Drag Illustrated - May 2011 - Issue 53 - Safety First

April, 2011

April 29, 2011 - SFI welcomes it's newest affiliate sanctioning body, National Hot Rod Diesel Association (NHRDA). The NHRDA sanctions events for diesel powered performance cars and trucks. Their events can include anyone one of the following (or maybe all, if you're lucky): drag racing, sled pulling, dyno competition, and burnout contests. To find out more about NHRDA, please visit their website at www.nhrda.com.

March, 2011

AS SEEN IN DRAG ILLUSTRATED

March 30, 2011 - SFI has been asked to contribute to the monthly periodical, Drag Illustrated, on a regular basis. SFI feels honored to be a part of this fine publication and we appreciate the opportunity to share some insight into the SFI Foundation with its readers. The Safety First column will appear monthly both online and in the print version of Drag Illustrated. The link to the first two installments of the column are below. We also encourage you to check out the entire issues of Drag Illustrated.

Drag Illustrated - March 2011 - Issue 51 - Safety First

Drag Illustrated - April 2011 - Issue 52 - Safety First

BIG BEND OPEN ROAD RACE IS NEWEST SFI AFFILIATE

March 1, 2011 - SFI welcomes it's newest affiliate sanctioning body, Big Bend Open Road Race (BBORR). Billing itself as "One of the Most Challenging Open Road Races in the World," this annual event runs along Highway 285 from Fort Stockton to Sanderson, TX for a distance of 118 miles. A variety of cars compete in different classes, some at speeds in excess of 200mph in the straights. We're happy to have BBORR on board with SFI. To find out more about this exciting event, please visit their website at www.bborr.com.

January, 2011

TECH ADVISORY ISSUED FOR SFI SPEC 2.2C - January 14, 2011: In March, 2010, SFI Spec 2.2C for Front Engine Dragster Roll Cages for vehicles going 5.99 Seconds ET and Quicker was issued and included a specific design for the support tubes required in the side bays immediate forward of the rear end uprights. However, after the revised spec was issued, it became evident that additional options were needed for existing nostalgia-type cars. An SFI Tech Advisory has been issued which includes allowable options. If you have purchased a copy of SFI Spec 2.2C, a hard copy of this Tech Advisory will be mailed directly to you. It may also be downloaded by clicking here: SFI 2.2C Tech Advisory 01-11-14.

January 12, 2011 - The SFI Specification 3.3 for Driver Accessories has been revised to include Helmet Skirts as a certified item now covered by this standard. Previously, helmet skirt manufacturers were allowed to certify helmet skirts under the “hood” category. The new Helmet Skirt certification is available in two ratings, SFI 3.3/5, and SFI 3.3/10. The higher 3.3/10 rating is intended for use in drag racing applications, where a minimum length of 8 inches is required for the helmet skirt. The lighter 3.3/5-rated helmet skirt is more practical for other types of competition where the driver would spend extended periods of time in their vehicle. The revised copy of SFI Spec 3.3 may be downloaded here: SFI Spec 3.3 Driver Accessories.

November, 2010

November 4, 2010 - Note that the SFI Spec 4.1 review meeting for Automatic Transmission Shields has been moved to December 11 at 2:00PM in Orlando, FL during the PRI Show. The SFI Spec 4.2 Tractor Blanket review meeting will remain in Indianpolis during IMIS at its originally scheduled time. Complete revised meeting schedules may be downloaded here: meeting schedule or navigate to the page by using the main menu on the left.

October, 2010

For the first time, SFI will be holding its annual Committee Review Meetings in two locations in December: at IMIS in Indianapolis, and at the PRI Show in Orlando. Full meeting schedules may be downloaded here: meeting schedule or navigate to the page by using the main menu on the left.

September, 2010

September 3, 2010 - JOINT PRESS RELEASE - SFI Foundation and Impact Racing are pleased to announce they have resolved their differences. Impact will remain a participant in the SFI programs in exchange for certain consideration and under revised contracts. The parties look forward to a constructive working relationship to benefit the racing industry and to promote the safety of its participants. Impact agrees and accepts that the SFI specifications are state of the art and promote a high level of safety and performance in the auto racing industry. Impact acknowledges that in prior years it did not fully comply with SFI's specifications, however these problems have been resolved. The terms of the agreement between the parties are confidential.

