400 Thunder’s Sportsman Series will be bolstered by the introduction of a new bracket, Pro Radial. Pro Radial is set to be one of the most diverse but hotly contested classes and open to a variety of engine configurations, with allowances for four, six and eight cylinder blocks, blowers, turbochargers and nitrous oxide – all running on convention radial tyres.
400 Thunder will actively manage the Pro Radial’s technical regulations to ensure the bracket remains competitive, and no engine combination becomes dominant.
Pro Radial will run over an eighth mile in a heads up format from a Pro Tree.
The new bracket will feature in a three round championship in 2016, making its debut at Willowbank Raceway’s Easter weekend event, the Santos Super 3, with round two at Sydney Dragway’s Nitro Champs and the finals held at the Winternationals.
Radial classes have become extremely popular in the United States, with some races offering up to $50,000, and are a crowd favourite because of the assortment of entries.
Radial racing advocate Stuart Henry said Pro Radial would be a winner with competitors and fans, having experienced the concept first hand in the U.S. last year.
“The combination of high power and small tyres presents an interesting challenge for competitors, and a spectacle for the fans, and I know the 400 Thunder crowds will love Pro Radial,” Henry said.
“With Radial racing booming in America, there is plenty of information and technology filtering to Australian racers which will only be a positive for competitors.”
400 Thunder CEO Maurice Allen said Pro Radial is a terrific addition to the sportsman ranks, and a link between tuned street vehicles and purpose built race cars.
“The addition of Pro Radial to an already bumper line up of the 400 Thunder Sportsman Series shows our ability to adapt to the changing drag racing landscape,” Allen said.
“We’re eager to see Pro Radial hit the track, and have no doubt it will provide intense, high quality racing.”
PRO RADIAL TECHNICAL REGULATIONS
FORMAT
• This is a 1/8th mile heads up category running on a .400 Pro Tree with a Pro ladder.
SAFETY
• All IHRA and local track safety rules apply for car and driver, including the use of an oil retention device and/or engine diaper is MANDATORY.
BODY
• The car must retain its original appearance, profiles and dimensions.
• Any beam tripping devices forward of the bumper are prohibited.
• Aftermarket wings and spoilers are permitted.
• A hood must be used; scoop or hood must cover entire induction system.
• Forward facing hood scoops/turbocharger/supercharger inlets are permitted. – OEM/Lexan windows are permitted.
CHASSIS
• Backhalf style cars are permitted (Must have stock front frame rails that the suspension and cross member anchor too)
• Full Tube Chassis style cars are prohibited.
• Factory wheelbase must be maintained, (+ or – 1 inch).
• Front Ends with bolt in cross members may be fabricated and must be of similar design to standard and bolt into factory mounting points.
• Fabricated control arms permitted.
• Steering rack conversions are permitted.
ENGINE/POWER ADDERS
• No cubic inch limit.
• Single turbochargers are limited to 118mm maximum, small block and big block.
• Max size on all twin turbocharged combos without penalty is 88mm, small block and big block. (Reducers allowed)
• Turbos are to be a shelf stock style unit (example – “Precision Promod 94”)
• Max size on all twin centrifugal supercharged combos is F2.
• Single centrifugal supercharger limited to F3-139mm maximum, small block and big block.
• Roots superchargers are restricted to 14-71mm maximum.
• Screw superchargers limited to D Rotor maximum.
• Dual power adders are permitted on 4cyl and 6cyl entries only.
EXHAUST
• Exhaust (including wastegate) may exit underneath car or out the fenders/valance but must not affect timing or staging beams.
CO2 SYSTEM AND LINE
• The first TWO feet (minimum) of the line coming from the CO2 bottle must be ¼” plastic line with push-locks.
• No braided steel lines direct from the CO2 bottle. Braided steel line may be used after the first two feet of plastic/push-lock line to protect the line running through the firewall and/or around exhaust system.
TRANSMISSION/DRIVELINE
• Any transmission permitted.
• Any converter or clutch permitted.
FUEL
• Gasoline, E85 or M1 only permitted. M5 is prohibited. No nitro methane or additives.
TYRES
• Any 315/60/15 Drag Radial or smaller.
• Any Pro Bracket Radial 29.5/10.5/15 or smaller.
• Must run the same tyre for the entire event.
WEIGHTS
• All weights are minimum with driver in car.
• SB Naturally Aspirated – No Minimum
• BB Naturally Aspirated – No Minimum
• SB Nitrous – 2,200 lbs.
• BB Nitrous (4.840 Bore Space) – 2,650 lbs.
• BB Nitrous (5.000 Bore Space) – 2,800 lbs.
• BB Nitrous (5.000+ Bore Space) – 2,900 lbs.
• Four Cylinder/ Rotary Single Turbo – 2,600 lbs.
• Six Cylinder Single Turbo – 2,800 lbs.
• Six Cylinder Twin Turbo – 2,800 lbs.
• SB Single Turbo – 2,800 lbs.
• SB Twin Turbo – 3,000 lbs.
• BB Single Turbo – 3,050 lbs.
• BB Twin Turbo – 3,200 lbs.
• SB Roots Supercharger – 2,700 lbs.
• BB Roots Supercharger – 3,000 lbs.
• SB Screw Supercharger (D Rotor Max) – 3000 lbs.
• BB Screw Supercharger (D Rotor Max) – 3200 lbs.
• SB Single Centrifugal Supercharger – 2,800 lbs.
• SB Twin Centrifugal Superchargers – 3,000 lbs.
• BB Single Centrifugal Supercharger – 3,050 lbs.
• BB Twin Centrifugal Superchargers – 3,200 lbs.
Additions
+ 100 lbs. Billet HEMI or 481X
+ 100 lbs. “Hemispherical Headed” BBC or BBF.
+ 100 lbs. SB & BB twin turbos larger than 88mm no larger than 98mm
+ 50 lbs. Wheelie Bars
Reductions
– 50 lbs. SB single turbo smaller than 87mm
– 50 lbs. SB twin turbo combos smaller than 64mm
– 50 lbs. 275/60/15 tyre or smaller (must be on for the whole meeting and does not include the “pro bracket radial” in any size)
EVENTS
Round 1 Willowbank Raceway 25 – 26 March 2016
Round 2 Sydney Dragway 7 – 8 May 2016
Round 3 Willowbank Raceway 9 – 12 June 2016
