Important Caterham Rollcage News - SCCA

[BruceBe]

Caterham Seven owners:

 

There is an interesting, and positive turn of events in approving the Caterham Seven for SCCA competition.

 

I am pleased to announce that after petitioning the SCCA competition committee, we were successful in a request for approving UK MSA-certified roll cages for SCCA competition. All versions of the Caterham factory-offered roll-cages are MSA certified, and thus provide a turn-key path for creating an SCCA-legal Caterham Seven racecar!

 

Our petition and resolution may be found in the April FASTTRACK, and the updated (April) SCCA rulebook contains the new GCR section 9.4.G.8.2:

"

Cars may compete with an approved MSA (Motor Sports Association UK) Roll Over Protection System Certificate. All related engineering drawings and documents shall be submitted to SCCA Technical Services. Cars must have MSA identification plate attached to the cage along with a letter from SCCA Technical Services certifying the cage was approved by the MSA.

"

With support from Caterham UK Engineering and Business Management, Beachman Racing has already provided the supporting MSA certificate documentation to SCCA Technical Services for all four roll-cage and chassis combinations:

• S3 - Roadsport cage
  
  
• S3 Chassis - SLR (Superlight) roll cage
  
  
• SV/CSR - Roadsport roll cage
  
  
• SV/CSR - SLR (Superlight) roll cage
  
  

In addition to the MSA documentation, which has already been provided, the car owner should submit the following:

• Full name of owner with contact info
  
  
• Chassis of Caterham Seven (specify "S3", or "SV/CSR")
  
  
• Type of roll-cage ("Roadsport", or "SLR (Superlight)")
  
  
• Chassis number/VIN
  
  

The request for an approval letter should be submitted to SCCA Technical Services, care of Christopher Blum (CBlum@scca.com). Please also include an image of the MSA label/sticker on the roll-cage, as well as an image of the vehicle chassis number.

 

I've attached a boiler-plate request letter.

 

-Bruce

SCCATechServicesApprovalRequest-Caterham Seven.pdf

Edited April 14, 2014 by BruceBe
Additional images required, and attached template letter

[James A]

Bruce, this does sound very positive, but if you look at the last 'certification' for competition in the SCCA the documents cover every aspect of the car, Wings (fenders), engine (only the Zetec is currently approved), suspension, gearbox (only a stock gearbox with stock ford ratios is allowed), differential, most everything. I would be happy to send the certification paperwork and specification to you.

So the question is, are you planning to get the current form of the S3 and SV certified for competition? If so, those of us who race in SCCA would have some valuable input as to what is certified.

Regards,

Jim

[BruceBe]

Jim,

 

I believe you are referring to the classing of the Caterham for E-Production (EP). For regional classes (e.g. SPU, SPM, RS, etc), the constraints you mention do not apply.

 

It would be nice to update Caterham EP vehicle specs to make it more competitive in that class. However, getting those types of competition adjustments seems to be a difficult hill to climb.

 

Also - other sanctioning bodies often draft SCCA safety regs. Once a Caterham cage gets an SCCA roll-cage stamp (after inspection), it will be much easier to get the vehicle approved for competition elsewhere.

 

-Bruce

[James A]

Bruce, you are correct on both accounts, I was referring to getting a more modern specification Caterham certified for E Production racing including the SV chassis, and it is a more difficult hill to climb. In looking over the paperwork from getting the S3 Zetec chassis approved in the late 90s I would guess there is around 80 hours of dedicated work to get this done. On the flip side there were on the order of (I don't know the exact number here) 20 cars built up for competition in EP. If those numbers make since in terms of cost to sell than an enterprising Caterham dealer might be able to sell some cars that were ready to race EP cars.

[CarMan]

I hope that the SCCA likes the effort the Caterham 7 competitors have given them to make their Mazda show a little more interesting.

This past winter we did the usual racing rebuild and wanted to upgrade some safety aspects of the car. We were mostly looking at the brakes.

 

But Noooooooooooo. We can't change the rotors or calipers to a more modern and SAFE system. I had an especially hard time finding rear pads this go round.

But all in all, my car is always welcome by the local officials, and visitors walking thru the paddock. Although at my last race, one competitor of mine said "If I knew you were coming, I might have stayed home. So I offered him a beer, and everything was all right.

 

Good luck in EP. I know that the "real "people in the paddock will be happy to see you.

[James A]

Yea, it's hard to compete in the MCCA, I mean SCCA, what ever Mazda drivers want they get, but the Caterhams, forget it. For rear brake pads, Carbotech will put any of their compounds on the Ford pattern we use.

We are racing this weekend at Texas World Speedway, this amy be the last time as it looks like the site is going to be developed in to a subdivision.

[James A]

Oh, I just looked and Carbotech has Caterham calipers listed and shows all of their compounds available: http://www.ctbrakes.com/pads.asp

[Paul Hill]

Though I didn't open the link it sure seems like spam to me.....