Ozark Mountain Region SCCA

[JimR]

Before registration at OMRSCCA events, all competitors' cars are checked for basic safety and function.

I. Autocross (SCCA "Solo")

What are we checking?
We will look for things like loose wheel bearings, steering wheel play, or anything unsafe for autocross conditions. Make sure your battery is held tightly in place, the throttle return works, the brakes function, and that nothing is leaking. Note: adequate mufflers are required, as excessively loud cars are one way to make us lose our site.

Classing
Tech inspectors are not responsible for judging correct classing, just that your car is safe to autocross. It is a good idea to read the SCCA Solo Rules at SCCA.com or ask for guidance on these forums before you reach registration - we'll be glad to answer your questions beforehand.

Details below
Want to know if your car meets the technical inspection requirements? If in doubt, below are the full and lengthy requirements from the SCCA Solo Rules.

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From section 3.3.3 - Safety Inspections - of the SCCA Solo Rules

B. Inspection Requirements
1) All loose items, inside and outside the car, must be removed. Hand held items, such as but not limited to, cameras and cell phones are considered loose items.

2) Passenger's seat back and all cushions, bolsters, headrests, etc. must be secured. All allowed aftermarket replacement seats (i.e. driver and passenger) must be securely and safely mounted. Special care should be taken when using other than OE mounting points and/or fabricated bracketry.

3) Any cameras, if installed, must be securely mounted to withstand loads from driving maneuvers. The camera may be installed either inside or on the outside of the car. In either case, its mounting method and position must not interfere with driving or pose an additional hazard to driver, passenger, or course workers.

4) Snap-on hubcaps, detachable fender skirts, and trim rings must be removed.

5) Wheels must be safely affixed. They shall not be reversed so that the lughole taper does not mate with the chamfer of the lugs. All studs and lug nuts must be present and functional.

6) Tires must be in good condition, with no cord or belts showing or cracks in the tread or sidewall. Each tire must have measurable (i.e. exhibiting positive measurement values) tread depth at no less than two points on the tire which are 180 degrees apart around the circumference, and which are within the center one-half of the tread surface that normally contacts the ground. Tires may not have cord visible at any time during competition. For categories other than Prepared and Modified, tires may not be regrooved, nor may grooves be added to the tread pattern where none existed on the original tire.

7) Seat belts (and harnesses if used) must be properly installed with attaching hardware, in good condition, secure, tight, and in compliance with Section 3.3.1.

8 ) Throttle return action shall be safe and positive.

9) No excessive fuel, oil, water or brake fluid leaks should be observed when the engine is running. For all Prepared and Modified category vehicles, engine crankcase and radiator overflow/breather lines must terminate in containers of at least one quart capacity. These containers cannot be vented into the driver/passenger compartment. All Prepared and Modified category vehicles must be equipped with an engine oil
vent tank, and an engine coolant vent tank if coolant is used. Vent tanks are not required with systems which are completely closed, i.e. have no venting to the atmosphere. All oil lines passing through the driver/passenger compartment shall be made of metal braided hose with AN Series threaded couplings; or entirely covered and protected with a metal cover (this does not apply to the small oil lines used for mechanical oiling system gauges).

10) Steering "spinner" knobs shall not be permitted.

11) No broken or missing spokes or more than one loose spoke per wheel shall be permitted in wire wheels. No cracks shall be permitted in disc or cast wheels. Other than standard parts as defined by these rules, non-metallic wheel construction is prohibited (FSAE cars are exempt from this requirement since the FSAE rules allow non-metallic wheels).

12) Brakes must have an adequate pedal, sufficient fluid in the master cylinder and no apparent hydraulic leaks under pressure. Vehicles must have a brake mechanism acting upon each wheel. The braking system shall be a dual system, arranged in a manner to provide braking for at least two wheels in the event of failure in part of the system. In the case of OE single systems, this requirement may be satisfied by a functional, redundant emergency brake. Karts are exempt from this requirement.

13) All swing axle cars, except Porsche, must have a camber compensator, or negative camber on the rear wheels, or have axle-limiting straps. Stock pre-1967 Volkswagen straps are not sufficient.

14) Wheel bearings, shocks, steering, and suspension shall be in good operating condition.

15) Exhaust must exit behind driver or to the side of the car.

16) On-board starters shall be provided.

