List,
I saw a posting on Jon's website asking about canopies being allowed in
Modified Sports class. I was having a difficult time replying so I thought I
would do so here.
While canopies are currently not forbidden in the Modified Sports class the
question does prompt a response along with a little history.
The Mod Sports class was for many years the place for those who wanted to
experiment in many areas with little or no restriction. The cars eventuly
evolved into a vehicle that resembled a streamliner rather than a modified
sports car, witness the Jack Lufkin and Nolan/Rick White cars. In fact the
White car was competing at El Mirage as a streamliner until a few short years
ago. As the cars evolved the class was dropped and a Gas Streamliner class was
formed. Up to that point there were no fuel restrictions in the streamliner
classes.
Several years passed and interest in a Modified Sports class was renewed and
the class established with stricter rules. I don't have the timeline in my
head but can research it if anyone is interested. The new class was intended
to represent production sports cars as sold to the public with engine swaps.
There were restrictions added to limit the participation of kit cars and "one
off" bodies. As this class has progressed we now see the highly modified
Berkely, RX 7, Opel and Alfa bodies on non-stock frames with extended
wheelbase and liberal aero rules.
In efforts to limit the class from again becoming a streamlined,
non-recognizable vehicle the SCTA/BNI has placed certain limits in the class
such as OEM wings for the body used as the only wing allowed.
The point of this is to indicate that while the rules people try to look at
all the modifications that could be done to a vehicle and be proactive in
providing entrants with guidelines for building their hot rods sometimes a
builder will offer an idea that has not been considered. That's what makes
this the great sport it is!
Bottom line - if I were to become involved with another Modified Sports car I
would be careful about building
the car in such a way that the canopy I put on in 2003 can be removed in 2004
without cutting the car up.
Dan Warner
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