East Coast Mini Sprint Association Rule Book Current for 2007 Season

INTRODUCTION
The following rules have been prepared by the East Coast Mini Sprint Association’s (E.C.M.S.A) officials and it’s members as guidelines for the construction of a Mini Sprint. In conjunction, no warranty of safety is expressed or implied as a result of this publication of rules. These rules are intended as a guide and no way guarantee against injury or death to participants, spectators or others.

This division has been developed for the FUN of racing in a low cost fashion. This requires enforcement of the rules to keep competition equal and fair to all those involved. With the help and participation of the participants this can be accomplished. The principal is: RULES ENFORCEMENT = EQUALITY.

Rule Changes for 2007 season in red

First and foremost these rules were prepared in a positive manner.

"IF IT DOESN'T SAY YOU CAN DO IT, YOU CANNOT."

GENERAL

1.01 Upright midget or sprint car style only.

1.02 Sprint car or modified wedge style hood.

1.03 Side portion of cockpit will be fitted with panels.

1.04 Must have sprint appearing tail.

1.05 Weight of car must be 950 lbs. minimum after the race with the driver seated.

Any weight (ballast) on the car must be securely bolted to the car with a minimum of 2 (two)- 3/8 inch minimum diameter grade 8 bolts.

Any weight (ballast) on the car must be painted orange for visibility.

WINGS

2.01 Top wing must be used:

Up to 16 square feet maximum.

48 inch x 48inch maximum.

2.02 Side Panels:

Right side = 60 inches long x 24 inches high maximum.

Left side = 60 inches long x 30 inches high maximum.

2.03 Driver may not adjust the wing while on the track.

2.04 Nose wing may be used:

18 inch x 30-inch maximum.

CHASSIS/SAFETY:

3.01 Rock screens are mandatory.

3.02 Cars must have a firewall located between the driver and the engine, of at least .032 - (1/32) inch aluminum.

3.03 All cars must have a complete floor pan extending from the firewall to the middle of the driver’s seat.

3.04 Any chains or shafts that run through the driver’s compartment must be covered on the top and sides with a minimum .125 (1/8) inch aluminum or .0625 (1/16) inch steel.

3.05 Main structural components must be mild steel or chrome moly (4130N) steel tubing:

Mild steel = 1 1/4 inch O.D. x .120 wall thickness.

Chrome moly = minimum 1 1/4 inch O.D. x .095 wall thickness.

3.06 Secondary bracing must be mild steel or chrome moly (4130N) steel tubing:

Mild steel = 1 inch O.D. x .090 wall thickness.

Chrome moly = minimum 1 inch O.D. x .083 wall thickness.

3.07 Front and rear bumpers are mandatory and must not be wider than the main frame.

Must be a minimum 3/4-inch O.D. x .065 wall thickness.

No sharp or pointed corners.

Must be attached to the car with 3/16-inch minimum diameter grade 5 (or better) bolts.

3.08 Side nerf bars between the front and rear tires only are mandatory.

Must be a minimum 3/4-inch O.D. x .065 wall thickness.

Must extend to the inside of the tires and not beyond the outside edge of the tread.

No sharp or pointed corners.

Must be attached to the car with 3/16-inch minimum diameter grade 5 (or better) bolts.

3.09 Roll cage must be a 6-point design.

3.10 Top of the roll cage must be a minimum of 48 inches from the bottom rail.

3.11 The space between the top of the tubes of the roll cage and the seated driver’s helmet must be at least 3 inches.

3.12 There must be restraint behind the driver’s head (either part of the seat or built into the cage).

3.13 An "X" or "A" frame brace behind the driver’s seat is mandatory.

3.14 A cross bar behind the seat to support the shoulder harness is mandatory.

3.15 All bends must be at least 3 inches radius.

3.16 No square or pointed corners.

3.17 Roll bar padding in the cockpit is mandatory.

3.18 Maximum frame width = 28 inches.

3.19 All bolts must be grade 5 or better

3.20
All cars must have foot operated throttle and brake controls. Exceptions may be made by the Board of Directors for handicapped drivers.

3.21 Brakes must be hydraulically operated and fully functional.

3.22 Front brakes are allowed.

3.23 Must have suspension on all four wheels.

3.24 No independent front or rear suspension.

3.25 No cockpit adjustable suspension or aerodynamic components are allowed.

3.26 Chain drive to a one-piece rear axle only: Minimum of 1 3/8 inch O.D.

3.27 No drive shaft to rear axle.

3.28 No differential or quick change gears.

3.29 Rear axles must have snap rings or bolts with washers at each end to prevent hubs from coming off.

3.30 No accessories such as wheel, sprocket or brake hubs may be welded to the rear axle.

3.31 Radius rods, panhard bar, drag link and tie rod must be a minimum 9/16-inch O.D. x .120 wall thickness.

3.32 Front axle must be minimum of 1 1/4 inch O.D.

3.33 The steering gear must display good workmanship.

3.34 Steering box or rack and pinion box mandatory on all cars.

3.35 Steering shaft must be a minimum 5/8-inch O.D. and hub must be quick disconnect type.

3.36 Fuel cells are mandatory (any size). Must be mounted securely, fully protected and separated from the driver’s compartment. Tail tanks may be used but must be equipped with a bladder.

