USA RWD Derby Rules – USA Demolition Derby

USA RWD Derby Rules

You can enter in each class if you so desire. Entry forms only available at the U.S.A. trailer. The U.S.A. Demolition Derby is promoted as a spectator’s thrill attraction. In the interest of safety and sportsmanship anyone entering is subject and must obey the following rules and regulations which are set up by the promoter and track where the event is being held. The rules and/or regulations set forth herein are designed to provide for the orderly conduct of racing events and to establish minimum acceptable requirements for such events. These rules shall govern the conditions of all events, and, by participating in these events all participants agree to comply with these rules and/or regulations. Furthermore, all participants agree that their entries (driver, car, and pit crew) will comply with these rules. NO EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, INCLUDING BUT NO LIMITED TO EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF SAFETY SHALL RESULT FROM PUBLICATION OR COMPLIANCE WITH THESE RULES AND/ OR REGULATIONS. They are intended as a guide for the conduct of the sport and are in no way a guarantee against injury or death to a participant, spectator, or official. The race director, judges, stewards, and officials shall be empowered to permit minor deviation from any of the specifications herein or impost any further restrictions in their opinion do not alter the minimum acceptable requirements. NO EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF SAFETY SHALL RESULT FROM ANY PERMITTED DEVIATIONS OF SPECIFICATIONS. Any interpretation or deviation of these rules is left to the discretion of the officials. Their decision is final. A participant is any person taking part is any event at a U.S.A. sanctioned track in any form, including but not limited to, drivers, mechanics, crew members, sponsors, track officials or pit area observers. All such persons shall be considered public figures who have by their own choice become involved in auto derby events at a U.S.A. Sanctioned track, with the full understanding that he or she must abide by the rules and regulations established an published or announced by the U.S.A. Demolition Derby staff & officials. All participants are considered to be responsible for their personal conduct & safety. A waiver and release of liability and indemnity agreement must be signed by each participant at the time of registration. Waiver and release of liability and indemnity agreement (POSTED). Please read.

An entry fee will be charged for each car. Entry form to be filled out and mailed or returned (posted on each entry form.) All drivers must be 16 years or older and must be able to provide proof of age and picture identification (Driver’s License or State of Michigan I.D. Card). Any participant under 18 is required to have a permission form signed by a parent or legal guardian’s. This must be done at every event that he/she will be entering pit area. NO EXCEPTIONS.
Driver must furnish his/her own car.
Only one entry per person.
Officials reserve the right to accept or reject any and all applications. Furthermore, officials or the hosting Fair, reserves the right to revoke or cancel any entry or participant’s claimed right to be on the track premises if it is felt or determined that a participant’s presence or conduct is not in the best interest of the sport of auto derbies, the other competitors, the spectators, track management and/or employee’s. Only drivers and pit men who sign release sheets will be permitted in the pit area or on the track.
No spectators are permitted in restricted pit area.
All persons entering pits must sign waiver and release, have a duty, and meet the minimum age requirements. Enlarged waiver and release of liability and indemnity agreement (POSTED). Please take the time to read it.
The driver is responsible for the actions of his pit crew in all respects. The driver shall be the sole spokesperson for his/her car owner and pit crew in any and all matters and must talk with the chief U.S.A. track official in charge regarding their conduct and behavior.
Any participant who defies or violates the intent or spirit of the U.S.A. rules shall be considered to have engaged in unsportsmanlike conduct and shall be dealt with by the U.S.A. track officials depending upon the nature of the infraction.
Unsportsmanlike conduct may result in disqualification and/or suspension. No participant shall subject any U.S.A. official, track employee or sponsor to any abuse or improper language at any time. Any participant who assaults or threatens any U.S.A. official, track official, track employee or sponsor may be disqualified and/or suspended.
Anyone entering the pit area must be properly attired at all times. Must wear at least a T-shirt, long pants, and closed toe shoes. During competition driver must wear a long sleeved shirt, long pants and closed toe shoes. A fire proof suit is recommended.
Drivers must remain in the vehicle with helmet, seat belt and eye protection on until notified by an official that is safe to exit the vehicle.
Driver’s door hits are illegal. If the hit is deemed by the official to be careless or intentional, you will be disqualified. If you use the door defense repeatedly you will be disqualified.
No hot rodding in the pits. Keep it at an idle.
Any open door will be cause for disqualification, you are allowed one fire, second fire will be cause for disqualification. You may return in later rounds.
Sandbagging is not tolerated and will be strictly enforced. Locking up the brakes prior to a hit for anything other than a driver’s door will be a cause for disqualification. The fans pay to see a show, put one on for them!
You will be given ample time for restarts.
This is not a team event. Team driving will not be tolerated.
THERE IS NO ALCOHOL OR DRUGS ALLOWED IN THE PITS. This includes pit crews. If you or ANY of your crew is caught with alcohol or drugs you will be disqualified.
All cars WILL have a post race inspection done before any prize money is awarded. Only officials and drivers that won money from the feature will perform inspection.
Any questions, CALL FIRST. Don’t assume anything. The Officials decision is final.
Car building questions? Call John Pool-Sova (989-860-5045).

