Annual Tech

[Toby Larsson]

Any info about when/how to get it?

[Giovanni Jaramillo]

Any info about when/how to get it?

We just finished the committee meeting Toby, and I believe Eric Clements brought it up for discussion. It'll be in the minutes but I'm sure Eric will chime in on what was discussed.

[Rick Brown]

Any info about when/how to get it?

We just finished the committee meeting Toby, and I believe Eric Clements brought it up for discussion. It'll be in the minutes but I'm sure Eric will chime in on what was discussed.

Since hard copy rule books are no longer required, we will have a business card size annual tech card you show at Tech to get your Tech Sticker. They will be available at the next event. Contact Eric to schedule your annual tech inspection.

[Eric Clements]

I'll be at the National convention during the February event. I'll look for a deputy annual tech inspector to get things started at the February event.

[John Coffey]

No to take away work from Eric, but can other folks/shops do annual tech for Solo2? Cal Club runs a list of approved shops for the road racing annuals.

[Eric Clements]

John & Toby doing annual tech sounds good to me ;)

[Steve Lepper]

No to take away work from Eric, but can other folks/shops do annual tech for Solo2? Cal Club runs a list of approved shops for the road racing annuals.

If I can help, I'd be glad to do inspections for Orange County folks. Don't know what official qualifications SOLO requires, but I was a licensed Club Racing inspector for several years.

[Mike Simanyi]

To answer John's question: it's our region's responsibility. We control the cards, and it's not even a "right" that people are granted Annual Tech. The people administering this need to have good judgment, and use it. The car, car owner and driver(s) all need to qualify. It should be done at our events.

I'm with Eric. I would gladly back Eric, Toby and you - John - as our Annual Tech Inspectors for 2011.

Mike

[John Stimson]

I'll tell you how the San Francisco folks do annual tech. They have been running a program for several years. Maybe it will give you some ideas.

They have a Chief of Tech, who is responsible for ensuring that tech is staffed for each run group that it's open, and during the hour before the first run group. The chief makes sure that the inspectors know what to inspect. He is also responsible for managing the annual tech paperwork.

For annual tech, the tech chief is generally the person who gives the car its official inspection, checks to see if the driver is qualified to participate in annual tech, and gets a signed statement from them that they know how and will inspect their own car for each event. He then gives them a vinyl "Annual Tech" decal with the region name and the year, which is valid as an alternative to having a tech inspector's initials on the event barcode.

The Chief usually deputizes a few reliable autocrossers who run automotive shops to offer annual tech inspections at their shops, so that people can get it done outside of events.

Annual stickers are generally honored until the 3rd or 4th event of the year because the first event is generally way too busy to handle the complication of offering annual tech inspections in addition to everything else.

[John Coffey]

Let me stir the pot a bit...

Logbooks for Solo2 cars?

IMHO, if you get an annual tech on the Solo2 car you also need a log book for that car.

[Steve Ekstrand]

John-

I know of the existence of logbooks in club racing, but I really don't know why what or how they work.

For the ignorant masses could you give us a quickie primer on logbooks?

[Mike Simanyi]

Let me stir the pot a bit...

Logbooks for Solo2 cars?

IMHO, if you get an annual tech on the Solo2 car you also need a log book for that car.

Not according to Solo rules. We *could* implement a more restrictive policy, but why?

Mike

[John Coffey]

Logbooks in the road racing world are not a restrictive thing by any means. They establish a history for the car with the SCCA and eliminate confusion. Basically when the car is presented for its very first annual inspection the car's information is entered into the log book, a couple pictures are pasted in for identification purposes, inspections are done per the GCR, and if everything is OK, the logbook is stamped and signed by the tech inspector and handed back to the competitor. This process repeats (in a more abbreviated form) every year.

Then, at every subsequent event, registration checks the log book to make sure the annual is still good and all compliance, safety, or appearance issues have been signed off by a tech inspector (see below). if so, they hand the competitor the tech sticker for that event and that's it. No need to go over to tech.

If there's an incident that causes damage to the vehicle and its severe enough, the damage is noted in the log book and the annual inspection is voided (did this on Saturday for a Formula Ford that burned real bad), and the competitor must present the car for inspection at Tech before the car can run on the track again. The items listed in the logbook must be corrected and signed off by a tech inspector.

