If you have t-tops and run faster then 10.99 in the 1/4 mile and 6.99 in the 1/8 mile, you are going to have to have a full 10 point cage to race IHRA. I just got conformation from the head tech guy from IHRA . Mr. Baker is his name.

Coach

 

What is the rule for the in between guys like me,T-Top 11.90-12.40??

Thank you !!!

 

That's not how the rule revision is worded.

A rollcage is mandatory on all convertibles running 10.99 or quicker ¼ or 6.99 or quicker 1/8 mile. T-top vehicles follow convertible guidelines.

The rest of the rule revisions are a grey area. A t-top car may still only require a 6 point roll bar at 11.49 like it did before but MAY now require one now at 13.49

They'll lose a lot of bracket/street class racers if they force a 6 point roll bar at 13.49. A convertible is different so I can see the rule for them at these slower speeds but not for T-tops.

 

Mr Baker(IHRA tech) told me that t-top cars running 10.99 or faster will need a full cage in 05.

Coach

 

Has it states on the IHRA web site;

10.00 to 11.49

Rollcage: Add at the end of the section, A rollcage is mandatory on all convertibles running 10.99 or quicker ¼ or 6.99 or quicker 1/8 mile. T-top vehicles follow convertible guidelines.

11.50 to 13.49 section

Rollbar / Rollcage: A minimum of a 6 point roll bar is mandatory all convertibles running 11.00 to 13.49 ¼ mile and 8.25 or quicker 1/8 mile. A roll cage is mandatory on any entry that exceeds 135 mph.

Coach

 

That is the part that is the GREY ZONE,the 2 paragraphs don't exactly mesh and say the same thing.

T-Top follow convertibles in the first,then the split goes fron10.99 to 11.49 for the same stipulation??

Weird!!!!!

Thank you Coach!!!!

 

The reply I got back from Michael Baker about the 11.50 to 13.49 range for T-tops. His reply was:

"T top entries in this class follow the regular class entries no bar"

This means you still don't need a 6 point bar until you hit 11.49 but will still need a full cage at 10.99. It doesn't affect me since I already have a full cage.

If you read the IHRA rulebook, you'll also see that all vehicles running 11.49 and quicker must have a fire extinguisher. Unless NHRA has changed, they didn't require you to have one until 9.99.

 

Thank you !!!!!!!

 

I already have my Lexan T-tops painted black on the inside to keep my head cool while sitting in the hot sun in the staging lanes. As much as my car is cut up already, it wouldn't take much to graft a hardtop roof onto my car. It's nice to take the T-tops out when I'm working on it. Makes climbing over the door X bars a lot easier.

 

I think when they say "T-top vehicles follow convertible guidelines" it means for that time bracket only, not "overall". For the 11.50 - 13.49 bracket, they only focus on convertibles. That's how I interprete it anyways!?

 

This is one of the reasons I am retiring my 'vert from the track. A cage in a street car is no fun, IMHO.

Rich

 

And I'm so really glad that we had the t-topped SS (still do) when I ordered the hardtop Formula to race. Otherwise it would have been a t-top car