Any American made full size automobile. No front wheel drive, all wheel drive, four wheel drive, checker cabs, hearses, Imperials, Imperial Sub Frames, Suicide Lincolns or limousines. No fresh sedagon or wedge cars are allowed. See schedule for details.

COMPETITION RULES:

All cars are subject to a post race inspection before any prize money is awarded.
Any questions, CALL TREVOR DAILEY (989) 751-8541. Don’t assume anything. The Officials decision is final. DO NOT READ ANYTHING INTO THESE RULES, JUST READ THE RULES!! If it doesn’t say you can, YOU CAN’T! Or you will be loaded, your choice!
DO NOT paint anywhere on suspension or frame, we will not even inspect your car.
Body component must be direct bolt up only. Must be factory hardware or equivalent in size

General Preparation:

All glass, plastic and pot metal must be removed. Nothing may remain in the bottoms of the trunk or doors.
All outer hardware must be removed – door handles, mirrors, chrome, moldings, screws, fiberglass, etc. No added weights to any car. -Rear seats in all cars and all decking in station wagons must be removed.
Front seats must be securely bolted to the floor, however, these bolts may NOT go thru the frame! You must have a functioning seat belt.
All flammable materials must be removed from the car other than safety padding and the driver’s seat.

BODY

Anything can be removed, NOTHING can be added.
No welding, bolting, wiring, taping or chaining of body unless stated. No adding metal or any other material to strengthen body unless stated.
No doubling of body panels allowed. No bolting metal together unless stated.
Body shaping is allowed. Quarter panels must remain vertical.
Trunk lid may be welded shut but limited to 8- 4”x4”x ¼ “ thick Flat stock max .If not welding trunk shut, you may only secure it in 8 spots using wire, chain or seat belt. 2 of the 8 spots may go around rear bumper. Trunk must have a 12″x12″ min. hole cut in center. Bolting trunk sheet metal together around the hole is allowed using 8 – 3/8 bolts and 3/8 washers max. No welding bolts, washers or nuts to sheet metal. – Hoods must have a 12″x12″ min. hole cut in center. Bolting hood sheet metal is allowed using 8 – 3/8 bolts and 3/8 washers max. No welding bolts, washers, nuts or sheet metal.
Hoods may only be secured shut by bolting,wire, chain or seat belt. 4 strands of #9 wire max, 4 wraps of seat belt or 1 strand of chain. 3/8 chain, bolt and nut max. No welding of chain or wire. If bolting hood shut you may use 2”x2”x1/4”x 6” max angle iron or 5/8 all thread max ( 3” max outer diameter washer for hood pins). Sheet metal to sheet metal only for any of these methods. Maximum of 6 spots to secure hood.
You are allowed eight 4″x4″x1/4″ thick flat plates to weld you door shut per side
Drivers front door only may have a full aftermarket skin. Not to exceed more than 2” max past any factory door seam. Drivers front door only must be welded solid. Or you can weld in a down bar from driver door bar down to rocker sheet metal .You must do one or the other. Down bar cannot exceed cage diameter rule.
Windshield area must have wire or bar. 2 spots of wire or 2 bars max, ( 2”x 1/4” flat stock). No more than 6” of bar may overlap onto the body. You cannot attach this to your cowl bar.
You will be allowed to use up to 1/8″ thick flat sheet to protect your radiator in place of a factory cooling condenser. You can only weld this to the factory core port.

