Free race car = ChampCar?

[ssanto]

I recently came into possession of a free race car.  It's an old asphalt late model.  The cage is in really good shape.  It's got a stock front clip so I should be able to easily convert it back to something that can turn both left and right.

 

Looking over the rules, VPI, engine swap, points, etc... it looks like I can make this work for ChampCar and probably end up maybe 50-100 laps down.  I run a car in SCCA GT2 but have always wanted to do ChampCar or Lemons to get a bunch of seat time and have some lower pressure fun with cars.  I know this car wouldn't win due to the points penalty, but that's not what this is about for me.  Or perhaps I shouldn't worry about the VPI/points and just run it as EC?

 

I just wanted to check if there's anything I'm missing.  For example, when I looked closer at the Lemons rule book it's got something about not being able to have your roll cage extend beyond the front/rear axles.  So that would disqualify this car for Lemons.  Just wanted to see if there's any others who have successfully taken an old tube-frame construction race car to ChampCar.

 

(And before anybody says it... yes, I know, I should go buy a Miata... but that's just not my style  )

 

Thanks,
Sal

 

 

Edited May 2 by ssanto

[petawawarace]

Tube frame cars are not allowed. Must be a production based car.

Edited May 2 by petawawarace

[ssanto]

11 minutes ago, petawawarace said:

Tube frame cars are not allowed. Must be a production based car.

 

Can you help me find where that is called out in the rules?  Thanks!

[petawawarace]

1 minute ago, ssanto said:

 

Can you help me find where that is called out in the rules?  Thanks!

 

Section 2 in the BCCR. Very first line.

[ssanto]

I read that...  I guess I was interpreting it very loosely. 

 

It sounds like you can add whatever structural bracing and roll cage you want to make the car rigid/safe.  And I think the rules say that you can gut and replace sheet metal.  So at what point does it cease to be a production car?  If you've got replacement sheet metal and the unibody has been replaced with roll cage, then I suppose it is no longer based on a production car?

 

Seems like they could add a line that just says "no tube frame race cars allowed"

 

 

Edited May 2 by ssanto

[Team Infiniti]

I was pretty sure it actually said no tube frame cars allowed somewhere in the rulebook.

Miata isn’t everyone’s answer, we went unconventional, and do very well, with a automatic Infiniti four-door. There are a couple v8 Rangers and even had a Vortec Lincoln for more then a half decade.

 

The line crosses when factory crumple zones are deleted and/or made ineffective with pipe, and the body is hung rather than self supporting.

 

 

[ssanto]

Just now, Team Infiniti said:

I was pretty sure it actually said no tube frame cars allowed somewhere in the rulebook.

Miata isn’t everyone’s answer, we went unconventional, and do very well, with a automatic Infiniti four-door. There are a couple v8 Rangers and even had a Vortec Lincoln for more then a half decade.

 

The line crosses when factory crumple zones are deleted and/or made ineffective with pipe, and the body is hung rather than self supporting.

 

 

Thanks!  I guess this won't be the car for ChampCar.