Crate LM

2008 NESMITH DIRT LATE MODEL
TECHNICAL RULES

NATIONAL AND WEEKLY ENGINE RULES:

1. GM PART NUMBER 88958602 & GM PART NUMBER 88958604.

2. THESE ENGINES ARE SEALED AT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD, CYLINDER HEAD, FRONT COVER, AND OIL PAN WITH SPECIAL TWIST OFF BOLT HEADS. CRATE ENGINES MUST NOT BE ALTERED, MODIFIED OR CHANGE FROM FACTORY SPECS.

3. THE SEALED ENGINES MUST REMAIN INTACT AND NOT BE TAMPERED WITH; ANY SEALS THAT HAVE BEEN REMOVED OR TAMPERED WITH WILL MAKE THE ENGINE ILLEGAL AND NOT ELIGIBLE FOR COMPETITION. THE PENALTY FOR ANYONE TAMPERING WITH SEALS, MODIFYING ANY INTERNAL ENGINE PARTS, CHANGING THE PARTS FROM STOCK AS DELIVERED SEALED FROM THE FACTORY WILL BE SUBJECT TO EXPULSION FROM RACING WITH ANY CRATE RACIN' USA SANCTIONED EVENT FOR THE REMAINDER OF SEASON AND FUTURE SEASONS.

4. NO CHANGES ARE ALLOWED TO THE ENGINE - INTAKE MANIFOLD, HEADS, VALVE COVERS, FRONT COVER, OIL PAN, HARMONIC BALANCER OR ANY OTHER PART / OR PARTS ON / OR IN ENGINE.

5. NO VACUUM PUMPS.

6. ALL CRATE ENGINES MUST REMAIN STOCK AS THEY CAME SEALED FROM THE FACTORY. CRATE ENGINES MUST NOT BE ALTERED, MODIFIED OR CHANGED FROM FACTORY SPECS.

7. ANY VIOLATION OF THE ENGINE RULES AND/OR FACTORY SPECS INSIDE THE SEALING BOLTS OF THE ENGINE WILL RESULT IN THE DRIVER BEING DISQUALIFIED FROM THAT EVENT, AND SUSPENDED FROM SERIES COMPETITION FOR 365 DAYS. AFTER THAT PERIOD, THE DRIVER CAN ONLY COMPETE IN SERIES EVENTS WITH AN ENGINE EQUIPPED WITH ORIGINAL FACTORY SEALING BOLTS, AND MAY NOT COMPETE WITH AN ENGINE EQUIPPED WITH “RM” BOLTS, UNLESS AUTHORIZED BY SERIES OFFICIALS, AND THIS ALSO APPLIES TO THE CAR OWNER OF THE CAR SHOULD ANOTHER DRIVER COMPETE WITH IT.

8. ANY VIOLATION OF THE ENGINE RULES AND/OR FACTORY SPECS OUTSIDE THE SEALING BOLTS OF THE ENGINE WILL RESULT IN THE DRIVER BEING DISQUALIFIED FROM THAT EVENT, SUSPENDED FROM SERIES COMPETITION FOR 30 DAYS, AND FINED $500.00.

NATIONAL AND WEEKLY ENGINE SETBACK RULE:

1. ENGINE SETBACK WILL BE 6" FROM CENTER OF TOP BALL JOINT TO THE MOST FORWARD SPARK PLUG ON THE JIG-FRAME CAR WITH 1-INCH TOLERANCE ON ENGINE SETBACK. THERE WILL BE A 50 POUND PENALTY FORWARD OF THE MOTOR PLATE FOR EACH 1/2-INCH OF SET BACK BEYOND SEVEN (7) INCHES OF ENGINE SETBACK, AND UP TO A 100 POUND PENALTY. NO CARS WITH MORE THAN AN EIGHT (8) INCH ENGINE SETBACK WILL BE ALLOWED TO COMPETE.

NATIONAL AND WEEKLY CARBURETOR RULES:

1. ONE FOUR-BARREL CARBURETOR ONLY OF ANY MANUFACTURE.

2. ENGINE MUST BE NATURALLY ASPIRATED.

3. 604 - MAY USE ONE CARBURETOR SPACER (1 INCH-ONE PIECE WITH .040 TOLERANCE MAXIMUM) AND TWO STANDARD PAPER GASKETS (MAXIMUM 0.070 INCH THICK), ONE GASKET BETWEEN INTAKE TO SPACER AND ONE GASKET BETWEEN SPACER TO CARBURETOR.

4. 602 - MAY USE ONE CARBURETOR SPACER (2 INCH-ONE PIECE WITH .040 TOLERANCE MAXIMUM) AND TWO STANDARD PAPER GASKETS (MAXIMUM 0.070 INCH THICK), ONE GASKET BETWEEN INTAKE TO SPACER AND ONE GASKET BETWEEN SPACER TO CARBURETOR

NATIONAL AND WEEKLY DISTRIBUTOR RULE:

1. ANY IGNITION WITH THE EXCEPTION OF MAGNETOS. (NO MAGNETOS)

NATIONAL AND WEEKLY STARTER RULE:

1. ALL CARS MUST HAVE STARTER IN WORKING ORDER.

NATIONAL AND WEEKLY WATER PUMP RULES:

1. CAST OR ALUMINUM PERMITTED.

2. NO ELECTRIC WATER PUMP.

NATIONAL AND WEEKLY EXHAUST RULES:

1. COLLECTOR TYPE HEADERS REQUIRED. MUST HAVE FOUR (4) TUBES INTO ONE (1) COLLECTOR OF A CONSISTENT DIAMETER.

2. MUFFLERS NOT REQUIRED UNLESS TRACK MANDATES.

3. NO TRI-Y HEADERS OR MERGED HEADERS ALLOWED

4. NO SQUARE-TUBE HEADERS ALLOWED (Currently Under R&D)

NATIONAL AND WEEKLY FUEL - FUEL CELL - FUEL PUMP RULES:

1. AN APPROVED FUEL CELL (32 GALLON MAXIMUM) MUST BE SECURELY MOUNTED IN THE TRUNK AREA OF THE CAR, INSIDE A .20 GAUGE METAL BOX SUPPORTED BY A MINIMUM OF TWO 2" BY 1/8" STEEL STRAPS.