July, 2010

July 2, 2010 - The latest sanctioning body affiliate to join SFI is the Midwest Council of Sports Car Clubs (MCSCC), a coalition of eight race clubs with over 800 members throughout the Midwest. The MCSCC sanctions events for several types of racing for amateur motorsports enthusiasts, including door to door road racing, solo auto cross, and vintage/historic racing. According to its website, MCSCC prides itself on its family-friendly atmoshpere and emphasis on fun and safety. SFI is proud to be affiliated with such a safety-conscious group. To find out more about MCSCC, please visit their website at www.mcscc.org.

June, 2010

June 3, 2010 - SFI welcomes new member sanctioning body, United States Speed Association (USSA). This upstart midget racing group recently completed their inaugural race in late May. For 2010, USSA has organized its first full season of weekly events for Regional Midgets, Kenyon Cars, and Thunder Roadsters held at regional Indiana speedways. Kenyon Cars are specifically designed for older youth drivers as a transition between quarter midgets and full-size midgets. To find out more about USSA, please visit their website at www.kenyonmidgetracing.com.

June 3, 2010 - SFI also welcomes new sanctioning body affiliate, American Speed Association. ASA Racing sanctions several regional and national tourning series which feature the ASA member Track program. This program enthusiastically promotes the excitement of weekly local short track racing. ASA Member Track events include a variety of race car types such as stock cars, modifieds, and midgets that run on dirt, asphalt, and road courses. For more information about ASA Racing, please visit their website at asa-racing.com.

March, 2010

March 16, 2010 - SEATBELT RECERTIFICATION DATE CLARIFICATION

Recently you may have seen information circulating which states that the SFI standard for driver restraint assemblies has recently changed with respect to recertification/expiration dates. Please be advised this is INCORRECT and the SFI Spec has NOT changed in this regard. SFI Spec 16.1 has always required that the useful life of the webbing in the straps shall not exceed two years from the date of manufacture and it must be replaced at or before that time. Only the original manuacturer can reweb an assembly prior to recertifying.

March 11, 2010 - NEW AFFILIATE SANCTIONING BODY

SFI welcomes another member of the Lucas Oil Racing family as the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series (LOLMDS) becomes our newest affiliate sanctioning body. LOLMDS was founded in 2005 and features race machines with all steel tube frame chassis and sleek aluminum race car bodies, built on 800 horesepower V-8 powerplants. This combination results in exciting action on dirt surface tracks. To find out more about LOLMDS , visit their website at www.lucasdirt.com.

March 9, 2010 - REVISED FRONT ENGINE DRAGSTER (NOSTALGIA TOP FUEL) ROLL CAGE SPEC -

SFI Spec 2.2B has been revised and is now spec version 2.2C for Front Engine Dragster Roll Cage, 5.99 Seconds E.T. or Quicker. If you use this spec, it is recommended that you purchase a new copy of Spec 2.2C from SFI so you have the current requirements. For more information on purchasing SFI Roll Cage Specs, click here.

Please note that several other dragster roll cage specs have also been revised (2.1A, 2.4C, 2.5C, 2.6A, and 2.7C). If you own a previous version of any one of these specs, the notice found in the following link is provided as a supplement so that it is not necessary to purchase a new spec copy. These updates can be viewed by clicking on the following link: SFI Roll Cage Spec Revisions Notice 03-05-10.

February, 2010

February 23, 2010 - This is an exciting time for the sport of drag boat racing. SFI is happy to be working with the new Lucas Oil Drag Boat Racing Series (LODBRS) as they lead the way towards uniting the sport under a single rulebook. In addition to sanctioning a national event series, LODBRS is also co-sanctioning divisional events with the Columbia Drag Boat Association (CDBA), Kentucky Drag Boat Association (KDBA), National Jet Boat Association (NJBA), Southern Drag Boat Association (SDBA) and St. Louis Drag Boat Association (SLDBA). To find out more about LODBRS and to get helpful tech information for racers, visit their website at www.lucasoildragboats.com.

February 18, 2010 - SFI would like to welcome two new sanctioning bodies this month. First, American Hot Rod Association (AHRA) joins us as a full member santioning body. Founded in 1956, AHRA promotes dragracing events throughout the U.S. and Canada. Their events promote a racer-friendly atmosphere and host a variety of classes including sportsmen series and the newly formed Reunion Tour. For more information about AHRA, please visit their website at ahradragracing.com.

Also joining SFI this month at the affiliate level is the International Council of Sports Car Clubs (ICSCC). ICSCC is a coalition of independent sports car clubs in the Pacific Northwest, with events in both Canada and the U.S. The ICSCC and its member clubs are dedicated to keeping racing affordable and accessible to the amateur racer. You can find out more about ICSCC at their website, www.icscc.com.