DRIVERS COMPARTMENT:

Cage and rollover bar are not mandatory but highly recommended. If not installing a cage, drivers door protection is mandatory.
4 point square cage only is recommended, welded to sheet metal only nothing to the frame. max 60 inch door bar ( 1 per side of car), 8 inch max cage material. Must be mounted horizontally and 6 inches off floor. Gussets only in interior of 4 point cage.
Rollover bars may not exceed 8”x 8”x3/8″ material.
Rollover bars maybe attached to door bars or bar behind seat only, not to the floor.
You may have 2 tabs off the rollover bar to secure to the roof, tabs can not exceed 4”x4”.
Rollover bar must start within 10” of the drivers front seat and go no further back then 20”.
Rollover bar gussets may not exceed 12” and may only connect to door bars or back seat bar.
Gas tank mount (32”wide max outside measurement, 8” diameter max) may be welded to back seat bar. Gas tank mount must be 1/2” from rear sheet metal (tow package).
If tank is being mounted to the floor sheet metal. There must be a 8” gap between the tank/ fuel cell and the tow package sheet metal or back seat bar must be higher than fuel tank.
Nothing may be mounted in a way that strengthens the car.
Transmission and engine oil coolers must be mounted inside 4 point cage area.

BODYMOUNTS:

You may add 6″core support spacer between bottom of core support and top of core support mount.this spacer can be welded to the frame only. You may use up to 1” all thread to bolt down core support. All thread may be used to secure hood down. This will count 2 of the 6 spots for securing hood down. factory car condenser may be used to protect radiator. You may mout the condenser in the factory location.
Body mounts may be removed, body may set flat on frame. Factory body bolts may be replaced and replaced with up to 5/8 ” diameter bolt or all thread.
Body bolts may only go thru 1 thickness of frame. these bolts cannot be more then 8” long and max 1 nut if using bolts and 2 nuts if using threaded rod per body mount.
3” max sized washers.
No attaching body bolts to any part of the cage/roll over bar.

FRAMES:

You may dimple your rear frame rails to achieve the frame to roll. No dimpling, shaping or denting of the frame allowed. No tipping frames.
NO welding, bolting, wiring or adding any material/substance to strengthen frames.
At Inspectors discretion frames will be drilled, wire wheeled or wiped down.
Absolutely no painting or spraying any material on frames or welds. Cars will not be inspected.
Rusted out frames may be repaired. You may overlap 1” onto steel that is rusted thru, 1/4” flat stock steel max for repair. Call first before repairing. John (989-860-5045)
Fresh cars with exception of 03^ will be allowed up to 4- 4”x6”x1/4” max flat stock repair plates. Plates may be folded and fit to areas of frame. Plates must stay external of frame, no slicing/cutting frame open and inserting plate. Plates can only touch frame.
Pre ran cars can have up to 6 max 4” x 6” x1/4” max flat stock repair plates. 3 plates per frame rail.
Hump plates cannot exceed 22”x6”x3/8” thick. They must be centered on the outside of hump. 03 newer you may weld the front 8 crush holes shut per front rail using only weld no added material. 03 newer will not be allowed the fresh fix plates. Half inch weld max for all fix plates.

SUSPENSION and STEERING:

All suspension and steering must remain stock from a car.( unless a modification is stated ). ZERO aftermarket parts other than aftermarket factory appearing tire rods.
Spindle must be car origin . You can replace upper a arms from other year make and model cars. You may trim to fit but no adding material or welding will be allowed.
You may change coil springs to a stiffer oem passenger car spring. Front springs in the front. Rear in the rear no swapping locations.
You can weld 2-2”x2” x ¼” thick flat stock per front upper a arm to maintain ride height.
You may use 2 strands of #9 wire to hold coil spring to rear end. Leaf spring cars may use 4 single strands #9 wire as leaf clamps per spring stack.
Aftermarket steering columns and shafts are allowed. These components may not strengthen car in anyway at anytime. NO HYDRAULIC STEERING OF ANY KIND!
Tie rods maybe reinforced in the following way only: Factory sleeve and ends maybe welded and reinforced with steel. Tie rod ends may be aftermarket, but must be factory style. A store bought washer maybe placed over the steam of the tie rod and welded.
Rear control arms may be aftermarket. Can not exceed 2”x3” x ¼” tube max and no longer then original.
Rear control arms may not strengthen car in anyway. 4 arms max per car.
98 up watt links conversion will be allowed. Upper trailing arm brackets must be bolted in. They must be 2 separate brackets, may not be larger than 6”x 12”x 3/8” thick max. 4- 5/8 bolts, nuts and 8 washers per bracket. Brackets may only be bolted to tow package and bolts may not stick thru body. Brackets may not strength frame or body. NO WELDING AT ALL OF UPPER BRACKETS.
Or you may weld the bracket from a 1980 and newer ford to mount the upper control arms.
98 up watt links LOWER BRACKET Conversion. You will be allowed to mount lower trailing arm bracket with 1 piece of square tube 3”x 3”x 3/8”x 3” long max per side of frame maybe used. Cut the square tube to make a C channel. It must be welded to the inboard of the frame at the point you want your trailing arm mounted. Drill your hole thru the tube and only 1 thickness of the frame. Bolt your arm into place. No other bolts will be allowed to mount this bracket.
Or you may weld the bracket from a 1980 and newer ford to mount the lower control arm.
When splicing frames together, they must be spliced within 6 inches of the factory transmission cross member.
You will be allowed to tip frames with the exception of ’03 and newer fords. All tipping must be done at the boxes.
All freshed cars, tipped or not, will get 4 fixed plates to start with.

