Checking the car for eligibility

[pmoloney]

How do I make sure that my car is going to be eligible byt the scrutineers when I go to my first race meeting with it? There seems to be some much ambiguity in the rules that the slightest thing could kill my first race day without seeing a track! Do some scrutineers offer to view the car prior to a race? Is this a service you need to pay for?

[Chris Griffin]

What car is it and have you just built it up yourself? If its been running in the series before and you haven't made too many changes you should be OK.

[bradenc]

I would like to get a pre scrutineering scrutineering too, I am running in the 750mc Fvee and my car was last out in 2001. I guess a lot depends on the scutineer on the day also.

[scrutineer]

Were are you both based?? One thing you could try is if you go to a meeting in which you are not racing take your car and when we have finished all the cars there for racing bring it over explain what you want to know and someone there will take a look at it.
But when you say eligible in what way do you mean? Do you mean eligible as in safe to race? If thats what your after then there will be someone who will be able to help as well as offer advice and pointers on what you can/will need to do.
If you have built the car yourself then you may need to do a bit more work but if it has already been racing then you should find that most things have been sorted.
Just one point if you have had a car that has been raced before I would think about changing your belts and seat. Also check on the rule changes in the blue book (they are highlighted)
If you need any more help get in touch
Scrutineer

[Maisie]

Do you have a championship co-ordinator, or a dedicated championship scrutineer? If so, I would suggest you get in contact and find out whether they could, if not actually give the car a good looking-over, at least give you some pointers on where people usually make mistakes, or things that are overlooked.

[Peter Mallett]

Originally posted by pmoloney
How do I make sure that my car is going to be eligible byt the scrutineers when I go to my first race meeting with it? There seems to be some much ambiguity in the rules that the slightest thing could kill my first race day without seeing a track! Do some scrutineers offer to view the car prior to a race? Is this a service you need to pay for?

All the advice given here is very good and valid. However I think you may be over reacting. If your car fails scrutineering for eligibility there are penalties which can be applied. Y'know, stringing the driver up outside the club bar, making him buy breakfast for the entire grid. Or being given a ten second penalty etc.

My advice would be, don't worry. There's going to be loads of people having their cars scrutineered. Sometimes we can all fall foul of things like minimum weights and even tread on tyres.

It appears this is going to be your first meeting. Enter it, get to know your fellow competitors and if you need to know something, ask. The scrutes will let you race as long as your car is safe. Eligiblity only comes into it if you win.

[pmoloney]

The car is being built myself hence the concern over making sure it is going to comply with all the rules. I am seeing the guys race at Oulton Park this weekend, so I will ask the Eligibility Scrutineer who is named as Mike Wright from the BARC in the regs.

I have a specific question from the blue book. Section Q, rule 3.1.2 (fire extinguisher) rule applies to the championship, however, ther is a 3.1.2(a) and 3.1.2(b). a is medium plumbed in 2.25ltrs and b is medium hand operated 1.75ltrs both opf which must discharge into cockpit and engine bay. It isn't particularly clear if this is an option....a or b, or both required. That's possibly a really daft question, but I have seen some cars with two extinguisher systems so I just wanted to check.

[scrutineer]

You only need one or the other, although there is nothing stopping you carrying 2.
One thing to remember is that if you carry a hand held one you must be able to reach it when you are sat in your seat and that it is held in tight.
If you need to get in touch with Mark before then or have any questions hes in the blue book so you can just give him a call.

[scrutineer]

Oh and one other point, if its a hand held one YOU DO NOT NEED TO TAKE THE PIN OUT in fact it is best that you leave it in.

[pmoloney]

OK, thanks for the info. I think I will go for something like the Safety Devices plumbed in system. Is there any real benefit from electric over manual?

[Mike Holmes]

Scrutineer, I had exactly this argument at Silverstone over the weekend. The marshalls in the holding area insisting that I take the pin out and me countering that in the act of grabbing the extinguisher out of the bracket I could set it off by accident.