December, 2009

December 15, 2009 - SFI welcomes the National Jet Racing Association (NJRA) as its newest Member Sanctioning Body. The NJRA is the official sanctioning body of the NJRA Drag Racing Series which features thrust-driven turbine powered drag racing vehicles. NJRA drag racing events are more than just races and include a full range of automotive arts displays and other enterainment activities. NJRA's website link will be added as soon as soon as their website becomes live.

December 15, 2009 - After two and a half years as an associate sanctioning body, Victorian Speedway Council (VSC) of Australia has decided to upgrade their SFI sanctioning body status to full member. Additional SFI services now available to VSC include the devlopment of new application-specific standards if requested, technical personnel training and certification, and on-track incident response training. SFI is pleased to continue working with VSC in this capacity. For more info about VSC, please see their website at www.victorianspeedway.org.au.

December 3, 2009 - We are pleased to announce that the Vintage Motorsports Council (VMC) has joined as an SFI Member Sanctioning Body. The VMC is a coalition of vintage car racing clubs that provides a central source of uniform rules and regulations for its members. The VMC promotes the preservation of historical cars in a racing format that's friendly , fair, and safe. For more information, please see their website at www.v-m-c.org.

November, 2009

November 11, 2009 - SFI welcomes Oval Racing Council International (ORCI) as our newest affiliate sanctioning body. The ORCI was formed in the early 1990's and governs short track oval racing for various types of stock cars across England, Scotland, Ireland, and mainland Europe. For more information, please see their website at www.orci.co.uk.

October, 2009

October 6, 2009 - Effective October 2, 2009, an addendum has been made to SFI Spec 6.1 for Replacement Bellhousings. The addendum, which will be designated SFI 6.1W, will include accommodation for a specified covered clutch adjustment access opening or window. This addendum will apply only to passenger car replacement bellhousings combined with a single disc clutch, or a dual disc clutch with a maximum diameter of eight inches.

A unique SFI 6.1W certification compliance label will be used to identify the bellhousings with adjustable clutch openings separately from 6.1 bellhousings without the window. Any 6.1 bellhousing with this adjustable clutch window should display a 6.1W sticker to demonstrate that it has been properly installed and certified by the original manufacturer of the bellhousing. To obtain certification, a manufacturer must successfully test their 6.1W bellhousing to the same test standard as a typical 6.1 bellhousing. It should be noted that the inspection/recertification period for a 6.1W bellhousing is 2 years.

October 2, 2009 - The schedule of SFI Committee Review Meetings to be held at this year's PRI Show has been posted. Click here: meeting schedule or navigate to the page by using the main menu on the left.

September, 2009

NEW FULL BODIED CAR ROLL CAGE SPEC - September 3, 2009: The new SFI Spec 25.3 for Full Bodied Cars 6.50 to 7.49 Seconds ET, 3,600 Lbs. Maximum is now available from SFI. For more information on purchasing SFI Roll Cage Specs, click here.

August, 2009

COUNTERFEIT HANS POST ANCHORS DISCOVERED

On August 19, 2009 and August 21, 2009, HANS Performance Products issued press releases regarding helmet post anchors it discovered to be counterfeit. For more information click on and follow this link: http://hansdevice.com/Anchor-Replacement. These counterfeit post anchors bear an "SFI" etching in the metal itself. SFI has not tested or approved these counterfeit post anchors and therefore they are not approved for usage in any motorsports activity or event covered by SFI ratings and standards. For their own safety, SFI encourages all members of the racing community to examine their helmet post anchors very carefully and contact a HANS dealer or representative if they have any questions about the part. Any companies manufacturing, marketing, distributing or selling these counterfeit products are hereby on notice that they must immediately exercise all necessary means to locate and remove these counterfeit post anchors from any and all usage in motorsports activites or else risk their continued approved participating in SFI programs.

August 21, 2009 - SFI is pleased to announce that the Pacific Street Car Association (PSCA) is the latest sanctioning body to become an SFI affiliate. The PSCA hosts exciting doorslammer drag racing and boasts itslef as the West Coast's Real Deal! PSCA offers a variety of classes such as heads-up, street, and breakout racing. SFI looks forward to working with the PSCA. For more information, please see their website at www.pscaracing.com.

June, 2009

June 10, 2009 - The latest sanctioning body affiliate to sign on with SFI is Pull-N-Power, LLC. Pull-N-Power organizes and promotes pulling contests in the Midwest area in cooperation with the Nation Hot Rod Diesel Association. SFI is pleased to offer our affiliate-level services to them. For more information on Pull-N-Power, you can access their rules here: www.nhrda.com/SP_Rules_Indy.pdf.

