F600 approved by the SCCA Board of Directors

[Jnovak]

The BoD has officially approved F600 as a regional class effective 4-1-2012. Get your cars ready to race guys it is official.

Here is the link go to page 5 for the start of the rules section. The rules will be in the next updated GCR.

http://scca.cdn.racersites.com/prod/...-april-bod.pdf

The rules are as follows (copied directly from the April Fastrack)

MOTION: To approve the following rules package effective date of 4/1/2012. Patullo/Butler. PASSED 12-0, Langlotz-Abstained.

GCR
FORMULA
1. #6901 - February
The following is the proposed rule set for a regional-only F600 class in accordance with the BoD guidance from its December
2011 meeting. All F500 rules remain unchanged except the following: K.6 and K.14 are replaced in their entirety; K.16 is included
in K.14; K.17.A is superfluous and K.17.B does not apply.
K.1. Definition
A class for singleseat, open wheel, race cars using 600cc motorcycle engines. Specifications are restrictive in nature in order to
emphasize driver ability rather than design.
Formula 600 is a restricted class. Therefore, any allowable modifications, changes, or additions are as stated herein. There are
no exceptions. IF IN DOUBT, DON’T. Homologation is required for all cars.

K.2. Weight and Dimensions
Minimum weight as qualified and raced, with driver, shall be 875 pounds.
Wheelbase: Maximum 80 inches
Overall Length: Minimum 110 inches
Maximum 150 inches
Overall Width: Minimum 50 inches
Maximum 55 inches

K.3. Suspension
Suspension shall be restricted and of a safe, suitable design. “Restricted” is defined as follows:
A. There shall be no springs or shock absorbers acting either directly or indirectly between the frame/chassis and axle.
B. Rear driving axle shall be of solid or tubular steel. Axle shall be one piece live axle, driving both rear wheels. Trailing
arms are allowed. Differentials and/or slip joints are not permitted. The object of K.3.B is to eliminate independent rear
suspension of any type, or provision for lateral movement of the axle shaft to facilitate independent type suspension.
C. Blocks, bushings, and/or mounts of rubber or similar material shall be used to isolate engine and drive assemblies, and/
or axles from vibration, shock, or track irregularities. The number of mounts shall not exceed one (1) per wheel and shall not
exceed one (1) inch in thickness in uncompressed state nor shall they be stacked. The diameter of the mounts shall not exceed
two (2) times their thickness. The mounts shall carry the weight of the car. Installation will be evaluated on compliance with both
the letter and the intent of this provision.
D. Front axle(s) design and/or mounting configuration shall be such that the axle(s) does not function as a torsion bar. Split
axle/independent front suspension is permitted so long as suspension control is affected solely by the mounting defined herein.
E. Anti sway bars are not permitted.

K.4. Brakes
Brakes shall be foot‑pedal operated, hydraulic disc or drum‑type, acting on all four wheels. The brakes shall be a dual system,
arranged in a manner to provide braking for at least 2 wheels in the event of failure in part of the system.

K.5. Steering
Steering is unrestricted provided it is of a safe and suitable design.

K.6. Transmission and Final Drive
A. Only rear wheel drive is permitted.
B. The final drive ratio is unrestricted. Internal transmission gears shall remain stock.
C. Engines must use the sequentially shifted motorcycle transmission as supplied with the engine. Reverse gear is not
required.
D. All gear changes must be initiated and made by the driver. Only mechanical gear shifting mechanisms are permitted. This
may include cables, rods, or other mechanical linkage systems. All other shifting mechanisms are not permitted. This prohibition shall include electric solenoid shifters, air-shifters, etc. Devices that allow pre-selected gear changes are also prohibited.
E. The clutch assembly is unrestricted except that the clutch engagement system shall be operated solely by driver input and may be mechanical or hydraulic in nature. The driver’s hands or feet must manually operate the clutch and there shall be no operation of the clutch by any assisted method. There shall be no modifications to the engine/transmission to enable the use of replacement clutch components or assemblies.
F. Mechanical throttle mechanisms must be used on all engines. Computer, electronic or pneumatic control of the throttle
position is not permitted.
G. The use of jackshafts to transmit power from the output shaft to the rear axle is permitted.
H. Final drive chain tensioners are permitted.

K.7. Frame/Chassis
The frame/chassis assembly shall be constructed of steel tubing, and shall be of a safe and suitable design. There shall be a bulkhead incorporated in the chassis forward of the soles of the driver’s feet with the pedals depressed. Forward facing braces protecting the driver’s legs and feet shall extend from the front roll hoop to the front bulkhead, unless foot protection is provided in accordance with 9.4.5.G.1.B.
The soles of the driver’s feet shall not extend beyond the front edge of the wheel rims (in normal position; i.e., pedal not depressed).

