As he's done for the past year or two or so, Dan Warner has sent the newest CAR rule changes to me to post here. He makes this comment:
"I have not included the complete sections, only the changes. Updates will be in
bold print and deletions are
lined out and
highlighted. The remainder of a paragraph where a change was made and the entire section will remain intact.
Please contact me with any questions."
Note added after posting: I see that the highlighting and bold/strike through did not follow in my cut and paste. I'll work on that -- but at least here are the rules/changes. Sorry for the inconvenience. Jon a/k/a SSS.
Last year, as I remember, we were all pleased that we saw the car changes a few days before Thanksgiving. This time -- a week and a half before the Turkey Day!
Thanks very much for your work and help, Dan. Go have a glass of wine - on us, okay? 
Here is what he sent:
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA TIMING ASSOCIATION
Presents 2014 Speed Trials RULES and RECORDS updates
NOTICE:
added sentence
Although a participant’s vehicle meets all safety and technical regulations, the vehicle may not be allowed to compete due to environmental or course conditions or other considerations. All decisions of the Race Director and the SCTA Contest Board are final.
All regulations are subject to change without notice; in the event of change, all prior inspections and classifications are nullified. Any request for deviation from any rule contained in this rulebook shall be submitted in writing in accordance with the RULE DEVIATION procedure, Section 1.R.
1.A TECHNICAL INSPECTION:
added paragraph
Under penalty of disqualification, expulsion or permanent ban, no modifications (additions, deletions, or changes) are permitted to either vehicle equipment or driver/rider gear after passing Technical Inspection unless coordinated with the Event Director and Chief Technical Inspector. This includes any changes in vehicle condition due to breakdowns or failures, flat or damaged tires, spins, fires or any other reason. It is the entrant or driver/rider's responsibility to resubmit the vehicle to tech inspection for approval of any changes.
1.R RULE DEVIATION PROCEDURE:
new parargraph
Any request for deviation from any rule contained in this Rule Book shall be submitted in writing to the Technical Committee Chairperson, Section 16. The Technical Committee has up to 45 days to review any applications for a deviation from the Rule Book; therefore requests should be submitted in a timely manner before the vehicle is to run for full investigation and approval/disapproval. If the committee does not allow participation, the Technical Committee Chairperson will inform the participant in writing and direct the Chief Inspector, Section 16, to make an appropriate notation in the vehicle Log Book. An entrant may appeal the decision of the Technical Committee to the SCTA Contest Board. A copy of the procedure is available from the SCTA office.
SECTION 2 CAR COMPETITION SPECIFICATIONS
added clarifications
2.A.1 VINTAGE ENGINES:
Vintage engine classes listed below refer to "blocks or crankcases" and are intended to be representative examples of those listed and recognizable as such. Vintage engine class competitors are required to use American-made production engine blocks as specified. Blocks shall be limited to original factory production or factory authorized replacements and shall retain all original dimensions, excepting modifications involving intake/exhaust ports, cooling ports, and in V4 engine classes only, specialty head adaptation pursuant to the following criterion: Cylinder bore centers shall be maintained to within .150 inch of original design, crankshaft centerline to original deck height measurement shall be within .150 inch of original design, original deck material and thickness shall be maintained to within .150 inch of original design. The addition of a port divider to an OEM block or OEM cylinder head is not considered as adding a port. For V4 and V4F engines a Guide to Permitted/Prohibited engine block modifications is available from the Committee Chairperson, Section 16, the SCTA office(page 3) or on the SCTA-BNI website(
www.scta-bni.org).
XF class consists of any production FORD/MERCURY, passenger car V-8 flathead engine, 1932 through 1953, up to 325 CID.
XO class consists of inline overhead valve (OHV), inline flathead and flathead V8 (except Ford & Mercury) and V-12 passenger car and pickup truck(or the same engine design family, Section 4.N) engines, 1959 model year design or earlier, up to 325 original CID. In the spirit of the class, XO engines shall typically be those run at the Southern California Dry Lakes in the 1940s and early 1950s. Examples include Chevrolet, GMC, Hudson, Packard, Buick, Lincoln and Cadillac. Foreign engines are NOT included.
XXF class is an XF engine, as described above, with a specialty cylinder head as described below.
XXO class is an XO engine, as described above, with a specialty cylinder head as described below.
A specialty cylinder head is fabricated from billet stock, cast or a modified OEM head that has added ports. At least one valve per cylinder shall be in the head. All X class engines, as described above, which are over 325 CID, but less than 375 CID, shall be classified as either XXF or XXO.
