What exactly is the rule for testing? Even this late in the season, many teams are still confused over the testing policy.

The NHRA, after the confusion surrounding Robert Hight’s fifth test session in Brainerd, Minn., - he ran in John Force's car with Force's team - established that the tests go with the car and team, and not the driver.

What is not clearly defined is what happens after a team tests for a fifth time. Everyone knows the team is penalized based on the points they earn in the next event. But, what happens after a sixth test, or a seventh test?

More Questions Arise Following One Team’s Sixth Test …

What exactly is the rule for testing? Even this late in the season, many teams are still confused over the testing policy.

The NHRA, after the confusion surrounding Robert Hight’s fifth test session in Brainerd, Minn., - he ran in John Force's car with Force's team - established that the tests go with the car and team, and not the driver.

What is not clearly defined is what happens after a team tests for a fifth time. Everyone knows the team is penalized based on the points they earn in the next event. But, what happens after a sixth test, or a seventh test?

Jeff Arend and the Kalitta Motorsports team were docked their points for the NHRA U.S. Nationals because they tested at the O’Reilly Raceway Park as part of the pre-Indy test session - their fifth of the year.

What happens if a team tests again – a sixth time? The NHRA addresses the situation by stating in an email and policy book submitted to the Professional Racers Organization, “Any participant (including the driver owner and team) demonstrating a disregard or repeated violation of the testing policy may be subject to additional disciplinary action as deemed appropriate by NHRA in NHRA’s sole and absolute discretion.”

The day after the NHRA Carolinas Nationals, the Kalitta Motorsports Funny Car team tested with Al-Anabi Funny Car driver Del Worsham behind the wheel. Prior to the test, Worsham had run four tests with his own team.

Arend was under the impression that a team was docked with each test after the fourth. He was surprised to learn otherwise.

“I was under the impression you were docked each time and when I heard you get a fresh set, I said ‘no s***!” Arend told CompetitionPlus.com, Tuesday afternoon. “The points aren’t really a big deal for us at this stage in the game other than we have our own unofficial points battle with Jerry Toliver.”

Arend says the potential for misinterpretation of the testing rule is obvious and he believes many teams would have approached the season differently given the current knowledge.

“In Top Fuel there were a few who clinched early, they could have gone to the Indy test session and tested a few days and not really messed themselves up,” Arend explained. “That’s a big difference in the way people thought during the year.”  

Then there’s the issue of Terry Haddock, a driver who spoke out on the misinterpretation of the testing rules. The low buck Top Fuel racer ran two IHRA races (a total of six days) and then had his dragster’s St. Louis points docked. He ran a couple a few more multi-day match races and was never docked points a second time. This was before the cutoff to the Countdown to 1 playoffs.

Del Worsham believes most drivers and owners understood the spirit of the rules which subsequently led to poor qualifying shows at some events. He understands the loopholes do exist and those loopholes need to be closed in the future.

“I think the spirit of the rule had good intentions,” Worsham said. “I do believe it needs to be refined heavily at this point. If you look back now at the testing people needed and how it shook out, I’m afraid the [testing] rules hurt the qualifying show. Our hands were tied by following the spirit of the rules.”      

As it stands now, a four car nitro team gets 16 tests, but that number technically could have expanded to 32.

Ron Capps is amazed at the situation saying, “It would be unfortunate for the 2009 season to be clouded with what has happened with the testing debacle, and worse, it would be embarrassing for our sport to have an asterisk next to the 09 champion because of this.”

CompetitionPlus.com has requested clarification from the NHRA, but at the time of this article posting, the clarification has not been received.

Stan Creekmore contributed to this article.

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