There was a lot of speculation as to why there wasn’t the annual SS/AH race at the just completed Mopars at the Strip in Las Vegas. The problem evidently was related to the Hemi cylinder heads used on those cars.
A check with an NHRA source (who asked not to be named because of ongoing negotiations) told the Agent that over the years the racers have made enough minor incremental improvements that cumulatively have pushed the envelope of a legal cylinder head. NHRA realized almost all of the SS/AH racers had heads that were no longer legal. But, rather than force most of the SS/AH racers to scrap their current heads and buy new ones, the rules were rewritten for 2013 making most of heads the racers are currently using legal, which would include heads from Ray Barton and the Westtech shop.
One Hemi racer, who also declined to be named, said his budget would now jump from $250,000 a year to $350,000 just to stay in the middle of the pack this year. This same racer told the Agent: "It feels to me like the NHRA is rewarding the cheaters, the ones that have gotten away with worse cheater heads for years now have a head start on the rest us."
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A check with an NHRA source (who asked not to be named because of ongoing negotiations) told the Agent that over the years the racers have made enough minor incremental improvements that cumulatively have pushed the envelope of a legal cylinder head. NHRA realized almost all of the SS/AH racers had heads that were no longer legal. But, rather than force most of the SS/AH racers to scrap their current heads and buy new ones, the rules were rewritten for 2013 making most of heads the racers are currently using legal, which would include heads from Ray Barton and the Westtech shop.
One Hemi racer, who also declined to be named, said his budget would now jump from $250,000 a year to $350,000 just to stay in the middle of the pack this year. This same racer told the Agent: "It feels to me like the NHRA is rewarding the cheaters, the ones that have gotten away with worse cheater heads for years now have a head start on the rest us."
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