ARCA driver Mark Gibson checks...
ARCA driver Mark Gibson checks his car to make sure it meets the rules for 2005
Racing is a work in progress. It will never be completely fixed. Therules will always be changing for a number of reasons. New technologymakes some items uncompetitive or perhaps not the best choice. On-trackdevelopments will play a role in rethinking a previously acceptablemindset. About the only thing certain about racing rules is that theywill change.
For the 2005 racing season, there were plenty of changes. These are theexamples of some of the changes realized by sanctions across thecountry. It is, in no way, a comprehensive compilation. For completerules for any series, it is advised to contact that series office orother sanction-related avenue. Rules can change even after they havebeen printed.
One of the biggest changes of note with the IMCA rules is one that willkeep the sanction at the head of the pack in driver safety. All cars ineach of the divisions under the IMCA umbrella are now required to beequipped with a driver-side window net, minimum 16- by 20-inches, meshor ribbon style. Additionally, the sanction calls for safety belts to bea minimum of three inches wide. Most divisions had already called forthe harnesses to be the five-point variety. That list is now completewith the addition of the SportMod rules falling in line.
Changes in the Late Model rules fall into the tires/wheels section,including the allowance of grinding only on the tire tread and thepermission to use mud plugs on any wheel. Ethanol has been ruled out asa fuel choice for 2005. Digital tachs are also outlawed. The spec enginewill face a rule change effective January 1, 2006, which is included inthe 2005 rules as a warning. Only flat-top pistons will be permitted in'06. Engine protest procedures will allow any driver who starts thefeature to protest for a $300 fee. Drivers can't protest those whofinish behind them and can't protest the same guy more than once in acalendar year.
Modifieds will have a change in the passenger side door bar rules anddrivers cannot use reflective sun visors. Front suspension and rearsuspension rules are changed slightly. Wheels must carry "IMCA approved"and wheel manufacturer decals. The silver "IMCA Approved" decals will beoutlawed in 2006. Battery mounting must be between the frame rails.Flexplates must be steel, full plates that are unaltered OEM or OEMreplacement. Stud girdles are not permitted in the engines.
Stock Cars will see changes in nearly every section of the rulebook in2005. Some of the highlighted changes include mandatory front and reartow hooks, no alternators or magnetos, two forward gears, and certainrules for aftermarket bumpers. The 400 engine block will be outlawed in2006.
For Hobby Stocks, the biggest change comes in shocks. One unalteredsteel, non-adjustable, on-take-apart, OEM mount shock, in the OEMlocation is allowed per wheel. There is a $20 claim on all shocks. Thefuel can only be gasoline with no additives and pump grade isrecommended. Alternators are not allowed.
SportMods are required to use one of three IMCA-approved carburetors.Additional cylinder heads have been added to the approved list. A numberof other rule changes are similar to those employed in other classes.
Safety and cost-containment provides to be the impetus for the 2005 rulechanges in the ARCA RE/MAX Series.
"Safety and cost control are constantly evolving, moving targets," saysARCA president Ron Drager. "We do our best to work with the teams, oursafety and technical inspection staff and officials, high performanceequipment manufacturers, and officials of other series to monitor what'sbeing developed and used in competition. We also try to be receptive tosuggestions from the teams, and the changes we're making are a combinedresult of that."
ARCA RE/MAX Series events will see condensed schedules at 20 of the 23events on the plan. An initiative is underway to limit engine rpm to8,800 to increase engine component life. Rerouting the exhaust from theleft side of the car to the right directs much of the heat away from thefuel-filler inlet and decreasing the potential for a heat-induced fire.Roof flaps, wicker bill roof strips and tethers for wheels, hoods, anddeck lids were standard on larger tracks, but must now be employed onshort tracks as well. The RaceSafe System, implemented in 2003, has beenimproved with its own radio frequency to eliminate possible interferencefrom an outside source.
Many of the divisions under the WISSOTA Promoters Association will facesome changes with the continuing goal to keep racer spending down. LateModels will be allowed to continue using the steel head through 2005 and2006. The track can call the compound for the right rear tire among thechoices available in the rules. There was little changed in theModifieds, the exception being a body rule pertaining to the right rearportion of the car. In the Super Stocks, spring cups cannot be welded tothe trailing arms. A number of items were discussed in these and otherdivisions, but the discussion did not lead to a rule change. Some of theitems will be considered in future rules discussions and some classeswere made aware of rules that will be implemented in 2006.
Much of the rule changing has been highly publicized, led by the impoundprocedure and the gear rule. The gear rule will keep the engine rpmlevel down to a more manageable number. The impound rule will be used inmost cases for the Nextel Cup series and the Busch series. It willrequire the cars to be kept as they were qualified, essentiallyeliminating one practice session in the hopes of driving down costs.
It's safe to say that every racing organization had some change in theoff-season. It is advisable to seek out the rules well before getting tothe first event. There may be a grace period, but it's not a chanceworth taking. If you show up, you obviously want to race. Lack of properplanning should not be a factor to keep you off the track.