Quicker production cars pushed the issue, and the NHRA is letting them run.
- The NHRA is changing the Street Legal rules for cars built after 2014, allowing them to run as quickly as 9.0 seconds in the quarter mile.
- The change comes after production cars continue to become quicker and safer.
- Street Legal class cars will require all of their factory safety features and can’t have modified firewalls, underbody structures, or floor pans.
Ten seconds. That was the limit. If you ran quicker than a 9.9-second pass down the quarter-mile, you needed extra safety equipment to meet the NHRA’s safety standards or you’d be, effectively, kicked off the track.
Well, Dodge Challenger SRT Demon, Tesla Model S Plaid owners and everyone else: The times are literally changing. The NHRA has dropped the 9.9-second limit to 9.0 seconds flat, which targets the absurdly quick cars coming out of factories today.
Now, if you’re looking at your safety-cage-less Fox-body Mustang with a massive turbocharger, this doesn’t exactly apply to you. These rules are for 2014 and newer stock cars, as the name implies.
That means these cars require all of the factory-installed safety equipment. That includes airbags, antilock brakes, and factory sheetmetal. That means you can’t modify the floor pans, firewall, or underbody structure.
The NHRA says you can change the tires, but it still need to be DOT-approved rubber. These cars also need to feature fixed tops, as convertibles and cars with partial tops follow different guidelines.
For those following drag racing or the ever-increasing power figures from production cars, this change probably isn’t the biggest news. But it means you’ll be able to take your Tesla Model S Plaid or Dodge Challenger SRT Demon down the asphalt aisle without worrying about getting kicked off the track.
Now, this isn’t all good news. Drivers planning on going quicker than 10.0 seconds will require a level 6 license from the NHRA. Still, even if you need to get a new NHRA license, you won’t have to install a costly—and damaging—roll cage.
Ultimately, this all means you might start seeing more Chevrolet Corvette ZR-1s, Ford Mustang Shelby GT500s and more at your local NHRA-sanctioned track. These cars will start running harder than they’ve been in the past to skirt safety restrictions.
Keyword: The NHRA Changes Street Legal Rules for Faster Cars