If the car is protested and found to not be in compliance, those items are noted in the logbook and must be corrected be fore the next event. If a tech inspector or steward notes something wrong with the car (safety, appearance, rules) during impound (or at any other time) they can ask to see the logbook and note those issues for correction before the next event.

The biggest benefit I can see is the the Solo2 community can make sure safety issues are addressed in a logical and documented way. If tech rejects a car for competition, where is that written down? How do we keep that car from being shopped to another, less experienced tech inspector during the same event? That's happened more then a few times and I've been in tech when the tech chief asked, "Who let that car out on course? I failed them for 'X"!"

Here's another one I was personally involved with:

Competitor shows up to tech with an illegal roll bar per the Solo2 rules. Being the chief of tech at that event I did not issue him a tech sticker. Competitor claims he's been running the the SFR region for years with that car and goes to the event chief. Event chief walks over to the tech box and hands him a tech sticker saying, "If SFR has let him run then that's fine with me." Where's the proof?

[Arthur Grant]

Have there been sufficient issue to warrant the concern on safety of a log book. All club racing cars are prepared to a standard based on the class they will run in. Solo2 cars are essentially streetable. Club racing inspections are looking at safety equipment date tags, not just helmets but belts, fire,kill switches, tow hooks, window nets, rollbars, suits, as well as class prohibted modifications, etc. The drive has a log book that he firsts gets at driving school. Forget the log book and I believe in SCCA you don't run. If your running wheel to wheel at speed, maybe. Certainly I want the cars safe, but I am not sure anyone cares about the history of the car. Are you going to train and certify your tech inspectors in classing guidelines? Are we going to ask for proof that the stock seatbelts and airbags have been replaced because the manufacture suggests it after 10 or 12 years?

Besides the things that are checked in tech now what do you want to add.

Sorry I realize I haven't been around long, but I am not sure I see the value.

[John Coffey]

OK...

Some Street Touring, most Street Prepared, all Prepared, all Street Modified, and all Modified cars are trailered and rarely street driven. The idea that Solo2 is for streetable or street driven cars is almost obsolete. The only difference between Club Racing and Solo is the level of safety equipment required in the car and on the driver. Both have extensive lists of dos and don'ts regarding class preparation.

In Club Racing the log book is issued for the car, not the driver. The driver gets a racing license (Novice, Regional, National, Pro, FIA Superlicense). Also in Club Racing, its mostly up to the competitors (as in the Solo2 world) to police class specific rules. Club Racing Tech is more proactive in that regard but the Solo2 community is coming around. Specific class rules are being checked during impound at National events and Pro Solos. And yes, I think the Tech folks in the Solo2 community need as much training as Safety Stewards. After all, Tech is performing the safety inspections on the vehicles.

And if you ever try to purchase a vintage race car you'll find a complete set of log books adds significantly to its provenance and value. Will that ever happen to Solo2 cars? I dunno.

Am I suggesting all Solo2 cars need log books? No. Am I suggesting that once a competitor gets involved enough to make the effort to get an annual they should also get issued a log book for that car. Yes.

[Will Kalman]

Some Street Touring, most Street Prepared, all Prepared, all Street Modified, and all Modified cars are trailered and rarely street driven. The idea that Solo2 is for streetable or street driven cars is almost obsolete.

Some people like comfort, convenience, ability to not register/insure the car, ability to get a broken car home, don't want to haul a tire-trailer, or just don't plain want to pick up a nail in a competition street tire in transit to/from the event. It doesn't always have to do with the car itself.

Specific class rules are being checked during impound at National events and Pro Solos.

Maybe you mis-typed, but Tech != Impound

And yes, I think the Tech folks in the Solo2 community need as much training as Safety Stewards. After all, Tech is performing the safety inspections on the vehicles.

I agree.

[John Stimson]

If there's an incident that causes damage to the vehicle and its severe enough, the damage is noted in the log book and the annual inspection is voided (did this on Saturday for a Formula Ford that burned real bad), and the competitor must present the car for inspection at Tech before the car can run on the track again. The items listed in the logbook must be corrected and signed off by a tech inspector.

Since incidents that cause damage to the car are very rare at autocross, this particular use of the log book does not seem relevant.

