ARTICLE 11   AUTOMOBILES

SPORTS CAR will publish rules and specifications for various classes of cars eligible to compete. 

11.1     AUTOMOBILE

The automobile or car shall be defined throughout the SPORTS CAR Code as consisting of the bodyshell/chassis unit, and the SPORTS CAR approved engine block or crankcase, neither of which may be replaced during a race.  In the case of rotary engines the cylinder block shall consist of the front, intermediate and rear housings.  It must have at least four wheels not in a line, two of which must effect the steering and two that effect the propulsion. 

11.2     TIRES 

11.2.1   SPORTS CAR will regulate the eligibility of tires in its sanctioned competitions in order that no competitor shall have any tire advantage in qualifying or a race.  SPORTS CAR may require a competitor to use the same tires as he/she used in qualifying or restrict the number of tires used during qualifying. 

11.2.2   It is prohibited to use traction compound or any substance which might alter the physical properties of a competition tire as supplied by its manufacturer. 

11.2.3   Tire warmers and any other means of artificially warming tires are prohibited. 

11.3     FUEL

11.3.1   SPORTS CAR reserves the right to have all cars use the same brand and designated grades of gasoline in a given event.  When this right is exercised, it will be stated in the event Supplementary Regulations or in other SPORTS CAR bulletins for that event.  Fuel used for practice, qualifying and the race will be supplied by the “Official Fuel” supplier and must be used exactly as supplied by the “Official Fuel” supplier.  An approved lubricant may be added to the fuel for some engine types with the prior approval of SPORTS CAR. 

11.3.2   In the case of any event where an “Official Fuel” has been named, SPORTS CAR may sample the actual fuel(s) provided by the fuel supplier and those samples will become the benchmark from which all competitors’ samples will be judged.  SPORTS CAR reserves the right to check any fuel at any time during a competition. 

11.3.3   Competitors are responsible for the proper handling, transportation and security of their fuel from the time it is dispensed to them and for the proper disposal of unused fuel and/or fuel drums afterwards. 

11.3.4   All cars competing in the American Le Mans Series events must exclusively use the Official Fuel (Sportsman 100) as supplied by Competition Fuels, Inc. (the distributor of elf race fuel in North America - contact James Wurth at 610-388-3340), unaltered and without additives, for all official practice, qualifying and races. 

11.3.5   Competitors are specifically requested not to leave any fuel at the circuit after the event. 

11.4      DISTRIBUTION OF THE FUEL 

11.4.1   The official fuel supplier will establish an ecologically-sound disbursement area at each SPORTS CAR event. All fuel will arrive in a special series tank truck. The tanker, in turn, will be linked to gasoline pumps as you would find at your local service station. Fuel can be dispensed in any quantity into 55 gallon drums available from the supplier, directly into the race car (contestants may need an adapter for fuel cells), or into the contestant’s own fuel drums. A maximum allotment per team will be established to avoid shortfalls, although any fuel remaining in the tanker after the races have concluded will be available for purchase without restriction. 

11.4.2   Payment arrangements should be made directly with Competition Fuels, see Art. 11.3.4. Information concerning federal, state and local taxes will be supplied. Contestants should contact their financial advisors about filing for possible tax rebates for fuels used for off-road purposes. 

11.4.3   Details for distribution of fuel at non-elf race fuel events will be stated in the Supplementary Regulations. 

11.4.4   Contact James Wurth at 610-388-3340 about direct ordering of fuel.

11.5     TECHNICIAN ASSISTANCE

In addition to the special series tanker, the official fuel supplier will provide technical support in the disbursement area at each event to lend technical assistance and answer competitors’ questions about fuel. 

11.6     TECHNICAL INSPECTION/MANDATORY SAFETY REQUIREMENTS

Each entered car must be inspected and approved by the Technical Director or his/her delegated assistant(s) before it will be allowed to participate in competition or practice. No expressed or implied warranty of safety shall result from this inspection or approval. It is the responsibility of the Entrant to have his/her car free from mechanical defects and in safe racing condition. Cars damaged or altered after they have been approved at inspection are subject to re-inspection and approval. SPORTS CAR will make the final decision on the safety and eligibility of an accident-damaged vehicle. Major body components must be maintained in normal position throughout the competition. Questionable cars are subject to approval by the Technical Director. Cars shall present a neat, clean and professional appearance. 

