John, im in the NE also, where do you run? Is that englishtown?

 

No, New England Dragway in NH - a really nice group of people working there. They enforce the rules to the letter. I'm sure they do not want any liability should something happen...

 

yeah right! my tech inspector went to the front of the car to see the engine, you think he would even think of that. nope.

 

no clicks.

 

You guys have it easy...sounds like a lot of you would be sidelined up here. Are they making you use roll bars under 11.5?

 

Whats the exact step to bypass the clutch? unplug it? wire the wires together while plugged in?

 

John, so what would they do in the case of a car like mine? I've got a 1972, back then they ALL started without depressing the clutch. Anyway, I'm sure the owners of your track think they're being "responsible" and trying to protect people, but really they're contributing to illegal street racing indirectly. Back in the late 90's, maybe early 2000's here in Los Angeles, Street racing became a HUGE problem. So in order to curb it, Law enforcement encouraged local tracks to start opening up to the "Run what ya brung" philosophy. It was smart, it got kids off the streets and onto tracks where they could race in a controlled environment. They didn't have to worry about inconsistencies in the roads that could cause an accident or "fans" along the highways/roads where they could easily be struck and injured or killed. During that time All you needed were working seatbelts and a helmet. And this worked! Tracks pretty much had you sign an affidavit saying that you understood that it was "at your own risk" But then like everything else, the Lawyers and insurance companies started getting in on the action, causing tracks to become more "respsonsible" er, doing more about risk management to lower their risk. Then came the track rules such as...under such and such times or trap speeds then you must have a roll bar, under this time you must have a full cage, this speed you must have a parachute...etc. etc. Well guess what happened?! Now the kids are back to racing on the streets. Back to causing needless injuries and deaths. Let's face it, for as long as there are cars on the road, there will be races on the road, but if we lower the standards to accomadate the majority of the cars, this will give them a place to run while lessening the risk of injuring others. While I do agree, a 9 second and under car or a car trapping at 140+ should have quite a bit more safety requirements than a 14 second 108mph car should, I feel anything 10 sec and over is about 98% of the cars out there and should be allowed to run with stock safety gear as long as it's in working order such as airbags, breaks etc. with maybe the exception of a DOT approved helmet. Under 10, then we can start talking about 6point harnesses, roll cages etc. And PLEASE let's get back to "at your own risk" racing at the tracks. As long as the track owners aren't negligent on things such as not cleaning up oil spills etc. there should be no reason for a track owner to be held liable for someone else's misfortune of a tire blowing or poor driving skills. Ok rant over, just things like this chaps my hide!

 

In europe the Porsches always start without engaging the clutch.

 

The clutch switch interlock got only 2 wires. One goes to the ground the other to the ECU. But the logic is not explain into the wiring diagram. Try to open and closed circuit. With a jumper between the two wires... And you don't have to cut the wires just put a piece metal between the two pins of the plug...

 

You are right Dixie. On the wiring diagram says "release only on USA transmission...)

 

John - is that rule only for modded cars since many dead stock cars will "fail" it?

 

I don't know the details of the rule - only that they check mine for it every time I go and when I asked, I was told that if it didn't work the car would fail the tech inspection.

I think if the car was not made with it originally, it's probably accepted as "stock" and allowed. I don't know the fine points of this rule...

 

No clutch checks, but definitely been kicked out in both cars as soon as we went quicker than 11.5 with no cage.

 

Of all the dragstrips I have been to, that is the last thing they were
worried about John

Oh yeah, I love to reach in my driver window, rattle the shifter side to side to make sure it is in neutral, and hit the starter and let the engine
warm up a bit.

MK

 

Nor would they know if you told them you have a Euro spec version

That is an idotic rule to enforce