[Lack o Diesel]

Would it be possible to have the rule clarified on the asphalt mod rear bumper rule. There have been some confusion as to what is specified.

Most of us are under the impression that stub rear bumpers are not allowed, and that they are to no sharp edges. The picture used to used to show how the asphalt bumper is to appear with bars coming from the bumper bent around and returning back to the frame. Stub bumpers were supposed to have been fixed for good after a violent wreck that happened at Owosso some years back. In my case it cut my tire, in his case the bar went through the door and went through his knee. Hopefully I'm not the only one who thinks this needs to be addressed. This is a safety issue, typically I don't complain but I've been bit by illegal bumpers 3 times. All costing me a potential win, a $105 tire. If someone could please address this and make sure it is how it supposed to be it would be great.

I'm not complaining about what has been done, it's done and over. But it needs to be addressed before it costs someone more than a tire.


Thanks,
Perry

[wayfastwhitey]

Since I know a little bit about the violent wreck at Owosso and litigation due to modified rear bumpers, let me add my $0.02

Clarification of that rules is something that the courts can't even figure out.

I was pretty pissed off to see that rear bumper on a car lined up in the feature. Especially when MMA and several past racers and officials gave depositions that said those types of bumpers are strictly prohibited. THat was all before I found out that it cut a tire down earlier in the day.

For the record the bumper that was involved in the wreck at Owosso was NOT open on the ends with no nerf bars. It was straight across the back with nerf bars connecting on the ends (just like the ones on new Howe cars).

Bumper-gate lives on.

[Lack o Diesel]

After hearing from some other drivers and looking at all the rule formats. I'm asking this question. What is the ruling on these type of bumpers? USA says I-beam bumpers allowed but says nothing about rear side nerfs. All I know is all the rules say one thing in particular. NO SHARP EDGES! Using no names, the bumper I'm referencing is a 1 3/4" bar cut to a 45 degree angle, which according to my tire was a spear. As far as I'm concerned it's an easy fix, in fact all the chassis now a days come with stubs for the bars to connect to. This is a serious safety item. Those who have called me or emailed me say the same thing. So please mod drivers share your take on the rule.


Perry

[ron1r31]

i talked to chuck about the bumper thing too or three week ago and he said that it was usa leagal. well like i said i'am not a usa mod. i don't care to run with an open bumper. perry i think the tires are 108.00.

[Lack o Diesel]

Whittimore rule:
Rear Bumper, nerf bars and bodies must not extend beyond the rear tires. Height of 18” both front and rear bumpers + or - 2 “. Rear bumper no more than 2” wider than body on each end to prevent penetration into any other vehicles.

Owosso rule:
(ASPHALT ONLY) Rear Bumpers must be bent forward as close to 90 degrees as possible and
be no more than 2” outside of body including nerf bar and resemble example on body diagram
page. Must contain no sharp edges.


Just to clarify, I'm not trying to be a jerk about all of this. In fact I've already talked to one person. I'm not happy about losing a tire over it but I'm not going to make some huge stink over it either. If in fact it was an oversight, which reading all the rules it could be mistaken. Why something like this was forgotten from any rulebook, not just Spartan/Springport is beyond me. So I'm not trying to get someone in trouble or anything I just want the rule amended so that no one else brings an illegal bumper. In fact it was mentioned to me that it would be fixed by this week, and there was an apology. So I'm good on that end. I'm still looking for the right diagram. Once again sorry for being a pest about this but it's safety. I've cut, drilled, moved sheet metal over an inch, and for nothing more than it was wrong on a tape measure.

Ron,
Even USA doesn't allow open bumpers, but for some reason it's not written in their book. They allow the aluminum I-beam bumpers but they still have to have side nerfs.

[governor72]

This is the USA rule from their rule section. As stated the bumper was not USA legal.

Z) Aluminum “I” beam or tubular steel rear bumpers allowed, must have rounded nerf bars that follow quarter panel and connect back to frame on both sides.

This does need to be amended to the Spartan rule book ASAP.

