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 New guidelines for engine claims made at IMCA sanctioned events in 2011 are designed to follow the intent of rules introduced along with the Modified... -
 Engine options are new for three more IMCA divisions beginning in 2011. Stock Car drivers will have their choice of running an unlimited cubic inch... -
VINTON, Iowa – Modified drivers won’t be allowed to compete in the Smiley’s Racing Chassis Southern SportMod division this season,...
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Wednesday, February 23 2011 11:19
No Modified drivers allowed in Southern SportMods this season
Written by Justin Hopp
VINTON, Iowa – Modified drivers won’t be allowed to compete in the Smiley’s Racing Chassis Southern SportMod division this season, regardless of whether they compete in IMCA sanctioned or non-sanctioned events. “Our main objective is that the drivers who benefit from higher paying special events for SportMods are the drivers who have supported the division during the season,†explained IMCA Vice President of Operations Brett Root. “It’s not fair to them that a Modified driver can borrow a SportMod, race and go home with $2,000.†IMCA announced last January that the 2010 season would be the last in which drivers could compete in both the Modified and Southern SportMod divisions. The Modified-Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMod combination has never been allowed. Modified-Late Model, Modified-Stock Car and SportMod-Stock Car or Hobby Stock license combinations will be permitted again in 2011. Mach-1 Sport Compact drivers may not compete in any other division. “We can keep track of drivers racing at sanctioned events using race reports submitted to the home office. We will have to use other means to know who’s racing non-sanctioned Modifieds,†Root said. “Our posiÂtion is that if a driver is racing a Modified, licensed or not, we will not issue them a license to compete in a sanctioned SportMod event.†Root, Competition Director Tom Gutowski and ButlerBuilt South Central Region Director Davey Plato will attend a number of Southern SportMod specials during the season to ensure Modified regulars are not interloping for bigger potential paydays. Among the specials getting more attention will be the Southern SportMod Nationals, during the Labor Day Weekend at Boyd Raceway. “We will try to be as objective as we can. We realize that for whatever reason, there will be a number of drivers going from a Modified to a SportMod,†Root said. “We’ll do our best to keep track of who is racing what and where and address guidelines as the season progresses.â€
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Engine options are new for three more IMCA divisions beginning in 2011.
Stock Car drivers will have their choice of running an unlimited cubic inch engine with a 350 cfm Holley carburetor or a newly-added limited cubic inch engine with a 500 cfm Holley carburetor, while Hobby Stock and Southern SportMod drivers can compete with a GM 602 crate engine or a claim engine.
All options are included in rules for next season, already posted on the IMCA website and published in this month’s newsletter.
Rev limiter chips will be required for Modifieds (7,800 rpm) and Late Models (8,000 rpm). IMCA has also reserved the right to require a chip in the Stock Car class if warranted.
Lift bar or fifth arm rear suspensions will be prohibited in Modifieds as of June 1, 2011. After that date, drivers must run a pull bar style rear suspension.
“Rear suspension is the driving force for engine costs,†said IMCA Vice President of Operations Brett Root. “We are not going to allow chassis manufacturers to drive the market and jeopardize the livelihood of this division. We can’t have products like rear suspension go unchecked.â€
Next season will also be the last for use of titanium valve retainers in Modifieds.
No shaft or pedestal rocker arms, and no titanium components will be allowed on the 350 cfm carburetor Stock Car engine.
An OEM two barrel remains the required carburetor for use with any Hobby Stock claim engine while a GM Rochester and carburetor adaptor are required for use with the crate engine.
The part number for the adaptor will be announced on or before Dec. 1. Oil pan clearance issues in the class will be determined by the same date.
Hobby Stock drivers will also have the choice of OEM or aftermarket front bumpers.
Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMod drivers with claim engines will be required to compete with Holley 4412 or Holley HP version carburetors.
Use of the Rochester two barrel will no longer be permitted, as was announced earlier this year.
Southern SportMod shock rules for 2011 specify the use of one steel non-adjustable shock per wheel. One or all shocks may be claimed for $50 each.
One of two specified Dynatech headers may be used, in addition to the Schoenfeld headers already in the rules.
In addition to structural issues, the biggest change for the Mach-1 Sport Compacts is in claim procedures.
Claimed drivers will have their choice of $1,500 in cash or $500 in cash and exchange on the complete car. Their previous options were the $1,500 or the straight exchange.
Procedures for other IMCA divisions with the claim rule will be announced in December.
Car numbers in all divisions must be a minimum of four inches wide, 20 inches tall and clearly visible on both sides and on the roof.
The use of RACEceivers will be recommended, but not required, for all divisions at all sanctioned events in 2011.
Drivers will also have their choice of Snell rated SA2000, SA2005 and now SA2010 helmets next season.
Rules will be mailed to drivers purchasing 2011 competitor’s licenses and included in tech inspector manuals sent to sanctioned tracks.
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New guidelines for engine claims made at IMCA sanctioned events in 2011 are designed to follow the intent of rules introduced along with the Modified more than three decades ago.
Drivers will have to purchase a 2011 competitor’s license by April 1, or accept a claim to receive a claim card. No engine claims can be made on the first two track point nights and drivers will not be allowed to claim following the second night if they have not competed at all previous weekly sanctioned events.
Any driver who initiates a legal claim must compete the following week at the same facility or they’ll be issued claim refusal penalties specific to their division.
The exception to that rule is if the next sanctioned event is a special race at which no points are awarded or those specifically identified as such in a release or releases sent by IMCA.
“All these changes have justification. We’ve put a lot of research into this since suspending the existing claim rules during the 2010 season,†explained IMCA Vice President of Operations Brett Root. “It continues to be our belief that most drivers who make engine claims do so under the original intent of the rule, to discourage unnecessary spending on engines and to prevent engine costs from becoming so high they can’t afford to be competitive.â€
“When you have drivers who buy licenses in July or August, race twice, claim a motor and then never come back, it’s hard to justify the intent of the rule,†he added.
While taking a hard look at the number of claims made in recent seasons, another driving force behind the revised procedures was the Internet.
“When the first claim rules were established in the late 1970s, things like the Internet and auction sites like eBay didn’t exist. It was more difficult to turn the claim into a revenue source,†Root said. “The claim was never meant as a way and means to buy and sell engines. It was and should be intended to keep costs down and make the sport more affordable for the greatest number of drivers possible.â€
Not allowing claims the first two weeks of the point season is intended to eliminate confusion as to who can claim, particularly when the track is newly IMCA sanctioned or ran under a different sanction the previous year.
“Our rules had allowed claims to be made on opening night, by drivers who had finished in the top 20 in points at that track the previous year,†Root said. “Unfortunately, there were several instances where claims were allowed to be made when they should not have been. The new procedures should prevent that from reoccurring.â€
Also of note:
•No driver may claim the same driver more than once during the current calendar year.
•Should one or more of the initial top four finishers be disqualified, no driver advanced into the top four can claim or be claimed.
•Drivers making claims must present their claim card; a receipt for a license purchased by April 1 cannot be substituted.
•No claims can be made on season championship night.
•IMCA reserves the right to refuse to issue a claim card, to revoke a claim card or claiming privileges, or deny a claim when deemed necessary to do so.
Dollar amount of cash claims for Modifieds is $1,050, and $550 for Stock Cars, Hobby Stocks, Northern SportMods and Southern SportMods. Those dollar figures go up to $1,550 and $1,050 at designated specials.
Hobby and SportMod drivers both have crate or claim engine options next season.
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