2. ALL FUEL CELLS MUST BE COMPLETELY VISIBLE FROM REAR OF CAR.

3. GAS ONLY - NO ALCOHOL - NO NITROUS OXIDE, NITRO METHANE OR OTHER NITRATE ADDITIVES OR PROPYLENE OXIDE.

4. MECHANICAL PUMP ONLY. NO ELECTRIC PUMP.

NATIONAL AND WEEKLY BODY RULES:

1. CRATE RACIN’ USA BODY RULES WILL APPLY (See illustrations at the end of this Rulebook).

2. SPOILER SIZE MAXIMUM 12".

3. SPOILERS MUST BE MADE OF A TRANSPARENT MATERIAL (SUCH AS LEXAN), SHEET ALUMINUM, OR MATERIALS OF EQUAL STRENGTH.

4. NO MIRRORS.

5. NO RADIOS.

6. RACEceiver IS MANDATORY.

NATIONAL AND WEEKLY FRAME RULES:

1. ALL FRAMES MUST BE OF STEEL CONSTRUCTION.

2. SQUARE OR RECTANGULAR FRAME MUST HAVE A MINIMUM OF 2" BY 2" MATERIAL, .083 WALL THICKNESSES.

3. ROUND TUBE FRAME, TUBING MUST HAVE A MINIMUM OF 1-3/4" OUTSIDE DIAMETER, .083 WALL THICKNESSES.

NATIONAL AND WEEKLY WHEEL BASE RULE:

1. MINIMUM WHEELBASE FOR JIG AND SNOUT CAR WILL BE 103".

NATIONAL AND WEEKLY ROLL CAGE RULES:

1. ALL CARS MUST HAVE A SUITABLE STEEL ROLL CAGE PROTECTING THE DRIVER'S COMPARTMENT, INCLUDING HEADREST.

2. SIDE ROLL BARS ARE MANDATORY, AND MUST EXTEND INTO THE DOOR PANELS. A MINIMUM OF THREE (3) BARS MUST BE ON THE LEFT SIDE.

3. EACH BAR MUST BE AT LEAST 1 - 1/2" DIAMETER, WITH A MINIMUM MATERIAL THICKNESS OF .083".

4. ROLL CAGES MUST BE WELDED TO FRAME.

NATIONAL AND WEEKLY SAFETY RULES:

1. ALL CARS MUST HAVE 3" SEAT BELTS WITH SHOULDER HARNESS AND MUST BE ATTACHED TO ROLL CAGE.

2. ALL CARS MUST BE EQUIPPED WITH A 2 POUND ABC FIRE EXTINGUISHER.

3. WE STRONGLY RECOMMEND A 5 POUND HALON SYSTEM.

4. ALL DRIVERS MUST WEAR A COMPLETE FIRE SUIT.

5. GLOVES ARE NOT REQUIRED, BUT HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

NATIONAL AND WEEKLY TRANSMISSION RULES:

1. MUST HAVE AT LEAST ONE FORWARD AND ONE REVERSE GEAR IN WORKING ORDER.

2. NO STRAIGHT DRIVES OR IN AND OUT BOXES.

3. DRIVE SHAFTS MUST BE PAINTED WHITE - CARBON FIBER DRIVE SHAFTS ARE LEGAL.

NATIONAL AND WEEKLY BRAKE RULES:

1. NO CARBON FIBER BRAKES

NATIONAL AND WEEKLY WHEEL RULES:

1. ANY BRAND OR TYPE OF WHEEL ALLOWED MUST BE MOUNTED WITH LUG NUTS.

2. NO KNOCK-OFF OR CENTER LOCK WHEELS.

3. MAXIMUM WHEEL WIDTH - 14".

WEEKLY - SPEC. TIRES ONLY:

1. HOOSIER Spec./Crate D21, and spec./Crate D55. TIRES WILL BE DUROMETERED AND MUST PUNCH 48.

2. TIRES MUST HAVE ALL NUMBERS AND NAME ON THE TIRE. NO GRINDING OFF OF NUMBERS OR NAMES, ANY TIRE THAT HAS BEEN ALTERED WILL BE ILLEGAL AND CONFISCATED.

NATIONAL AND WEEKLY WEIGHT RULES:

1. GM CRATE ENGINE #88958602 - 2200 LBS. AT ALL TIMES AND AFTER RACE.

2. GM CRATE ENGINE # 88958604 - 2350 LBS. AT ALL TIMES AND AFTER RACE

3. ATTACHED WEIGHT MUST BE SECURELY BOLTED TO FRAME WITH 1/2" OR LARGER BOLTS. WEIGHT MUST BE PAINTED WHITE WITH CAR NUMBER DISPLAYED. PENALTY FOR LOSING ATTACHED WEIGHT ON THE RACE TRACK IS DISQUALIFICATION FROM THE EVENT.