For anyone who was @ Owosso the night that jim Piggot was injured you will not question why this needs to be added and inforced.

Dan Logan

[wayfastwhitey]

Dan I don't even think you can compare the Jim Piggot accident to what is on the that car.

The bumper that injured Piggot was exactly like the bumper on the 6d, it's still legal today and I have no reason to think it shouldn't be. (So long as the steel door plate rule is followed)

The bumper that is on the red 31 car is more or less a weapon, it's a flagrant disregard to the safety of others, and to the rules.

I don't consider this a joking matter, I'm sure hoping that the track(s) pay attention to this, and address it in the future. A sawzall would do enough to fix it for the night, by chopping the ends of the bumper off flush with the mounting tubes that go forward to the frame. I'll bring a sawzall to Spartan Friday.

For anyone with a bumper like that, my dad has about $26,000 worth of reasons why you don't even want to be rumored as having a bumper like that.

[MaddMike]

Dan. It is a common misconception that the bumper that injured Piggot was designed like the bumper that we are now discussing.

This is 100% wrong, and the FACTS are still blurred by techs and track officials who spread innacurate information to cover their own asses.

I'm not sure if you were comparing the design of the bumper that cut Perry's tire and the bumper that injured Piggot. But as a person who has all of the facts, I will take every opportunity to clarify what actually happened.

So once again- The bumper that injured Piggot DID have nerf bars attached to both ends of the bumper. It was a Bice designe identical to my Bice car and most other cars at the time.

Unfortunately, the way Piggot caught the bumper, it sheared off the nerf bars and went styraight into his unprotected foot box.

The law suit that followed should have been about foot boxes not bumpers

[Rock the Kazmar]

wayfastwhitney there is no steel door plate rule to follow. all it says about steel doors is that they're highly recommended.

[pasto68]

side plates in the door were mandatory somewhere. maybe usa. i was told a few years ago, i couldn't race my old windpusher without a plate. a few years ago, randy zigler was spun in 1 and 2 at springport and slide backwards up the track. i tried to go to the outside, but, couldn't quite make it. i hit his car very similar to the owosso hit. his rear bumper came through my side bars and would have gotten my leg if it would have hit behind the verticle support bar. luckily for me it hit in front of the bar and spun him away from me. i should have put a plate in there then. some where out there, the rule is in place for side plates in modifieds. maybe it's auto city, but i do know i had to put a plate in, per rules, or not race again. tony might remember where

steve "pops" pastorino

[wayfastwhitey]

[Tony_Pastorino]

Without checking the rules it had to be Auto City as that is where we were racing at the time. We were also told we had to raise the front of out engine almost 3" one week then told by a different tech inspector the next week that we were too high.

In my opinion with the amount of teching that goes on the one thing that should be focused on and clarified very specifically is safety. So far the only thing I've seen checked and enforced in years is the 4" left frame rail height. By my standards hardly a safety item or much of a competitive advantage. I am a fan of teching cars, but with consistency and without favortism.

[Lack o Diesel]

[Rock the Kazmar]

i didn't see that rule about the door plate in the spartan rule book until i read it just now. USA Modified (and kalamazoo) rules says that they're not required, but strongly recommended. we had to put ours in, because it didn't have one when we bought the car and we thought it would be a good idea. it's a good thing we did lol.

[Lack o Diesel]

Justin,

Not sure how you missed this. This is out of the 08 USA rules. #4 on the list.

4. DOOR BARS: All driver side door bars and uprights must be a minimum 1.75 inch and .095 inch wall thickness. Minimum 4 driver side door bars, parallel to the ground and perpendicular to the driver, and welded to the front and rear roll cage. Passenger side must have at least 1 cross door bar, horizontal or angled, and 1 top door bar, minimum 1.5 inch O.D. Steel door plate, 16 gauge (.065) minimum thickness, must be securely welded to outside of the driver side door bars and cover the area from top door bar to bottom door bar and from rear hoop down post to front cage down post.