Author Topic: Fuel Pickup/Mini Truck  (Read 14876 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline kustombrad

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 366
    • Project No Bucks '49
Fuel Pickup/Mini Truck
« on: May 26, 2016, 07:57:13 PM »
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...

Offline kustombrad

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 366
    • Project No Bucks '49
Re: Fuel Pickup/Mini Truck
« Reply #1 on: May 26, 2016, 08:15:27 PM »
That's one of the things that I always loved about landspeed racing, 4 classes per engine size... G/F/BG/BF

Online Dynoroom

  • Global Moderator
  • Hero Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 2192
Re: Fuel Pickup/Mini Truck
« Reply #2 on: May 27, 2016, 09:58:33 AM »
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
Michael LeFevers
Kugel and LeFevers Pontiac Firebird

Without Data You're Just Another Guy With An Opinion!

Racing is just a series of "Problem Solving" events that allow you to spend money & make noise...

Offline SteveM

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1483
Re: Fuel Pickup/Mini Truck
« Reply #3 on: May 27, 2016, 12:30:13 PM »
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.
1/2 of the Rampage Brothers

Offline dw230

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3165
Re: Fuel Pickup/Mini Truck
« Reply #4 on: May 27, 2016, 01:01:47 PM »
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
White Goose Bar - Where LSR is a lifestyle
Alcohol - because no good story starts with a salad.

Don't be Karen, be Beth

Offline SteveM

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1483
Re: Fuel Pickup/Mini Truck
« Reply #5 on: May 31, 2016, 03:57:10 PM »
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.
« Last Edit: May 31, 2016, 04:14:41 PM by SteveM »
1/2 of the Rampage Brothers

Offline dw230

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3165
Re: Fuel Pickup/Mini Truck
« Reply #6 on: June 01, 2016, 04:05:53 PM »
Like the elusive Waldo, hard to find and when you the hairs on your arm do not stand up.

DW
White Goose Bar - Where LSR is a lifestyle
Alcohol - because no good story starts with a salad.

Don't be Karen, be Beth

Offline NathanStewart

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1241
Re: Fuel Pickup/Mini Truck
« Reply #7 on: June 03, 2016, 12:35:31 PM »
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. 
El Mirage 200 MPH Club Member

Offline dw230

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3165
Re: Fuel Pickup/Mini Truck
« Reply #8 on: June 03, 2016, 12:52:31 PM »
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
White Goose Bar - Where LSR is a lifestyle
Alcohol - because no good story starts with a salad.

Don't be Karen, be Beth

Offline NathanStewart

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1241
Re: Fuel Pickup/Mini Truck
« Reply #9 on: June 03, 2016, 01:51:45 PM »
Thanks for the additional history Dan. 
El Mirage 200 MPH Club Member

Offline jacksoni

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1507
Re: Fuel Pickup/Mini Truck
« Reply #10 on: June 05, 2016, 07:42:13 AM »
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.
Jack Iliff
 G/BGS-250.235 1987
 G/GC- 193.550 2021
  G/FAlt- 193.934 2021 (196.033 best)
 G/GMS-182.144 2019

Offline dw230

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3165
Re: Fuel Pickup/Mini Truck
« Reply #11 on: June 05, 2016, 01:52:59 PM »
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
White Goose Bar - Where LSR is a lifestyle
Alcohol - because no good story starts with a salad.

Don't be Karen, be Beth

Offline Sandmann120

  • New folks
  • Posts: 5
Re: Fuel Pickup/Mini Truck
« Reply #12 on: August 12, 2016, 08:02:05 PM »
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?

Offline Stan Back

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 5879
Re: Fuel Pickup/Mini Truck
« Reply #13 on: August 18, 2016, 03:37:15 PM »
Another body.
Past (Only) Member of the San Berdoo Roadsters -- "California's Most-Exclusive Roadster Club" -- 19 Years of Bonneville and/or El Mirage Street Roadster Records

Offline LSR Mike

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 538
  • First Pass-June 25, 2000; Muroc Dry Lake
    • Mike & Paula's Site
Re: Fuel Pickup/Mini Truck
« Reply #14 on: March 21, 2017, 07:29:00 PM »
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...:-)
Mike M.
BNI/ECTA
ECTA Record Holder/Former Bonneville Record Holder