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NHRA Clips: Models, safety and bobsleds
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Funny Car burnout by Jack Beckman
NHRA Clips are select, brief and fresh reports compiled by Dwight Drum @ Racetake.com focusing on the drag racing world.
Report One: Revell, Inc. to release model kits bearing NHRA logo
Courtesy of NHRA
Revell, Inc will produce nostalgic drag racing model kits soon bearing the NHRA logo.
Kits for Roland Leong’s “Hawaiian” and the Chi-Town Hustler of Farkonas, Coil, & Minick will be released first. Later the most well-known names in the history of drag racing for Funny Cars, Top Fuel dragsters and Pro stockers will be marketed also.
“We are excited and look forward to a continued relationship with the NHRA and Revell leading the way to create interest and excitement for the drag racing enthusiast as well as the model kit builder,” said Bob Sutalski, senior vice president of product development, Revell.
“NHRA welcomes the return of Revell and their classic model kits,” said Gary Darcy, senior vice president of sales and marketing, NHRA. “The Revell models were synonymous with the sport of NHRA Drag Racing and reintroducing these classic model kits to today’s fans will reinforce the long and storied history of the sport and its partnership with Revell.”
Report Two: NHRA announced safety initiatives for 2010
Courtesy of NHRA
NHRA will require Eject Helmet Removal System in all four professional categories, as well as Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car in the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series. The system uses an inflatable bladder located in the top of the helmet to make removal of the helmet by safety personnel after an incident easier and safer.
Top Fuel and Funny Car classes will be required to use an Electrimotion Safety Shut-off Receiver. The device, when used in conjunction with the Electrimotion Shut-off Transmitter and Electrimotion Safety Shut-off Box, will automatically shut-off fuel and ignition as well as deploy the parachutes once the driver has passed the finish line if the driver has not done so already. The system will activate when the car passes by a wall-mounted transmitter.
Other safety measures in NHRA’s top two classes include fireproof tubing on brake lines and, in Top Fuel, a required cable wrapped around the rear wing main element that will deploy the parachutes automatically in the event the rear wing becomes separated from its supports. The same mechanism will be required in the Top Alcohol Dragster class as well.
On March 11, 2010 Pro Stock Cars will be required to have formed and foamed seats as well an NHRA-accepted lateral head support system, the same as required in Top Fuel and Funny Car and in the two Top Alcohol classes.
Report Three: JEGS supports Geoff Bodine Bobsled Challenge
Courtesy of JEGS.com
JEGS High Performance will have a big presence at the Lucas Oil Geoff Bodine Bobsled Challenge presented by Whelen Engineering, which takes place Jan. 8-10 at the Olympic course on historic Mount Van Hoevenberg in Lake Placid, N.Y.
Five-time world champion drag racer Jeg Coughlin Jr. will participate in the race in his JEGS.com-branded bobsled.
"Feeding off the success of our U.S. athletes is something everyone at JEGS Mail Order takes a lot of pride in, especially with the Olympic Games in Vancouver coming up this winter," Coughlin said. "What Geoff Bodine has done for USA Bobsledding is nothing short of amazing and we're exceptionally proud to be a part of his effort."
"It is very refreshing to have an American company like JEGS Automotive to be involved with our 'Made in America' Bobsled Project," Bodine said. "Jeg Coughlin and his family represent America in both racing and business in a gold medal fashion. We are proud they are associated with our efforts."
"Since we've been involved with this deal I've had a lot of fans ask me what it's like. I guess the closest thing you can relate it to is sledding down a hill when you're a kid. You don't have any brakes and the less steering you do the quicker you're going to run. Plus, there's an element of danger that keeps the heart rate up. It's crazy, but so much fun."
Team NHRA will consist of Coughlin, Morgan Lucas, Shawn Langdon, and a yet-to-be-named driver. Team NASCAR will be led by Geoff Bodine, his brother Todd Bodine, and rookie sensation Joey Logano, and several others that will be announced soon.
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