11.7     INSPECTION 

11.7.1  SPORTS CAR reserves the right to impound and inspect cars competing in an event. 

11.7.2   The timing, location, method and type of car inspection, and the number of vehicles to be inspected at any event will be determined by the Technical Director. 

11.7.3   It is the responsibility of the Driver or Entrant to prepare a car for inspection when requested to do so by the Technical Director or his/her assistant(s). Any expense incurred, except in the case of a protest, shall be the liability of the Entrant. Preparation of a vehicle for inspection must be performed in a timely manner as determined by the Technical Director. Any part that does not comply with the SPORTS CAR Code may be indefinitely retained by SPORTS CAR. 

11.7.4   Admittance to any area in which inspections are being made is controlled by the Technical Director. 

11.7.5   Each car entered must submit to Technical Inspection during scheduled hours and display an official Tech sticker. 

11.7.5.1  Eligibility under SPORTS CAR rules: 

a.         Both metric and English dimensions may be given in the SPORTS CAR Code. In such cases, when the two systems do not equate exactly, measurements for compliance during inspection will normally use the system most advantageous to the Entrant. 

b.         The SPORTS CAR Technical Director may establish tolerances for measurements taken during inspection; may require components on the car to fit SPORTS CAR templates; may require SPORTS CAR monitoring devices to be fitted to a car; and/or may require SPORTS CAR limiting devices to be fitted to a car. 

11.7.5.2   Safety of the design and construction per inspection form. 

11.7.5.3   Appearance: Clean and neat, no old damage. 

11.7.5.4   Identification numbers must be placed on both sides and front, and must be legible to the satisfaction of the Chief Timekeeper. Specific requirements may be provided in event supplementary regulations. 

11.7.5.5   Racing Tires: Mandatory, unless Supplementary Regulations provide otherwise. 

11.7.5.6   Leakage: Not allowed. 

11.7.5.7   Driver Safety Equipment: Per Article 5.14. 

11.7.5.8   Compliance with sponsor advertising requirements. 

11.7.5.9   Mandatory safety requirements listed below. 

11.7.6   Mandatory safety modifications for all cars except as specified in the Supplementary Regulations for a specific series. 

11.7.6.1  A 3" wide, six point driver restraint system of approved design must be installed. The effectiveness and longevity of a seat harness is directly related to the way in which they are installed and maintained. The belts must be replaced after a severe collision and whenever the webbing is cut, frayed or weakened due to the action of chemicals or sunlight. They must also be replaced if any buckles are bent, deformed or rusted. Any harness which does not function correctly must be replaced. 

11.7.6.2   Passenger seats, seat backs, mats and other loose gear must be removed, unless car rules specify otherwise. 

11.7.6.3   Steering lock mechanisms must be removed. 

11.7.6.4   When applicable, a minimum of two (2) 360-degree loops, 2" x ¼" thick, secured around the drive shaft within 12" of the front and rear joint locations must be installed. 

11.7.6.5   An approved net covering the driver’s window opening must be securely installed. The window net must be easily removable from both inside and outside the car allowing access through the window. The driver’s window must remain open at all times. 

11.7.6.6  Quick release steering wheels are required unless otherwise specified. SPORTS CAR may require that the center top of the steering post must be padded with a production center cover or at least one inch of high-density padding material.

11.7.6.7   Windshield safety clips or "Camlocks," three (3) each at the top and bottom of glass, must be installed, where applicable, bolted or riveted to the body, and spaced at least 12" apart, must be installed. Safety glass windshields or approved equivalents are required. 

11.7.6.8   Rear window straps, 1" x 1/8", bolted or riveted to body at top and bottom of glass, must be installed, where applicable. 

11.7.6.9   Scattershields or explosion-proof bell housings are required on all cars where the failure of the clutch/flywheel could create a hazard to the driver. 

11.7.6.10    All cars must be equipped with two master electrical circuit breakers, one accessible from inside (accessible by the driver when normally seated and fitted with the mandatory safety harness), and the second outside the car, that control all electrical power (except electrically actuated fire systems). The preferred outside location is the passenger side cowl area. The circuit breakers must be clearly marked by a spark in a blue triangle. 

