Full Rule Set for The Shipyard Power Tool Drag Races (version 1.2)
Last Updated: 4/10/02
Given that many of you have requested more time, and our problems with the City of Berkeley have required us to find a new venue, the races are now rescheduled for Sunday, April 21th. The new location is still in the San Francisco/Oakland area but we are keeping it secret until immediately before race day. We’ll announce the location the day before the races at www.theshipyard.org. Gates and pit area will open at 10am. Racing begins at 1pm. Yes, you can come watch, even if you aren’t racing. Race entry fee and spectator ticket info is included below.
Please inquire if you have additional questions, ideas or concerns. This is the first time we’ve done this, so suggestions for how to refine the below are always welcome. We will disqualify entries on race day that bend, spindle, vex, bullyrag and/or mutilate the rules in ways not originally intended.
GENERAL IDEA: Finish your machine before you arrive at 10am on Sunday, April 21th to start racing. Stay away from the liquor. Go faster than everyone else. Don’t Crash. Win money.
RACING CLASSES: Machines in all classes are based on hand-held power tools. A hand held power tool is a machine intended for handheld operation by one individual. A machine primarily used on a stationary mount, or rolled on wheels, or used by a group of people is not a hand tool for the purposes of this event. Hand tools might be electric (AC or DC), gas, pneumatic, hydraulic, cold fusion, steam or otherwise. Examples of hand tools are machines like belt sanders, skill saws, drills, chainsaws, weed wackers, etc. Examples of things that are NOT hand tools are things like lawnmowers, floor sanders, generators, etc.
Hand tools used in the drag races can run on a variety of power sources, provided by either on board or external sources. For external power sources, we will provide 40 amps of 120AC per lane and 150psi of air through a 3/8” line with a quick dis/connect. For DC, gas and other sources, you are on your own.
AC electrical cords and air lines will be 100’ long per lane, originating at the starting line. They will have standard Edison 3-prong connectors. You will be responsible for “coiling” the cord on the ground for your run. No spools or cord guides allowed, but duct tape will be provided so you can tape the connector together. Tangles or poor cord feed is your responsibility.
Here are the details on the classes.
Super Stock (Off-the-shelf stock machines. Direct drive. Non-ridden. Run in Track)
Super Stock machines must run in their stock configuration, with typical bits, blades, disks, etc., down a two lane wood track (see below). Super Stock machines must use the original drive configuration of the tool, directly transferring the power of the tool to the ground without additional wheels, belts, spikes, or other added drive strategies. You can add balancing, stabilizing and/or guide wheels and bars if you like, but these must attach directly to the existing frame of the tool. You can’t make a new independent frame and bolt the tool into the new structure. Axles are allowed to the point necessary to provide a rotation point for the wheels. This is intended as the easy class- the class where an off-the-rack piece-of-junk belt sander or skill saw could take home the prize.
Open Track Racer (Custom fabricated. Multi-motor. Custom drive(s). Non-ridden. Run in Track)
An open design version of the Super Stock class. These machines still run riderless down the same wood track as the Super Stock machines, but you can make any modification you like. Use as many motors and drives and other features that you want. The only limit is the motor(s) had to start life in a power tool. If you use AC, you will be limited to 40amps of 120AC. If air driven, we will provide 150psi through a 3/8" air line with quick disconnect.
Modifieds (Custom fabricated. One motor. Custom drive(s). One rider. Run on open asphalt)
The modified class is for custom fabricated machines that carry one rider down open asphalt and use a motor that originated in a hand tool as described above. You are free to develop any type of frame, drive system, seating posture you like. You can start from an existing “vehicle” and add the hand tool motor or start from scratch. The only limitation is that you use one motor and that motor had to start life in a hand tool. Be honest. The drive from tool to ground can be direct via the tool bit, or via a custom gear/sprocket/axle/tire/etc system.
Top Fuel (Custom fabricated. Multi-motor. Custom drive(s). Two riders. Run on open asphalt)
This class expands on the Modifieds class by allowing the use of multiple motors on a single vehicle and requires two riders per vehicle. The motors must again have originated in hand tools as described above, but you can use as many motors as you like, using one or several power sources. We will provide 40amps of 120AC and a 150psi air line per lane. How you use these and other onboard power sources is up to you. Please, be careful . .
THE TRACK: The drag strip is 50’of reasonably flat asphalt. There will be another 50 feet or so to slow down. Each lane for the ridden classes will be 10’ wide with a three foot high barrier wall on the outside of each lane to keep you and your machine out of the audience. The lanes will be separated by the below described track for the Super Stock class.
Machines in the Super Stock class will run on parallel wood tracks 1’ wide with 2” X 4” rails on either side. We will make every effort to maintain the straightness and accuracy of this track, but expect some variation and bumps at the joints. This wood track will look something like this: http://www.beltsander-races.com We will have a proper timing system. The starting line will probably be a flag “girl” (interpretation of “girl” to be at the discretion of the race organizers).
ENTRY FEE: Entry fees are $20 - $35 depending on class: Super Stock- $20; Open Track Racer- $25; Modifieds- $30, Top Fuel- $35. We have set the entry free above $0 so we can have real purses for the winners. What is a drag race without a good purse? Each racing team will get 3 free entries to the event. Additional tickets will be available at the regular door price of $10. General spectator tickets are $10.
Entry fee for racing is paid by Paypal only at www.paypal.com to account jimmason@longnow.org. Regular gate entries for spectating can be purchased ahead of time via Paypal or at the gate the day of the races.
THE PURSE: The prize money is winner takes all for each class. We expect it to be somewhere around $350 per class, but we won't know until we see how many entries are paid up by race day. The purse will be 100% of the entry money received.
There will also be trophies for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd for each class. And we will have special mystery prizes, awarded by special mystery judges for:
THE PITS: The pit area will have 120 power and some shop tools available, however we suggest you bring what you think you need. If you want a table to work on, you should probably bring it.