New NHRA Rule: 9.0/150 mph No Roll Bar Needed! We Explain This Ground-Breaking Change. 

I had heard the news and didn't think anything of it. I had no idea the positive implications! We need all the help we can get to get the kids interested in drag racing and back to the drag strip. Maybe fewer will be closing! Thanks Evan!

Looks like my 2013 just became a 2014 GT. Great vid Evan

Of course, you don't need a roll bar until you get on your roof.

They really should have dropped that rule down to 2010 or 2011. 2014 is a pretty arbitrary and nonsensical cutoff.

Would love to see more naturally aspirated builds. That's what I'm doing

I really wish cars that are functionally the same as 2014 MY would be included (ie 11-14 Mustangs).

Will the "factory belts" have to be replaced every couple of years?

I love how everybody in the comments is arguing with eachother over a personal choice lol if you want a cage you can have one, if you dont want a cage you dont have to have one nobody is forcing either direction on you

And here I am barely getting through tech because they're complaining that I don't have a seat cover

Evan i agree cars are safer now than ever but there isnt one piece of data from Ford or NHRA on what happens to these cars in a crash at 100+mph, if im not mistaken the bumpers, front and rear impact zones are only tested to 35mph single vehicle and 35mph each in a head on scenario. I myself would at least get a bolt in bar because i have seen 3 S550s that have been rolled at less than 55mph and the roof was flat against a seat, granted the opposite seat the roof wasnt mashed down and actually the roof was higher on that side due to the angle getting pushed up as the opposite side collapsed. In the end you the driver is the first one on the scene in a crash and ultimately your responsible to use whatever safety equiptment you feel will make sure you walk away, i just hope people will chose wisely because that choice could have deadly consequences at 100+mph.

Thanks for the explanation of the new rule, I hope it gets more people to the track!

I think I'll pass on going 150mph with no roll bar.

Great video! Love drag racing! Thanks 🙂🙏

To each his own, but if I'm running anywhere near a 150 mph,I want stability in the car! Remember the saying "I'd rather have it & not need it,rather than need it & not have it"! I'd think crashing at those speeds would be catastrophic for a stock street car. I'll keep thinking that way,until I'm proven wrong!

im fine with the rule changes except for the licencsing part, back when i was building my NMRA hot street car, i went to a drag racing school for my license and because id never driven a car that fast. if you watch channels like Limpy, or 660 street, or street race channel or Turbo John, you can see alot of people out there have fast cars but are completely lacking the talent or knowledge to drive them safely. guys dont seem to know when to lift to save thier own car, or even worse thier own life. NHRA and other sancioning bodies relaxing licensing requirements isnt gonna help in that reguard.

Very interested to see if this brings some new people into the sport. At the very least, it will get street cars out to the track. Maybe they'll get hooked like the rest of us. The more people that get involved with the sport, the better off we all are!

I’m all about freedom. Just don’t cry when people start to get hurt and die

I've heard some good points, in favor of this, including someone who rolled their 2015 S550, and was OK from the structural integrity

Hit the wall at 150 mph, I dont care how many crumple zones and air bags you have, your getting hurt!!!

.80 percent of the fatalities in rollover's weren't wearing their seat belt. So while a roll bar is always a good thing to have in a car or truck the oems have really improved the safety of their vehicles in the event of a roll over.NHRA may want to include some earlier cars and tracks as well.

Wish they would look at changing the rule on a boxed frame truck running 10.50

I should be safe then. My '73 Mach 1 is not even close to having to have a roll cage. Even by the old rules lol!

Thanks for the good information

Yes, factory produced vehicles have gotten MUCH faster, and with all the federally mandated airbags, crumple zones and driver compartment safety improvements ARE much safer than older cars. Kudos to NHRA for taking a long, hard look at current cars and their performance capabilities before pulling the trigger on this change. Hopefully all these changes will encourage MORE people to "take it to the track" instead of all these "Mexican" street racers. Motorsports safety is a choice - make the one that is right for you and those who want to see you come home after a great day at the track.

I still put a roll cage in mine! Well worth it, I've seen cars roll, not a pretty site!

I cannot believe this, someone sure must have got a big kick back.

I would still want at least a bolt-in 4 point bar to properly mount a harness...I have concerns that a factory seat belt would hold up well in a 150 mph crash, even with 27 air bags assisting it.

I didnt read the NHRA rule book on the 2014 and newer rule ,but they need to add one exception, If the vehicle was ever deemed a total loss due to a collision , the vehicle owner needs to supply documentation that the car was repaired as instructed by the manufactures collision procedures and collision position statements , What does that mean? no sectioned frame rails, all welding must be done with the factory recommended welding wire whether it be a specific wire , steel ,aluminum panel bonding with the correct rivets and mig bronze when required or proof of repair by a factory certified collision shop , bolted on parts like doors fender hoods etc. excluded..All these new cars are made of HSS or UHSS, I've seen guys cut the frame section them with a standard MiG , One high speed collision and the motor will be sitting on the console or bend at the "A "pillar and you'll jamb the door closed, and all you need is one fatality and some lawyer will find the deepest pocket and its lawsuit city. not to minimize the loss of a life !

Good info. I'm still considering a 2 or 4 pt cage. If for nothing else, for a 4 pt safety belt. Thanks Evan!

