ITE rule set?

[ITEGT]

Matt,
Thank you, true words of wisdom and experience right there. I didnt google for the answer to my question because of the post above. Google wouldnt have gotten me that very good bit of advice.

Driver side door/cage






Main hoop, Im worried about there not being a continuous diagonal bar as per the rules. Will this still pass tech?

[Matt93SE]

Since the cage is pretyt beefy, I would think you could get away with the non-continuous bar, but I don't think you will get away with those bright yellow gussets on the A pillar tubes. IIRC, bracing to the chassis is illegal in an IT car.
would I protest it at a race? no. but a savvy tech inspector might point that out and send you packing at a race.

would it be fine for a driver school? yes. the big issue for a school is that the car is safe. not that it's class-legal.

[tnord]

nobody is going to send you packing at the MAM double school for the gussets. you might have to address it at a later date depending on what you plan on running......but for the school you'll be fine.

that should meet the requirements of a continuous diaganol as well. i believe my old SM was done the same way.

[CRallo]

Given the apparent strength of that X, I would say that it's safe, but I don't believe it fits the letter of the rules... Need a more experienced tech guy to chime in here

regarding the bracing: A car that enters ITE must meet the minimum safety rules for IT, but pretty much anything goes beyond that. So, that bracing should be fine.

EDIT: I just read through that section of the GCR again and the language is not real specific about that aspect of those tubes, so I think you are fine there too.

Since the cage is pretyt beefy, I would think you could get away with the non-continuous bar, but I don't think you will get away with those bright yellow gussets on the A pillar tubes. IIRC, bracing to the chassis is illegal in an IT car.
would I protest it at a race? no. but a savvy tech inspector might point that out and send you packing at a race.

would it be fine for a driver school? yes. the big issue for a school is that the car is safe. not that it's class-legal.

[ITEGT]

I appreciate the info that the main focus is the car being safe for the school. that gives me more time to worry about other things and not being told "no you cant participate that way, time to go home."

As for the bracing, I'm thinking of eventually racing in STO but thats not for certain. Cage attach points are free in that class, so that brought on the idea of tying the cage to the A pillars.
I dont have a fuel cell (yet) and I'm not using the stock intake manifold either, both of which are STO requirements. Those are the only two things keeping me from badging the car under STO.

[Matt93SE]

Are you required to run a cell in STO?
I haven't looked at their rules, but stock tanks are OK in STU as long as they're forward of the rear axle. don't know where they are in your Ferd tho...
in my car, the tank is saddlebagged over the rear subframe and driveshaft. if I ever get hit hard enough to damage the tank, leaking fuel will be the least of my worries.

[ITEGT]

Fuel tank is behind the rear axle, under where the spare tire would be at in the trunk. It cant get hung out there much more! A cell is a good idea on any tracked mustang, I just havent gotten there yet.

[Matt93SE]

As for the bracing, I was under the impression that an IT cage was an IT cage was an IT cage, whether it's ITE, or a regular ITA/B/C/S/R car.. they're all still IT and fall under the same prep rules. or is there something I don't understand about ITE??

A cell is definitely a good idea in your car then. for IT I wouldn't worry about it, but if you run with the other big V8 boys, you'd be much better off with a cell.
FYI, look around at the used NASCAR parts and the production and GT forums for stuff like that. lots of fuel cells floating around out there for good deals.
ooohhh... saw one on racingjunk.com the other day for like $400. not sure how new it is, but it was a 22gal one out of a stock car. IIRC it had full FIA certs on it. take a look.

[JoshS]

As for the bracing, I was under the impression that an IT cage was an IT cage was an IT cage, whether it's ITE, or a regular ITA/B/C/S/R car.. they're all still IT and fall under the same prep rules. or is there something I don't understand about ITE??

Apparently there is something that you don't understand about ITE.

ITE rules are not uniform! For example, I see nothing in the MiDiv's ITE rules posted above that would allow you to slap a turbocharger onto a Honda S2000 and race it. But here in the San Francisco Region, that's not only legal, it's popular.

Whether it's safety or prep rules, it's not safe to assume anything about ITE rules from another region and/or division unless you've actually read their local rules. I'd venture a guess that some places don't even offer an ITE (but probably offer something similar).

[Ron Earp]

As for the bracing, I was under the impression that an IT cage was an IT cage was an IT cage, whether it's ITE, or a regular ITA/B/C/S/R car.. they're all still IT and fall under the same prep rules. or is there something I don't understand about ITE??
.

Yep, as Josh said, ITE can be anything depending on what the local region decides. NCR SCCAs ITE rules are below:

1. Purpose. It is the intent of these rules to allow closed wheel cars (mass produced, kits cars or others) prepared to the safety standards of the General Rules of Competition’s (the “GCR”) Improved Touring rules set to race at events in the North Carolina Region (“NCR”).

2. Eligibility. Any closed wheel car shall be eligible for inclusion on NCR’s ITE classification. Eligible cars include but are not limited to manufactured production cars, closed wheel sports racers, kit cars, replicas, or other race series derived cars. NCR will specifically recognize cars prepared in accordance with any other regional ruleset containing safety requirements similar to those in the ITCS (such as ITO).

