March Meet FC winner Boychuk and TF runner-up White disqualified

From NHRA Vice President Technical Operations Glen Gray dated March 16, 2012: “NHRA has disqualified both Nostalgia Top Fuel driver Rick White and Nostalgia Funny Car driver Tim Boychuck from the 2012 Hot Rod Heritage Racing Series March Meet for a rules violation. Following a post-race inspection, both driver’s fuel pumps exceeded the maximum allowance for fuel delivery. These disqualifications will result in a the loss of all points earned toward the Hot Rod Heritage Racing Series and the loss of the purse money from the event.”

The Agent made a call to K.J. Crawford, whose company is tasked by the NHRA to  verify that fuel pumps flow 21 gallons of fuel or less. After testing, the pumps are sealed with safety wire and a crimped lead seal. NHRA Heritage Series rules require all AA/FDs and AA/FCs that compete to use a fuel pump that has been certified by K.J. Crawford.

All four pumps that were checked after the March Meet were certified. Two of the pumps had the wire seal and two were sealed with a putty-like substance used prior to the current safety-wire and lead seal combination. [3/16/2012]

New rules for fuel pump certification for the Mickey Thompson DRO AA/FC Challenge

2011 DRO AA/FC Challenge Champion, John Hale.  (Jeff Burk photo)

DRO series administrator Jeff Burk announced today that for the 2012 Mickey Thompson Tires DragRacingOnline.com AA/FC Challenge at a minimum, the winner and runner-up of any of the Series events will have their fuel pumps’ gear length checked to determine if the meet the manufacturer’s and the Heritage Series specs for Waterman, Rage, and Settles fuel pumps.

“I was hoping we wouldn’t have to do this, but with the fuel pump problems at the March Meet I felt I had no choice,” Burk said. “I am having ‘go-no go’ gauges machined for all three of the pumps used in the series and we will check the winner’s and runner-up’s pumps immediately after the final round.

“Unfortunately,” Burk continued, “the racers will have to send the pump(s) we inspect back to K.J. Crawford to be recertified but I feel, and the pump manufacturers I’ve talked to say, that measuring the gears in the pump is the absolute best way to verify the performance.

“Checking the pumps at the track will also allow us to pay the purse and determine a winner immediately. I have also decided that if a racer is disqualified then his share of the purse will be put into the points fund and distributed to the racers at the end of the year.” [3/16/2012]