We all knew it was coming, and it’s now official as Freiburger released the new proposed set of rules for Hot Rod’s Drag Week. While it’s not finalized, this is a heads-up of what has been coming down the pike. Hot Rod is hoping for racer suggestions for the rules and encourages anyone with suggestions to email [email protected] before November 15, 2014 with any changes that they would like to see made to the new rules list. Once the new set of rules are set, they will be in effect for the 2015-2017 Drag Weeks.
One of the biggest changes comes to the heavy-hitters. Any car that runs 8.50 or better is going to be in Impound every day, and only the driver, passenger, and other people in Impound will be able to work on the vehicle. The vehicle passenger must also be declared before the start of events. Why? According to Freiburger, “Because the amount of pre-planned “team” efforts has gotten out of control. Drag Week rules have always tried to encourage camaraderie and racers helping each other, but there’s no way to police rules that establish “intent” and there are too many ways to dance around it. So now it’s black and white.” Other changes include the elimination of the Modified class, the requirement of gasoline or E85 fuel for anything that isn’t in Unlimited, stricter measurements for the rear tire in the small-tire classes, and a host of other changes throughout the other classes.
If you have an interest in the Drag Week rules, download the rules document from the Hot Rod Drag Week rule page HERE and take a look for yourself. If you have a suggestion for a change or a reason for not changing, be sure to get your email in before November 15th, 2014!
Let me go on record that I like them so far. I’m sure there could be some tweaks, but I get the gist of what they are shooting for. As long as I don’t see any mention of ‘purse’ then I’m thinking its headed in the right direction. The idea of impound for 8.50 and quicker might be set a bit high. I’m thinking 7.50 to isolate the top-end. There ought to be a loophole for a professional tech can enter impound and perform work for a fee. If someone needs a header, intercooler, etc. welded most of them aren’t going to have a TIG with them. The case of Lutz’s head going to the machine shop needs addressed because that is a viable way to fix things, but is beyond impound. I’d much rather parts get the best repair possible verses a ‘trail fix’ at the track.
As written, no bias ply slicks or ET Streets in Super Street or Street Race. Drag radials only
That bites.Guess some of the 3 pedal cars I enjoy wont attend.
wow, I didn’t even pick up on the tire rule. I’m out for sure if it’s all just radials. I won’t even watch the streaming if it’s all just a bunch of boring automatics racing.
Sounds like it’s turning into the Pump Gas Drags with a couple of added top end classes. Tough to put the genie back in the bottle now that it’s out and gotten big.
Come next year ET Streets wont be getting built anymore anyway so the radial vs. et street isn’t that big of a deal.
The trailer rules are interesting. I’m not a fan of the pro-street category being essentially unlimited with the exception of fiberglass. It essentially makes anyone that was a non-fiberglass unlimited car compete against cars that wouldn’t have been unlimited this year. Mike Roy comes to mind. Having to big a tire to go down a class and a stock floor pan makes the car difficult to compete against the “big guns”.
I guess you can’t win no matter what you do.
Pro Street is now steel Unlimited. Super Street is now Pro Street with small tires.
Nobody loved drag week more then me and I really hope I have my car ready for next year and I think having some rules is a good thing but just remember me saying this. “This is the beginning of the end”.
Not the beginning of the end. David and Mike won’t let that happen. This thing has gotten to big and to much notriorty to go away now. A lot of big names watch this and now with a sub 5 second unlimited field possibility, I don’t think it’s going to stop growing. I watched every day while battling cancer and I thank every racer for a great show. Awesome job everyone of you!
James I hope your right because I love drag week and Im building my car with drag week being the event that I’m most excited about racing in. Congrats on beating cancer. I have a son that is a child hood cancer survivor and he will be right by my side on drag week 2015. I cant wait.
I’m not a fan of making the Hot Rod class another unlimited class which is what it will be with the proposed rules. In my opinion it is not representative of the class of car that “started it all”. It should be more of the home built on a lower budget type cars like back in the day not a turbo charged LS with nitrous or an aftermarket block big cube powered car.