2023 California Challenge Cup

 

Intent – The intent of this series is to provide a cost effective opportunity for drivers to compete on television in a bigger/heavier truck arm type car by utilizing an existing inventory of equipment with a control tire to keep the playing field balanced.

 

Our goal is to have as few rules as possible, but the intent is for the cars to remain as close as possible to the guidelines they were originally built to. If we see cars getting away from the intent of the class, we will enforce more rules.

 

The 2022 rules;

 •  Competing models – Any past or present Grand National type truck arm car.

 • Body – Any steel or composite body as it was originally produced. Spoiler size will be a maximum of 6 ½” tall by 61” wide.

 • Weight – 3,400 pounds with driver, maximum 55% left side weight.

 • Tread width – 61”center to center, measured outside to inside of front wheels on the rim gutter at spindle height.

 • Wheel Base – Must be minimum of 105” on one side of car, other side may be plus or minus ½”.

 • Engine – Any past or current Grand National type engine must have no more than one four barrel carburetor of any size cfm. All cars must use a 7,600 RPM limiting chip.

 • Transmission - must have four forward working gears and cars must use steel driver shaft.

 • Rear end – Must use a Detroit locker.

 • Wheels and Tires – Wheel must be cup type and be 9 ½” wide and weigh 27 pounds. Teams will be allowed to have only four tires on the car on race day. These same four tires must be used for practice, qualifying and the race. The tire is the Hoosier 27.0/10.0-15 F80 and all tires must be purchased from the Madera Speedway for tracking and inspection purposes.

 • Driver’s age – Drivers must be 14 years of age to compete in this division. There is an exemption process available for a driver that competes in our 51FIFTY Jr Late Model Series and has at least one victory. For more information on this exemption process please contact the race director.

 

Race Procedures; note, we use the Madera Speedway track rules except where noted different on this page.

This is a six race series and all races will be 100 laps in length with a 10 minute break at the 50 lap mark. The 10 minute break will take place on the race track and teams can adjust anything they like but they cannot changes the tires.

 

" Start and Restarts: When the leaders hit the one to go at the flag stand the track lights will go out and the leader will set a steady pace with no tire scrubbing past the flag stand. The front row will gradually build speed as soon as they hit to go zone located in turn three, the green flag will come out as the leaders hit the front straight out of turn four. The leader of the race must be the first place car when they cross the starting line, if the second place car beats the leader to the starting line on the start, or a restart the green flag will remain out and the second place car will be black flagged and will have three laps to drop to the third position on the race track. If the leader does not hold a steady pace into the start area, or plays games such as accelerating early or not going in the start zone they can also be black flagged to serve the same stop and go penalty. The leader will have their choice of high or low for all restarts.

 

" Caution Flag Procedures: When the Caution Flag is displayed, you are to slow down in a safe manner and proceed with caution back to the start /finish line single file. No Racing or Passing. Violators are subject to penalty. Your restart position will be the position you were in the previous completed lap unless you are deemed to be involved in the incident that brought out or led to the yellow flag being displayed. If you are involved in causing a caution flag you will be sent to the rear of the field. If you stop on track or fail to keep pace during the caution flag, and were not involved with an incident, you will be placed in the position where you blend back in to the field. Caution Flag laps may be counted if we deem necessary.

 

" Rough Driving: Rough driving will not be tolerated as well as any retaliation. If you are deemed to be the cause of an incident or involved, you will be placed to the very rear of the Field unless the other competitor involved was deemed to be Blocking. Depending on the incident, you may be parked, issued a fine, and penalized.

 

" Hot Pits: If you enter the Pits for any reason you will restart at the rear of the Field, just in front of any Lucky Dog cars.

 

" Lap Down Cars: All lap down cars will be moved to the rear on all restarts. There will be a Lucky Dog on every yellow flag giving one driver the least amount of laps down, one lap back and putting them to the very rear of the field unless the eligible car was involved in the yellow flag incident.

 

" Blue Flag; Blue flag means move over the leadings our coming. Follow the Flagman's direction and move to the high side if possible. Make sure you hold your line. Use hand signals to notify them of your intentions

 

" Black Flag: Black flag pointed at you is a warning in regards to your actions on the track. If it is displayed, you must go to the pits within 3 laps

 

" Red Flag: Red flag means stop in a safe manner and follow Track Officials directions. Cars in the Hot Pits may be worked on.

 

Safety will be firmly enforced, make sure your equipment is up to speed. Charged Fire System Mandatory.  Head and Neck Restraint System mandatory. Belts, window net, and Helmets must be SA 2005 or newer. All Drivers must wear SFI rated suit, gloves, and shoes. SFI undergarments are recommended.

 

All cars must run a transponder mounted 12" behind the rear axle.

 

Points - 1st-50, 2nd-48, 3rd-46, 4th-44 etc.... There are bonus points for the segment leaders and the top five qualifiers in each race, 1st-5 bonus points, 2nd-4 points, 3rd-3 points, 4th-2 points, and 5th - 1 point.