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Rotax Tech & Rules
Rotax Resources
| Max Tech - September 2005 |
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| Written by Scott G. Evans - National Tech Director |
| Thursday, 01 September 2005 00:00 |
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I am pleased to report the continued success of the RMax program in the States and, in particular, the level of conformance witnessed. At the same time, we have many new faces coming into the sport because of the program and the engine package and this factored in with the growing popularity of the TaG classes means that the technical information specific to the RMax Challenge is critical in its importance. The following will be a short list of things to know on the technical front for those of you going to South Bend, both inexperienced and otherwise. The technical rules in effect for the event are the US National Rules Sprint Primer, the ROTAX Max Challenge Technical Regulations, current version as published by ROTAX-Bombardier and the CIK-FIA Technical Regulation as published by the Commission Internationale de Karting. The hierarchy is as listed, when in conflict, the US National Primer supercedes the ROTAX Tech Spec and the ROTAX Tech Spec supercedes the CIK rules. These documents are available online at the following locations: US National Rules Primer -- www.rmaxchallenge.com ROTAX Technical Specification -- www.maxchallenge-rotax.com CIK Technical Regulation -- www.cikfia.com Specified tire and fuel for the event: All classes use the MOJO D-1 slick which must be purchased at the event from SSC Racing. The allotment of tires is being carefully controlled for storage life and will provide the best conditions to minimize compound variances. The specified rain tire for all classes is the Bridgestone YJP only. Each competitor must bring his own new and unmounted rain tires, maximum of four front and four rear. Plastic wrap is not required but molding nibs are required as evidence of the tires being new. ROTAX Administration reserves the right to allow introduction of additional rain tires should conditions dictate. Make sure you bring your supply of rain tires with you as there is no guarantee that they will be available at the track. All classes will use VP Racing Fuels Motorsports 93 unleaded gasoline, mixed 32:1 with Motorex full synthetic oil. Parc ferme procedures: ROTAX International, Masters, RM-1 and Junior classes will be under parc ferme regulations for the event. For slick tires, each competitor checks in at least two front and two rear tires and a maximum of three front and three rear tires. These are the only tires acceptable for use in competitive elements of the race program from Friday morning through the end of the event. Should you check more than four tires total, the tires are free to manage as you see fit. For first practice session on Saturday and Sunday mornings, it is not possible for you to use your race tires. Practice tires are required for these sessions. For first practice session on Saturday and Sunday mornings, it is not possible for you use your race fuel. Practice fuel is acceptable for these sessions. If you have only one fuel tank, it must be brought empty to parc ferme prior to the first competitive element of each day. Bead lock rims per CIK rules are required for slick tires in all classes except MiniMax. Bead lock rims are NOT required for rain tires in any class. CIK maximum mounted front tire width of 135mm will not be enforced, instead a limit of 140mm maximum will be in effect for this race. Fuel and oil must be purchased at the track. Your tank and fuel jug will be checked into parc ferme at the specified time. It is strongly advised to bring a new fuel jug to prevent any sort of contamination altering fuel test results. You will responsible to mix and manage your fuel in parc ferme. The ratio is specified as 32 parts gasoline to one part oil and the ratio will be checked by Digatron readings to be within plus five and minus ten points of the controlled sample. Supplementary fuel testing methods are available and will be used as deemed necessary. Some tips and reminders: - Make sure you have the proper spark plugs! Only Denso Iridium IW and NGK BR..EG spark plugs are allowed. Make sure you purge your tool box of other types to avoid a costly disqualification!! - Check your air filter for rips, cuts and tears. This presents an airflow advantage and will be grounds for disqualification. Also, make sure the rubber flange to the carb adapter fits well into the airbox. Presentation at scales of an airbox hanging off of the rubber flange will also be grounds for a DQ. - Make sure that you have only original ignition parts, including plug wire. Additional ground wires are not acceptable. The red aftermarket spark plug boot is acceptable provided it is the model specified in the Technical Specification and marked as such. The only acceptable plug boots are marked "NGK TB05EMA". Please take care that yours is marked "EMA" as there is a boot that is identically marked except for the "A" and this is not acceptable. - If you modify or have modified your exhaust pipe to accept an exhaust gas temperature probe for use in a club event, you will be happy to know that these pipes are now legal at the Nationals and elsewhere. Measure the location to the thermocouple as 50mm to the end of the bellmouth. Make sure this is close, but I will be allowing a generous tolerance. - New for this year is the allowance of up to four original exhaust springs but the prohibition of wiring them. Springs may be siliconed for vibration dampening. - Make sure your exhaust cap rivets or bolts are secure. Loss of parts during a race will result in a mechanical flag. It is acceptable to replace the original rivets with through bolts for security. No hose clamps over the rivets or bolts! - For the MiniMax class only -- you will be given a controlled intake restrictor in scrutineering to use for the entire weekend. Not having that restrictor in place will result in penalty, so take care. - For the RM-1 class only -- please remember that these karts must be run "as delivered" with all OEM parts and components with no additions except for additional seat stays and a data acquisition gage. In particular, aftermarket shifter mechanisms are not permissible. If you have purchased one of these units, please make sure you refit the original shifter mechanism to your kart before receiving the bad news from me. All RM-1 seats must be Tillett T8 ¼ padded. Check your bodywork for conformance to CIK regulations. In particular, we are looking to:
- Make sure you have a secondary brake cable of 1.8mm minimum diameter between the master cylinder and brake pedal. - Disable any front braking system except RM-1. Front brake systems are allowed but must be disconnected. - Brake cooling ducts are permitted provided no modification to the braking system or sidepods is required. - Disable all but the allowed channels of data input. Refer to CIK-FIA regulations for allowable channels to monitor. - MiniMax tires will be marked at qualification and these tires only are allowed except in case of damage. Contact tech director in case of damage. MiniMax rain tires will be marked at a special time announced on the schedule. You must make all of your rain tires available for inspection and marking. MiniMax fuel is not under parc ferme but is subject to tech compared to the controlled sample. - Lock wiring or cotter keying is not required in any class. Secure fasteners are. - Maximum overall width -- 140cm. - Engine Passports are required at pre-tech on Wednesday or Thursday and throughout the event, all classes. Only engines of US origin or grandfathered engines under SSC passport are allowed. - Snell 98 minimum helmet requirements. All competitors must wear industry-standard driving suit, boots, gloves and unaltered neck brace. Of particular concern are competitors that have competed in a TaG class and have optimized their karts/engines to these rules. Please be aware that some of the modifications permitted to the ROTAX engines by most TaG class rules are not permitted in the RMax Challenge. Please check the RMax Challenge rules listed above carefully to ensure your compliance! Heeding these precautions will eliminate much of the hold ups in pre-tech and issues beyond. I will be available at the track from Wednesday afternoon and will gladly assist you at any time in case of need. And, as serious and competitive as this event promises to be, let's all remember that it is about the fun. See you there! This is just a happy little paragraph from a happy scrutineer, getting you ready for the Grand Nationals at South Bend Raceway Park this September. The key to keeping me happy and smiling like in the picture is making sure that you are prepared when we meet again. In that hope, I am attaching a short checklist of the things we often find that make things hang up. Check these items off and you will be a long way towards meeting the specs when our paths cross at SBRP. More detailed information will follow before we get too close so keep your eyes on this page for all that good information. Compliantly yours -- Scott G Evans National Technical Director US RMax Challenge
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