finally got thru to div2.
Don't really understand the system. I was told they expire each year. So what good does a qualifying event in Nov. do if the point expires in Dec??
He did say something about the previous years point total but I don't understand. Is it in writing somewhere??

Grade points are accumulated to the end of each year, so if you go to 4 Division races and 1 National Open in 09 that's 5 grade points for this year. In 2010 your points start over. NHRA will use whichever is the higher total, either from the current year or the previous year, so in 2010 your point total from 09 can be used if it's higher than your points from 2010 at the time you apply for entry. (You may not have National Opens in your Division)

thanks sg

wonder if they could make it a little more confusing

so I ran one qualifying event in 08 and 2 divinsionals in 09. guess I am grade 2 at the moment? I will run one more Nat.open this year for a total of 3. So your saying I will have 3 grade points for 2010 registration correct?

Yeah, we're on the same page. I copied the actual rules from my home Div. 6 website for you, long winded but it should help. If your division runs two National Opens back to back (SAT - Sun) and you attend both, you only get 1 grade point. Sounds like you're looking for points to get into the Winter's?

Last update: 5/21/2008


To meet demands on pit space and scheduling at national events, NHRA developed its grading system to accommodate the growing number of Sportsman competitors who wish to participate. Online event registration in 2008 has been modified to accept entries ten weeks prior to each event for racers with a Grade 8 *or* greater. Grade 7 racers can register one week later, Grade 6 racers a week after that, and so on until the category is filled. The process for earning grade points follows:

Drivers receive one grade point per Lucas Oil divisional event *or* National Open attended (grade points are also awarded for the Top Sportsman and Top Dragster categories), but are limited to one grade point per vehicle, per calendar week (Monday to Monday). The grade points earned in the previous year *or* the current year, whichever is greater at the time of event registration, will be the driver''s accepted grade.

A racer who competes in multiple categories can combine grade points. For example, a racer who competes in Super Gas at two events and in Super Comp at two events will have a combined grade point of 4 and may register as a Grade 4 contestant in any single NHRA Sportsman category. When combining grade points, this total cannot be divided for two separate categories (i.e. 10 grade points in Comp and 3 grade points in Super Comp equal a combined grade point of 13, but CANNOT be allocated where 8 grade points go to Comp and 5 grade points for Super Comp, equaling 13).

Grade points earned in any grading class -- including NHRA Sport Compact competition -- can be used for national event entry in one of NHRA''s seven Sportsman categories, excluding Super Street, to compete in Super Street at a national event, grade points must have been earned in Super Street. A racer who has earned grade points in Stock, for example, can use those to apply for entry in any of the other six categories as long as NHRA competition license requirements have been met. It is the contestant''s responsibility to make sure that grade points for all events attended are awarded.

A racer who has specific questions about NHRA''s Sportsman grading system are encouraged to speak with his *or* her division director.

Provisional entries
NHRA''s Sportsman grading system allows for the following provisional entries:

NHRA Gold, Silver, and Bronze Card holders. These contestants are guaranteed national event entry for the specified racing season. Gold Card holders are national and divisional champions on the Lucas Oil and Jr. Drag Racing League levels and divisional champions in the Summit Racing Series. (A racer who wins championships in different categories may earn more than one Gold Card, but one who wins national and divisional titles in the same category does not receive two Gold Cards.) Silver Card holders are the numbers 2 through 10 finishers nationally who did not earn a Gold Card in the same category and the numbers 2 through 5 finishers divisionally in Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car who did not earn a Gold Card. A Bronze Card is awarded to the numbers 6 through 10 finishers divisionally in Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car who did not earn a Gold *or* Silver Card. The Silver and Bronze Card is for entry to national events only.

Defending event champions: The defending event champion will be guaranteed entry to the event that he *or* she won. For example, the Super Comp winner at the 2004 Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals is ensured entry into Super Comp at the 2005 Mile-Highs. Entry is not guaranteed in any other event *or* category.

Former national season champions: Former Professional *or* Sportsman national champs will be confirmed entry to any national event in any category. In addition, a Pro driver who earns a top 20 finish in the current *or* previous season will be given Sportsman entry to any national event.

Car owners: Owner grade credit may be awarded in cases of driver change. The owner must have grade points from the previous year for the vehicle being entered (points can be based on multiple drivers for said vehicle). Ownership will be verified using national event entry forms and divisional and National Open tech-card payee information. The owner grade points cannot be a combination of multiple vehicles and will be calculated from the previous year only. Owner and driver grade points cannot be combined, and multiple owners of same-vehicle grade points will not be combined. Owner grade points cannot be used on a second car, a driver must have sufficient grade points for a second car to compete.

Top 10 title contenders: As the racing season nears its end, a contestant within the top 20 in any Sportsman category that rewards a national championship and remains in contention for a possible top 10 year-end position is guaranteed entry to NHRA''s final four nationals events: in Dallas, Chicago, Las Vegas, and Pomona.

Driver changes will not be permitted for any provisional entry that registered after the event was closed either by reaching class quota *or* entry cutoff date.

These provisional policies do not excuse the contestant from any late fees *or* insurance surcharges. For example, if a Gold Card holder gains entry at the gate for an event, the $100 late/gate fee and $40 insurance fee will apply.

Hardship entries
To accommodate certain hardship cases, as determined by NHRA, *or* a racer who returns to active competition, an average grade is calculated by combining the racer''s grade points from the three previous years and dividing that number by three (total number of years). For example, a racer who competed in one divisional event in 2004, five in 2003, and six in 2002 has a total of 12 points, which, when divided by 3, equals a grade point of 4A ("A" for the averaging calculation). Hardship grade points cannot be combined with any category.

Foreign contestants
Grade points will be issued for participation in select foreign events: FIA European Championship, Australian Drag Racing Championship, Nordic Drag Racing Series, and Japan Drag Racing Association Championship. Each entry application must include written confirmation of participation in the series from the host country''s sanctioning organization.

NHRA has suffered from low fan and racer attendance in some parts of the country, so I suggest sending in your applicaton, entry forms, to any race you want to race in as soon as you can, the early racers get in when the later racers don't Let NHRA do hte bookwork on the grade points, they will use your NHRA racer number for that

Your Grade Points DO NOT zero out each year...they will decrease every year for three years and then zero out if you remain inactive in competition. If you remain active they accumulate.

Rickster

talked to him this morning...

What's the verdict?

Just realized, he must be the one that left you confused. Maybe ask another Division Director.

Since NHRA doen't run TD at National events, that race wouldn't count? I think only National Event categories are counted for grade points.

Well, I just read the rule again and it says you do get grade points for TD.

they have not "officially" announced it yet but TD and TS will compete at select National events next year!

it will be 32 car qualified field that I will not be fast enough for. Both fields will be 6sec cars.

TD will now be a spendfest and that don't interest me at all. I will still sneak into a few div races though.

How many grade points did it take to enter Atlanta in SG? once you use them they are done right??

I fixed that...See what I get for trying to multi task..Now I wonder what I told the banker on the phone