Landracing Forum
Bonneville Salt Flats Discussion => SCTA Rule Questions => Topic started by: kustombrad on May 26, 2016, 07:57:13 PM
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Just curious with all the classes out there, why fuel isn't allowed in ANY of the truck classes? I mean c'mon, who doesn't want to see a truck on 70% blasting across the flats/dirt?! I had to ask...
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That's one of the things that I always loved about landspeed racing, 4 classes per engine size... G/F/BG/BF
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Brad, I have 3 points.
1) We don't need ANY more classes :dhorse:
2) There are plenty of fuel classes out the to get your fix of nitro. 8-)
3) Finish your streamliner! :-D
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With the right modifications, I believe that a truck can run in any of the appropriate ALT classes. It may not be competitive against some of the sleeker body styles, but if you just HAVE to run a fueler, this may be an outlet.
Steve.
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Not true Steve, There is the long standing rule in section 1.B known as the "lowest primary class/category" rule.
The intention is that if there is an existing class/category you must run within the rules of that class/category. Besides we have more classes than entrants or room for such entrants at El Mirage.
Remember, if you are not legal for a certain class your vehicle will not be reclassified. It is not necessarily legal for another class.
Plus there are classes for everyone now.
DW
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Thanks for the clarification, Dan. I was thinking along the lines that adding a step pan, or grille/headlight coverings would make a truck eligible to run as an Altered (assuming 1982 or newer body style). A closer look at the rulebook indicates that Alt is only for Coupes and Sedans (no mini pickups). In any event, this is mostly an academic exercise trying to find a "Fuel" class.
Steve.
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Like the elusive Waldo, hard to find and when you the hairs on your arm do not stand up.
DW
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I guess you could also ask why there aren't any fuel coupes either? It's a bit of a history thing really. Back to why there aren't any fuel coupes, the gas coupe class exists because guys would bring out their engine swapped whatevers back in the old days and a lot of the time, these cars were multi-purpose vehicles. Some were still street driven, some were drag raced and then raced on the dirt. You didn't run your street car on fuel - you ran gas. Same thing with mod sports. Mod sports was gas only for a very long time because mod sports were still largely street based cars that again, ran on gas, not fuel. The same thing goes for pickup trucks. A lot of times the trucks that were raced were push trucks! Again, same story - nobody ran their push truck on fuel. So in a way it's about keeping things like they were and preserving a little bit of history and how things were done. Oh another gas only example - street roadster. Why only gas? Because you don't run fuel on the street!
Maybe it's old thinking but I think it makes sense. The push to get fuel into mod sports made sense because MS cars evolved from basic engine swapped Corvette into defacto streamliners. And we still don't need any more classes.
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Nathan,
If I may expand on your reply a bit. There is a sort of Fuel Coupe class still in existence. A look through really old rule books (pre 80s) will show a Gas Altered and Fuel Coupe class. Reading both sets of rules will show that the classes were exactly the same save for the fuel choice. The class known as Fuel Coupe was changed to FuelAltered and stands that way to this day. So, for those with a nostalgia bent think Fuel Coupe but paint Fuel Altered on your windows.
DW
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Thanks for the additional history Dan.
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Nathan,
If I may expand on your reply a bit. There is a sort of Fuel Coupe class still in existence. A look through really old rule books (pre 80s) will show a Gas Altered and Fuel Coupe class. Reading both sets of rules will show that the classes were exactly the same save for the fuel choice. The class known as Fuel Coupe was changed to FuelAltered and stands that way to this day. So, for those with a nostalgia bent think Fuel Coupe but paint Fuel Altered on your windows.
DW
The change to /FAlt and drop of /FC class was in '91 or '92. I don't have a '91 rule book so am not sure. It was in the '90 book but changed in the '92. At that time, the classes included pick up trucks so that predated the addition of pick up classes. Of course, there is a difference between /Alt and /GC so there was some loss but I understand the reasoning Nathan put forth about street usage etc.
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I used a pre 80s date because I did not recall when the change did happen. With the popularity of pickup racing in other associations NASCAR, NHRA, various dirt tracks, the SCTA saw a need for pickup truck classes. This move caused the transfer of pickups from traditional coupe classes to their own structure.
Reminder, rule 1.B, 2nd paragraph - lowest primary class.
DW
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Just for clarification, an S10 with a nitro powered C or D engine, would not have a class to run? Or what would it take to make it fit a fuel legal class?
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Another body.
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Just reading this...I also really didn't like the lack of a Fuel Class in Pickup's. mainly because I wanted to run E95 in my Turbo setup, it's a fairly standard setup in the 4 banger turbo racing world, but alas, E95 is not Spec Gas. I just accepted the fact that mini pickup's don't get the same love as the sleek sexy looking coupe's and sedans...:-)
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Dan, or Mike . some time ago we discussed the location of stock fuel tanks , when it came to pickups, I know the book sez if it's in the cab it has to be removed. Ok, but you guys mentioned something about if not, the tank has to be physically in the stock location, however it does not have to be used, A fuel cell is the obvious way to go.
However for the life of me I cannot find such a thing mentioned in the book. This is Production class of course, can you give me a paragraph or something to refer to ?? Thanks, Richard, AKA, Billy.
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Some things are inferred to in the rules (ie not actually printed). Production category states that vehicle must be aerodynamically "stone stock". This would include retaining exterior fuel tanks BUT for safety purposes, the stock tank doesn't need to actually be used to hold fuel. It just needs to be there to fill the hole it originally lived in so that it's removal doesn't give an aerodynamic advantage. If a truck has an in-cab gas tank, it can be replaced with a bed mounted fuel cell legally since there was no exterior gas tank to begin with.
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Dan, or Mike . some time ago we discussed the location of stock fuel tanks , when it came to pickups, I know the book sez if it's in the cab it has to be removed. Ok, but you guys mentioned something about if not, the tank has to be physically in the stock location, however it does not have to be used, A fuel cell is the obvious way to go.
However for the life of me I cannot find such a thing mentioned in the book. This is Production class of course, can you give me a paragraph or something to refer to ?? Thanks, Richard, AKA, Billy.
Trucks running in PP, MP or BMP classes MUST have the cab mounted gas tank removed. See pages 88 and or 95 of the 2017 rule book.
Coupes and Sedans running in Production classes must retain the stock gas tank but it does not need to be used.
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Please explain "...must retain the stock gas tank but it does not need to be used."
GW
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Please explain "...must retain the stock gas tank but it does not need to be used."
GW
Read Nathan Stewart's response 2 up.
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Pretty simple.
Keep the tank, don't use it.
DW
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Production classes usually require things like the gas tank be in place, but does not have to be used. We used ours for a water tank back in the 70's when we ran GT.