Speed Demon 715 New Record Aug 2020. 470mph average. 481mph top speed.

[Lemming Motors]

Hi J79
I am a relative newbie building a Lakester after catching the salt addiction in 2017 as a spectator.

To Stan?s point googlise SCTA-BNI and have a poke around under the Bonneville heading. Lots of great descriptions, record's and etc. for each class.

Its a bit overwhelming initially; there is pretty much a class for everything that is wheel driven with specific requirements for each with up to 12 engine sizes times gas or fuel times naturally aspirated or blown. Plus turbine plus electric.
I?m in the UK so gas is petrol but is racing petrol, usually restricted to what is available at the big truck at the event; various octane ratings depending on your spec. Fuel is everything liquid that is not gas (crudely).

[Stan Back]

. . . and to confuse you more, you can run gasoline in the Fuel classes.  They don't test it to see whether it's alcohol, nitromethane, maple syrup or any kind of gasoline or whatever.  In the Gas classes, you can, say at El Mirage, run Pump to Racing gas of up to around 110 octane ? all of this is spelled out in the Rule Book.  At Bonneville, there is usually a fuel supplier and you must run their gasoline (which can sometimes be a variety).  Confused?  Don't worry about it until you're running for a record.  If the record is out of sight, just have a good time.

[trimmers]

Buy a Rule Book ? all that is explained.

Without a Rule Book, you'll never figure it out.  For example, cars & trucks are divided into 7 categories, each of which is further subdivided into classes.   If my count is correct, I believe there are a grand total of 883 such classes.  For motorsickles, it's even more confusing, with 8 categories, and 1296 total classes (I think).  So, just buy the book and prepare to spend some time digesting it.

Jeff in Boise

[Beef Stew]

Without a Rule Book, you'll never figure it out.  For example, cars & trucks are divided into 7 categories, each of which is further subdivided into classes. If my count is correct, I believe there are a grand total of 883 such classes.

Way too many classes. Many were added for no good reason. The Pickup classes were added so that people could run their tow vehicle for points. Back then all that you needed was a lapbelt and a driveshaft support. This has morphed into many PU classes, from Production to Blown Fuel.

In the beginning roadster were driven to the lakes. Many people than switched from gas to alcohol carbs for racing. Than put the gas carbs back for the drive home. Why do we now need Gas Classes?

Getting ride of all the production classes would be a good start. It's hard to see the difference between Jim's C Gas/Coupe and Van's C Production, either from looks or speed. Coupes, Roadsters of various sorts, Lakesters and Streamliners are all the classes you really need. You'd still have over 100 classes.

For motorsickles, it's even more confusing, with 8 categories, and 1296 total classes (I think).

Few of the SCTA classes match the AMA or FIM classes. Why is that? Seems counterproductive to me.

[jl222]

  Why do we need gas classes

  Because gas is way cheaper. I would not build a fuel hemi.

 #1 cost of fuel.
   2 change oil after every run $100 +
   3 change rods, crank, ect, more often.
   4 chance of major engine damage.

   That would be the end of SCTA due to lack of entries.

           JL222

[handyguy]

   AND ,,  if you build something ( my Bantam )  that doesn't fit any class ,  ( still have to pass inspec for safety ) , than you are in T/O , time only . Just build it as you like and run it . Mine would be  , IBFSTR , no such class ..  I have just as good a time as anyone else doing what I do .  STEVE

[Eddieschopshop]

The gas classes is where us budget guys play. No gas and My back yard build are head to head with a car that has unlimited budget

[Beef Stew]

  Why do we need gas classes

  Because gas is way cheaper. I would not build a fuel hemi.

 #1 cost of fuel.
   2 change oil after every run $100 +
   3 change rods, crank, ect, more often.
   4 chance of major engine damage.

   That would be the end of SCTA due to lack of entries.

