Pirelli Ultimate Track Car Challenge presented by Grassroots Motorsports rules (Back to main event page)
At its core, the Pirelli Ultimate Track Car Challenge presented by Grassroots Motorsports is a NASA Time Trial event. That means that all participating cars MUST pass a NASA technical inspection. More importantly, all drivers at the event must have a NASA Time Trial or equivalent license, as well as a current NASA membership. If you’re dying to show off your car’s speed but you’re not licensed, you’re welcome to bring a qualified hotshoe to drive your car. If you have questions regarding your NASA Time Trial legality, contact Jon Felton.
Our two classes and two subcategories have worked well so far, but for 2010 we’re clarifying things a bit and adding a new top-level group called Über Varsity. We’ve also got some exciting news about Trophy Classes, but we’ll get to that in a moment.
CLASS DEFINITIONS:
All production-based cars fall into one of two classes, Junior Varsity or Varsity.
• Junior Varsity is for cars running naturally aspirated, four cylinder (or fewer) engines and DOT-legal tires. New for this year, two-rotor cars are allowed. Common examples: Honda S2000, engine-swapped Civics and Integras; Porsche 968; BMW E30 M3, Mazda RX-7 (non turbo).
• Varsity is the home to production-based cars with five or more cylinders, three or more rotors, or anything with forced induction. Cars on non-DOT racing slicks will also be in Varsity. Common Examples: Chevy Corvette Z06, Subaru Impreza WRX STI, Mitsubishi Lancer Evo, Ford Mustang, Porsche 911, Dodge Viper, E46 and later BMW M3.
SUBCATEGORIES
Once you’ve determined if your car is Varsity or JV, it’s time to decide on a subcategory.
• Independent Study is for cars that have been built or prepared by nonprofessional individuals in their own garages, driveways or work areas. Our goal with this category is to make sure the folks who toiled in the creation of their own monsters get recognition for their efforts.
• Shop: Cars that have been built or prepared by a professional race shop. If you are a race shop looking to show off your hardware, this is the place for you. Shop class also includes factory-prepared production-based race cars like the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup, Dodge Viper Competition Coupe and Ford Mustang FR500C.
EVERYTHING ELSE
• Über Varsity Our two classes and two subcategories encompass most of the cars out there, but the Ultimate Track Car Challenge is a wide-open competition, and that means we get some pretty insane hardware. For 2010, we’re creating a new class to encompass these road-borne fighter jets. Vehicles designed from the ground up for track use. Most aren’t street legal—at least not in America—and share very few, if any, chassis components with any mass production street legal automobile. Examples: Riley Technologies MkXXII Track Day Car, any Daytona Prototype, Radical SR series, tube-frame Trans-Am cars, Formula 1 cars, the powerful Mach 5 from “Speed Racer.”
• Green Category The Ultimate Track Car Challenge offers a Green Cateogry for alternatively-fueled or powered vehicles. If your car runs on something other than gasoline, be it ethanol, biodiesel, hydrogen, electricity or turnip juice, you’ll be eligible for the Green Category in addition to your regular class. For example, a professionally-prepared biodiesel-powered six-cylinder turbo Mercedes would be in the Shop Varsity (Green) class. Such a car would be ranked among its peers in the Shop Varsity class, but it would simultaneously be competing against other Green-class cars.
If you’re not sure which class you’d be in, contact Scott Lear at scott@grassrootsmotorsports.com and he’ll be happy to figure it out with you.
TROPHY CUP CLASSES
For the 2010 Pirelli Ultimate Track Car Challenge, we’re going to be recognizing some specific sub-groups within the field. Watch for more exiting news, classes and even prizes as we develop these Trophy Cup classes.
Pro Touring Trophy Cup: Classic cars have plenty of style, but advances in technology often leave them down on performance compared to their modern counterparts. Why not mix the best of what’s old with the best of what’s new? Our Pro Touring Trophy Cup class is for old-school street cars with modern hop-ups, from classic Camaros with modern Corvette Z06 running gear to lightweight early Porsche 911s with the latest twin-turbo flat six powerplants. How about a Honda S2000 engine in an MG Midget? Why not? To be eligible for the Pro Touring Trophy Cup, a car must be a street legal (active tags and insurance) 1980 or earlier model, run DOT tires, have stock sheet metal less hood (flares, wings, front spoilers and add-ons are okay), functioning headlights and taillights, and a fully upholstered interior with at least two seats (racing buckets are okay).