These are things in the rulebook that don't make sense. Some are borderline, some need to be reworded, and some should be changed outright. I'll try to post my reasoning for each. Items are only ordered front to back, in no particular order
Starting with 2.2.0 and quite possibly the most important one on this list - 1325# min weight means no one over 200 pounds can be competitive, period (with the ideal driver weight being 165-170# due to a typical wet car being 1155-1165#) - and penalizes cars further if they have add-ons like the extra fuel tank/system since this is just extra weight over the minumum. Unattainable weight target for a large portion of the driver field is not fair or balanced in a spec series. This can be addressed in a few ways - either raising it outright, or giving allowances elsewhere (see the aero complaint). These cars are only getting heavier.
The aero package restrictions in 3.1.0 (mostly the terrible chinese knock off wing) should not be a spec item. The "wing" is used very loosely here. Multiple users are seeing fatigue cracks at the wing mounts because of the poor to nonexistant quality of this part. Further, it's been well established that it functions extremely poorly and causes an immense amount of drag. If you don't want to ditch the wing restriction, allow aftermarket wings at a weight penalty (EG: +100# for aftermarket wing). Wings are inexpensive and a very basic tuning item, so it seems illogical to mandate a barely functional part that handicaps the car's performance. Allowing aftermarket wings at a penalty also puts a bandaid on the too-low minimum weight that exists in 2.2.0 and gives drivers a choice.
3.1.1 , 3.1.6, and 3.1.3 directly contradict each other. 3.1.1 states that body components/aero cant be substituted outside of original configuration. "or significantly Modified" should be added here for this to mean something. 3.1.3 says I can adjust "fitment" of my body panels. This is an extremely loose rule, because "fitment" is neither defined, nor is there a limitation placed on the fitment adjustment. See where this is going?
3.1.6 says I can remove forward faces on the fenders, which would seem to contradict 3.1.1since the fenders are now in a non-original configuration - though if you solely count it as an exception I guess it works.
3.2.1 prevents basic non-performance related modifications. Want a permanent mount for your camera? disqualified. Want a chain guard rivnutted into the chassis bar? Disqualified. "No chassis modifications shall be permitted under any circumstance." Wiggle room should be allowed for small, convenience modifications that have no effect on actual racing of the car
3.3.2 is a cash grab and unenforceable. "3.3.2 Only RAW factory or Denso OEM starters are permitted inside of the Rush Spec Series. Participants in violation of this section will be disqualified until the violation has been replaced or fixed." Are we worried about aftermarket performance starters upsetting class balance here?
This rule also shits on drivers who lose a starter during an event and have to source one locally. It's bad, and it needs to go away.
3.3.5 is unenforceable. An engine "seal" is not keeping anyone out of the engine, nor are there established provisions for a challenge of legality or remediation for someone who gets torn down and found to be legal. This needs to be added.
4.2.1 the differential is allowed to be tuned but the springs and wing aren't? What planet are we on?
4.3.0 shouldn't exist because the spring rate vs wheel rate is wrong and you're preventing owners from fixing it. Additionally, springs are the most basic tuning item in race car history since the beginning of time, and you're taking away options from drivers. This is bad. This stifles car setup and creativity, and springs are extraordinarily inexpensive. Why does this rule exist? It's doubly strange because you offer two spring rates.
4.4.0 is counterproductive because it prevents owners from developing advances toward/fixing the known shock longevity issues and experimenting with better parts and wiper seals - which would serve no performance advantage. Racers with the willingness to source/maintain nitrogen gear already have an advantage over drivers using air alone at the track. This is bad because the whole of your ownership has more resources then the whole of DAMZ. If a better solution is found to some of the problematic parts and seals can be improved, it's never going to make it back to you because you've deemed it illegal in the first place. See also 3.3.5 above, there is no provision in the rules to make a challenge of another car / teardown parts.
4.6.0 doesnt quantify "pump gas," not that I want to spend the money on 93 octane MR12 - it will make 5-8 more horsepower. Ethanol free and oxygenated fuel will both make more HP then the something from the local corner store. A lot of racetracks have (only) e-free 94 at the track. This would be unusable according to your ruleset. Why? Additionally, as with the other already mentioned times above - there is no provision for a challenge of a car, test by official, or remediation.
5.0.0 Wider front wheels are allowed on the front according to the rush sr series rules, you just have to buy an extra set from Rush (lol). There is nothing in the rulebook stopping me from running 13x8.5 wheels all the way around, which will be faster then the supplied 13x7 wheels, even with the spec front tire - due to the superior contact patch.
Seperate from using two sets of stock rear spec wheels you will find no provision in the rulebook at all saying the spec wheels must be run in the first place. 3.2.0. and 3.3.0 do not specify wheels anywhere, 5.0.0 does not specify wheels. As much as you've said "only the stock wheels are legal" everywhere I look I'd expect to find it in the rulebook but it isnt there.
I appreciate your closing comments in the rulebook, specifically "It is impossible to write a rule that covers every angle that a person may choose to find
a loophole, to circumvent the nature or intent of our rule book." This is true. This is why I'm bringing a lot of this up now, before it happens at a track in some cases, or for general driver friendliness in the first place (springs, starters, min weight).
The rule-book shouldn't be restrictive for the sake of being restrictive, and can be made better while still keeping the spirit of a spec class alive. The bigger the class gets, the more important the backbone of the rules will become - especially when more sponsor dollars enter the pool and people have a larger incentive to find an edge over other competitors. Just my thoughts.
