“Tech has sort of been a joke with the deck heights over the past few years simply because we have a lot of smart people in our industry, and they’ve figured out how to manipulate these cars to make them higher and higher once they get on the racetrack,” racer and promoter Ray Cook says. “This makes the cars more dangerous and prone to turning over. As a result we are changing some rules for our series moving forward into 2018.”

Officials with the Schaeffer’s Oil Southern Nationals Series, the Schaeffer’s Oil Spring Nationals Series and the Schaeffer’s Oil Southern Nationals Bonus Series have released details regarding the new safety rules, including left-rear rule for the upcoming season. This new rule will be in effect for all three of the Ray Cook-promoted tours in 2018.

The new rule is an amendment to the 2018 Rule Book and will read as follows:

-13 inch maximum height on the front nose piece of the car (right-front corner)

LEFT-REAR DRUPE RULE:
-No drupe limiters permitted, chain only.
-Pre-race height must be between 37 inches and 39 inches (no tolerance) and the “T” Bar must be straight.
-Post-race height must be no higher than 47 inches (1/2 inch tolerance maximum).
-Left-rear tire will be adjusted to 6 lbs.
-Car will be measured with the left-rear jacked up (behind the left-rear axle tube under the under swung) in the air until the left-rear tire will turn forward or backwards.
-Car must have a frame (under swung) on the left-rear between the bell of rear-end and the birdcage with a jackpeg or weight clamp bolted on for the jack to lift the car.
-During inspection, left-rear chain must be tight and right wheel tire must be touching the ground.
-Note to all technical inspectors, if rear “T” Bar is bent, use a straight edge across the back of the car to make the best judgement to be consistent.

See what else Ray Cook had to say about these changes in the video below: