STUPID RULES

Sorry, Jake, I thought Kirk was a member of the ITAC. My bad. I try to watch who I insult and usually take pride in how I do it. :D [/b]
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Can't blame you...I tend to think of kirk as the "10th man" on the ITAc, LOL. Kind of like the guy sitting on your shoulder whispering, "Are you sure you want to do that??"
 
Okay, so back to the original post. The funniest thing that Jude and I have ever seen was years ago in Topeka Jude totally destroyed his ring and pinion on the ITC Fiat 124. It detonated close to the pits so with what momentum he had he rolled through the pits and up the hill to the paddock. Gravity took hold and the car stopped rolling about halfway up the hill. Since he needed to wait for a tow and he could not put the car in gear he took the steering wheel off and used it as a wheel chock to hold the car.

Well, after the race was done, about 25 minutes later, Jude got back in the car and waited for a tow. He could not get the steering wheel out from under the tire until the car was pulled forward a bit.

Keep in mind that the car is sitting on a hill. The tow vehicle pulled up and the gentleman driving asked where his steering wheel was. Jude said that it was holding the car on the hill. The guy asked why he just didn't put the car in gear. Jude explained that the rear end was now non-existent and therefore the transmission would not hold the car. The guy then said that he could not by the safety rules tow a car without a steering wheel.

Jude said that he could not get the steering wheel until he was pulled forward a bit to get the weight of the car off of the steering wheel. The guy again said that he was not allowed to hook up to a car that did not have a steering wheel so please get your steering wheel and then I will tow you. This inane conversation went on for too long until I showed up with our tow vehicle and hooked up to the Fiat and pulled it back to the paddock.

We got in trouble for that too.....
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that's way too funny. i'll have to ask you guys about that next year over some brew. :snow_cool:
 
I don't object much to the ruleset except that it keeps changing, upping cost with every change.

1. Alternate ECU - this should never have been allowed, and saying it has to be in the stock case is even dumber. I call this the "Honda rule".

2. Coilovers. these are totally out of the stated spirit of IT. Should have allowed alternate springs and thats it. No adjusters and the creep that followed.

3. I do wish I could relocate the battery. Had a fire after a crash due to mine getting crushed/dead shorted in the nose of the car.

4. The ever increasingly crazy safety rules. I've been doing it long enough that I've spent a small fortune on cage mods, race suits, helmets, window nets, seat belts etc.. Let me be responsible for my own safety (to some limit anyway).. We have more restrictive rules than many other forms of motorsport that go a lot faster, and with little evidence that its needed from an actuarial standpoint. If safety is so important, let people build as crazy a roll cage as they want.

I've said it before, but I prefer the philosophy of having the class intent to make a given car as fast as possible, not by adding go fast stuff, but just by removing the useless stuff (thus light as possible). Beyond that, the basic IT motor rules and springs/shocks/bars/bushings/wheels/tires and thats about it.. I think Cal club has done this with old Corollas and RX-7's if memory serves..

Oh, PS... I hate having to pull my car apart for others to inspect. I don't mind "open hood, open trunk", and when I was more actively racing, all the guys in winner impound generally did anyway. I don't care if others cheat on the little stuff; anybody who protests that may be within rights and spirit, but are just poor losers in my mind ("Vexatious protest"). I only car about the big stuff, and even then I don't really care. If you gotta go that far for a win, have at it. All the more sweet when I beat you.
 
Okay, so back to the original post. The funniest thing that Jude and I have ever seen was years ago in Topeka Jude totally destroyed his ring and pinion on the ITC Fiat 124. It detonated close to the pits so with what momentum he had he rolled through the pits and up the hill to the paddock. Gravity took hold and the car stopped rolling about halfway up the hill. Since he needed to wait for a tow and he could not put the car in gear he took the steering wheel off and used it as a wheel chock to hold the car.

Well, after the race was done, about 25 minutes later, Jude got back in the car and waited for a tow. He could not get the steering wheel out from under the tire until the car was pulled forward a bit.

Keep in mind that the car is sitting on a hill. The tow vehicle pulled up and the gentleman driving asked where his steering wheel was. Jude said that it was holding the car on the hill. The guy asked why he just didn't put the car in gear. Jude explained that the rear end was now non-existent and therefore the transmission would not hold the car. The guy then said that he could not by the safety rules tow a car without a steering wheel.

Jude said that he could not get the steering wheel until he was pulled forward a bit to get the weight of the car off of the steering wheel. The guy again said that he was not allowed to hook up to a car that did not have a steering wheel so please get your steering wheel and then I will tow you. This inane conversation went on for too long until I showed up with our tow vehicle and hooked up to the Fiat and pulled it back to the paddock.

We got in trouble for that too.....
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That's classic 'good rule gone bad' if I've ever heard one...
 
That's classic 'good rule gone bad' if I've ever heard one...


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ROTFLMAO!!!! The guy in the safety tow vehicle should not be allowed to operate or be near dangerous equipment. B)
 
ROTFLMAO!!!! The guy in the safety tow vehicle should not be allowed to operate or be near dangerous equipment. B)
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I know rules is rules but isn't the purpose of that stuffing within our heads supposed to be used to supplement rules when they cannot be applied to a given situation?

No one will ever be capable enough to write a rule to cover any and all possible situations.
 