Starting with 2.2.0 and quite possibly the most important one on this list - 1325# min weight means no one over 200 pounds can be competitive, period (with the ideal driver weight being 165-170# due to a typical wet car being 1155-1165#) - and penalizes cars further if they have add-ons like the extra fuel tank/system since this is just extra weight over the minumum. Unattainable weight target for a large portion of the driver field is not fair or balanced in a spec series. This can be addressed in a few ways - either raising it outright, or giving allowances elsewhere (see the aero complaint). These cars are only getting heavier.
The aero package restrictions in 3.1.0 (mostly the terrible chinese knock off wing) should not be a spec item. The "wing" is used very loosely here. Multiple users are seeing fatigue cracks at the wing mounts because of the poor to nonexistant quality of this part. Further, it's been well established that it functions extremely poorly and causes an immense amount of drag. If you don't want to ditch the wing restriction, allow aftermarket wings at a weight penalty (EG: +100# for aftermarket wing). Wings are inexpensive and a very basic tuning item, so it seems illogical to mandate a barely functional part that handicaps the car's performance. Allowing aftermarket wings at a penalty also puts a bandaid on the too-low minimum weight that exists in 2.2.0 and gives drivers a choice.
3.1.1 , 3.1.6, and 3.1.3 directly contradict each other. 3.1.1 states that body components/aero cant be substituted outside of original configuration. "or significantly Modified" should be added here for this to mean something. 3.1.3 says I can adjust "fitment" of my body panels. This is an extremely loose rule, because "fitment" is neither defined, nor is there a limitation placed on the fitment adjustment. See where this is going?
3.1.6 says I can remove forward faces on the fenders, which would seem to contradict 3.1.1since the fenders are now in a non-original configuration - though if you solely count it as an exception I guess it works.
3.2.1 prevents basic non-performance related modifications. Want a permanent mount for your camera? disqualified. Want a chain guard rivnutted into the chassis bar? Disqualified. "No chassis modifications shall be permitted under any circumstance." Wiggle room should be allowed for small, convenience modifications that have no effect on actual racing of the car
3.3.2 is a cash grab and unenforceable. "3.3.2 Only RAW factory or Denso OEM starters are permitted inside of the Rush Spec Series. Participants in violation of this section will be disqualified until the violation has been replaced or fixed." Are we worried about aftermarket performance starters upsetting class balance here?
This rule also shits on drivers who lose a starter during an event and have to source one locally. It's bad, and it needs to go away.
3.3.5 is unenforceable. An engine "seal" is not keeping anyone out of the engine, nor are there established provisions for a challenge of legality or remediation for someone who gets torn down and found to be legal. This needs to be added.
4.2.1 the differential is allowed to be tuned but the springs and wing aren't? What planet are we on?
4.3.0 shouldn't exist because the spring rate vs wheel rate is wrong and you're preventing owners from fixing it. Additionally, springs are the most basic tuning item in race car history since the beginning of time, and you're taking away options from drivers. This is bad. This stifles car setup and creativity, and springs are extraordinarily inexpensive. Why does this rule exist? It's doubly strange because you offer two spring rates.
4.4.0 is counterproductive because it prevents owners from developing advances toward/fixing the known shock longevity issues and experimenting with better parts and wiper seals - which would serve no performance advantage. Racers with the willingness to source/maintain nitrogen gear already have an advantage over drivers using air alone at the track. This is bad because the whole of your ownership has more resources then the whole of DAMZ. If a better solution is found to some of the problematic parts and seals can be improved, it's never going to make it back to you because you've deemed it illegal in the first place. See also 3.3.5 above, there is no provision in the rules to make a challenge of another car / teardown parts.
4.6.0 doesnt quantify "pump gas," not that I want to spend the money on 93 octane MR12 - it will make 5-8 more horsepower. Ethanol free and oxygenated fuel will both make more HP then the something from the local corner store. A lot of racetracks have (only) e-free 94 at the track. This would be unusable according to your ruleset. Why? Additionally, as with the other already mentioned times above - there is no provision for a challenge of a car, test by official, or remediation.
5.0.0 Wider front wheels are allowed on the front according to the rush sr series rules, you just have to buy an extra set from Rush (lol). There is nothing in the rulebook stopping me from running 13x8.5 wheels all the way around, which will be faster then the supplied 13x7 wheels, even with the spec front tire - due to the superior contact patch.
Seperate from using two sets of stock rear spec wheels you will find no provision in the rulebook at all saying the spec wheels must be run in the first place. 3.2.0. and 3.3.0 do not specify wheels anywhere, 5.0.0 does not specify wheels. As much as you've said "only the stock wheels are legal" everywhere I look I'd expect to find it in the rulebook but it isnt there.
I appreciate your closing comments in the rulebook, specifically "It is impossible to write a rule that covers every angle that a person may choose to find
a loophole, to circumvent the nature or intent of our rule book." This is true. This is why I'm bringing a lot of this up now, before it happens at a track in some cases, or for general driver friendliness in the first place (springs, starters, min weight).
The rule-book shouldn't be restrictive for the sake of being restrictive, and can be made better while still keeping the spirit of a spec class alive. The bigger the class gets, the more important the backbone of the rules will become - especially when more sponsor dollars enter the pool and people have a larger incentive to find an edge over other competitors. Just my thoughts.
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