Lucas rules

[onlyfacts]

Sorry, I did miss that price point on the size, my point here is most of your current fuel cells are still going to be legal..

My point is the fuel cell thing is only one of the items. The seat, fire system and wheel cover deal all added to the fuel cell will drive nails in the coffin.

[flagone]

I would say about 90% of the cars (Ray Cook agreed for his series' as well) that have raced with us this year are already compliant with a containment seat (I think the language may be refined on the SFI 39.2 requirement) and fuel cell.

How anyone would ever think that we don't need to mandate every car has a fire suppression system after the year that we have had I can't comprehend. Remember that the fuel cell and fire suppression systems also directly affect those that you race with not just you. So to me choosing to not wear gloves is on you but these 2 the affect the guy you may land on top of and the guys that have to try to get you out.

[FASTRAKPR]

Someone mentioned crates so I'll respond.

Wheel Covers: We went to plastic a couple years ago now. Yes in more than one instance we witnessed wheel covers come off and go all the way down the front straight at Bulls Gap then proceeded to go another 200 yards out in the pasture outside of turn 1. Then at Princeton one came off in turn 1 and right down through the middle of the pits onto the track in turn 4. Keeping in mind thats where everyone parks too. We let everyone know then that for the upcoming season no more metal wheel covers would be allowed. The teams did a fantastic job with it, sport new wheel covers of every color you could imagine. Made the cars look a lot better and our fans, crews, drivers and Officials a lot safer.

Fire Suppression Systems. We announced at Princeton ironically, and this was in June of this year that beginning in 2017 systems would be required. To start saving $100 a month to make sure they could be ready for 2017. This came from the incident of a driver in Ohio getting burned to death. Our rules is a little different as the thermostat controlled piece will not be mandatory and the pull tab type will be legal with us. Our Officials will go through a rigorous training process this winter to be able to take care of you in the instance of a fire. We will also have "fire blankets" for lack of a better term, so that when the Official comes in the car to get you out, the blanket goes over you first to protect you and the Official as well then when the system is set off, they pull back the blanket along with the driver.

Gloves and fireproof shoes should have always been the case. We all as sanctioning bodies got complacent and it was way past time to make this move. I understand having the "feel" of the car, but when you get used to gloves it will be the same way. You can't get the feel without them.

A fuel cell with the line at the bottom well its just never good. Perfect place to be broken off and fuel is coming out. No fire agent will put out a fire when the fuel continues to flow. I am not personally completely settled on this issue and our working will be out soon on this.

I know I put myself out to a lot of criticism by posting this but you do have the right to know why this is being done and an explanation. Hopefully this helps you understand a little better as to the why. If you have never been on fire its hard to explain to you but I have and this year I have seen people die. Seen others hurt. Once it happens, well then its too late. We are trying to prevent it from happening again is all we are trying to accomplish.

Look at it this way if you can. Buy 3 new tires instead of 6 to begin the year. Don't buy a new wrap but maybe use what you have on now but saving whatever it takes to be safe is an investment in you and your family. Most of us have to get up on Monday morning after a hard weekend of racing to go to work. These things might just be the items that allowed you to do that, versus laying in a hospital bed recovering. In the mean time you got behind on your house payments, car payments, truck payments which we all have and personally I can't afford to miss work.

We as the series have no interest in making you do things, but in the interest of safety don't you agree its way past time for some of these? We have to spend money to do this as well. Not cheap on us either, but your life is worth the investment to us.

Family. If you can't do it for yourself, then do it for them.

Hopefully this helps a little anyway.

Stan Lester

FASTRAK SE
FASTRAK MOV
ULTIMATE SE
ULTIMATE Bob

[onlyfacts]

Someone mentioned crates so I'll respond. Wheel Covers: We went to plastic a couple years ago now. Yes in more than one instance we witnessed wheel covers come off and go all the way down the front straight at Bulls Gap then proceeded to go another 200 yards out in the pasture outside of turn 1. Then at Princeton one came off in turn 1 and right down through the middle of the pits onto the track in turn 4. Keeping in mind thats where everyone parks too. We let everyone know then that for the upcoming season no more metal wheel covers would be allowed. The teams did a fantastic job with it, sport new wheel covers of every color you could imagine. Made the cars look a lot better and our fans, crews, drivers and Officials a lot safer. Fire Suppression Systems. We announced at Princeton ironically, and this was in June of this year that beginning in 2017 systems would be required. To start saving $100 a month to make sure they could be ready for 2017. This came from the incident of a driver in Ohio getting burned to death. Our rules is a little different as the thermostat controlled piece will not be mandatory and the pull tab type will be legal with us. Our Officials will go through a rigorous training process this winter to be able to take care of you in the instance of a fire. We will also have "fire blankets" for lack of a better term, so that when the Official comes in the car to get you out, the blanket goes over you first to protect you and the Official as well then when the system is set off, they pull back the blanket along with the driver. Gloves and fireproof shoes should have always been the case. We all as sanctioning bodies got complacent and it was way past time to make this move. I understand having the "feel" of the car, but when you get used to gloves it will be the same way. You can't get the feel without them. A fuel cell with the line at the bottom well its just never good. Perfect place to be broken off and fuel is coming out. No fire agent will put out a fire when the fuel continues to flow. I am not personally completely settled on this issue and our working will be out soon on this. I know I put myself out to a lot of criticism by posting this but you do have the right to know why this is being done and an explanation. Hopefully this helps you understand a little better as to the why. If you have never been on fire its hard to explain to you but I have and this year I have seen people die. Seen others hurt. Once it happens, well then its too late. We are trying to prevent it from happening again is all we are trying to accomplish. Look at it this way if you can. Buy 3 new tires instead of 6 to begin the year. Don't buy a new wrap but maybe use what you have on now but saving whatever it takes to be safe is an investment in you and your family. Most of us have to get up on Monday morning after a hard weekend of racing to go to work. These things might just be the items that allowed you to do that, versus laying in a hospital bed recovering. In the mean time you got behind on your house payments, car payments, truck payments which we all have and personally I can't afford to miss work. We as the series have no interest in making you do things, but in the interest of safety don't you agree its way past time for some of these? We have to spend money to do this as well. Not cheap on us either, but your life is worth the investment to us. Family. If you can't do it for yourself, then do it for them. Hopefully this helps a little anyway. Stan Lester FASTRAK SE FASTRAK MOV ULTIMATE SE ULTIMATE Bob

