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Re: Definitions: Alphabet Soup

To: pb1@humboldt.edu, vintage-race@autox.team.net
Subject: Re: Definitions: Alphabet Soup
From: "Mark Palmer" <mgvrmark@hotmail.com>
Date: Wed, 07 Nov 2001 21:39:59 +0000
Phil,

Sorry to say this, but there is no such thing.  To my knowledge no one has 
ever attempted to cross-reference the specs of all the U.S vintage 
organizations.  It would be a monumental task!  This lack of universality 
can seem very frustrating at first, but it's really not a big deal from a 
practical standpoint.

First off, the FIA reg's are inconsequential here in the U.S. (at least as 
far as most vintage racing groups are concerned).  The old SCCA rules are 
interesting, and can be used to argue your case, but frankly each vintage 
club sets its own rules, the SCCA be damned!  Some clubs (e.g. SVRA) seem to 
look to old SCCA reg's for guidance; other clubs don't want to even hear the 
letters SCCA, much less FIA.

The only thing to do, is what everyone else has done: figure out which clubs 
you plan to run with on a regular basis.  This is usually pretty simple, 
it's the 2-3 clubs (at most) that have races near where you live, and accept 
your make/model/year.  Get their rules, read them, and build your car 
accordingly.  It is very rare that two clubs have mutually exclusive rules.

On the rare occasions that you want to enter a race 1000 miles away with a 
different club, you will usually find that your car will be accepted for an 
occasional event.  Most clubs are somewhat flexible with "guests" who want 
to come to just one special event, as long as your car meets their basic 
safety requirements and isn't outrageously modified.

As an example, I race an MGA in the northeast.  VSCCA is the most 
restrictive in terms of performance modifications, so I have to prepare the 
car to their rules, so that I can run with them 5-6 times a year.  Then when 
I run with SVRA or VARAC, I'm not as "competitive" as I could be, because 
those clubs allow more modifications.  Conversely, SVRA requires more safety 
equipment than VSCCA, so my car is prepared to SVRA safety specs and exceeds 
the VSCCA requirements in that regard (which also means I've added more 
weight).

HOWEVER -- don't get too hung up on the "competitiveness" aspect.  In my 
experience, driver skill is far more important than getting that extra 10 
horsepower out of the engine.  Don't fret if you have to prepare the car to 
a more restrictive standard, in order to race more often.  The benefit of 
more seat time far outweighs the benefit of a few minor modifications.

Good luck!

Mark Palmer
MGA #185  VSCCA, SVRA, VARAC, VSCDA


>From: Phil Buttolph <pb1@humboldt.edu>
>Reply-To: Phil Buttolph <pb1@humboldt.edu>
>To: vintage-race@autox.team.net
>Subject: Definitions: Alphabet Soup
>Date: Wed, 07 Nov 2001 10:17:49 -0800
>
>OK, I surrender!  I have tried to work my way through the definitions and
>standards of the various vintage racing organizations. I realize this isn't
>rocket science but filtering through just the SCCA and FIA regulations
>(just to mention two of the many) is confusing.  I would appreciate it if
>someone can point me to a concise (abridged!) source that will delineate
>the relationships between the various organizations that codified the
>standards and a simplified condensed version of applicable
>standards.  Specifically my interest is in the 1962 standards the I may or
>may not (that will fill another volume..) need to conform to run my 1962
>Corvette. Terms like "Vintage,Classic, Historic, Sports, Touring, Grand
>Touring, Special Touring, Improved Tourning, GCR, PCS...etc" abound, anyway
>there are a lot of interesting and some times almost comical regulations
>and standards such as FIA's "Coachwork: means all the external parts of the
>vehicle licked by the air streams..." .  I do play well with others, but
>need to know the rules.  So if there is a source book/document that
>succinctly defines what equipment that is allowed/required for my car
>please e-mail me!  I have nightmares of spend lots of time and $$$ to make
>my car "comply" to be sent home from an event for being "out of
>standards"...thanks in advance.
>
>Phil:::
>
>At 08:30 AM11/7/2001-0800, you wrote:
> >Specs for the GT6 and GT6+ for 1969 are at the SOVREN web site
> >(www.SOVREN.org) under the Rules button, 1969 Production Car Specs sub 
>menu.
>
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