Open Inquiries
- Submitter Name: Scott Stirling
- Request:
I am formally requesting that the rules governing fuel cell location be amended to allow for greater flexibility in mounting location. In addition, the rule change requestor seeks to align the allowable BMW CCA Club Racing fuel cell locations with other racing organizations and demonstrate that alternative fuel cell locations do not pose an increased risk to safety when appropriate precautions are taken. Proposed changes to the rule book wording and photographic support for the change rationale will be provided by email.
- Rule Committee Response: This inquiry is still under review. A final ruling is anticipated in advance of the 2023 rule book release.
- Submitter Name: Ryan White
- Request:
lower the minimum weight to at or below 3000 lbs – currently at 3142 (same rules as current, including driver, fuel, etc.). I suggest lowering all other classes accordingly as many cars run with balast, but the E46 M3 platform has a particularly high minimum weight relative to how easy it is to remove weight from the chasis by taking the normal steps to prepare a racecar.
- Additional Comments: I must run nearly 200 lbs of balast currently to race with BMW compared to other associations. I agree we should make sure folks aren't increasing the cost of the build to reach minimum weights - in this circumstance no steps that add incremental costs to build and reduce weight have been taken. I have full glass in car, normal sized battery, no carbon fiber or any other exotic materials of any type. there is more weight that I can remove from the car and haven't. This additional weight is not only becoming impractical in terms of how much weight I can add physically and safely, the additional weight is not only hurting performance relative to other race series, it's widening the gap between classes (modified) which pushes folks to spend incrementally on major modifications. It also increases the cost of maintaining the car with brakes, tires, etc. I believe making this change for multiple classes will make BMW racing more competitive in attracting other racers as well.
- Rule Committee Response: This request was denied on the basis of the broader compilations it poses to the club racing Official Vehicle Specifications.
General
- Submitter Name: Tom Tice
- Request:
Consistency and safety aspects of cars running with driver and passenger windows up.
- Submitter Name: Ryan White
- Request:
Confirming that the same rule applies to reinforcement for Ballast as to a Fuel Cell where (location in rule book: B. Equipment, 29. Fuel system, a. 2) “Additional reinforcement may be added to support the fuel cell, but such reinforcement must not be attached to the roll cage in Sport and Prepared classes.”
- Additional Comments: For safety reasons additional reinforcement is often required to safely attach up to 50 lbs per ballast segment (often requiring multiple segments) in case of an accident. The reinforcement needs to connect to a structural part of the car, not just the passenger / spare tire wheel well sheet metal that is not designed to structurally support concentrated weight in case of an accident.
- Submitter Name: Scott Reiman
- Request:
Add clarification to the unsportsmanlike conduct penalty clause as shown below:
7d. Unsportsmanlike conduct (on or off the track, to include attempts to pressure decision making by race officals)
- Submitter Name: Eric Heinrich
- Request:
Rain lights – it might be wise to make the wording and requirements match what the other race series are doing.
Otherwise people are going to have to reprogram the rain lights for each series.
Keep it consistent is my recommendation.
- Additional Comments: SCCA GCR language: B. RAIN LIGHTS All cars shall be equipped with rain light(s) clearly visible from the rear. The rain light(s) shall be turned on when directed to by the Race Director or Chief Steward. 1. Non-Formula and Sports Racing cars shall utilize the original equipment red tail lights or the rain light described in 9.3.32.B.2 or both. 2. All Formula (open wheel) and Sports Racing cars shall be equipped with a red taillight of at least the equivalent illumination power of a 15-watt bulb. This light shall be mounted on the centerline of the car. Light assemblies shall be considered one light for the purposes of this rule, irrespective of the number of individual lamps the assembly may contain. FIA Technical List N 19 rain lights are recommended. 3. Original equipment tail light assemblies may be used. Light assemblies may perform both rain and brake light functions provided they have two distinct illumination levels. Lights that function as strobe lights are not permitt
- Submitter Name: Scott Reiman
- Request:
Suggested rule change to require an automatic one-month probation period if a racer is unable to produce video footage following involvement in a contact incident
- Rule Committee Response: The 2023 rule book will be amended to require a one-race probationary period for racers who are unable to provide video footage when requested by an official.
- Submitter Name: Marc Thomaes
- Request:
2. Penalties will be assigned to racers as follows:
……….
c. Any driver issued a disqualification (DQ) for any race (fun or points) will forfeit all points earned at that event. - Additional Comments: It appears to me that this rule is not being applied. For example a number of drivers were penalized with a DQ at WGI (Sept 2022) for being underweight in one race. I noticed that points were awarded to the racers for the event. I am not necessarily advocating this rule, and I would suggest it be reviewed and/or clarified. For example: should the racer with a DQ in one race in an event (for example due to underweight) be penalized for the entire event which is what the current rule above states? Should there be a difference for a technical DQ versus a DQ due to a (serious) driver penalty?