17) Any wet-cell battery moved from the manufacturer’s original location shall be in a non-conductive marine-type container or equivalent, and the hot terminal shall be insulated. All batteries (on-board power supplies) shall be attached securely to the frame or chassis structure independent of the marinetype container. NOTE: This will allow the use of gel cell or
dry cell (AGM) batteries without a non-conductive marinetype container where applicable.

18 ) Roll bars, if installed, must meet the applicable portions of Section 3.3.2 and Appendix C, with specific attention to roll bar height.

19) Helmets for all occupants of the vehicle are to be inspected for condition, fit, and compliance with Driver’s Safety Equipment - Helmets (4.3.1).

20) Flex fans are not allowed.

21) Alcohol may not be used in manifold injection or spray bottles unless it is specified for this use by the OEM.

22) For cars competing on non-DOT-approved tires, the vehicle safety requirements as referenced in each category’s rule set, in addition to those in mandatory sections of the Solo Rules, shall be adhered to by all entrants.
_________________
Jim Rowland - OMR Assistant Region Executive
'92 SE-R / '01 Miata / '93.5 Infiniti G20 / Driving the Ozarkbahn

[JimR]

II. RallyCross

Important differences
A RallyCross tech inspection is basically the same as a Solo inspection. However, there are some very important requirements to note, such as issues with convertibles and running with windows up. Pay special attention to the areas highlighted in red below.

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From section 6.3 VEHICLE/DRIVER SAFETY of the 2010 SCCA RallyCross Rules

All vehicles must pass safety inspection on the following points prior to competing. This applies at each event entered. Entry fees, if already paid, will be refunded if a car fails to pass the safety inspection. A safety inspection is not concerned with class compliance.

A. All loose items, inside and outside the car (including the trunk and storage areas), must be removed.
B. Snap-on hubcaps, detachable fender skirts and trim rings must be removed.
C. Convertible, targa, or t-top vehicles must have their factory hard top or panels securely in place during course runs.
D. Sunroofs must be fully closed unless vehicle is equipped with a net at the opening and/or the driver is wearing arm restraints.
E. The driver's window may not be down more than 1" during course runs unless the vehicle is equipped with a window net and/or the driver is using arm restraints. The same restriction applies to the passenger window if there is a passenger.
F. Wheels must be safely affixed. They shall not be reversed so that the lughole taper does not mate with the chamfer of the lugs. All studs and lug nuts must be present, installed correctly and functional.
G. Tires must be in good condition, with no cord or belts showing or cracks in the tread or sidewall.
H. Seat lap belts are required in all cars. Installation of shoulder and lap belts is strongly recommended. Seat/shoulder belts must be properly installed with attaching hardware secure and tight. Competitors are required to wear seat belts when driving in competition. Additional belts must be installed per the manufacturer’s recommendations.
I. Throttle return action shall be safe and positive.
J. No excessive fuel, oil, water or brake fluid leaks should be observed when the engine is running.
K. Steering wheel "spinner" knobs are not permitted.
L. Brakes must have an adequate pedal, sufficient fluid in the master cylinder and no apparent hydraulic leaks and shall be operational at all four wheels. The vehicle must have a working parking/emergency brake system.
M. Wheel bearings, shocks, steering, and suspension shall be in good operating condition.
N. All batteries (on board power supplies) shall be attached to ensure that the battery and/or power supply will remain in place. If a lead-acid (wet cell) type battery is battery is relocated from its original location, it must be equipped with leak-proof caps and enclosed in a non-conductive, marine-type box. Dry cell batteries, commonly known as Recombinant Gas (RG) or Glass Mat Technology (GMT) batteries, are not required to be in a marine-type box. The hot terminal must be insulated on all vehicles. All batteries shall be securely attached to the primary structure of the vehicle.
O. Roll cages are strongly recommended in all cars. If installed it is strongly recommended that roll cages be constructed according to the rules for stage rally competition used in other sanctioning bodies.
P. Snell 1995 (SA95, M95, or K98) or newer labeled helmets are approved for use. This is a minimum standards for use in RallyCross, other approved helmets are:
--1. British Standards: BS 6658-85 type A/FR, including all amendments.
--2. SFI Foundation, Inc; SFI Spec 31.1
_________________
Jim Rowland - OMR Assistant Region Executive
'92 SE-R / '01 Miata / '93.5 Infiniti G20 / Driving the Ozarkbahn