NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

In July 2022, after much research and deliberation, the NHRA Technical Department announced that an injected nitro combination would be added to the Top Alcohol Funny Car class beginning with the start of the 2023 season.

At the time, the new combination was advertised as “a move designed to strengthen the class, improve participation, and drive innovation.” Today, nearly three years later, that remains the primary objective.

In the Top Alcohol Dragster class, the supercharged methanol and injected nitro combinations have been able to coexist for many years with a minimal amount of rules adjustments. That is certainly the goal for the Funny Car class as well.

Since the rules went into effect in 2023, several racers have tried the new combination with varying levels of success. Once the brightest minds in the sport began to explore the possibilities of the new A/Fuel combination, it was almost a given that their performance would approach or exceed record levels. That happened recently at the NHRA Southeast Division NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series opener at Gainesville Raceway and the Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals when Mick Steele drove his Mustang to a 5.339 at over 277 mph to set both ends of the record. A short time later, reigning and four-time world champion Sean Bellemeur ran as quick as 5.3197 in his Bartone Bros. entry to re-set the E.T. mark. Unofficially, Bellemeur also ran 5.28 during preseason testing and topped 280 mph.

During the two events in Gainesville, the injected nitro entries of Mick Steele and Julie Nataas also made competitive runs of 5.41 and 5.45, respectively. The quickest supercharged run of the season was made by Annie Whiteley at 5.397.

Following the Southeast Division event, the NHRA Tech Department issued the following parity adjustment.

Top Alcohol Funny Cars running nitromethane, 100% nitromethane permitted at events contested at 3,500 feet of altitude or more. Maximum nitromethane content 95% for cars running 3.20 and numerically higher rear gear ratios, 91.5% for cars running 3.19 and numerically lower rear gear ratio at all other events.

“The latest rules change, obviously, was made to maintain parity in the class. This is something that the Top Alcohol Dragster class has had for years but is new to the Top Alcohol Funny Car racers,” said NHRA Top Alcohol Rules Committee Chairman Josh Hamming. “One thing that’s important to remember is that in the long run, our goal is to increase car count.

“From the start of this process, we want to entice people to come into this class; to try and make it attractive for anyone who wants to give it a try,” said Hamming. “We want new racers, but we’re also cautious not to run off any of the current racers. All along, we’ve said that we’d keep a close eye on performance and make adjustment when called for, and that’s what you saw recently with our latest adjustment.”

Hamming also went into a bit more detail regarding the latest rules revision, regarding nitro percentage and gearing. He noted that racers maintain the option to run either a 3.20 or 2.91 gear.

“Since this combination is relatively new, we don’t want to hamper anyone’s efforts to make it competitive,” Hamming said. “We want them to have options, which is why we did not mandate a certain gear ratio. As for the nitro percentage at altitude, that has been a part of the [Top Alcohol Dragster] rules package for a long time. It’s something we’re watching closely and not just altitude. We want to see where the class is when the weather gets warmer."

From the initial planning stages of the A/Fuel Funny Car class to the present day, NHRA has maintained a strong dialogue with racers who favor both the injected nitro and supercharged methanol combinations.

“We’ve had constant contact with race teams, both SRAC [Sportsman Racer Advisory Committee] members and non-members,” said Hamming. “We’ve listened carefully to their thoughts and concerns. I know the [supercharged] guys were appreciative of our latest update.

“One question we’ve gotten is, ‘Why don’t you just speed up the supercharged cars?’ That’s a great question, but the consensus is that it would lead to additional costs for those racers, and that’s something we’re trying to avoid. We don’t want to make big changes.”

Bellemeur, who won his fourth championship last year with a perfect 10-win season behind the wheel of a supercharged car, believes the class is headed in the right direction, while acknowledging the possibility of some short-term growing pains.

“I went into this entire project more closed-minded than I should have been,” Bellemeur said. “I am a blown alcohol guy at heart. I love shifting, revving up [the engine], but that [nitro] car is a bigger animal than I thought. When we started testing, we had success that far exceed exceeded our expectations. I think the only one who was not surprised was [crew chief] Steve Boggs.

“Baby Gators, we won and set both ends of the record, so it was not unexpected to have a rule change after that. We got a 1% reduction in nitro percentage, and what I have going for me is that Steve sees that as a challenge, an opportunity to do better.  In the end, how many rules can you change to stop a man who loves the challenge of making things better?

“The good news is NHRA is receptive to ideas. They are listening, and they have fielded our phone calls. Honestly, we should take our blown car to Las Vegas, but that does nothing for the education of the class. With the altitude and thin air, I think we’ll get our butt kicked, but we’ve got to know. Again, NHRA has its eyes and ears wide open, but until we get more runs at more tracks, we don’t know if [the current rules] are enough.

“Do the rules still need to be adjusted? Probably, but we don’t know by how much,” Bellemeur said. “In the end, I think the class has long needed another option, and now, we have that.”

Interesting enough, Bellemeur’s take on the current state of the class doesn’t differ much from the opinion of Doug Gordon, a multitime world champ who currently fields a supercharged entry for his daughter, Maddi.

“Right now, I am happy that NHRA is making quick movements and staying on top of it,” said Gordon. “After the Gainesville regional, they made an adjustment on Monday morning. It was 1%, which wasn’t enough, but they did it. Then, after the Gatornationals, they made a much bigger change. I don’t know if that [2.5% reduction in nitro percentage] is enough, but I’m happy that NHRA is on top of it. Eventually, I know they’ll get it right.”

Gordon, like Bellemeur, is anxious to gain more data on the injected nitro combination, particularly when it comes to varying altitudes and weather conditions.

“I want them [Bellemeur] to come to Pomona where the air will be good, but they’re going to Las Vegas and Charlotte, so those are two very different places, so we’ll know more after that. I don’t see myself building one, but we do need these cars in the class, so don’t make them where they can’t compete at all.”