Quote: A $150 set of belts over 2 years works out to a cost of about $1.56 a week.
I look at it different- Due to work I get to go to the track (which is three hours away) once a year so it works out to $75 extra a year to make a single outing.
So.. two trips to the track and my belts which see daylight a few days a year are rubbish? Does this make any sense to anyone with a lick of common sense?
Frankly, that's not SFIs problem......its yours. What about the guy that makes over a 1000 runs a year and his dragster sits in the sun for 3 days every weekend while he is making those runs.........not to mention the constant pulling and tugging on those belts all those times. Are his belts still "perfect" after 2 years?.......maybe, maybe not. How "used" is strictly a judgement call and likely one that not many would trust to an average tech guy. In todays society, a guy crashes, belts fail, he dies. Litigation is going to say "well (insert name here) tech guy said belts were OK"........"his bad judgement, caused this guys death". Now while that COULD still happen with the current two year rule, what you are trying to do is take a "judgement call" on belt condition out of the equation. And for THAT reason alone......the two year rule is NOT going away
Most relate this rule to THEIR belts and the condition they are in after two years. Unfortunately, the condition of YOUR belts is of no concern. So, was the "testing" done on a "worst scenario" type condition.......yes, highly probable. But THAT is the conditions you have to base rules on, because obviously it could happen
Lets relate this to some recent NASCAR rulings. Guys have been crashing CUP cars HARD for 60 years and walking away without a scratch. Then we had a FEW basil skull fractures and guys died, notably Earnhardt. So NOW belt mounting practices are highly inspected and head and neck restraints are required, as well as full face helmets. I'm sure many were NOT happy with the helmet and neck restraint rules........but NASCAR is trying to be preventative and so is NHRA. Is it partially to cover their own azz.........well of course it is.........but it is also because, threat of litigation aside, NHRA does NOT want people hurt. Safety rules, as much as some want to argue about it, are NOT in place just to cost you money