3.37 No pressurized fuel tank allowed.

3.38 Manual fuel shut-off valve is mandatory and must be clearly marked and accessible to the driver and track personnel.

3.39 Engine on/off switch must be mounted on the top right side of the dashboard and clearly marked.

3.40 If wet cell battery is mounted in the cockpit, it must be covered and vented.

WHEELS/TIRES/SUSPENSION:

4.01 Wheel base:

Minimum 60 inches.

Maximum 72 inches.

4.02 Front width center to center of tires:

Minimum 42 inches. Maximum 52 inches.

4.03 Rear width outside to outside of tires:

Minimum 45 inches.

Maximum 65 inches.

4.04 13 inch diameter maximum, steel or aluminum wheels.

4.05 Tires must be pneumatic with a maximum surface width of 13 inches.

ENGINE SPECIFICATIONS:
Items numbered in red indicate 2007 rule additions

5.01 Front mounted engines only.

5.02 Engines may be offset to allow the chain to clear the outside of the cockpit, maximum of 1 1/2 inches from the frame.

5.03 Engines must be 4 cylinders, in-line, 4 cycles, U.S. production Kawasaki, Suzuki, Yamaha, or Honda, 750cc maximum displacement only.

5.03.1 The most recent model year motors cannot be used in a racing season. For example , 2001 model motors may be used in the calendar year 2002 racing season, but 2002 model motors may not be used in the 2002 season. This rule was adopted to allow the tech, team to research new motors before their use. However, due to major technical differences 2006 motors are not allowed.

5.04 Engine, clutch and transmission must be completely stock throughout, from the intake ports to the exhaust ports and be O.E.M. Stroke, bore, valve size, cam profile, cylinder pressure, etc., must be the same as original manufacturer specifications for the year and model use.

5.04.1 Modification of the external clutch actuator will be allowed provided it does not alter the internal operation of the clutch nor provide a competitive advantage. This rule was adopted to permit optional mounting of the actuator so that it would not be destroyed when the chain came off.

5.05 Pre 1998 engines:

5.05.1 Valve cam timing may be adjusted by replacing or modifying the O.E.M. drive gears.

5.05.2 Engine parts may be interchanged between model years to repair damage.

The parts must be stock, regular production O E M. Performance parts cannot be used and parts cannot be interchanged to create a configuration that exceeds the original manufacturer specifications for the year and model used, except to allow people to alter the 96/97 Suzuki engine to fuel injection, but only by using OEM 98/99 Suzuki engine components.

5.05.3 Cylinders may be bored to repair damage. First two standard over bores only, after that the cylinder must be sleeved or replaced.

5.05.4 Other than boring and slotting (see 5.05.1, 5.05.3, 5.05.5) no metal may be removed from the engine or transmission (no grinding, drilling, sanding, porting, polishing, etc.).

5.05.5 All electrical components must remain stock for the year and model used and is in working order. By-pass switches are permitted.

Any aftermarket electronics may be used, and the O.E.M. signal generator may be modified.

5.05.6 Carburetors only – no fuel injection.

5.05.7 Stock carburetors may have aftermarket jet kit installed. If aftermarket carburetors are used they may not be modified and the maximum bore must be no more than 38mm.

5.06 1998 style engines with Electronic Fuel Injection (EFI):

5.06.1 Engine parts cannot be interchanged between model years and performance parts cannot be used. Aftermarket adjustable cam gears are not allowed.

5.06.2 The stock EFI must be used without any modifications and in conjunction with the stock air box. A stock appearing aftermarket filter element may be used in the stock location

5.06.3 Cylinders may not be bored.

5.06.4 No metal may be removed from the engine or transmission ( no grinding, drilling, sanding, porting, polishing, etc. ).

5.06.5 All electrical components must be used in stock configuration and may not be altered in any way. By-pass switches are not permitted.

5.06.6 Non O.E.M. fuel pumps may be used.

5.07 No turbo or supercharged engines.

5.08 The oil drain plug may be moved to another location on the engine for clearance, accessibility, etc..

5.09 No auxiliary injection systems allowed (i.e., Nitrous Oxide).

5.10 Regular or premium gas, aviation fuel, power mist, cam 2, V.P., etc., are allowed.

5.11 No alcohol allowed.

5.12 No fuel additives.

5.13 Aftermarket headers may be used

5.14 Track rules governing the use and characteristics of mufflers / silencers will apply.

5.15 Exhaust system may not, at any point, enter the driver's compartment.

5.16 All engines must be self starting, either manually or electrically.

5.17 Clutch is mandatory.

5.18 Any car that has to be push started to enter an event will start at the rear of the pack.

5.19 Engine coolant is allowed and must comply with track requirements, if any.

5.20 Radiators and oil coolers cannot be mounted in the driver’s compartment.

TECHNICAL:
6.01 An E.C.M.S.A Tech fee will be charged each week for each car registered in the 750cc division. The amount of the fee will be announced at the start of each race season.

