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UMSS 2014 Fall Rules Meeting Summary

The UMSS held its annual Fall Rules Meeting on Saturday, October 25 at Joe Kouba's home in Lino Lakes. Driver and owner representatives from the winged and Traditional sprint car divisions were on hand. The driver/owner reps brought forth some very good ideas, suggestions and proposals for discussion. Although the format was different from previous years, the fall meeting proved to be very productive and the various reps brought forth a number of items that fellow drivers and owners had contacted them about. The following is a summary of some of the more significant items that were changed. There are a few items requiring further research and the Rule Book will be updated within the next several weeks. The Rule Book will also receive an editorial clean-up to help clarify several items contained within it, as brought to light by several of the reps attending the meeting.

WINGED DIVISION:

1. Those engines with aluminum heads (ASCS or open heads) or steel heads that have been altered will NO longer be required to run the 1 7/8" injector sleeve. This change was a unanimous decision in order to bring the UMSS in-line with other area 360 sprint car groups.
2. The minimum weight rule was changed to conform with other area 360 sprint car groups and will now be 1,475 pounds including fully suited driver after the race. Very few, if any, cars should have to bolt-on weight to meet this minimum requirement. The safety consideration of weight flying off the car in an accident was another one of the primary considerations in changing this rule.
3. It was suggested to hold the 2015 schedule right around 20 shows. That will be a work in progress, as Ron begins the task on contacting tracks regarding 2015 dates. Once again, we will work with the JSTS and MN Mafia to hopefully have a couple of SW Minnesota races and a couple of races in our area featuring co-sanctioning between both 360 sprint car groups. The above two rule changes should be favorable in that regard.

BOTH WINGED & TRADITIONAL DIVISIONS:

1. UMSS officials and a specified person from each track we race at will conduct a safety equipment and procedures review prior to each race. The UMSS will develop a minimum requirement regarding safety equipment and procedures. This is in response to a couple of fire incidents, as it is imperative that all tracks we race at have at least the minimum requirements in place. This was fully supported by ALL in attendance!
2. Following a yellow flag incident on the track involving a car or cars that may have sustained damage, the car will be pushed to the inside to the track and ONE person from the team's pit crew will be allowed to do a quick inspection to make sure the car can return to the race without any readily visible broken parts that may cause it to be a safety concern. This was a common sense item that the teams would like to have in place for one of their pit crew members, who may be more qualified than an official, to help determine if the car can safely return to the race or needs to retire (heat or Challenge race) or go to the work area (feature race).
3. At the urging of the driver/owner reps, the UMSS will step up its safety inspections of the cars AND drivers to make sure they are in compliance with the current safety requirements.
4. Race Format. Both divisions have voted to run the SAME race format (heats, Challenge races & feature) as detailed below. The heats and Challenge races will be run based on car counts. For the heat races, they are no less than 6 laps and not more than 8 laps in distance. IF there are 17 or more cars on hand, three (or more) heats will be run. IF there are 16 (or less) cars on hand, two heat races will be run. The two Challenge races will be no less than 8 laps and not more than 12 laps in distance. The feature race distance for each division will be 25 laps (20 laps on half-mile tracks for the winged division). Circumstances, such as weather or time constraints on a given night, may require the format to be changed to heats and features only or possibly reduce the feature race laps to 20. Passing and finishing points, using the current point system already in place, will be earned during the heats and Challenge races. The heat races will be lined up based on the standard draw that we have used in the past. Challenge races will line up like we have done in the past inverted based on heat race finish with the last two cars in each heat race not making the invert. The TOP FOUR drivers in passing and finishing points following the double round of qualifying races will DRAW a pill (1 through 4) to determine their feature race starting positions. If there is an autograph session, the draw will take place at that session. The remaining drivers from five on back will line up (straight up) according to the points they earned. Rookies (in their first three races or more if deemed necessary) will still be required to start tail-end in ALL races until their orientation period (three race minimum) ends. Other cars can elect to start tail-end if they are having issues and SHOULD report that to a UMSS official prior to the start of the race, so we can adjust the starting lineup accordingly.
5. Season Points. The point structure will remain the same for ALL divisions. Season points are earned in feature races only. Cars unable to start the feature race will receive 150 show points IF they attempted to race. Both the winged and Traditional divisions will be allowed to throw-out their lowest TWO point races in determining the season champion (those races could be zero point nights). The Traditional driver/owner reps wanted to be consistent with the winged division on race throw-outs, as the two divisions actually ran the same number of shows in 2014.
6. At all tracks that will allow it, the work area for the feature race will be in the infield. At those tracks who do not allow it, the work area will be in their designated area and will be clearly communicated at the drivers meeting. As in the past, there is no work area allowed for heats or Challenge races.
7. Transponder Scoring. The UMSS will be purchasing the necessary hardware and software (ANB system) to begin using this in both divisions during the 2015 season at all tracks that have scoring loops installed. St. Croix Valley Raceway will install a loop as early as the weather next spring will allow, but it might not be until June. At those tracks who do not have the capability of using transponder scoring, we will of course have to continue to utilize the current hand-scoring method. ALL cars will be required to purchase a transponder at some point in time (early in the season). In the early stages, the UMSS will have a few transponder units available for rent each night. Eventually these may end up being sold to a driver/owner. This proposal was a unanimous decision by those in attendance for both divisions. It's basically a no-brainer, as many of the area tracks we race at already have transponder scoring for their weekly divisions. More information will be released on this subject when available, but start thinking about it now as you plan for the 2015 racing season.