           JL222

Where did I mention Nitro? What I said was Alcohol. Alcohol cools the intake charge, and the car runs faster for little money. Mix your own blend. Drag racers made a lot of this cheater-gas in the 1960s.

Nowhere did I mention banning Gas Classes, I just asked why do we need them (they didn't have them in the 1930s-1940s). I'd have no problem with run what you want, with no sealed tanks. Too many rules causes racing to be expensive. All you need is an 8-10 page rule book. A list of classes and displacement breaks and safety rules.

I just thought it would be a good idea to combine Gas Coupe and Production. Two similar classes the look almost identical and have very close records.

[Stainless1]

Beef, guess you haven't see a rule book lately.... safety rules take up way more than 10 pages...
And you don't need nitro to contaminate your oil... methanol does that on its own. 

Hey Steve... can't you run that thing in H?  I thought if you have something below the bottom class you run it in the bottom class....

[Elmo Rodge]

Stainless, I think Steve's problem is Fuel in the Street Roadster Class. 
Wayno

[handyguy]

STEVE's   (ME)   situation has many dings ..    Car is to small for roadster , seems the cla ss might be based on FORD  dimensions. Bantam to short , narrow , and radiator sq. in. to small , to new   1940 .    4 cyl. flathead  1937 ,  (English version) which is what American Austin and Bantam engine layout is derived from .    48 cu. in.  , 3" stroke , 2.260 bore ,   750 cc ,   2 mains  (one roller /  2 ball ) .  2 intake ports  4 exhaust  , 1" valves  , radius bottom / flat sided lifters .  Aluminum crankcase / iron cylinder block , no water pump , water heats UP , falls DOWN radiator .  All the racing tech is from England where these are well known engines / cars .  NOW it has billet  crank, counterbalanced  oil pressurised through the crank nose  rods ,   steel rods , adjustable cam timing made from 2 gears ,  90# oil pump , forged pistons with wedge top into custom aluminum head that fits pistons ,  Ceramic on pistons , valve tops , combustion chamber ,  (8.0  cr ) solid  C  head gasket , ARP all over ..   Ford Zetec stainless valves ,  magnesium retainers ,     Ford keepers  (talk  about small , teeny ) , lifters  drilled  (2 holes)  tops shortened ,  adjusters shortened  and head smaller , locknut removed  (just abuse the threads till they drag )  the valve train is VERY light ..  90# on nose  /  45 seated ,  IT  loves turning 7000 plus .  Just have to get it to that in  3rd and 4th  !!  OVER 100 mph ..   Small turbo  (7#  / w / port injection  , will be on alcohol soon .  Electromotive deadfire with flywheel notched 60 - 2 ,  magnetic pickup ..   Water from tank enters head in 2 places and  frt. and back of block ,  exits on side of block .  Cam 300 degree seat to seat ,  intake closes 85 ABDC  ,  312 lift  ..  Seems this might belong in build diaries , move if u want ..    HEY , I'M having the GREATEST time EVER  , and I get to inspect cars TOO  .  STEVE

[Elmo Rodge]

OK. Fuel and some other stuff. 
Wayno

[Stan Back]

Great Roadster!

The "accessories" are bigger than the engine!

[Beef Stew]

Beef, guess you haven't see a rule book lately.... safety rules take up way more than 10 pages...

2012? Somewhere around then.

Yeah, but most safety rules in the book is just nit-picking. All you need to know is acceptable tubing, tube diameter, tube wall thickness, gusseting, etc. Building a safe car ain't brain surgery. Just a little engineering and craftsmanship.

I've seen many cringe worthy questions asked here. And some really, really ugly welding on a few LSR cars. The rule book can't teach the unteachable.

And you don't need nitro to contaminate your oil... methanol does that on its own.

They run methanol in USAC. But we changed the oil every race, not every thousand miles. I've melted pistons with both methanol and nitro-propane/gas. Racing can be expensive. But bleeding edge is what sets records.

[BALS aSALT]

Or you could Google i?  But I like the Rule Book idea.