- Submitter Name: Marc Thomaes
- Request:
1. Points will be awarded to eligible racers as follows:
…….
g. In the case of a dead heat for any position, the total points involved based on the number tied at the finish shall be divided evenly among those tied.
For example, if the dead heat is for second place involving two cars, the points from second and third will be added together and divided by two to obtain the points to be awarded for second place. Each driver would be awarded 17 points. There would be no third place points awarded in that race. - Additional Comments: Unless I am mistaken the example used under 1.g. is wrong (....."Each driver would be awarded 17 points"...). 2nd position is normally 7 points (without multipliers) and 3rd is 5 points. The total to that is 12 and half would be 6
- Rule Committee Response: No action - The rule book already defines the process for this situation.
Safety
- Submitter Name: Tom Tice
- Request:
Consistency and safety aspects of cars running with driver and passenger windows up.
- Submitter Name: Ryan White
- Request:
Confirming that the same rule applies to reinforcement for Ballast as to a Fuel Cell where (location in rule book: B. Equipment, 29. Fuel system, a. 2) “Additional reinforcement may be added to support the fuel cell, but such reinforcement must not be attached to the roll cage in Sport and Prepared classes.”
- Additional Comments: For safety reasons additional reinforcement is often required to safely attach up to 50 lbs per ballast segment (often requiring multiple segments) in case of an accident. The reinforcement needs to connect to a structural part of the car, not just the passenger / spare tire wheel well sheet metal that is not designed to structurally support concentrated weight in case of an accident.
- Submitter Name: Eric Heinrich
- Request:
Rain lights – it might be wise to make the wording and requirements match what the other race series are doing.
Otherwise people are going to have to reprogram the rain lights for each series.
Keep it consistent is my recommendation.
- Additional Comments: SCCA GCR language: B. RAIN LIGHTS All cars shall be equipped with rain light(s) clearly visible from the rear. The rain light(s) shall be turned on when directed to by the Race Director or Chief Steward. 1. Non-Formula and Sports Racing cars shall utilize the original equipment red tail lights or the rain light described in 9.3.32.B.2 or both. 2. All Formula (open wheel) and Sports Racing cars shall be equipped with a red taillight of at least the equivalent illumination power of a 15-watt bulb. This light shall be mounted on the centerline of the car. Light assemblies shall be considered one light for the purposes of this rule, irrespective of the number of individual lamps the assembly may contain. FIA Technical List N 19 rain lights are recommended. 3. Original equipment tail light assemblies may be used. Light assemblies may perform both rain and brake light functions provided they have two distinct illumination levels. Lights that function as strobe lights are not permitt
- Submitter Name: Scott Reiman
- Request:
Suggested rule change to require an automatic one-month probation period if a racer is unable to produce video footage following involvement in a contact incident
- Rule Committee Response: The 2023 rule book will be amended to require a one-race probationary period for racers who are unable to provide video footage when requested by an official.
- Submitter Name: Marc Thomaes
- Request:
Make corrections to #16; ‘Window Nets’ to “Nets” to include the right side net as to the required certifications:
16. Nets
a. Expiration
i. SFI nets expire 2 years after the date of manufacture at the end of the month of manufacture as indicated on the label.
ii. FIA 8863-2013 nets expire 5 years from the year of manufacture on December 31st of the year printed on the net(s).
iii. Nets without a certification label shall be considered as expired and must be replaced.
- Submitter Name: Bruce Heersink
- Request:
Would like rain light behavior change from on steady at all times to blink when brakes are off and steady on when brake pedal depressed. Logic is a steady on light doesn’t give trailing car any information if the driver ahead is on the brakes or not. Brake lights are not normally on all time to convey info to any driver behind them, why should a rain light be different? Blinking light gives car behind bro of where the car is, solid under braking gives info car is probably slowing. Much safer.
- Additional Comments: Would change this rule ASAP but have either as written or new rule allowed thru end of 2922 season. Me behavior required after Jan 1, 2023. Alternatively, it appears at least one nASA region has light behavior the opposite- steady on, blink while braking. Either would work, but the bottom line is the light behavior needs to be different when driver is on or off brakes.
- Rule Committee Response: This inquiry was approved with the final wording of the rule to be included in the 2023 rule book. The 2023 rule book has not yet been finalized. The 2023 rule book will be changed to require rainlights to be steady on when the brake pedal is depressed, and flashing when the brake pedal is not depressed.
Sport/Prepared
- Submitter Name: Ryan White
- Request:
Per seperate email, would ask the rules committee to revisit the minimum weight for H Class (HP/HS). It is currently 3142 for the E46 M3 platform, which requires all drivers who have prepared their car to the other regulations to run ballast, for some as much as 200 lbs. This much ballast is a safety risk (many lead blocks in multiple places on the car are a avoidable risk in an accident), is less attrative to racers in other series where the weight minimum is much less, and would provide environmental and cost benefits (i.e. brakes, fuel, tires) to the racers.