In addition, all other 1959 model year design or earlier non-Ford & Mercury flathead V8s, flathead and OHV inline engines, up to 375 original CID shall be classified as XXO. Specialty cylinder heads are NOT allowed in this instance.
Overhead cam specialty cylinder heads are not allowed in the XF, XO, XXF, & XXO engine classes.
XX/PROD class is limited to cylinder head port configuration as originally designed. This applies to the XXF and XXO engine classes.
V4 (Vintage Four) class consists of any pre-1935 American- made four-cylinder automotive production engine, up to 220 CID. Specialty heads are allowed.
V4F (Vintage Four Flathead) class consists of any pre-1935 originally designed and American-made flathead four-cylinder automotive production engine, up to 220 CID. The engine shall have been produced as a valve in block engine, the camshaft must remain in the same location as produced (in the block). Only flathead-type cylinder heads (valve in block) are allowed. No specialty OHV or OHC conversion cylinder heads are allowed.
The Vintage Four engine classes (V4/V4F) are allowed in Special Construction and Vintage Categories only.
For reasons of economy and historical authenticity, vintage engine modifications and equipment used shall be restricted to older technology levels, so far as is practical. Accordingly, in classes XO, XF, XXF, XXO, V4 and V4F, using Vintage bodies:
1. Turbochargers are not permitted.
2. Computers, Section 2.Q, are allowed for data collection
purposes only.
3. Electronic fuel injection prohibited;
4. Any ignition system may be used.
NOTE: See exception under Rules for Vintage Oval Track Category.
2.B FUELS:
added sentence
EVENT DIESEL FUEL:
If the SCTA Contest Board establishes an EVENT diesel fuel, that fuel shall be used. USDA designated Food Grade Vegetable oil from a sealed container may be substituted for, or used in combination with EVENT diesel fuel.
If no EVENT diesel fuel is established, then the competitors may supply their own fuel and it shall be tested in the same manner as gasoline for additives.
2.F TIRES:
added exceptions
The use of any non-rated tire(s) such as implement, farm, aircraft, motorcycle, reproduction of a vintage automobile tire, motorcycle tire/rim, 17" drag race tires or any non-pneumatic wheel/tire combination (no rubber) shall be submitted for approval. Any request for deviation from any rule contained in this Rule Book shall be submitted in writing in accordance with the RULE DEVIATION procedure, Section 1.R.
2.G WHEELS:
deleted sentence
NONFERROUS WHEELS: All non-tapered lug nuts that come in direct contact with the wheel shall have a ¼ inch thick steel retaining plate or large OD heavy gauge individual washers under all lug nuts. (This does not apply to spindle mounted nonferrous wheels.) Magnesium wheels are not recommended and, if used, shall have an initial Zyglo certificate and stamp available. Zyglo inspections made with tires mounted are accepted. Wheels are to be re-inspected if any adverse condition arises. It is recommended that tire pressure used on two-piece wheels NOT exceed 60 PSI or manufacturer’s specifications.
WHEEL COVERS: The prohibition against “wheel covering” in some class rules does not apply to “full wheel” discs, which are legal in all categories if securely fastened to the wheels with six (6) or more machine grade screws or three (3) Duzs-type fasteners. Inner wheel discs shall be securely mounted to the wheel or axle. All hubcaps shall be removed. Fender skirts are not allowed except in Streamliner class.
SECTION 3 TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS & REQUIREMENTS
added sentence
3.B ROLL CAGES:
ALL CARS IN COMPETITION SHALL BE EQUIPPED WITH A FULL ROLL CAGE.
ANY REQUEST FOR ANY DEVIATION TO ROLL STRUCTURE RULES SHALL BE SUBMITTED IN WRITING IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE RULE DEVIATION PROCEDURE, SECTION 1.R.
Low carbon (mild) steel tubing is recommended for the construction of roll cage structures. Threaded pipe, pipefitting, lap weld pipe, magnesium or aluminum is not permitted. All bolts shall be 3/8 inch. minimum diameter and a grade 5 minimum.
All bolted structures shall have at least two bolts (180 deg. apart) through support pads and roll cage structure brace connections.
On unitized construction and monocque cars, the roll cage structure and braces shall have ¼ inch thick support pads on the top and bottom of the floor (or sill), in a sandwich construction and shall be of sufficient area to support an impact load equal to the weight of the car. For cars weighing less than 2500 pounds these pads shall have a perimeter of at least 18 inches (i.e., 4 inch x 5 inch) and cars over 2500 pounds shall have at least 22 inches perimeter (i.e., 5 inch x 6 inch).
