The GCR and You

[John Nesbitt]

(Part 6 of 'You and the GCR'. With thanks to John Haydon for suggesting the topic.)

Part 6 - Your Car and Equipment

The GCR contains over 400 pages of rules and specs for cars and equipment, and there is no point in regurgitating them here. Instead, this is a highly-selective list of items from 9.2/9.3 which have tripped people up at annual tech or at the track.


Documentation

Your car's logbook requires photographs of the car, and should record changes of ownership (i.e. you should be listed as the current owner) [9.2.1.C].

If your car is subject to homologation (formula and sports racers registered after 1983), remember that it is homologated by class. If you choose to convert it to another class (e.g. FC to F, it must be homologated into the new class, following the rules in the current GCR, not the year of original manufacture [9.2.2].


Flying Objects
Are the following items fastened securely: ballast [9.3.8], batteries [9.3.9], body panels [9.3.10], cameras [9.3.12]?


Fire Safety
Review 9.3.22. You can't test-fire the fire system, but are the lines and nozzles clean, clear, not rusted? Do you have holes in the firewall or floor? "Firewall and floor shall prevent the passage of flame and debris into the driver’s compartment." [9.3.23]


Roll Cage
We still encounter cars which do not have the current standard side tubes installed. "Two side tubes connecting the front and main hoops across both door openings are mandatory." [9.4.D] Remember that we no longer give waivers on safety items.


Driver Safety Gear

"Arm restraints shall not be worn in a manner which limits the ability of the driver to provide visible signals to other competitors while on track" [9.3.18]

Belts must meet SFI (16.1 or 16.5) or FIA (8853/98 8854/98) specifications [9.3.18.G]. SFI belts expire at the end of the second year following manufacture (e.g. a belt manufactured anytime in 2009 expires at the end of 2011). FIA belts carry their expiration date on the belt.

Driver safety equipment is required to be "... in good condition and free of defects, holes, cracks, frays etc." [9.3.19.C]

For helmets, SCCA permits the two most recent Snell certifications, and drops the older one when a new certification is released. The oldest Snell certification permitted by the 2009 GCR is SA2000. When the next standard is released (probably SA2010), the oldest permitted standard will be SA2005, if past practice is a guide.

The driver's uniform "... shall display the official SCCA uniform patch logo ...", SCCA item #3619 or #3637 [9.3.28.C].


Bodywork

It's worth quoting GCR 9.3.6 in full:

"Appearance neat and clean, and suitable for competition. Specifically,
cars that are dirty either externally or in the engine or passenger compartments,
or that show bodywork damage, structural or surface rust, or that
are partially or totally in primer, or that do not bear the prescribed identification
marks shall not be approved for competition."

Simply put, your car must be structurally sound, clean, with bodywork and paint in undamaged (not necessarily showroom) condition, and carrying specified decals in specified locations.

Many (most?) Tech folks will let smaller bodywork issues slide during the year, but make logbook notations at the last race of the season, directing bodywork repairs before the first race of the next season.


Graphics, Decals and Numbers

Graphics are permitted "... provided they are in good taste and do not interfere with identification marks and SCCA logos." [9.3.3] In addition, "Logos and decals of sanctioning bodies other than SCCA shall be removed or covered (car and driver’s suit)." [9.3.28.C]

The following items are required:

Fire System. A circle 'E' decal, SCCA item #2607. See 9.3.22.A.3.a/b for specific location required for types of cars.

Master Switch. A spark in a blue triangle, SCCA item #2606. See 9.3.33.A/B/C for specific location required for types of cars.

SCCA Logo. SCCA field logo, SCCA item #2608. They shall be displayed "... unobstructed and prominently on both sides of the car and adjacent to the side numbers. A third logo shall be displayed on the front of the car unobstructed and prominently near the front number. The logo shall be on the spoiler of cars so equipped." [9.3.28.C]

Numbers and Class Identification. These "... shall meet the approval of the Chief of Timing and Scoring." [9.3.28.A] If the folks in T&S cannot read your numbers you will be asked (told) to make them more visible. "Numbers shall be at least eight (8) inches high, with a 1.5 inch stroke on a contrasting backgound. ... The distance between two (2) numbers shall be at least as wide as the stroke of the numbers." [9.3.28.B]