[MineralIronHors]

The title is a little weird but it explains exactly what happened tonight while i was at the drag strip with my buddies.

It was my last run of the night, and everything was going good. My burnout (to get the junk off my tires) and my staging went according to plan. I was lined up against a 1980's Monte Carlo (the boxy ones) and it was obviously built up. We both took off on the green and i was beating him out of the hole with my .056 reaction time. On down the track, he passed me and ended his run in the low 13's. As he crossed the finish line however, something dropped from under his car. His drive shaft had broke and it flew out. The one piece drive shaft was now sheered into 2 sharp pieces, one of which flew 20 feet into the air and landed in the middle of my lane. I had to slam on the brakes and make a quick swerve to dodge the piece in my lane. I turned on my hazards and rolled down the window and waved like mad so others cars wouldnt come screaming down the track. Luckily, i was slow enough at my 15.5 at 89mph to be able to dodge it. I figure that if i was running mid 14's, the drive shaft would have come through my windshield and hit me in the face, most likely seriously injuring me.

While dodging the pieces, i noticed they were a little rusted, which makes me believe it was the stock drive shaft. It just goes to show that modding your engine, and not properly modding the rest of the car to handle the new power, can have serious consequences. Stay safe out there and watch for flying drive shafts!

[RLG34750]

There is the perfect reason to have a driveshaft safety loop.....

[EagleAutosports]

If he was in the low 13's, he should've had a driveshaft loop to begin with.

[RLG34750]

The NHRA requires all cars that run 13.99 or faster to have a drive shaft safety loop that meets general regulation number 2:4.

2.4 DRIVELINE
On any car in which the driver sits over or in back of the rearend center section, a suitable protective shield of .120-inch (3 mm) minimum thickness steel plate must be installed for those units with universal joints securely mounted to the rearend center section and the bellhousing adapter. Where possible, couplers are recommended in place of U-joints. For straight couplers, the minimum requirement is .063-inch (1.6 mm) aluminum which must contain an inspection cover for removal and inspection of the coupler, securely mounted to the rearend center section and the bellhousing adapter, or as noted in Class Requirements. In place of a crossmember, in the vicinity of the front universal joint, all cars in competition using open driveshafts, must have a retainer loop 360-degrees of enclosure, 1/4-inch (6.35 mm) minimum thickness and 2-inches (5.1 cm) wide, or 7/8-inch (22.2 mm) x .065-inch (1.65 mm) welded steel tubing, securely mounted and located within 6-inches (15.2 cm) of the front universal joint for support of the driveshaft in event of U-joint failure. Recommended the loop be round rather than oblong to minimize loading on loop. Open drivelines passing any part of the driver's body must be completely enclosed in 1/8-inch (3.2 mm) minimum thickness steel plate, securely mounted to the frame or frame structure.

[MineralIronHors]

So any car in the 13's has to have a drive shaft loop? Does that mean even lightly modded GT's or factory stock cars in the 13's have to have a drive shaft loop?

[RLG34750]

Originally Posted by MineralIronHors

So any car in the 13's has to have a drive shaft loop? Does that mean even lightly modded GT's or factory stock cars in the 13's have to have a drive shaft loop?

Yes if its running 13.99 or faster must have a driveshaft loop.....

or if you are running slicks at any ET......

[TheKurgan]

For the 2 piece driveshaft in the S197's, 2 safety loops are required. One for the front and one for the back. I have the Granatelli 2 piece in mine. Guess I need to add something else to my siggy.