3.E DRIVER’S COMPARTMENT:
added clarification
All driver's compartments shall not be open to the lower exterior of the vehicle or track surface such that the driver is potentially exposed to dangers such as fire or debris as well as dust. A rear floor or aft bulkhead is required in all vehicles where applicable.
3.K BATTERIES:
added clarification
All batteries shall be properly secured with metal framework and fasteners. Plastic tie-downs are not allowed. Both wet cell and dry cell batteries may be mounted in the driver’s compartment, however wet cell batteries must be sealed in a spill-proof box. Dry cell type batteries(Optima, Odyssey, etc.) are exempt from this rule.
All vehicles shall be equipped with a main battery disconnect switch. The disconnect switch or a positive mechanical control (cable or rod) for the switch shall be located on the front or rear of the vehicle, operable externally and clearly marked.
3.M PARACHUTE:
added anchor spec
An approved parachute is required on all cars that qualify for the long course (175 MPH). Vehicles that exceed 300 MPH shall be equipped with two (2) independent parachute systems. Parachutes shall be securely mounted to a suitable cross-member using an anchor that is at least 1 inch diameter or 1/2 inch radius. All parachutes shall be opened during inspection. Special attention shall be given to the length and mounting point of the parachute tether line. The manufacturer’s recommendations should be followed regarding parachute size, mounting, etc.
On those vehicles required to have parachute(s), the deployment of the parachute(s) is at the driver’s discretion, consistent with safe and efficient event and vehicle operation.
Parachute failures, such as the parachute pack not opening, parachute canopy not opening, parachute separation from the vehicle, handling problems as a result of parachute opening, etc., will require a re-inspection.
ALL VEHICLES HAVING A PARACHUTE FAILURE SHALL RETURN TO THE INSPECTION AREA WITH ALL COMPONENTS OF THE PARACHUTE SYSTEM. A NOTATION WILL BE MADE IN THE VEHICLE LOG BOOK DESCRIBING THE FAILURE AND SOLUTION.
3.Q FIRE EXTINGUISHING SYSTEMS:
added approved agents
All cars and enclosed motorcycles shall have a minimum of one driver-controlled fire extinguishing system using a minimum of 10 lbs. of extinguishing agent designed and applied to function as driver protection. Approved agents include Halon 1301, Halon 1211, DuPont FE36, and certain AFFF systems including Cold Fire 302, ESS Foam, Firefox Gemfoam, Halotron or other Halon replacement certified by the manufacturer for use in a confined space. Dry chemical and CO2 may be used in the engine compartment only. The application and installation shall be in accordance with the manufacturer’s recommendations for the size and shape of the driver’s compartment. The discharge rate should be designed to allow sufficient protection for the time it will take the car to stop from speed.
3.Y OIL TANK VENTING:
added new requirement
Any oil tank within the driver's compartment shall be vented to the outside and lower portion of the vehicle.
SECTION 4 DEFINITIONS
4.I CHOPPING:
new rewrite of definition
The reduction of the overall height of a closed top vehicle, where the original general top contour is maintained. Materials can be added or removed to maintain the original shape. Size and base positioning of pillars must be in original OEM locations. Category specific requirements must be met.
4.R HOOD SCOOPS:
added new paragraph for blown engines
Vehicles using a top-mounted blower may have a hood scoop which is no taller than 2 inches above the fuel injector or carburetor(s). The scoop may extend to the rear no further than the back of the blower and terminate at that point. The scoop cannot extend to the windshield and will not exceed a total height of 11 inches, measured at the centerline of the hood. Hood scoops for blower types other than top-mounted may not exceed the specifications for unblown applications as noted in the paragraph above.
4.LL COMPUTER:
added new definition
A computer shall be defined as any electronic device (i.e. ECU, ECM, etc.) that activates any function of, or in any way affects, the operation of, the engine based on measurement, sensing, processing, etc. of any data related to the performance of the engine.
4.MM COWL:
added new definition
The cowl area is defined as the portion of the body bounded by the front fenders, the base of the windshield and the rear edge of the hood as measured at the centerline of the vehicle.
SECTION 5 CAR CLASSES
5.B.5 VINTAGE OVAL TRACK - /VOT
MIDGET VINTAGE OVAL TRACK - /MVOT
added legal engine description
rewrite legal brake system
The vintage engines permitted in this class have to be built with pre-1948 design American-made engine blocks; i.e., no modern overhead V8s or blowers are allowed.