6.02 No payment = Disqualification
It is the responsibility of the driver or owner to pre-pay the tech inspector, each week, before entering the racing surface.

6.03 Other than the tech inspector and representatives of the car being teched, one driver or owner of another E.C.M.S.A/750cc car MUST be present.

6.04 Any tech problems which may arise at the track will be discussed and settled by no less than one half of the owner’s or driver’s (one representative per car) in the 750cc class at that event, if possible.

6.05 The penalty for any illegal engine equals loss of points, trophy and money for that night, plus 50 additional points.

6.06 Tech inspection procedures are described in Appendix 1.

EAST COAST MINI SPRINT ASSOCIATION

Technical Inspection Procedure
ECMSA rules and technical inspection procedures identify requirements and limitations for cars competing in the 750cc division. The ECMSA Technical Committee and Technical Inspector are responsible for fair enforcement of them.

The Board of Directors may appoint an alternate to the Technical Committee or to perform as Technical Inspector. This would typically occur to cover absences or if the primary individual is the owner or driver of a car subject to inspection.

The appointed alternate has full responsibility and authority for rules enforcement. Also, the primary or alternate Technical Inspector is empowered to determine the method of inspection they feel appropriate for fair enforcement of the rules. If the car owner is not in agreement with the type or method of inspection, they can withdraw their car from inspection and be disqualified for the event.

The top two finishers in the "A" and Sportsmen class features will take their cars directly to the ECMSA Tech Area for inspection, upon completion of weigh-in procedures specified in track rules. These competitors must provide their own tools to assist with inspection. They should be equipped to remove spark plugs, carburetors, valve and side (signal generator) covers, at minimum.

No work of any type will be permitted on cars awaiting tech inspection, unless directed by the ECMSA Technical Inspector. Failure to comply will result in disqualification.

When the four cars arrive in the Tech Area they will be inspected for items, such as, front and rear wheel track and wing size compliance with ECMSA rules.

Four "markers" numbered 1 through 4 will be placed in a container. Two "markers" will be drawn to determine the finishing positions in the "A" and Sportsmen class features that will receive additional inspection. For example, if "markers" numbered 2 and 4 are drawn, the second and fourth finishers in the two feature races will be inspected. The four cars not selected are excused from additional ECMSA inspection for that race event.

The 4 selected finishers may be checked for bore, stroke, compression and the valve cover may be removed to check valves and cams. Further disassembly may be done.

Appendix 2

EAST COAST MINI SPRINT ASSOCIATION

Sportsmen Class
The growth of the ECMSA 750cc division promoted the addition of a Sportsmen class along with the 750 "A" class.

The Sportsmen class was created to give greater opportunity for inviting new drivers to try a 750, allow newer or occasional drivers a chance to gain valuable seat time and a home for the 750 driver looking to race for the reason they got into this....for the fun of it.

This is a "trophy only" class that is subject to all ECMSA rules and procedures. In addition, the following procedures apply:

The same car, with different drivers, may be registered to compete in the "A" and Sportsmen class for any racing event.

Drivers must declare the class in which they will compete at race registration.

Only one tech fee is charged per car, even if it competes in both classes.

Duplication of car numbers within the division is not permitted. The same car, with the same number, can compete in the "A" and Sportsmen class for a racing event.

Points earned in the Sportsmen class are not transferable to the "A" class or vice versa.

Additionally, the highest feature race finisher in each class will roll a die to determine which of the following inspection procedures will also be performed:

1.

Check alternators.
2.

Check transmission for all gears installed and operational and verify clutch operation.
3.

Check fuel.
4.

Check crankshaft and rods.
5.

Check points leader for bore, stroke, compression, valves, cams and any additional items the inspector feels are appropriate. (Will not be done two weeks in row.)
6.

Check carburetors and intake and exhaust ports.

Any competitor winning their third feature of the season will have a complete engine technical inspection tear down on that night.

Any item found to be illegal at any point during technical inspection will result in disqualification.

TECHNICAL RULES
The power to change, alter or adopt rules shall remain with the (car owners) Full Members of the ECMSA and be decided at the annual meeting.

To open discussion for a proposed new rule or rule change, it must be supported by a 2/3 vote of the full members present at the annual meeting.

In order to adopt a new rule or rule change, it must be supported by a majority vote of those full members present at the annual meeting.

The technical committee shall write language and interpret rules in a manner which most clearly reflects the spirit and intent of the vote taken to adopt or change rules, and most closely preserves the stock nature of the 750 class.

The Board of Directors shall review and approve Tech Committee language. Rule updates or changes or new rules shall be sent to all current members within a period of 21 days of the vote taken to change or adopt such rules.

Official interpretation of rules will be made by the Technical Committee and the Tech Inspector.

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