Hadman Chassis blasts NHRA, talks chutes

[Magnethead]

http://www.competitionplus.com/inde.../14918-brad-hadman-discusses-parachute-safety

The NHRA instituting new rule changes is nothing new, but renowned chassis and car builder Brad Hadman, a noted chassis builder for 38 years, believes the sanctioning body doesn’t have a reciprocal relationship with drivers when it comes to the issue of safety.

“I feel like it always gets passed off on the racer to make it safer to do this and to do that,” Hadman said. “It is still the age old argument and we’ve never improved our race track. That’s the same netting system, the same crap they have had for 100 years. Are they (NHRA) going to change it? Probably not because they feel like it is the way it is. I look at being proactive and NASCAR got into soft walls and they’ve tried to do things to minimize the injuries in their sport, and we haven’t.

Robert Hight, driver of the Auto Club Ford owned by John Force Racing, Hight believes it is probably time to look hard at the chassis under the Top Alcohol Dragster and Funny Car, in the same way the Top Fuel Funny Car chassis was made over.

Hadman, however, doesn’t see overhauling the chassis on Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car as a top priority right now.

“That really hasn’t been an issue,” Hadman said. “The (alcohol) cars are not breaking like the fuel cars were. Fuel cars were going 337 mph when they (NHRA) decided they needed to do something. The chassis really are not an issue (with the alcohol dragsters and Funny Cars).”

In addition to changing how parachutes are mounted, NHRA is requiring a radio frequency-activated shutoff device, which shuts off the fuel supply, cuts the ignition and deploys the parachutes if the driver has not done so after passing the finish line, beginning in 2011 for the Top Alcohol classes. This device has been mandatory in Top Fuel and Funny Car since earlier this year. Top Alcohol drivers may install the receiving device on their vehicles and use it immediately at all of the remaining 2010 national events.

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