[brickkicker]

Mike, in this case the marshals are wrong (although im sure someone will argue). It is more dangerous if you take the pin out, as you said if you grab it you will set it off, but it could slip or the vibrations may also set it off. This would cause a lot more trouble and problems.
The whole point of a hand held bottle is that you have to physically hold it to work it so why take the pin out.
Brickkicker
P.S What car were you in at Silverstone as I was there as well..

[Mike Holmes]

MG Midget 34 in Anglia Butler Race (and won!! see photo in Motorsport News today)

brickkicker, Thanks for your support in this, I have had this argument numerous times over the last few years. I was also told to mount my extinguisher across the car instead of in line by a scrutineer, though when I queried this later with a "friendly" scrutineer he told me there was no reason to do this.

[brickkicker]

There are some that will mention it but it is more of a recommendation (although I think its a requirement in rally but dont quote me on that). Its to do with if your involved in a head on it wont come out. But as long as you have it mounted right it should not be a problem
What do you mean "friendly" we all are.
Well done in the race, I probably saw you but didnt realise.

[Mike Holmes]

Ah now this is where it gets confusing cos my scrute told me that in rallying with electric fired extinguishers they should be mounted in line.
All scrutineers are helpfull and friendly, it is just that some are more amenable to a bit of lighthearted dicussion on a topic than others!!

I will read the blue book when I get home tonight!

Mike

[brickkicker]

Just had a quick look and it says should be fore and aft, but it is only 'strongly recomended'.

[PDL]

Hi pmloney

I was feeling *exactly* like you are now at my first race. in the 750 Motor Club Stock Hatch at Donington back in March. My car did actually have a problem as the outside fire extingusher cable had seized.

The scruitineers did not just fail me in an instant. They went out of their way to help free it up to get it to pass and managed to sort it out. They offered help and advice. They did not want me to fail. They did not even send me away and ask me to represent - they just patiently waited and helped until it worked.

I came away from the day thinking how great they all were and that taught me one thing - that they are there to help you and they all *want* to help you and want to see you hit the track. Nobody will want to fail you unless this is unavoidable - I am certain of that!

I was not the only to come away that day thinking how fab all the scruitineers were. I know of at least two other people that day in a similar position to me who spoke and think as highly of them as I do now.

Phil

[graham bahr]

there seems to be two different questions here, eligability should be checked with the eligability scruitineer for what ever championship you want to take part in, this can usually be done over the phone, that scruitineers contact details will be on the championship regulations.

as for scruitineering on the day, although i've had a hard time from one or two over the years, the scruts want to see you out there racing and will generally help and try to get you out on the grid, things usually have to be badly wrong for them to just fail you. generally they wont be concerned with technical eligability just blue bok safety stuff

[Stacy]

Originally posted by graham bahr

as for scruitineering on the day, although i've had a hard time from one or two over the years, the scruts want to see you out there racing

I'd concur. Aside one recent occasion where one took exception to me and behaved really rather badly, I've never found scrutineers both safety and eligibility to be anything other than really helpful and enthusiastic.

Our two eligibility guys who follow the series around are A1.

I made an official complaint about the "bad apple" to the CoC, so hopefully he'll have at least some feedback. Completely unprofessional, but as I said, the only example of that I've come across.

[goforit500]

I think the problems is inconsistency which is understandable as the scrutes are human (I said SCRUTES !!).

We have gotten to know which scrutes are hot on what at which circuits and the range of opinion and pet hates is unbelievable.

The thing to remember is that scrutiny is to check that the car is relatively safe so the absolute imperative is to make sure that the safety related bits are in absolutely A1 condition - Common Sense, really.

The other thing to remember is to present your car in as clean and tidy a condition as you can manage, look organised and like you have half a clue. Don't make cracks like "the engines' at the front mate"...They've heard it all before !!

Scrutes are not (usually) the enemy - Remember that if they allow you out and something goes wrong as a result of them not checking there would be hell to pay professionally, financially and not least of all, emotionally.

They have a job to do and it behoves teams to make this as painless as possible.

[JR Ewing]

Eligibility scrutineering won't ruin your first race day as it only takes place after the race.
It is purely safety scrutineerign that takes place before the race.