At least 2 brakes on either the front or the rear axle are required. No front wheel only braking systems are allowed. Brakes must be mounted outside the body.
5.D MODIFIED CATEGORY
redefined allowable vehicles
This category encompasses American and foreign coupes and sedans unaltered in height, width or contour, and with all stock panels mounted in original relationship to each other. The vehicle has been modified to such an extent that it no longer fits into the Production Category. A generic requirement for this category is the car shall have been originally produced with factory-installed seating for 4 or more people, i.e. adults or children. If the car was produced and sold with 2 seats on some models and 4 seats (including jump seats) on other models, the car will be classified as a Coupe and Sedan. Examples include Honda CRX, Ford Mustang GT 350's, Porsche, Nissan Z 2+2, etc. Non-factory modifications to add seats will not be considered as defining seating configurations for classification purposes.
5.D.1 COMPETITION COUPE & SEDAN - /BFCC, /FCC, /BGCC, /GCC
delete sentence
Other than top chopping, no modification to the body is allowed. Minimum vertical windshield height is 5 inches. The front and rear chop shall be equal. Window openings may be covered by flush mounted flat plates on the outside of the opening or left open.
5.D.2 ALTERED COUPE - /BFALT, /FALT, /BGALT, /GALT
delete partial sentence
Pre-1949 bodies may be chopped, Section 4.I. The chop shall be equal front to rear and shall retain a vertical windshield height of at least 6 in. above the top of the cowl with a maximum horizontal length of 7 inches from the base of the windshield at the center of the car.
5.D.4 MODIFIED SPORTS - /BFMS, /FMS, /BGMS, GMS
rewrite allowable top chop specs
Coupe tops may be chopped. The top chop must maintain a minimum vertical windshield height of 5 inches. The lower location of the A, B and/or C pillars must be in original OEM location and the A pillar must be OEM width. A top chop by definition alters the contour of the vehicles.
5.E PRODUCTION CATEGORY
redefine allowable vehicles
This category is intended to represent typical transportation vehicles, which may be purchased from ANY automobile dealer. A generic requirement for this category is the car shall have been originally produced with factory-installed seating for 4 or more people, i.e. adults or children. If the car was produced and sold with 2 seats on some models and 4 seats (including jump seats) on other models, the car will be classified as a Coupe and Sedan. Examples include Honda CRX, Ford Mustang GT 350's, Porsche, Nissan Z 2+2, etc. Non-factory modifications to add seats will not be considered as defining seating configurations for classification purposes.
5.F DIESEL TRUCK CATEGORY
5.F.4 DIESEL TRUCK - /DT
rewrite class specs
This class is for mid/mini and full-size diesel-powered pickup trucks of American or foreign manufacture. The body shall remain unaltered in height, width and contour, with all stock panels mounted in original relationship to each other. Air dams are allowed. Removal of antenna, wipers, wiper motors, mirrors, trim moldings and emblems are allowed. Any dash board may be used. Roll cages are mandatory. Down bars are allowed. A radiator and/or intercooler shall be mounted behind the grille and be at least as large as the original intercooler or radiator opening. Any pre-'48 truck may have a 3-inch beauty chop. The firewall and cab floorboards may be modified. If equipment is mounted in the truck bed, it must be lower than the bed rails and not extend thru the bed floor. Any ducting, hoses, etc. must be sealed to the bed to prevent air venting.
Engine swaps are allowed. Maximum engine setback is 2% of the wheelbase. Driveline (trans and rear end) swaps are allowed. A driveshaft hoop for each section of the drive shaft is required. Front and rear suspension may be modified or replaced for ride height and/or handling. The wheelbase shall be stock. The stock frame shall be used with necessary reinforcement and modifications for suspension, engine and transmission mounts.
The exhaust may exit behind the cab above the low pressure area, which for the rules is determined to be a line 45 deg. from the rear cab top extending to the top of the bed rail height. The pipe to floor and bed cap clearance shall be no greater than 1/8 inch to prevent venting of under truck air.
The covering of pickup beds with tarps or panels is allowed. The cover shall be no higher than the edge of the pickup bed. Aftermarket bed caps are allowed but shall not allow any aerodynamic advantage. Pickups may run with the tailgate raised, lowered or removed.
This class shall use Event Diesel Fuel, Section 2.B. Fuel may be tested.
Turbochargers and superchargers may be used; these engines will not be handicapped with a class jump.
Engine classes allowed are AA, A, B, C, D, E, F, G and H
