Now we’re into the really quick cars, those running from 9.00 to 9.99 seconds in the quarter. These cars are blazingly fast and capable of speeds approaching 150 mph. Significant improvements must be made to the car in order to step into the 9-second zone. Foremost among these is a rollcage. The cage must be constructed of mild-steel tubing at least 15/8 inch in diameter, with .120-inch wall thickness. It can also be chrome-moly tubing of .083-inch wall thickness with a total of eight attachment points. These eight points refer to the placement of the cage surrounding the driver, including the two rear support bars. NHRA does not require bars that run forward to the front suspension, although many cage designs include them. All cars running 9.99 or quicker must have the cage certified by NHRA and have the NHRA certification sticker attached to the cage.
Attached to the cage is a window net to keep the driver’s arms inside the car. The driver must also wear a neck collar and fireproof clothing meeting an SFI spec. Additional requirements include an NHRA competition license, an external electrical shutoff and a flexplate/automatic transmission shield. If your car can run over 150 mph in the quarter, as many of these cars do, then NHRA also requires a parachute to help slow the car down. Now that we’ve primed the pump, your best bet is to obtain a 1995 NHRA Rulebook for $10 and carefully read the E.T. Bracket General Regulations section. The Rulebook specifies exactly what will be required depending upon your car’s e.t. capability. Drag racing with fast street cars is tons of fun. It’s even better when you do it safely.
