OK--you guys will be the first to hear this one. HOT ROD is throwing the first-ever Pump Gas Drags in 2004, and we think it's the least limiting, most legit street-car shootout yet. No trailers allowed! Complete rules will be posted at hotrod.com in a few weeks, and they will be printed in the January issue of the magazine. So don't take this as official, but here's the gist of it:
- Race will probably be sometime in May in Memphis
- All years, makes, and models are allowed. No dragsters or flopper bodies, and only '34-and-older may be fenderless.
- No limits on weight or cubic inch or heads or induction
- Must be street legal, registered, insured
- Full interiors required
- Entire event must be run on one set of four DOT-legal tires of your choice
- Here's the catch: All cars must be presented for tech with empty gas tanks. HOT ROD will supply 15 gallons of 93-octane unleaded pump gas. No other fuel source or additives are allowed, and we will tech the fuel after the race.
- All competitors will meet at Comp Cams for tech and will be impounded for the night. In the morning, the cars must follow the Comp Cams lead van at least 30 miles to the track and may not drop behind the chase van for any reason. No trailers are allowed to follow the cars and no trailers or support vehicles will be allowed at the track. All the people and equipment you need must be in the car.
- At the track, there's 30 minutes of cool-down. Each car will make three passes down the track, and at the end of the day, the car with the quickest average e.t. wins.
- There will also be awards for Most Legit 11-second car, 10-second car, and so on.
- It's free to enter, but HOT ROD and Comp Cams will select only 50 cars to participate, like an invitational. Entry forms will be in the January HOT ROD, and must be submitted along with photos of the car, the engine, and the interior. Proof of e.t. is also suggested. Entries will be due around the end of the year and cars will be announced around the end of January.
- Every car that passes tech will get a photo in HOT ROD.

Once again, understand that these are not the official rules, and they are not complete. But close enough for you to start thinking about it. Enter as many good Mopars as you can and I promise to make sure they have a good showing. Bring it!

DF

Cool!

This sounds very cool, I might actually think about this, would the racing be heads up?

OK, where did all the enginemasters motor parts go? Time for a Moparts entry!!

No--it's not heads up. Cars may run side-by-side, but it doesn't matter. The winner is the car with the lowest average e.t. over three passes, and if there's a tie, then the car with the highest average mph wins. We very much wanted heads-up, but the three-run average helps eliminate guys that can only make one 8-second pass before they blow up. This is a proven method with True Street classes in Pro and Fun Ford.
DF

Hey - pretty cool idea! Thanks for the insight, can't wait to see what shows up!

what sort of et's do you think the field will be compossed of ?

I think "full interior" needs to be defined better.
Do the cars need to meet any saftey rules, or is it an outlaw event?
In any case, it sounds like a fun run whatcha brung event!

Reagrding expected e.t., I'd expect to see at least a high 8-second pass from a turbo car. Whether they can do it more than once is another issue.

Also, to encourage all comers, we will have editors choice awards for some slower, but more realisitally streetable cars. A lot of ink and TV time will come out of this.

DF

Regarding "full interior" being defined better, you're right. That's why this is just a peek at the rules and not the full thing. Basically it needs front seats, carpet, headliner, door panels, stock dash frame, and the column in the stock location. I'll repeat it: this is just chat, not totally official rules. Trust what is in the magazine.

And, yes, the cars need to be NHRA safety legal for the speeds they are capable of.
DF

Oh now this sounds like fun..I just might have to get involved..

Rick

Answer on tires: no limit on size as long as they ar DOT legal. Can be ET Streets or radials as long as they are DOT. Pro Streeters welcome and encouraged.

DF

time to call out the Haze!!!!!!! do they run pump gas????

This sounds like fun.... Now I just have to get one of my cars running!

Ryan

How do you think mid to high tens would do?

If I push it I may get high 10's? 10 minutes that is!

Ryan

Squeeze it til it pops, man.

DF