I am considering trying something this weekend and would like to know if anyone has done this before and how it effected their times in a positive or negative way......I have an '83 Z with a glass T-top, roll bar, 5 point harness and helmet so is racing without the tops a bad idea????

I am asking because I recently broke my door handle on the inside and cannot get out of the thing without rolling the window down and doing it the "ghetto" way. If I drive with the tops off, I could get in and out with allot more ease.

The wind resistance would without a doubt hurt my time but I would make it up on the weight loss I would hope.

I am kinda new to this and am willing to listen to anyone who has done this in the past or has experience racing this type of car......please let me know what you think.

 

im anxious 2 see some responses b/c ive been wondering the same thing about runnin my z w/the tops off.

 

i cant see any negative problems since most full convertibles see ~5mph in their top speed.

 

I believe if you pull the t-tops or drop the top, the track will consider your car to be an open air coupe and require a ton of safety items. Full cage, full suit, gloves, etc.

 

I would have thought so as well and have always run with the T-top on but when I was there a couple weeks ago they had two vettes line up both convertibles with the tops down and I asked then if they were going to allow cars to run that way...... they said yes. I have a roll bar and as of yet am still only a 14.1 car so I think they will let me go with it.

 

I finally got to at the PINKS ALL OUT race..haha it ran like crap, didn't lift the front tires, but it was awesome.

 

THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKIN ABOUT!!!!

Mine is a T-Top but will still have plenty of free air flow I am sure........

 

Kazman is right... I was told I need a full halo 10+point rollcage, window and roof netting alone with the stuff I have already. Arm restraints, 5 point harness, racing seat, fire suit, etc.

Tech was pretty tame at Pinks.. they are more worried about te show than the drivers so when I see someone run top down I said....I can do that.

 

Well this weekend is Test-n-Tune and Midnight Drags so there are no sanctioned events going on---they may be a little relaxed about things. The worst they can do is tell me to put my top on.......will let you know what happens.

 

Really depends on what track your at and what night, ie what event is being run that night.
The track here in Houston is an NHRA sanctioned but on Wednesday night they don't require anything but a helmet in my STOCK 97 SS.

 

I got a few runs in tonight---it was a little warm at 5pm but by 8 the temp was much better and great for running with the T-tops off. I found out tonight that my secondaries were not opening up at all and so after a 15 minute dash to O'Reilly's and the help of a good friend -I had new spring installed. Car runs much better now, and needing to trim off just a couple tenths till I see the 13's. The thing I have noticed about this sport that makes it so different than the others is that racers treat each other as family not as competitors so when one needs help they pitch in and get them running again. Perhaps this is just the case at the track I run dunno, but I doubt it I like to think that they are just a really great bunch of people.

 

When I saw the title of this thread I thought you meant draging without a shirt.....

 

Typical female bracket racer using all the tricks to break a competitors' concentration on the starting line.

 

You mean like wearing a tube top and short shorts into the staging lanes and hanging out like that before putting on the fire pants and jacket?

I swear I only did this once and it was because I didn't want tan lines while wearing my wedding gown...



EDIT: Mike Kent specifically said to me that day "are you trying to throw off our concentration so you can get a round win?"

 

I think I'll give Bud a call and have him devote a chapter to evil female bracket racers' tricks. I dont' remember reviewing topics like that at McNasby U. Didn't get to see ya before the wedding but you really looked great durning the event. Short shorts and tube top is even more distracting that having Rick sneek up behind me while I'm in the car ready to go (game face on) chanting Jimmy's gona get his a$$ kicked, Jimmy's gona get his.....I was laughing until I got in front of the prestage, looked at the score board and was wondering is that my dial-in?????? No Rick didn't change it. I just forgot what I put on for the round.

Sorry for running off with the thread.