If the car is protested and found to not be in compliance, those items are noted in the logbook and must be corrected be fore the next event.

Such incidents are rare enough in Solo that they can be tracked by the national or regional chiefs without requiring that everyone keep a log book. That practice has been working for Solo.

The biggest benefit I can see is the the Solo2 community can make sure safety issues are addressed in a logical and documented way. If tech rejects a car for competition, where is that written down? How do we keep that car from being shopped to another, less experienced tech inspector during the same event? That's happened more then a few times and I've been in tech when the tech chief asked, "Who let that car out on course? I failed them for 'X"!"

The inspector who fails a car could simply notify the other inspectors on duty the reason that the car failed, and should be inspected to ensure that the issue was corrected when they return to the line.

Here's another one I was personally involved with:

Competitor shows up to tech with an illegal roll bar per the Solo2 rules. Being the chief of tech at that event I did not issue him a tech sticker. Competitor claims he's been running the the SFR region for years with that car and goes to the event chief. Event chief walks over to the tech box and hands him a tech sticker saying, "If SFR has let him run then that's fine with me." Where's the proof?

The event chair has the final say.

[John Coffey]

The biggest benefit I can see is the the Solo2 community can make sure safety issues are addressed in a logical and documented way. If tech rejects a car for competition, where is that written down? How do we keep that car from being shopped to another, less experienced tech inspector during the same event? That's happened more then a few times and I've been in tech when the tech chief asked, "Who let that car out on course? I failed them for 'X"!"

The inspector who fails a car could simply notify the other inspectors on duty the reason that the car failed, and should be inspected to ensure that the issue was corrected when they return to the line.

I guess you missed it. I cited an example where the process you suggest failed and car that did not pass Tech got to run on course.

Here's another one I was personally involved with:

Competitor shows up to tech with an illegal roll bar per the Solo2 rules. Being the chief of tech at that event I did not issue him a tech sticker. Competitor claims he's been running the the SFR region for years with that car and goes to the event chief. Event chief walks over to the tech box and hands him a tech sticker saying, "If SFR has let him run then that's fine with me." Where's the proof?

The event chair has the final say.

We had something similar over the weekend during the club race. Three national scrutineers would not pass a Noble because the aftermarket roll cage did not meet the rules in the GCR. We couldn't even inspect the main hoop because it was buried in the bodywork and there were no inspection holes to verify wall thickness. The event chair passed the car, personally stamped the roll bar, and issued a log book. That's a bad practice whether on the Solo or Club Racing side.

[Mike Simanyi]

John, the log book would only work if it were mandatory for all competitors.

And I'm not familiar with any discussion hinting at that kind of development.

Annual Tech is supposed to be given *only* to trusted, experienced competitors who are known to be extremely conscientious about their cars. They are required to have the car reinspected any time any major work is performed.

Mike

[John Stimson]

I guess you missed it. I cited an example where the process you suggest failed and car that did not pass Tech got to run on course.

Perhaps I didn't understand your explanation. Did another inspector pass the car? Or did the car get onto the course without a tech sticker?

If another inspector passed the car, then apparently that inspector was not informed of the issue with that car, which isn't consistent with what I suggested.
If it got out on course without a tech sticker, I don't see how having a log book would change the outcome.

[John Coffey]

It had a tech sticker. The car owner waited until the tech chief left and then brought the car back through and it passed. I've caught people trying that and its pretty easy to do when there's a rush of cars at tech.

[John Stimson]

It had a tech sticker. The car owner waited until the tech chief left and then brought the car back through and it passed. I've caught people trying that and its pretty easy to do when there's a rush of cars at tech.

My suggestion then is to let the other tech personnel know which cars have been failed and why, and if you go off shift, let your replacement(s) know. If there are too many to remember, maybe tech can keep a log of the cars that were failed that day -- maybe on a whiteboard that is easy to glance at quickly. That's a lot less paperwork than requiring every competitor to have their own book.

[Vincent Wong]

So Eric won't be there this weekend, who should we go to regarding annual tech during this weekend's event?

[KJ Christopher]

So Eric won't be there this weekend, who should we go to regarding annual tech during this weekend's event?

You could check with Toby. I'm not sure if we have the cards yet or not.

[Rick Brown]

Cards are made, I'll have them at the event.