11.7.6.11    All cars must have at least two operating red brake lights and two taillights. Amber brake lights will not be permitted. (During a competition, the Race Director may accept one functioning headlight, one functioning taillight and one functioning brake light due to damage or equipment failure.) 

11.7.6.12   Headlights must be protected against breakage. Headlights may be taped. 

11.7.6.13   Two external rear-view mirrors must be installed. Minimum dimension of each external mirror: 100 cm². 

11.7.6.14    Safety fuel cell of an approved type meeting FIA Spec FT-3 is required, must be mounted outside the driver’s compartment, separated by firewalls, flame and leakproof, and protected as far as practicable by the roll cage. Steel or steel braided fuel lines with appropriate fittings, fuel cell check valve, and vent line check valve are mandatory. The fuel cell vent system on the car must be designed so that all fuel vapors released during refueling are returned to the overhead tank via the 2" ID refueling vent hose. NO SPILLAGE WILL BE TOLERATED! Refueling equipment protruding into the driver’s compartment must be shielded so as to prevent hazard to the driver in the event of rupture. Dry break fuel fillers and vents are required on all LMP/GTP and GT cars. They must be located away from the engine compartment and exhaust. The bodywork may be modified to install fillers and vents so they do not protrude beyond the plane of the outside mounting surface. All fuel cells less than 20 cm from the lateral flanks must be protected by an adequate crushable structure. 

11.7.6.15    Hoods, deck lids and movable body sections must be secured with supplemental pins or fasteners. Latches may be deactivated. On cars where a key is required to open the trunk lid, the lock must be deactivated or may be removed. 

11.7.6.16   Supplemental pins used to secure movable body sections (such as hoods, doors, fenders, lids and removable tops) must have attaching cables to prevent accidental loss of pin.

11.7.6.17   No concealed pressure type containers, feed lines or actuating mechanisms are permitted, even if inoperable. 

11.7.6.18    Full roll cages of approved design are mandatory. Material and construction specifications and recommended designs are contained in Appendix J, Article 253, Section 8 of the 2001 Annuaire du Sport Automobile and in these rules. 

a.      Competitor must be prepared to drill inspection hole(s) in the roll structure for verification. 

b.      See the technical regulations for LMP/GT material and dimension requirements. 

11.7.6.19    A fire extinguisher of the following type and size is required for the respective categories and must be carried and in certified working order at all times. All LMP/GT cars must have an on-board fire extinguisher system with an approved extinguishing material that is in accordance with the FIA Sporting Code, Appendix J, Article 258.14.1. Trigger must be marked with a red circle with the letter "E" and be operable by the driver and also from outside the car. Outlets must be directed into the driver, engine and fuel compartments. 

11.7.6.20    All cars must be fitted with one front and one rear towing eye, painted red, accessible without the use of tools. They must be securely fitted to the chassis of the car by means of a metallic rigid element (cable loops are forbidden). They must be strong enough to allow recovery of a car lying on its flat bottom in a gravel bed. Should the towing eye break, the track marshals will pull the car to a safe position using any element of the chassis or of the bodywork whatsoever, which they consider strong enough, and the car may be excluded from the race. In the event that a car is damaged as a result of these actions, SPORTS CAR will accept no responsibility for any damage caused, however it may have been caused. 

11.7.6.21   In all cases, the driver must be able to easily exit the car through both the driver side and the passenger side in an emergency. 

11.7.6.22    An on-board starter and energy source must remain functional at all times, except when deactivated in an emergency by the master electrical circuit breaker (Article 11.2.7.10). 

11.7.6.23    During periods of darkness, up to three (3) identification lights are permitted on the top or on the side, provided they do not face rearwards, flash or blink. They may not be yellow, blue or excessively bright red, and all identification lights are subject to approval by SPORTS CAR. 

11.7.6.24    All cars must conform to current SPORTS CAR regulations for sound enforcement regulations. These regulations may be superceded by local ordinances. 

11.7.6.25    Driver’s seat and seat pad must be made from or covered with a fire-resistant material.