DRIVETRAIN:

(2) 3/8 threaded rod ,two 3″wide straps bolted to core support with (2) 3/8 bolts per strap to hold radiator in. Or seat belt, 9 wire or ratchet straps may be used to hold radiator in.
2 batteries are allowed.
Transmission oil coolers are allowed.
Lower cradle with front plate and pulley protector are allowed only. Cradle may not exceed past middle of engine block. No other protectors are allowed. Any steel/ materiel added to the motor that is strengthening the car will be removed.
Carb and header protectors. You can run a carb and header protector. They can not be used for anything but protecting carb and headers if we find them excessive in any way you will be asked to remove them.
Aftermarket motor mounts that meet frame are allowed. Mounting pad that welds to K frame may not exceed 7”x7”. No wiring or chaining motor down if aftermarket mounts are used. If factory non solid motor mounts are used, 2 spots of chain may be used ⅜” chain max to help motor down. chain may only attach to K frame, 3 links per chain may be welded to k frame max.
03 ups motor mounts may not attach to the frame rails. cradle can mount to the 4 mounting bolts for aluminum cradle.
Distributor protectors will not be allowed. No mid plates..
ANY drive train & transmission (manual transmissions allowed). 1 or the other but not both. aftermarket bell steel or aluminum or a slip over transmission brace will be allowed. The trans brace must be above trans pan. This style of bell housing will only be allowed to bolt to the front pump of the transmission.
No transmission skid plates,you may use a stock transmission mount or 1-1/2” bolt to mount transmission to crossmember, stock cross members or 2”x2”x1/4” square tube. – 3’’x 3’’x 1/4” x 6” long max angle iron maybe used if relocating cross member (2- ½ bolts per side to mount to frame or weld to the side of frame). Only 1 of the 2 methods of mounting angle iron can be used not both. Cross member must be sitting on angle iron if angle iron is used.
Any axle allowed. Floater rear ends allowed. Rear end may not strengthen frame or body in anyway.
You may use a 3/8” chain (Max) to go around the rear axle and around the frame only in 2 spots max. The chain may only go around the frame and axle once per side. You may use 1-3/8” bolt, nut and 2 washers per chain.
Floor shiftier allowed, headers allowed, aftermarket gas pedals and brakes, Clarification: none may strengthen car. 6x 5/8″ max bolts and 3″ washer max.
Slider shafts are allowed.

BUMPERS

Replica bumpers are allowed to factory specs. ( factory or replica).
You may shorten front frame up to an inch in front of the core support mounting hole. you may also be hard nosed.
Shock tubes may not exceed 9” in length ( Round or square tube may be used as a shock tube). Shock tube location must remain in factory location ( no relocation of shock tubes allowed, shock tubes came inside of frame they must remain inside).
You may push shock tube into frame and weld factory plate all around. Shock tube may be plug welded.
You may weld rear bumper straight to frame. Or follow the rules for the front bumper if using a shock. Or you may use 2” tube by 9” long max, the tube maybe stuffed into frame on a angle and plug welded. You may use 1-4”x6”x1/4” flat stock to mount from bumper to frame per bumper mounting spot. This will replace your bumper mounting bracket. You may use one or the other.
Bumper height must be 14″ to 22″. The measurement will be taken from bottom of bumper.
Bumpers may be narrowed, no sharp ends allowed

TIRES & BRAKES:

No tires taller than 30″. 4 wheels max per car. No dual tires.
No split rims, studded tires, you may use aftermarket full center with various bolt patterns. Welds must be approved by judges on rear tires. Stay off the area of the rim the tube touches, except to weld your center into the rim.
Valve stem protectors allowed, wheel weights must be removed. Valve stem protectors may not extend more than 6 inches from valve stem. Not allowed to be a rim protector.
All cars must be able to demonstrate the ability to stop at any time. If your brakes do not work, you will not compete.
You may not change tires after inspection, ride height will be measured with your competition tires only.

Simple rules, simple build, keep it that way. Again do not get “creative” or read into these rules, let’s get back to the basics. If it is not clearly described above, it is not allowed. If it doesn’t say you can, YOU CANT! Official’s decisions are final.