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As if that weren't enough, a new designation and category
will be created for the awe-inspiring SS/A Automatic and SS/A
(manually shifted) 1968 Hemi-powered Plymouth Barracudas and
Dodge Darts. Dubbed Super Stock/A Hemi, the class will include
both automatic and manual entries, increasing the number of
cars eligible for the Hemi Showdown held at the U.S. Nationals
and NHRA Sportsnational events, since only automatics were
previously allowed. In fairness, many Mopar events around
the country have used this formula for over a decade. However,
the announcement is cryptic in that the class will use
the same weight break that the SS/AA class has for many years,
6.00 pounds per cubic inch, and will have the same index as
the current
SS/AA class yet it offers no information as to which
cars will now populate the original SS/A and SS/AA categories.
Other than a handful of machines based on the Hemi-powered
1964 Plymouth Savoy, no other cars ever produced fit into
the 6.00-pounds-per-horsepower classification.
To top it all off, NHRA has allowed all cars in all Super
Stock and Stock classes the option of falling into one class
above or below the vehicle's "natural class." With
the exception of the SS/AH cars, all drivers now have the
ability to move within the ranks, at will, to a more advantageous
class index.
GENERAL REGULATIONS
Effective Jan. 1, 2006, where a Snell-rated helmet is
required in NHRA competition, the Snell 90 helmets will no
longer be allowed.
— Translation: Your Snell 90 helmet is now junk.
Any vehicle that runs faster than 135 mph must meet minimum
requirements for 9.99-second vehicles, which include an NHRA
chassis certification, NHRA competition license, and updated
safety requirements.
— Translation: After all the years you avoided having
to buy the safety equipment for a 9.99 or quicker machine
because your fast street car wouldn't hook up on street tires,
you now must pay.
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The
Protective Clothing section states which jacket and/or pants
are needed for 10.00 and slower and 9.99 and quicker supercharged,
turbocharged, or nitrous-equipped cars, with or without a
full OEM or .024-inch steel firewall.
— Translation: ...and you're going to be buying more
stuff, too.
Plastic brackets to secure bottles filled with nitrous
oxide are prohibited.
— Translation: To the three guys who still used plastic
brackets...get your act together.
Four-wheel-drive is permitted per class requirements;
four-wheel-drive vehicles running quicker than 9.99 are prohibited.
— To all the DSM guys who've spent $1 million dollars
each, we have no idea where this one came from.
During competition, NHRA prohibits the use of a portable
computer while the vehicle is in operation. Such items as
a laptop, PDA, Palm Pilot, programmer, and the like may not
be installed or located in a vehicle at any point beyond the
staging-area ready line. All functions or values must be preset
prior to this point.
— If this rule is enforced at local NHRA Member Tracks,
they can kiss ninety percent of their Grudge Night business
goodbye.
Those are the highlights of the rules revisions. Let the
rebuilding and buying begin. 
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