3. Safety. All cars prepared for ITE for competition shall be prepared in accordance with the safety standards set forth in the ITCS section of the GCR (including those references in the ITCS to other portions of the GCR), except as modified herein. The rollcage shall not be limited to eight points of attachment to the chassis/body. All ITE cars may run an approved fuel cell.

4. Engine and Transmission Placement. Engines and transmissions shall be confined within the bodywork.

5. Tires. All cars must compete on DOT approved tires.

In general ITE is a sort of run what you brung class and no competitiveness is guaranteed or implied, at least in the South East that seems to be the case. A bit different in the Mid Atlantic and Northeast.

[Matt93SE]

Gotcha..

Houston's ITE is yet again completely different..

Cars eligible for ITE are production based cars with fenders and doors that are not currently eligible for any other SCCA club racing class. Cars entered in ITE must meet minimum safety standards of the 2008 GCR and Improved Touring Category Specifications, ITCS, including all items in Section 9.1.3, ITCS. Suitability of any car for ITE is subject to the approval of the Chief Steward and Chief Scrutineer.

The maximum engine displacement for normally aspirated cars is 3,500 cc. Turbo-Charging or Super-Charging is allowed with a maximum displacement of 2,500 cc. Rotary engines are limited to two (2) rotors.

Note there is just says "minimum safety standards" and doesn't list a maximum, which would imply that cage build is open as long as it meets/exceeds an IT cage-- which is the absolute minimum anyway.

[JoshS]

And San Francisco Region is yet again different:

The only IT rules that apply to ITE are those listed below.

1. Any tub chassis production vehicle running with DOT tires.

2. Preparation Rules: International Sedans may modify the floor pan/rocker panel sections.

3. Cars must meet or exceed the Showroom Stock or IT safety requirements of the current General Competition Regulations.

I have no idea that that #2 is all about.

[Matt93SE]

IMSA IS

The International Sedan Series was short lived and the genesis of the Radial Sedan Series. It is unclear if the 1969 inaugural IMSA Sedan race held at the Talladega Superspeedway Road Course was designated International Sedan Series or not[citation needed]. That being the only race held in 1969 details are sketchy[citation needed], but over the winter of 1969-70 rules were officially promulgated for this Series. It was initially to be known as the International 100 Series as it was intended for sedans up to 100 c.i. or 1600 cc., however was revised prior to the start of the 1970 season to include larger engines and presumably the name change to International Sedan Series.

from here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interna...ts_Association

maybe?????

[ITEGT]

I'm full of questions. (and something else most of the time)

I have plans to mount my accusump and fire bottle in the pass side floor board. This means no passenger seat if I do this.

How much in car instructor time is there at an SCCA school?

Is it looked down at if there isnt a passenger seat in the car? I have a spare kirkey seat but no spare belts.

[Andy Bettencourt]

I'm full of questions. (and something else most of the time)

I have plans to mount my accusump and fire bottle in the pass side floor board. This means no passenger seat if I do this.

How much in car instructor time is there at an SCCA school?

Is it looked down at if there isnt a passenger seat in the car? I have a spare kirkey seat but no spare belts.

ZERO time. 99% of all cars that do an SCCA school have no passenger seat. These are fender to fender cars, not DE cars. You will be fine.

[ITEGT]

Ok, time to bolt the sump and bottle down. Thank you.

[Matt93SE]

What he said. The instructors at our school would perch themselves on various corners of the track through the day and watch us run from there.

The jist of my 'instruction' at my school was a ride around the track in his golf cart sat morning with him describing the track to us- of which I've logged probably 1000 laps on in the last 8 years.
After that, about the only instruction he gave me was telling me to slow down and stay in traffic, with a couple suggestions of line changes.

I guess my driving in traffic was good enough he never felt the need to correct or instruct on actual racing..

[ITEGT]

Thanks guys, I really didn't know if I would have an instructor in car or not.

I just registered for the event. I went ahead and signed up for the Friday/Saturday school.

What level of experience is needed to ask to have a required school waived?

I dont know my transponder number so I filled in 111111 figured that would be obvious that I wasnt trying to BS the registration, but just trying to get my info submitted asap. I really need to get my hands on the logbook for the car. If I had known better I would have made more of an effort to get the book by now.

[Matt93SE]

for the school, they dont' care about the transponder- they ask for it cause it's the same software they use for regular races, which requires the transponder.

that said, you can always enter it later when you get to registration at the track.

And a hint about that..... When you get your logbook, write the transponder number on the inside cover with the rest of your car specs. it'll save you from having to crawl under the car when it's parked in the mud and 40 deg outside and you're late to register... (don't ask why I'm recommending this... )

As for getting a school waived,
1. you need to perform damn well at your first school and finish the day without problems.
2. you need tons of DE experience (flagging doesn't hurt either)
3. at least a couple of the stewards know you and will vouch for you.. letters of recommendation from them certainly help.

I still highly recommend all of the schools unless you've got a ton of experience and just don't have your license. If this will be your first wheel to wheel experience, then you'll DEFINITELY want the additional schooling.

[ITEGT]

Looks like I did the right thing by signing up for both schools. I have DE experience but not enough and not enough in the past few years.

Car is up on jackstands in the garage so it was easy to get the transponder number. Dang zip tie covered the number up perfectly or else I think I wouldve noticed it in my many hours underneath the car.