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NHRA
rules for drag racing
When you talk about drag racing, the National Hod Rod Association is the place to begin. Unless an oval event comes into consideration -- which is more like your typical NASCAR or Indy Car race -- the NHRA has it all: the types of cars you're going to see, the kinds of trucks and the myriad of motorcycles. After looking at the variety of mechanical differences in the vehicles competing in the sport, and then looking at the differences in talent level of the drivers, the NHRA established more than 220 individual classifications for the 1998 season. While local tracks can establish their own guidelines for bracket competition, regulations for the 12 basic categories are strictly governed by the NHRA -- the world's largest motorsports sanctioning body. These 13 categories are Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock, Pro Stock Truck, Pro Stock Motorcycle, Federal-Mogul Dragster, Federal-Mogul Funny Car, Competition, Super Stock, Stock, Super Comp, Super Gas and Super Street.
But, to make it simple, Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock, Pro Stock Truck
and Pro Stock Motorcycle comprise the five professional categories of
NHRA competition. Those categories feature a single type of race car or
motorcycle.
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This
is drag racing's top-of-the-line category. These 5,500-horsepower, nitromethane-burning
dragsters are the quickest-accelerating machines on earth. They are powered
by supercharged, custom-built, 500-cubic-inch engines mounted behind the
driver and are capable of covering a quarter-mile from a standing start
in less than five seconds at 300-plus mph. Entering the 1998 season, the
quickest and fastest runs are 4.558 seconds for a quarter mile and 321.77
mph, respectively. Two parachutes, which are activated by a hand control
inside the cockpit of a Top Fuel dragster, are the car's primary braking
system. The minimum weight of a Top Fuel dragster, including the driver,
is 2,100 pounds.
The
stock cars, while retaining a close resemblance to their showroom counterparts,
feature extensive engine modifications, sophisticated chassis and suspension
development, a maxi-mum 500-cubic-inch engine dis-placement and a minimum
vehi-cle weight of 2,350 pounds, including driver. Pro Stock cars must
be 1993 or newer two-door coupes or sedans. All cars use carburetors and
burn gasoline as fuel. Entering the 1998 season, the all-time best NHRA
performance marks for these Oldsmobile, Dodge, Pontiac, Ford and Chevrolet
entries are a 6.883-second elapsed time for a quarter mile and a 200.53-mph
top speed.
The
stock cars, while retaining a close resemblance to their showroom counterparts,
feature extensive engine modifications, sophisticated chassis and suspension
development, a maxi-mum 500-cubic-inch engine dis-placement and a minimum
vehi-cle weight of 2,350 pounds, including driver. Pro Stock cars must
be 1993 or newer two-door coupes or sedans. All cars use carburetors and
burn gasoline as fuel. Entering the 1998 season, the all-time best NHRA
performance marks for these Oldsmobile, Dodge, Pontiac, Ford and Chevrolet
entries are a 6.883-second elapsed time for a quarter mile and a 200.53-mph
top speed.
The
truck category is reserved for 1996 or later domestic or foreign pickups
of extended cab, midsize (Dodge Dakota, Chevrolet S-10, Ford Ranger, etc.)
design powered by carburet-ed, gasoline-burning engines. The top times
and speeds are 7.700 seconds for a quarter mile and 175.26 mph, respectively,
enter-ing the 1998 season. The trucks feature extensive engine modifications,
sophisticated chassis and suspension development, a maximum vehicle weight
of 2,300 pounds, including driver.