ANDRA to modernise rules..

[prasac]

The General Managers of the three tracks - Kevin Prendergast (Perth Motorplex), Tony Beuk (Sydney Dragway) and Steve Bettes (Willowbank Raceway) – who hold many years of both first-hand and top level management experience in Drag Racing, Super Speedway, domestic and international Circuit Racing - informed the Australian National Drag Racing Association (ANDRA) this morning of the following changes:

- Modernisation of the rules around which vehicles are eligible for Drag Racing at the entry level - allowing all road going vehicles with airbags and four-wheel disc brakes to run to a performance level of 10 seconds or slower on the quarter mile. Road-going motorcycles will also be able to perform to this level. (Full details of the new rules can be found on the websites of all three tracks)

- The initiation of a 50 million dollar Public Liability Insurance Cover policy covering the three tracks. Engineered in conjunction with leading insurance companies and brokers, the new policy will provide coverage for more than 300 Drag Racing events across the three facilities to the same standard and coverage currently provided by ANDRA.

- As a result of the above policy, the three tracks will step away from the existing sanctioning requirements of ANDRA for minor events – allowing the new rules mentioned above to be successfully implemented.

- Major events held by the three tracks will continue to be held under ANDRA sanction, but with the new insurance policy mentioned above.

All changes are effective from November 30th and are designed to bring the sport of amateur drag racing into the future.

“With practically hundreds of years of management experience - including the witnessing and safe management of millions of runs at our three facilities - at our disposal, our three tracks have decided to take the next step to move the sport we love into the 21st century,” said Bettes.

“Every week we have been turning away amateur racers in some of the best engineered road cars and bikes, because the existing rules are completely antiquated and do not reflect or acknowledge the huge steps forward manufacturers have made in engineering, nor the safety standards of our facilities.

“For example, a top-of-the-line HSV GTS Commodore, Subaru WRX or turbo six cylinder Falcon with just a few minor tweaks in technology is capable of running well into the mid to low 11 second zone and it doesn’t take too much more to get them into the 10 second zone. A completely standard, new high-powered motorcycle will run 10 second times off the showroom floor.”

Prendergast echoed Bettes’ comments.

“This is about modernising the sport at its most embryonic starting point and bringing it into line with the safety standards of today’s modern vehicles,” said Prendergast.

“The manufacturers have for many years created safer motor vehicles with advanced technology in safety including multiple air bags, four-wheel disc brakes, anti-lock braking systems, dynamic stability controls, extremely strong passenger compartments with rollover and intrusion innovations - the list goes on and on and it is now time for the sport of Drag Racing to move with the times.

“These are some of the best engineered vehicles on the road and it is now time to allow these owners and their vehicles to drag race freely at our state-of-the-art, multi-million dollar international standard facilities.”

Beuk said the move by the three tracks has come after more than five years of lobbying for change.

“Sydney Dragway is right in the middle of the performance vehicle scene in Sydney and like all major facilities, we regularly conduct mid-week and weekend events to encourage performance car enthusiasts off the street and onto an international standard facility. Interest is also growing from various car clubs to have more events and more flexibility and we want to be able to provide those club opportunities at realistic costs ” said Beuk.

“All venues are frustrated in having to turn away some of the best engineered vehicles on the road.

We have been pushing hard for ANDRA to move with the times and the changes in technology to develop new regulations in this area at our minor events for more than five years with no success. It is vital for the growth of the sport and the sustainability of our venues that these innovative changes are implemented.

“We no longer want to see potential drag racers being turned away from our facilities due to out-of-date rules, to see the same people only days later competing freely in other motorsports like drifting, rally sprints or time attack style events or taking their racing to the street and having accidents.”

[tankclare]

Have to say I definitely agree with them. People with quick modern cars shouldn't have to be told they can not enter because they are too quick. As long as the scrutineering team makes sure the cars are able to stop and have adequate safety features they should be fine. I can't see too many people going out of there way to fit cages etc when they can just go elsewhere without any hassles.

[SteveJH]

Remember, current model 911 Turbo's have broke the 10 second mark on the drag strip without any modifications.

[Road Games]

Yep and couldn't run again .. stupid rule !

[SpoolMan]

Have I missed something the thread title reads incorrect? the 3 tracks are stepping away from ANDRA's outdated rules for these meets, although ANDRA will still be used to run the meets..
The 3 tracks are bringing in there own rules as they are tired of waiting for ANDRA to move on this.

Originally Posted by prasac

the three tracks will step away from the existing sanctioning requirements of ANDRA for minor events – allowing the new rules mentioned above to be successfully implemented.


our three tracks have decided to take the next step to move the sport we love into the 21st century,”


Beuk said the move by the three tracks has come after more than five years of lobbying for change.

We have been pushing hard for ANDRA to move with the times and the changes in technology to develop new regulations in this area at our minor events for more than five years with no success.

[Racecraft]

i thought it meant ANDRA rules wouldn't be applicable for T&T's, Street Heat and the othe 'minor' meets..

