Chassis Modification for Beaver Dam Raceway

[Team Zero]

Has anyone modified their chassis for fuel cell protection to comply with the 2014 Beaver Dam Raceway rule? I have heard Bulltown Legends and Ultimate Racecars will not be making kits due to liability concerns (rightfully so). If anyone knows of anyone making a kit or has made their own could you post pictures please?

Because we are required by track rule to modify our chassis does anyone think it will affect our future ability to sell our cars as INEX legal cars? Thoughts?

Brian Peterson

[legends13]

just curious, what are they asking you to do?

[Legends57x]

Brian,

Just to clarify the real story behind this right from the horses mouth as we would say.   I've built two versions of these protectors  for myself.  After seeing fellow racers almost getting severely burned both on video and in person, I decided it was time to do something.  In the beginning, I was only protecting myself.  However, out of the blue I received a phone call from Pink Hat as he had heard thru the grape vine  I had built something and wanted to see it.  He reviewed and suddenly added to rules.   If he checked with INEX before implementing, you would have to ask him .  Picture of my second design is attached below.   

[Legends16]

Nice work Mark. I know members of my club have suggested to INEX about beefing up that area of the car.

[Legends57x]

Thanks for the feedback...    Pictures of this design we sent to Scott Reinhardt just after I installed on my car. I personally spoke to Scott at the Dirt Nationals at Beaver Dam this past fall after the big fire.  I discussed this issue with him and told him I would send him pictures of both of my designs.  At the time, he seemed to be seriously concerned with the issue of fuel cells getting pierced by frame rails in a crash and told me they were going to have to fab something up for this.  As seems to be usual, nothing happened.  Our local dealer came up with a design that clamps on and he was working with INEX to have them put those on legend cars, but nothing seem to happen their either.  Our dealer designed protector is overkill  and weighs probably twice as much as the one I came up with.  See for yourself below...

[DanH]

In the UK we have to run a 3mm Aluminium plate covering the fuel tank. It bolts onto the fuel tank retainer and then uses U clamps to hold it at the bottom. I can take a pic if needed but this is just a bolt on piece and does not need chassis mods.

[VMS Motorsports]

I am going to, once my trailer is not frozen to the ground, use a piece of steel and clamp it on.
That way it can be removed for re-sale and not have to cut any welds, etc

[racintaz99]

I am doing the same thing as Jim is. We are working on a clamp on version in case we run any national events and they say something and it needs to come off.

I will try to post pics when it is finished.


Scott

[legends13]

Do they know that there is a fuel safe metal cell available? To me, it seems smarter to just make a rule that you must use the steel fuel cell.

An issue they might run into is with track specific rules like this, a travelling driver might be turned away. This is why a few years ago INEX made mufflers mandatory. There were to many tracks that had muffler rules, and guys would show up and not be allowed to race because they didnt have one.

Either way, my opinion would be to make it removable, so that you can sell the car if you choose to.

[Legends57x]

Brad,  I agree with a majority of what you said.  If you look closely at my picture, the top part of my design can easily be removed my loosening four bolts(two at bottom) and one at each support tap near rear of cell.  I purposely made it this way so fuel cell still can be removed from car without taking off the body.  All that remains are two welded on tabs and one plate that fills in lower opening which could be tach welded on also.  As far as metal fuel cells, not a bad idea either.  However, in my opinion, the metal fuel cell is not necessarily the best fix either as the metal container is so thin(18-20 gauge???) and does little if anything to stop the fuel cell from being pierced by frame rails.   Trust me, I am a former figure-8 racer of 22 years.  We had metal fuel cells surrounded by a minimum of 1/8" steel plating on both sides and at a rear of fuel cell to prevent any pipe from easily piercing the metal can.   In addition, the metal fuel cell is an upgrade to the bare plastic cell, but at what cost to all racers again.   Not trying to sell anything here, but the design I came up with weighs less than 10 pounds,  cost me approx. $30 at most to assemble, and I for one feel much safer.

Again, just my opinion...Good discussion here...

[Team Zero]

I was told last weekend by a Wisconsin asphalt driver who asked the question "what happens if I show up at Beaver Dam without one" just to drop in and race. He was told by Jerry you will not race at Beaver Dam without one.

I think the idea is a good one I just wish INEX would have it in the rulebook, so when we have a visiter to our track show up with a INEX legal car he/she is not told to load it up and hit the road!!

Thank you for the pictures and input any other designs that are built please share with the group.

Brian

[VMS Motorsports]

Do they know that there is a fuel safe metal cell available? To me, it seems smarter to just make a rule that you must use the steel fuel cell.

An issue they might run into is with track specific rules like this, a travelling driver might be turned away. This is why a few years ago INEX made mufflers mandatory. There were to many tracks that had muffler rules, and guys would show up and not be allowed to race because they didnt have one.

Either way, my opinion would be to make it removable, so that you can sell the car if you choose to.

I think this is much more effective than having everyone buy a $600 metal fuel cell, which will still get skewered the same as a plastic one will.
As far as visiting drivers, we were told that you will not be able to go on track without one.

I will be fabbing up a clamp on unit so it can be removed when I sell the car

[s10custom]

In the UK we have to run a 3mm Aluminium plate covering the fuel tank. It bolts onto the fuel tank retainer and then uses U clamps to hold it at the bottom. I can take a pic if needed but this is just a bolt on piece and does not need chassis mods.

That's pretty good idea.

[Legends57x]

I will post pictures of my first design tomorrow just for discussion sake....

BTW - A tip when trying to post pictures on here.  It may be a little tedious, but works for me.  I take pictures saved in my racing folder at work, send them to myself via email - select 'small' option when doing this.  I then resave picture from email attachment and then I can attach smaller verison of  pictures under 'Additional Options' below using  the Browser.  That's how I posted all the pictures on here.  Hope this helps!

[Legends57x]

Pictured below is first version I built in 2011.  Just felt too much fabrication & weight involved, so went with my latest design which I basically put together in one day.