- Additional Comments: We have polled all racers who participated in 2022 BMW club racing and 1100% of all responses (11 of 13, 2 didn't respond) agreed that lowering the weight minimum would be advantageous to BMW club racing in the HP/HS class. The minimum weight suggested by most racers was 2970, with other racers requesting 3040 (NASA for a similiar car would be 3000 lbs). Please refer to my other correspondence which have documented this request in more detail and please contact me with any questions or clarifications. Thank you for making racing safer and more enjoyable for all the participants.
- Rule Committee Response: This request has been denied. However, the rule committee is now re-evaluating the entirety of the weight table and the methodology used to establish the weight table.
- Submitter Name: Ryan White
- Request:
Please confirm that any E46 transmission can be used (i.e. 5 speed) rather than the 6 speed the M3 comes with. I support this flexibility as the cost of the 6 speed transmission is nearly 3x the cost of the 5 speed transmission and has significantly more weight. gears 1 through 5 are identical in both transmissions so there is no performance advantage other than the weight savings,
- Additional Comments: I belive it is very prudent to prevent keeping the mainteance costs and car weight unnaturally high when savings and performance can be achieved.
- Rule Committee Response: This inquiry was approved with the final wording of the rule to be included in the 2023 rule book. The 2023 rule book has not yet been finalized.
Mod/SuperMod
- Submitter Name: Ali Salih
- Request:
I’d like to recommend a rule change for MOD class to allow for alternative materials for driveshafts, such as carbon fiber.
- Additional Comments: This change will allow for carbon fiber driveshafts to be legal and help reduce weight in chunkier late-model BMW Chassis cars. E series, F series, and on. BMW F8x M3 and M4 have already adopted the CFRP driveshafts in the early models, then only changed it back to steel due to unrelated emissions requirements in the EU that enforced smaller diameter, which made CFRP unstable. In racing, we do not have the same limitations and CF shafts available are durable for any racing conditions, even drag racing. This change will allow MOD cars to save weight and offer better protections against the driveline parasitic harmonics while allowing relatively cheaper performance options.
- Rule Committee Response: This inquiry was approved with the final wording of the rule to be included in the 2023 rule book. The 2023 rule book has not yet been finalized.
SPEC
Power to Weight
- Submitter Name: Greg Miceli
- Request:
PWR2 Greater than or equal to 13 and less than 16
- Additional Comments: I'd request this be modified to match NASA GTS2 which currently has a 13.5 limit for DOT approved Tires.
- Submitter Name: Greg Miceli
- Request:
Declared WHP must be at least 85% of the manufacturer’s published HP(crank).
- Additional Comments: I would like to be able to run my E36 bodied S54 powered car in PWR2, however this rule results in a minimum hp of 285 and subsequently a corresponding minimum weight of 3700 lbs before modifiers and 3820 with aero present. Removing this rule would allow a detune to run this at a more reasonable competition weight. There are currently no such restrictions in GTS so removing this rule would allow more crossover cars.
- Submitter Name: Greg Miceli
- Request:
Aerodynamic improvements – any purposeful change to the entire profile of a car’s
body/chassis that deviates from the factory delivered, street legal, base car configuration
will be assessed a LBS:WHP modification of -0.5 - Additional Comments: I would request those WITHOUT aero improvements be given +0.5 mod factor to better align the series LBS/WHP Ratio to NASA GTS to promote further crossover of cars. For example, PWR3 is "Greater than or equal to 10 and less than 13" and GTS3 is 10.0. As aero mods are allowed in GTS by default, the ratios would be closer if they matched and aero was not penalized in PWR class.
- Submitter Name: Ryan White
- Request:
lower the minimum weight to at or below 3000 lbs – currently at 3142 (same rules as current, including driver, fuel, etc.). I suggest lowering all other classes accordingly as many cars run with balast, but the E46 M3 platform has a particularly high minimum weight relative to how easy it is to remove weight from the chasis by taking the normal steps to prepare a racecar.
- Additional Comments: I must run nearly 200 lbs of balast currently to race with BMW compared to other associations. I agree we should make sure folks aren't increasing the cost of the build to reach minimum weights - in this circumstance no steps that add incremental costs to build and reduce weight have been taken. I have full glass in car, normal sized battery, no carbon fiber or any other exotic materials of any type. there is more weight that I can remove from the car and haven't. This additional weight is not only becoming impractical in terms of how much weight I can add physically and safely, the additional weight is not only hurting performance relative to other race series, it's widening the gap between classes (modified) which pushes folks to spend incrementally on major modifications. It also increases the cost of maintaining the car with brakes, tires, etc. I believe making this change for multiple classes will make BMW racing more competitive in attracting other racers as well.
- Rule Committee Response: This request was denied on the basis of the broader compilations it poses to the club racing Official Vehicle Specifications.
You can submit an inquiry for the Rules Committee to review here.