Roll Cage Exception -- Elimination for 2009

[stevemcchesney]

From the minutes of the HRG meeting:

10.a.
"HRG rules currently have an exception to current role
cage rules for cars registered before 1/1/79; it was decided to eliminate
this exception."

http://www.historicracing.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=223


I'm willing to make the minor changes to the "old" rules with approval.

However, we've already had some "fallout" if you will, as evidently Al Costich's car is evidently one of the ones that doesn't have a current spec rollcage. I'd hate to lose Al, as he has been an ardent participant of HRG races in the past. On the other hand, I don't want to see *anybody* roll a car with a less_than_ideal cage.

Empirically: Dwight Hummel, WGI, circa 2002 ?? I have that one from in-car camera ... not a pretty sight.

Are there others? And by that I mean other cars that because of this rule change, fall out of compliance that otherwise we would reasonably expect to race with HRG in 2009 ??

Typically I take exception to exceptions. On the other hand, we agreed to "exception" the classification of the 3 liter Jensen-Healy.

Cars from other sanctions cloud this even further, given that the scutineers may or may not be OUR "Bills" and may or may not appreciate divergence from very specific current GCR roll cage rules.

Do we rethink this or just bite the bullet and draw the line in the sand? My gut feeling is that the decision has been made. More specifically (somewhere around the spleen, I think) the rule change is even more prudent when we consider it's not just a bunch of MGs and BMWs out there; there's 2 ton 6.5 liter things out there going 50mph faster and 10 seconds a lap quicker on the track at the same time. And if things were to go as well as we hope, we might be adding new folks with big fast cars to our mix that haven't learned that Group 2 cars are not to be used as targets to scrub speed on corner entry . . .

Comments?

-steve

[OldSchool]

In the interest of Vintage Race Car Preservation, please allow me, a non-member, to comment.......

The " exception" does not simply mean that no rule applies to earlier vehicles, it means there is an 'alternate' Rule that they must adhere to. The exception and it's details were originally written into the GCR's so that Historically correct cars would not have to be altered to the point that the Originality ( and History) vanished.

Eliminating this exception, which is based upon the CURRENT "Vintage and Historic General Competion Rules " (Pub5684 3/05 scca ) Appendix Z ...will eliminate ALL Historically correct Vintage Racecars from participating.

Though I have yet to come back North, neither of the 3 of my early open or closed wheels has a compliant cage, although all are Original and comply with the ( alternate ) Rule for cars raced prior to 1979, which is spelled out in detail in the GCR's , Appendix Z.

In making this departure from Pub5684, HRG leaves the path of Vintage and Historic Racing... by sending a message that Original cars are unwelcome, and that ONLY fully caged cars may compete.

Somewhere recently, I think I remember BOD comments regarding the 80's cars.... Eliminating this alternate Rule now, leads which made me believe HRG was very interested in being a Vintage and Historic Group. in the opposite direction.

As a non-member, I have no dog in this fight. But for the CARS , and the preservation of the opportunity for them to be seen on track, in original form, I hope the HRG will consider this carefully, and continue to follow the Appendix Z in it's entirety, and allow the alternate therein .

Best Regards to you all,

Dave Perry OldSchool Restorations of North Alabama

[pjp90]

I have two points on this. First, we had a meeting on 2/14/09 open to all interested HRG members. We discussed this topic and made our decision. I say we stick to the decision, otherwise the meeting was not a good use of our time.

Second, perhaps unlike some other vintage clubs, I think most of us in HRG are racing pretty hard. We have some very fast cars, many that are faster than some of the "non vintage" cars at the same SCCA events. We also on occassion run warmup sessions mixed with non-vintage classes, and there have been rare instances where we raced in a group with non-vintage classes. So while we are "Historic" in name, I do not think we should be satisfied with "Historic" safety standards. I race mostly with SCCA and almost never with other clubs because SCCA has the best safety standards.

Paul Paparella