WOW…. That is fast. I almost considered not buying a blower because I thought it was still 11.0. But I need boost. Still haven’t hit 11.0 anyway. Close tho

I don't understand how full purpose built, complete chassis cars that use to certify for 7.50 now only certs for 8.50, but this is going the opposite direction...

How'd they choose the year? I wish they changed the year to 2003 when the cobra with a blower was introduced. That seemed to signify the change in the hp wars IMO.

It should be all years for the same rules. Stuff like this is why NHRA is no good. Less and less people are showing up to there events and also pushing cars to the streets.

I don't think it matters how well built these new cars are, that's still 150mph in the 1/4. All that crash and safety testing never takes speeds above 70mph into account.

Modern cars have a highly engineered stamped metal structure that acts like a “cage” in them.But designed to absorb impact in certain areas.

Does anyone know about chute requirements? Doesn't a 150mph demand it regardless of the age of the car? I was turned down from a track in N.C. because my car didn't have a cage, and it's a 2023. Ultimately, I guess track management can call an audible if they want to.

So,...What does Remains of a "No Bar" 2014 Look like after 3 or 4 150 mph Tumbles ?? .....Someone Is bound to Show us.......

Ford and NMRA is the best.... the heck with the rest! Hopefully these new rules will get some people to stop racing on the street and get out to the track.

That's what up!!

I wish this was for all cars period regardless of year make or model other than convertible or targa top

👍👍 should bring more people to the track . I don't have anything that new , but I think it's good 👌

That is real good news and it will help revive the sport overall and decrease street racing.

Thanks

I'd like to see a 2014+newer Mustang Camaro etc smash into a wall in a crash test and then compare that to something that was actually made out of metal from the 60s-70s

Do tracks actually check vehicle years? Would they find out if someone claimed their 2013 was a 2014? Asking for a friend...

Now the factories should build limited edition cars that go 9.0's out of the gate. Take advantage of the new rules and simultaneously take a dump on this Plaid trash. We all know it's doable. I realize that presently these manufacturers would prefer to EV themselves into irrelevancy, but how about going out with a bang?

Kind of a strange place to draw a line. My 2013 Mustang is identical to a 2014.

It's all good until someone gets killed, or crippled. People are killed by the thousands on I-95 with these factory safety features, and not at 150 MPH. I hope I never see anyone injured at the track, because of this.

No stock production car will ever reach 9.0/150mph in 2022, but a stock Tesla S Plaid and Bugatti Chiron can do the 1/4 at over 150mph! Rimac Nevera does 8.6s at over 160mph stock!

Ppl the rule states 9.0 or 150 mph so you can modify your car performance wise with no roll bar unless you exceed the rule. So get to building Honda boys gonna be taking over and ruin the class

5.65 - 125 1/8 mile in case they didn't cover it.

Chill out guys alot of sheet cars that are stock are more safe then a gutted out 80s or 70s cars amd alot of newer sports cars jave a built in roll bar or buolt in stiffer seam lr something to help in roll overs

Should've been done for 2003-on. Terminators, all Shelby's, and any 5.0 - if they can't run 11s, just a few bolt-ons will get you there. And forced induction will take you WAY past that.

Man that sucks because my Mustang is a 2013

Imagine the liabiity issues and physical issues of installing a roll bar in cars with multiple airbags. Sue happy lawyers would have a ball when a roll bar splits skull or disables an airbag.

So a car made out of Chinese steel and aluminum thinner then a washing machine metal and plastic all over is safer then the cars from the 60s and 70s? The only thing that makes it safer is the air bags and those things can still kill you. It's not about safely never has been.

My uncle said to me on a street car you can install a roll cage but it illegal to install a full cage for the street ?

Stupid rules If I have to have it in my drag car they needed too

Anytime you step into any car to rave you need to know there is a chance you so t exit that car alive I know that when I strap into my 900 hp Sprint car on asphalt wide open never lift

The people who would never cage there car in the first place running in the nines are dancing in the streets. Really not enough data to support how these cars will survive in a 140 to 150 crash, even lower. How a car will hit a barrier or if you are hit on the side from another car crossing into your lane. Just as before you will have people pushing the limits into the eights until you get caught. Prime example was the Steeda car at Bradenton, 8.50@ 162 with a 6 point bolt in, no chute and a driver that just played dumb. If anyone should be setting a example it should be them. I was happy to see NMRA DQ them. If NHRA had made the cut off 2012 then the drivers of 2011 would bitch, so already I can here, the tracks won't check the year of the car so lets break the rules again. Time will tell.

I don't think tesla should be allowed in nhra no point in running my built Camaro that stays in the 9 second range cuse you gonna get beat by tesla plads. They should only allow gas or diesel or combustan engines only no electric cuse it's not traditional drag racing. They need to make electric class and no ekectrics in street class cuse that will kill it. But if you gonna race anytging please put a roll bar and window net in car guys and a racing harness with hans.

Elon Musk bought the NHRA?

I’m not sure how I feel about this

Glad they are reducing rules. We don't need more rules. My safety is in my hands should not have nhra telling me how to live my life.

Sounds like a bad idea

If you want to feel safe, then racing is not for you.

Do engine and drivetrain modifications or swaps effect this rule in any way?

Insane