May, 2009

May 19, 2009 - SFI is pleased to welcome the Alaska Sports Car Club as our latest sanctioning body to join as an affiliate. Founded in 1958, the ASCC organizes a variety of race types befitting the extremes of the Alaskan environment. Their winter ice racing series is available to drivers of both 2WD and 4WD vehicles who want to test their skills on the snow. Then in the summer months, production-type vehicles pound the pavement in the ASCC road race series. The premier event for ASCC is the annual Fur Rondy Grand Prix held every February. The same production IT and GT-classed cars compete on a circuit through the strees of Anchorage. The event boasts a unique feature not seen at most venues: track barriers constructed from 6-foot snow and ice berms to contain race vehicles within the race surface. To find out more about road racing in The Last Frontier, see the ASCC website at www.aksportscarclub.org.

April, 2009

April 9, 2009 - SFI welcomes the Michigan Speedway Promoters Association (MSPA) as its newest affiliate sanctioning body. MSPA is a coalition of Michigan paved and dirt oval track speedway promoters that's been in existence for more than 30 years. Its objective is to foster dialogue among the members to advance improved track operations, create greater visibility for their individual facilities and programs, and as evidenced by their SFI involvement, maximum safety at their events. For more information, please see their website at www.michiganspeedways.com.

April 3, 2009 - The latest organization to join SFI as a sanctioning body affiliate is DieselSport Promotions, LLC. DieselSport organizes and operates the traditional gathering known to diesel fans as Thunder in Muncie. Scheduled events to be held at Thunder in Muncie include diesel-powered drag racing, sled pulling, and tug-a-truck, along with dyno and burnout contests. For more information, please see their website at Thunder in Muncie.

February, 2009

February 27, 2009 - SFI welcomes the National Off Road Racing Series (NORRS) as its newest Affiliate sanctioning body. NORRS is a neighbor to SFI, based in San Diego, and offering short course off road racing in Southern California in 2009 with plans to eventually expand nationwide. NORRS is managed by professionals with decades of racing experience who pledge to ensure fair and competitive racing for a wide range of classes including Youth, Sportsman, and Professional. They also boast family-friendly and affordable entertainment for race fans. SFI looks forward to working with NORRS as the popular sport of off road racing grows over future seasons. For more information, please see their website at www.norrs.com.

SPEC 2.3N TECH ADVISORY- February 19, 2009: a Tech Advisory for SFI Spec 2.3N that outlines an acceptable method to back-half a chassis to the 2.3N Spec when the splice on the existing car is too close to the seat upright and/or rear seat cross member has been issued and is available by clicking here:SFI 2.3N Tech Advisory 02-18-09.

February 10, 2009 - We are happy to announce Outlaw Street Madness (OSM) as the latest sanctioning body to sign on as a member of SFI. The OSM promotes exciting heads-up 1/8 mile drag racing out of Edgewater Sports Park in Cincinnati, OH. They run a variety of door-car classes including Outlaw 10.5, Drag Radial, Quick Street, 6.50 and 7.50 Index, and Run What Ya Brung. For more information, please see their website at www.outlawstreetmadness.com.

February 4, 2009 - Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series (LOORRS) has just signed on as a sanctioning body affiliate with SFI. The LOORRS is a brand new group founded this year with the goal of becoming the premier short course off road series. The 2009 schedule has short course tracks throughout the Southwest U.S. hosting competition for various 2WD and 4WD truck classes. SFI is happy to be a part of their inaugural season and we look forward to many years of providing our services to the LOORRS. For more information, see their website at www.lucasoiloffroad.com.

January, 2009

January 27, 2009 - SFI welcomes another new affiliate this month, the Canadian Association of Rallysport (CARS), known as the official sanctioning body for rallying in Canada. CARS member clubs organize events for three different types of rallying: Navigational, Rally Cross/Sprint, and Performance which includes the national Canadian Rally Championship. For more information, see their website at www.carsrally.ca.

January 21, 2009 - Do you want to see beautifully restored classic road cars being driven as they were originally intended? And better yet, on the premier race circuits in America? Then you should check out the Sportscar Vintage Racing Association. A wide range of classic vehicles including stock cars, formula cars, and GT cars compete head-to-head in original spec trim. SFI is very pleased to welcome the SVRA as its newest Affiliate Sanctioning Body. For more information, see their website at www.svra.com.

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