addition to those changes, the minimum tire pressure, as recommended by Goodyear, for rear tires will be 7 PSI for Top Fuel and 6.5 PSI for Funny Car.

NHRA also announced it will form a task force comprised of professional Top Fuel and Funny Car team owners, crew chiefs and NHRA officials. The objective of the task force is to evaluate and recommend short-term and long-term performance parameters for the Top Fuel and Funny Car categories. The task force will be facilitated by Don Taylor, senior director of national technical operations at NHRA, along with Graham Light, senior vice president, NHRA, and chairman of the NHRA Competition Committee, and Ray Alley, director of Top Fuel and Funny Car Racing.

Beginning in Seattle, NHRA announced that the maximum percentage of nitromethane/ methanol mixture used in the Top Fuel and Funny Car categories will be reduced from 90 percent to 85 percent. Other possible changes are expected in the near future.

This is the first time that we know of that Goodyear has recommended tire pressures. DRO congratulates NHRA for its swift action addressing these problems, and for bringing the racers into the discussion. [7-9-2004]

PRO MOD RULES FOR 2005 NHRA SERIES

DRO has been getting calls from frantic racers and car builders inquiring about Pro Mod rules for the proposed new series being put together by AMS honcho Dave Wood and the Lipar Group's Tom Lipar with help from Oakley's Jim Jannard. There have been all kinds of rumors floating around about screw blowers, turbocharging, weight penalties, etc. People have been canceling cars or putting off building cars based on rumors so DRO made a few calls to gather what facts were available about a series that doesn't even yet exist.

We called Pro Mod mover and shaker and friend of DRO Kenny Nowling and he gave DRO the following quote. "Currently there are NO RULES! If and when we get a deal put together with NHRA or whomever we will then form a committee of team owners, engine builders, chassis builders and sponsors and come up with some rules."

So, bearing in mind that the absolute soonest NHRA could put their signature to and agreement would be at the upcoming Denver race as well as their past track record in dealing with Pro Mod, the odds are that radical rule changes for 2005 probably won't happen. DRO's best guess is that in all probability there will be a new minimum weight for blown cars but beyond that, due to the lack of time, radical changes would have to wait until 2006. [7-9-2004]