TRADITIONAL DIVISION:

1. The carb booster height rule for both engine packages is GONE!
2. The 5.3 liter LS engine will continue to be allowed. We are aware that at least two more LS engines are being built in addition to the one that was on competition last year. The LS engine and a Traditional engine will be dyno tested in late March or early April on the same day on the same dyno, as the UMSS continues to monitor the output capabilities of each engine package. We also plan on conducting a head flow test on both engine packages.
3. Scat or Eagle rods and cranks will be allowed. The cranks were already allowed in 2014, so we are adding rods to that as well.
4. Cars running collectors on the stock headers will be required to have them meet the continuous diameter of the header (no reducing).
5. NO cockpit-adjustable suspension components!
6. Shocks. May be rebound OR compression adjustable (but not both) on the shock only.
7. Titanium bolts will be allowed and the wording in the Rule Book will be changed to reflect that no drilled or hollow bolts will be allowed. Several cars are purchased with titanium bolts already on them, and it was the consensus of those at the meeting that we should not penalize them by making them change all the bolts.
8. Work on adding a few more Saturday night shows during the season. We will also place a few TBD (To Be Determined) shows on the schedule (probably July or August) in case we have to use them as rain dates or actually book a date that night, so teams can plan ahead of time (no surprise additions to the schedule). Most drivers were also in favor of having one complete weekend off during the summer for family activities, so we will work hard to determine the appropriate weekend.
9. The GM 602 crate engine will not be allowed in 2015, as more research is necessary. With that being said, IF a car owner/driver wants to acquire one and race it under the same set of circumstances that the LS engine raced under in 2013, the UMSS would not discourage it from happening. The LS engine in the experimental car in 2013 was required to start at the back of ALL races, earned no points, and did not receive any pay. It was basically an R&D car that year on a trial basis. It's not likely that someone will do this with the GM 602 crate motor, but if they do the UMSS will collect R&D information on it for possible future consideration.

There are a few other, relatively minor items, requiring some more research, so we will announce when the Rule Book has been updated for the 2015 season. Look for further details regarding the 2015 winged purse structure. The UMSS banquet is also scheduled for Saturday January 10, 2015 at the Hampton Inn in Shoreview (same location). A press release providing the banquet details should be out some time in November. We moved the banquet up one week so as not to conflict with the Chili Bowl. Again, thank you to all of those drivers/owners who submitted ideas, suggestions and proposals for discussion. The driver/owner reps in each division did a very good job of presenting the information. The rules meeting proved to be very productive and we were able to finalize a majority of the items that were brought up for discussion.

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