No one will ever be capable enough to write a rule to cover any and all possible situations.[/b]
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Man, if there was ever a quote to grace the doorway of THIS place, that would be it...
 
Mine falls under the category of irony.........(not stupid rules)

After being told I had to change the PCV valve I was using to a proper roll over valve by next race.

I told the tech guy "I'll just go back to the stock tank".

(I race an old ITB Pinto) :rolleyes:

BTW......I like the steering wheel/chock-block one.......That is priceless!
 
i'm going to install the windshield clips and had several people tell me 1" by 1/8" and 3 inches long. but that is not what the rules say. they say:

25mm by 3 mm by 75 mm long. now where in the good old US of A can you find the metric aluminum strapping?

i'm not going to comply but someone will no doubt refer me to the section of how it does not a minimum of .......

i'll add it to my list of items for the 12 step program for cheaters....
 
i'm going to install the windshield clips and had several people tell me 1" by 1/8" and 3 inches long. but that is not what the rules say. they say:

25mm by 3 mm by 75 mm long. now where in the good old US of A can you find the metric aluminum strapping?
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Where does it say that? Here's what I see in the '07 GCR:

9.3.53. WINDSHIELD CLIPS/REAR WINDOW STRAPS

Windshield safety clips and rear window safety straps shall be installed on all closed cars (except Showroom Stock, Spec Miata, Touring and Improved Touring).

Three (3) clips (3 inch x 1 inch x 1/8 inch) shall be bolted or riveted to the body at the top of the windshield.

Two (2) clips (3 inch x 1 inch x 1/8 inch) shall be bolted or riveted to the cowl and extend over the bottom edge of the windshield. Clips shall be spaced a minimum of twelve (12) inches apart.

It is recommended that three (3) one (1) inch wide strips of steel or aluminum be installed behind the windshield to support it from collapsing inwards if it becomes damaged. The rear window shall be secured with two (2) metal straps (1 inch wide x 1/8 inch thick) bolted or riveted to the body at the top and bottom of the rear window.[/b]
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Where does it say that? Here's what I see in the '07 GCR:
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on page 341 of the 2007 GCR under section 9.1.4

9. Three (3) metal safety clips (75mm x 25mm x 3mm) shall be bolted,
or riveted, to the body at the top of the windshield. Two (2) clips
(same dimensions as above) shall be bolted or riveted to the cowl
and extend over the bottom edge of the windshield. Clips must
be spaced at least three hundred millimeters 300mm (11.8”) apart.....[/b]
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apparently when i searched, i started in a different section of the GCR and hit in a different place. the production requirement is

Windshield/Rear Windows - Closed Cars: Closed cars may
retain their original windshields, and shall fit windshield
retention clips per GCR Section 9.[/b]
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i think you and i found different things in "Section 9." sort of proves the point, maybe! :lol:
 
Not necessarily a rule... It is hard to understand why a piece or rubber (or roll cage foam) on the apron can cause the equivalent of a full course caution in NASCAR, while a whole car can sit there the entire race in Road Racing???

Todd
Building 944 ITS
 
It is hard to understand why a piece or rubber (or roll cage foam) on the apron can cause the equivalent of a full course caution in NASCAR, while a whole car can sit there the entire race in Road Racing???
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Wow, Todd, there are just so many ways of starting there and getting all surly and stuff. I'll refrain or I might get booted. :D
 
This is still my favorite:

9.1.3 Improved Touring Specifications

D. Authorized Modifications
8. Body/Structure
b.
"Where an air dam/spoiler is used, two total openings may be cut in the front valance to allow the passage of up to a three (3) inch diameter duct leading to each front brake/rotor assembly.

Where no air dam/spoiler is used, two total openings of a maximum size five (5) inches by seven (7) inches maybe cut in the front valance so that brake ducts can be added with a three (3) inch diameter hose leading to each front brake/rotor assembly."

From dictionary.com:

TOTAL

–adjective 1. constituting or comprising the whole; entire; whole: the total expenditure.
2. of or pertaining to the whole of something: the total effect of a play.
3. complete in extent or degree; absolute; unqualified; utter: a total failure.
4. involving all aspects, elements, participants, resources, etc.; unqualified; all-out: total war.
–noun 5. the total amount; sum; aggregate: a total of $200.
6. the whole; an entirety: the impressive total of Mozart's achievement.
–verb (used with object) 7. to bring to a total; add up.
8. to reach a total of; amount to.
9. Slang. to wreck or demolish completely: He totaled his new car in the accident.
–verb (used without object) 10. to amount (often fol. by to).

Personally, I like #9!

I guess that we can infer that the rule relates to the total number of openings, but still, who really talks that way! I vote for rules in a form that everyone can understand. How about a definition in the glossary of a "total opening".
 
Because, Bill, if it didn't specify "total" somebody would put in two per side, claiming that the rule didn't specify it clearly.

I wouldn't argue if there wasn't a comma or a parenthesis in there though.....
 
This is OT I guess but this discussion reminds me of an experience I had the first time I sold a house. The buyer was getting a VA loan so the house had to be inspected to make sure it met VA specs. I got a list of deficiencies among which was the absence of a proper lock on the back screen door. I asked if the VA even required a screen door and was told no. So, I said, "Fine, I'll just take the damn thing off and throw it in the garbage. Happy now?" :bash_1_: On second thought I guess it means that we aren't the only ones w/ stupid rules.
 
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