[prasac]

it includes Full Throttle Fridays and Race for Real Wednesday @ Sydney Dragway. it opens alot of questions, if u run 11.99 or faster now do you still need an ANDRA licence? how will the cars be scrutineered? does ANDRA still need to be at the track if it will be track officials doing all the scrutineering and shot calling? will ANDRA licenses still need to be used? if it's the track holding the event under their rules, do all the other cars that don't have ABS and SRS run under ANDRA rules?

i'm all for it, but, we are talking about cars that will be doing 120mph+, a car doing 10.0 is running up around the 140mph mark.

maybe they should watch this video. yep, ABS n SRS Airbag definitely help
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LmRkPyuet_o

[63futura]

Originally Posted by prasac

it includes Full Throttle Fridays and Race for Real Wednesday @ Sydney Dragway. it opens alot of questions, if u run 11.99 or faster now do you still need an ANDRA licence? how will the cars be scrutineered? does ANDRA still need to be at the track if it will be track officials doing all the scrutineering and shot calling? will ANDRA licenses still need to be used? if it's the track holding the event under their rules, do all the other cars that don't have ABS and SRS run under ANDRA rules?

i'm all for it, but, we are talking about cars that will be doing 120mph+, a car doing 10.0 is running up around the 140mph mark.

maybe they should watch this video. yep, ABS n SRS Airbag definitely help
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LmRkPyuet_o

HAHA i dont think even a cage would help with that
I would like to see them talk to DOT so if you wanted to run a cage you wouldnt get targeted by cops

[prasac]

Originally Posted by 63futura

HAHA i dont think even a cage would help with that
I would like to see them talk to DOT so if you wanted to run a cage you wouldnt get targeted by cops

full tube it will, a 6-point roll cage, hmmm i don't like your chances. however, don't hit the wall square on or flip the car a roll cage definitely will. one ANDRA official was saying he has seen a factory Commodore hit the wall at 75mph, the car was totalled.

[prasac]

just saw this, looks like Tony Beuk has resigned.

29th November 2011

Sydney Dragway General Manager Resigns

Since the late 1970s, drag racing has provided me with a mixed range of experiences. While still an avid spectator, I witnessed the sport encounter its first major setback in NSW – the closure of Castlereagh which, for too long, left the sport homeless in Sydney.

I welcomed the opening of Eastern Creek Raceway and witnessed the sport’s growth with a mixture of events, including the Winfield Triple Challenge. Then, in mid-1996, drag racing encountered yet another disruption for its competition racers and its championship series’.

It was then that a number of committed drag racers and drag racing supporters, of which I was proud to be an integral part, led a campaign to establish a world class drag racing facility.

In mid-2007, some three and a half years after the opening of Sydney Dragway, I had the opportunity to have an active role in the organisation. From then, until the early part of 2011, a number of realities presented themselves. With unfavourable weather, an unstable organisational structure and little income from alternative uses, the venue’s continued capability to sustain drag racing became problematic.

The next five years provide an opportunity for the venue to develop new uses that will sustain drag racing for the future of Sydney and NSW. It is important that the venue be given the chance to grow with a new team.

I would like to put on record a few of the major contributions that I have made to the facility, including the following:
• Negotiating and lobbying the NSW Government for the support and the construction of a stand-alone drag racing facility from January 1997
• Negotiating major changes to the lease with the landlord, including financial off sets for the venue period of 20 years to the value of $2.92 million
• Capital funding from the NSW Government to the value of $2.8 million
• Event funding from the NSW Government to the value of $600,000
• Negotiation and preparation of the 4WD Outdoor adventure show licence agreement
• Negotiating with Treasury funding of approximately $1.5 million for rectification works to the track and venue, which have been recently undertaken
• Preparation of briefing to Treasury of approximately $7 million of capital works including shading, venue upgrades, vehicle training and testing facility
• Expansion of the membership for WSID Ltd
• Redrafting of the constitution
• Review of operational processes to improve venue function, event delivery and accountability.

To allow a new Board the flexibility to set its direction and determine the appropriate organisational structure I am tendering my resignation as General Manager, effective at the close of business on Wednesday 30thNovember, 2011.

I remain committed in the future to assisting the sport and the facility and will welcome any future involvement that the new Board may consider appropriate.

In closing, I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Board, staff, sponsors and racers for their support and direction.

[Giant]

If I was going to step up I would want a roll cage I see it go wrong nearly everytime I at the track. Nearly everytime the drive walks away no issuse and lot of the time the car can be repaired.

Without a cage the driver would have some serious problems and the car would be totaled.

[prasac]

have heard that Sydney Dragway will not be going ahead with these rules. they will be sticking to the old rules.

[dieseltrain79]

Bugger , was looking forward to a 75 shot and E85 and some 10.7's

[prasac]

Originally Posted by dieseltrain79

Bugger , was looking forward to a 75 shot and E85 and some 10.7's

oh well, better make it count, you will only get 1 shot