Paul Tibbals commented, in part, on Patrick Jones' thread concerning the
Elise and grey market cars.
>
> Whether SCCA ever let you use it in an event is another matter of course. SFR
> lets nearly anything with wheels run in OSP nowadays, and has classes for
> non-street-legal cars.
Paragraph #40 of the SFR supplemental regulations (see SCCA SFR Solo2 web
site) defines cars eligible to run in the OSP class as follows:
" 40. Rules for "Open Street Prepared " class.
This is a SFR-only class.
The vehicle must have originally been produced for and registered for
street use. A license plate on the car and a registration document showing
the plate belonging to the vehicle will be accepted as proof of original
registration for the street. A current registration sticker need not be
evident on the plate as the vehicle registration does not need to be
current.
The vehicles must compete on D. O. T. (Department of Transportation)
approved tires.
The SFR value for this class for indexing purposes will be established
each season by the Steering Committee."
The following is only my, admittedly long-winded, personal
interpretation/opinion on this subject and does not, necessarily, represent
the views of any other member(s) of the SFR Steering Committee (SC).
I think the wording of this paragraph was crafted, in part, to preclude the
inclusion of one-of specially built non-production vehicles. The goal was to
allow any manufactured/production passenger car as evidenced by having, at
any time anywhere in the world, been licensed for the street. It's my view
that a strict interpretation of this paragraph places a requirement on each
owner to be able to prove that his/her specific vehicle is, or has been at
one time, registered for street use somewhere in the world. Therefore ,
technically, even if a particular car might have, at one time, been
"eligible" to be registered for the street somewhere in the world but, in
fact, never was/has been registered, that specific vehicle is not eligible
to run in SFR's class OSP.
I think Patrick has been "down this road" as part of his effort to be able
to run in a class where his Elise can be competitive. Although I don't
remember all the details, I think Patrick's car initially was classed, at
least for participation in SFR events, by vote of the SC. Again, without
knowing/remembering the specifics of Patrick's efforts, I think he,
eventually, obtained a "National office" classing of his vehicle.
Of course, since our OSP class is an SFR-only class, the SC, if/when
requested/petitioned by the owner of a specific car, can/may approve
inclusion of that specific car, or car model, in the OSP class, or for that
matter, in any other class for SFR-only events.
I, also, think the "big picture" SC goal, since this is all for fun anyway,
is to, SAFELY, find a place for almost any/all cars/participants to
competitively be involved.
Don
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