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NHRA: Herbert expects nitro rules changes to add parity to Top Fuel

28 January 2000

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel
POMONA, Calif. - Doug Herbert isn't the type of guy that will sit back and replay the highlights from the best season of his NHRA Winston Drag Racing Series career over and over, and over again. That's just not his style.

Sure, the 1999 campaign was truly memorable for the tall, personable second-generation driver from Cherryville, N.C.

He drove his Snap-on Tools dragster to four victories in six final round appearances. He also pocketed the lucrative $100,000 Winston No Bull Challenge bonus with his victory at Houston in early April. He recorded career-bests for elapsed time (4.551 seconds) and speed (321.65 mph). He finished seventh in the Winston Top Fuel points standings, also a career-best.

When the familiar crackle produced by 6,000 horsepower engines invades historic Pomona Raceway for the 40th annual AutoZone Winternationals, Feb. 3-6, signifying the start of the 2000 NHRA season, Herbert won't be looking back. Rather, he'll be looking to take one more step forward.

"We had a great year and we're looking to build on that for sure," said Herbert, who'll be among favorites to earn a Top Fuel victory at the $1.7 million race, first of 23 events in the $45 million NHRA Winston Drag Racing Series.

"We've been doing our homework," Herbert continued. "I've added some new personnel to the team - veteran guys like Dave Settles -- to make sure we don't go backwards. It's going to be an interesting season, especially with the new rules."

Those rules issued by the NHRA competition department during the off-season include a standard percentage of nitromethane (90 percent) that Top Fuel and Funny Car teams must use during competition; new mandatory Goodyear tires; and a time-limit change between elimination rounds (from 90 minutes to 75). In addition, the NHRA introduced fines and point deductions for teams that oil down the racing surface during qualifying and eliminations.

"I think the rules changes will be a little bit of an equalizer," Herbert said. "I think every team is going to have to get in the ballpark before they can start fine-tuning. I think it'll make for a competitive year and open it up a little. There'll probably be some surprises, some different guys that sneak in there and take advantage of the situation. We might even see a few new winners."

One thing Herbert is sure he won't see in 2000 is national record runs in his category. Gary Scelzi holds the national elapsed time mark at 4.480 seconds, while defending Winston champion Tony Schumacher holds the national speed record (326.91 mph) and the fastest speed in NHRA history (330.23 mph).

"I'm betting that those numbers are safe, at least for now," Herbert said. "Overall, I'd say most teams will be just a little slower at the beginning of the year. By the end of the year I'd say it will pick up quite a bit, once the teams get more familiar with the new rules."

Text provided by NHRA

Editors Note: To view hundreds of hot racing photos and art, visit The Racing Photo Museum and the Visions of Speed Art Gallery.