Class 8 frame rail rules

[Ramsey_ElWardani]

Solo, I agreee with every thing you just said and that is why I love and race in class 8. What I dont understand is why if we allow illegal or change the rules to suite illegal trucks would it interest you to build one? I wondered the same thing when Mark said it.

Class 5 Unlimited should be changed to allow a 115” wheelbase because they would be faster and if it was allowed I would build one. Class1-2/1600 should be changed to allow 3X3 rear trailing arms and wider beams with longer arms because they would be faster and then I would build one. Class 7 and 7S should be allowed to run small block V8’s because some people have already built them and they would be faster, then I would build one. Trophy Trucks should be allowed to use Turbo/Superchargers because…blah blah blah blah blah! Where will/should it end? How about with the current rules so that all the current legal trucks are still viable. I see that (802) Rodrigo Ampudio, Sr. is entered, so we will see what happens at Laughlin.

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[Solo1469]

I'm not saying that i want to run fuel injection or slant the frame. From what i can see with rodrigos truck is that the only thing that's illegal with his truck is that it's "tubbed" or the body is dropped lower in relation to the frame than a factory steel cab. it was said earlier in this thread that the geiser bros. built the CWI truck the same way, and that truck was built 5 years ago. Why hasn't anybody protested this truck? Because he hasn't won a race? (thats a real question, i dont know if he has) Ramsey if i wanted to build an open wheel class i woulnt be so interested in this thread. Unlike the truck classes they(buggies) have more classes, and if I wanted a 1/2-1600 with a wider beam , longer arms, and 3x3's i'd build a score lite. And if i wanted an unlimited 5 with 115" wheelbase i'd cheat like all the rest of them are....jk
josh I understand what you are saying about changing the rules to allow illegal trucks, but maybe its me the trend nowadays is a low truck and i guess i'm trendy. I'll probably build an 8 truck no matter what happens with rodrigos truck, but i sure would like to build a truck like that with a low center of gravity and maybe be able to run up front with the tt's . It sure would spark some interest back into the class if an 8 truck would be in contention for the overall again.

sorry i'm posting under solo i dont have my own screen name yet
mike @ desertworks

[Solo1469]

Newhan where are you? I need some help!

I understand where all you guys with the "class legal" trucks are. But like everyone is saying its a dying class, and i think that it has a future if something is done. No one wants to build a trophy truck that sits 3 feet off the ground, so change the rules a little so the truck can be built a little more like a tt, and i'll bet some of the 100 teams thinking about building a tt might reconsider..

mike

[schifanelli]

I am excited to see the new Class 8 trucks and with all the discussion, i believe the Class is alive and well. If we aren't careful however, we may end up like the 7 class with a division of old and new trucks. The Class 8 rules have not changed in recent years to my knowledge, but the "interpretation and creativity" of the builders certainly has. Let's race!

[Josh_K]

IMHO, the last thing I want and I would guess the rest of the class would like is about a dozen or more teams wiht tt budgets.

I know it would be cool for the spectator but it would kill guys like myself, that on a good month have about $1k to spend on racing. I want to see the class grow but I care to see it "sell out". I like it as a fabricators class. Build it your way, on your buget and at your speed. And I have always thought that there is nothing on one of these trucks chassis that should ever brack twice becouse you can build and rebuild your self.

I like the low look too.

[fatnbald]

i'm with mike t. and mark n. 60% of the time every time. unlike mike i don't think the rules need to be changed to allow a body dropped or tubbed body. i think that if interperated creatively(go ahead ramsey) the rule does not dis-allow rodrigos chassis design. i also do not belive that the frame is set in the chasey at a angle diferent than stock in the ampuido truck, if it was it would fall in with notching, pieing, kicking etc. wich is another story that i don't think is the issue at hand (neither is fuel injection,motor placement, or the rules or lack there of in another class) i think that everyone is in agreement that the frame stays untouched. if you took rodrigos truck and raised the body it would still be the same truck on the course, just harder to see out of untill the front clip got knocked off in the second turn misteriously.
i think that any builder is going to look for an advantage in there design over the next, i guess i'm just saying let the class progress a little.

[ChuckH]

Reread this part of the rules, simple stuff.

Body must maintain the original shape, size, configuration and appearance. Additional mounts or parts for body strengthening may be added. Mounting location (vertical, horizontal, lateral) in relation to frame and mounting method on frame must remain original stock. The measurement from the center line of the front spindle to the back of the B‑pillar post must remain stock ±1".

[Chris_Wilson]

Nobody will file a protest. Will Ramsey? I doubt it since the truck he races with
Kupiec has a trophy truck body that's a foot wider than stock. How can that be
legal? "Body must maintain the original shape, size, configuration and appearance."

And how can Ampudio's truck be legal when the body is lowered relative to the
frame? "Mounting location (vertical, horizontal, lateral) in relation to frame and mounting
method on frame must remain original stock."

Jim P. has stated he won't file a protest.

Savage has a history of ignoring blatently illegal class 8's. Refer to SCORE champ
Todd Wylie with a huge frame notch for the front suspension and Riamonde with
a smaller frame notch for the front suspension.

The worst thing of all is not knowing what you can build and race because the
rules are not enforced and thay are also not clear. For example do you need to have
any of the stock metal cab when you build an 8 truck? Or is a cab like a ProTruck
legal as long as it sits on a frame?

I asked Savage & Sal if I could run the frame through the bottom of the cab like Gieser
did and was told NO, I COULD NOT. So it will be interesting to see if SCORE lets
Ampudio race in class 8.

[fatnbald]

thanks chuck. its crazy, my book says the same thing, must have came frome the same place.
like i said, "iterperated creatively". just and opinion.

[Stephen]

If the only thing wrong with ampudio's truck is the cab height, make him hang 50lbs of lead (or any other guesstimated number) on the top of the cage and let him race. Something needs to be said because it clearly does not match the rules and a line should be drawn. On the other hand he spent a lot of dough on the truck and shouldn't be kicked out but adding some dead weight to the top to even it out will make others less inclined to do the same.
Dropping the cab does make a performance difference when you can lower that much weight. We're talking about a good bit of weight when you include everything in the cab, like people, etc. And if it makes it easier to see compared to a legal truck, that's a cheating advantage too.
The whole thing seems pretty stupid, we have a pretty clear rule book, use it, enforce it uniformly and there won't be any problems. I guess step 1 would be clarifying the rule book but it's not terrible as is. Most people are happy when the rules are clear and uniformly enforced. Especially when there's a lot of money on the line.