did you read the rules? They say no plastic wheel cover must be alum bolted on with 3- 5/16" bolts.

[Barbecueboy]

This will keep your local racers from being able to run with the big boys when they come to town.

A lot of the brainiacs ( some in this very thread even) said the same thing about the late season tire rule change too.

[cumminsman08]

the main one i don't understand is the wheel cover hex bolt rule. Are flying wheel covers a low lying problem ive been oblivious too?

I was also oblivious until this year we were racing at the baltes classic at eldora and I watched a metal wheel cover come off in turn 3 shoot up as high as the lights and sail to a landing in the grassy area in front of the bleachers in a matter of seconds..

We all know how sharp they can get, I'm just thankful I didn't witness the wheel cover go into the stands and hit someone.. so the wheel cover safety thing did come across my mind after that incident..

[MBR Performance]

So now you're expecting a guy who just 6 months ago spent about $1800 on a new bladder cell to go and buy another one even more expensive and have no way to recoup any of that money because he has no one to sell the first one to. And to the previous a55wipe I voted for Trump

[cutman]

A lot of the brainiacs ( some in this very thread even) said the same thing about the late season tire rule change too.

I wish doing away with grooving and siping would have been included in the rule changes

[Ryan21mid]

did you read the rules? They say no plastic wheel cover must be alum bolted on with 3- 5/16" bolts.

the bulletin states : • Only aluminum wheels will be permitted.
• Only approved wheel discs will be permitted. Approved wheel discs are wheel discs that are fastened to the wheel using a minimum of three (3), 5/16 inch diameter magnetic steel hex head bolts. The use of wheel discs with any other type of fastener will not be permitted.
• Only aluminum wheel spacers will be permitted.

Says nothing about no plastic wheels covers.

[flagone]

MBR your fuel cell has a soft bladder?

[MBR Performance]

Not my cell but a customer's cell. But yes it is a bladder cell

[flagone]

Then it should be compliant.

[FASTRAKPR]

I'll have to reply here as the page it was asked on y post but the page refused to pull up. Maybe I'm just tired for being up all night watching the election. LOL

Plastic wheel covers. Please keep in mind my post started off w addressing crates. I disagree with metal wheel covers period, but there are people in the industry that know a lot more than I. Mine is only a opinion of one and this was made by a panel of many. I am working with one plastic company now in designing a plastic wheel cover that is vented to suck it to the ground if it comes off. Its a never ending project.

Tires, I agree tires don't need to be grooved and siped. We took that stance when we started in 2004. In FASTRAK we are limited to 2 compounds so per the drivers vote we did allow them to groove and sipe our hard compound so they could go to it quicker to keep from wearing their softer compound out. We are fortunate we have a really tough great softer compound that does a good job in most places even on hard black tracks. The FT200 crate spec.

Lajoie and others make a bolt on kit for $350 to make a seat a full containment seat. Simpson has just released a strap that goes on the left side which we will take a look at too. Just haven't seen it yet.

I know spending money where you may not see the need today is tough, but keep in mind when you need it, well its too late then. Times are still tough right now but I believe its going to get better after last night. Hopefully we will all have a little more cash. I know you are smart enough to know that in the end, this is to benefit you and the ones that depend on you each and everyday. Yes it looks a little tough today, but really all of us should have been doing this all along and no one should ever had to make us do it.

Please note, I am not speaking as a committee member which I am not. I have never been to one of these meetings. However one of our series ULTIMATE is represented on the committee so I have been kept in the loop.. I am speaking for crates although most of it applies to both. We probably won't get this right, right out of the box, but it will be a continuing job as we work to reduce cost of mandated products as well as improve them for you.

Members of ULTIMATE and FASTRAK do get discounts for the fire systems and we are going to announce a discount on Simpson products next week. Its the only way I know to help you do this and make the transition a little easier on you.

IM GOING HOME LOL.

[Barbecueboy]

I wish doing away with grooving and siping would have been included in the rule changes

I'm not so sure it wasn't tried a time or two......recall it working out pretty well.

[calverton]

Charlie floyd and shane unger need i say more