K.8. Roll Cage
Cars shall have a full roll cage complying with section 9.4.5, made of steel, and designed so that when viewed from overhead, an
opening, having a minimum width of fourteen (14) inches and a minimum length of seventeen (17) inches is available for driver extraction under emergency conditions.

K.9. Bodywork
All mechanical components of the car, forward of the roll cage, shall be covered by suitable bodywork. Exceptions are the wheels, brakes, front suspension components, and the cockpit. Driver’s seat shall be capable of being entered without the removal or manipulation of any part or panel. Sports car noses are recommended provided they do not extend beyond the outside edge of the front tires, do not stand taller than the top of the front tires, and their rearward most portion does not extend beyond an imaginary line drawn from the center of the front wheel, forty (40) degrees forward from vertical.
Bodywork behind the front wheels and forward of the rear wheels shall extend to within one (1) inch of a line connecting the outer edges of the front and rear wheels. In a horizontal plane, it shall begin within 2.5 inches of the rear-most part of the tire in the completely turned position and extend to within 4.5 inches of the front of the rear tire. The side pod(s) shall be continuous from the outside edge of the main bodywork, at a minimum height of nine (9) inches, maximum twelve (12) inches measured from the bottom plane of the car. The side pod(s) shall be closed across the front except for air duct openings to heat exchanger(s), but ALL ducted air shall pass through those exchanger(s). The side pod(s) may be open to the rear. Side pod(s) is (are) intended to restrict wheel entanglement between cars. The purpose of these rules is to minimize the use of “ground effects” to achieve aerodynamic down force on the vehicle. Thus, for full width of the body between the front and rear axles, the lower surface (surface licked by the airstream) shall not exceed 2.54cm (1 inch) deviation from the horizontal in any longitudinal section
through that surface. (This is not to be interpreted as requiring a floor pan beneath the engine or rear axle.) The bodywork shall not extend below the surface of the chassis floor to the rear of the front axle. Seat bucket or other protrusions shall not circumvent this rule. It is not permitted to duct air through any part of the bodywork for the purpose of providing aerodynamic down force on the car. Wings are prohibited.

K.10. Tires
Any recognized ten (10) inch racing tire with any tread width up to a designed 7.5 inch width may be used. Any HR rated radial tire may be used as a rain tire.

K.11. Wheels
Wheels shall not exceed a ten (10) inch diameter and 8.5 inch width.

K.12. Ballast
Ballast may be added to meet the minimum weight requirement provided it is securely mounted within the bodywork and serves no other purpose. It is recommended that underweight cars be brought to the minimum limit by adding strengthening material to areas providing driver protection; i.e., roll cages, frame rails, etc., rather than simply bolting in additional weight.

K.13. Fuel Tank
The fuel container shall be located within the bodywork, ahead of the rear wheels and behind the centerline of the front wheels.

K.14. Engines
A. Mass produced Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki or Yamaha water-cooled, 4 cylinder, 4-cycle motorcycle engines up to 600cc are allowed.
B. It is the purpose of this section to control the power level of current and future F600 engines to be approximately the same. Thus all engines must use individual inlet restrictors (IIRs) that comply with Appendix F, Flat Plate Intake Restrictor, except the third and fourth bullet items. The IIRs holes shall each be 32.0 mm in diameter. The IIRs shall be placed
between each cylinder throttle body and its corresponding inlet port. The CRB may require adjustments to the restrictors at any time by publication in Fastrack.
C. All engine internals and compression ratio must remain stock. The competitor must present, on demand, an original factory manual for the engine to allow compliance verification. There shall be no modifications of any component of the engine unless specifically authorized in these rules.
D. The stock ECU shall be used. The ECU fuel and ignition map may be changed. Devices that modify inputs to or outputs from the ECU (e.g., Power Commander) may be used. Stand-alone after market ECUs are not permitted.
E. Turbochargers and superchargers are prohibited.
F. Carburetion or fuel injection may be used. Fuel injection, if used, must be stock and unmodified for the model and year of the engine that is used.
G. The exhaust system and exhaust manifold are unrestricted, within SCCA safety regulations, except that stepped exhaust headers are not allowed.
H. The lubrication system is unrestricted. Any oil pan and/or baffling are permitted and the use of dry sumps, Accusumps or similar oiling assist systems are permitted.
I. Oil coolers are unrestricted.
J. The cooling system is unrestricted.
K. Replacement of the stock camshaft chain tensioner with any other chain tensioner is permitted. The replacement chain tensioner must attach directly to the engine in the original chain tensioner position. There shall be no modifications to the engine to enable the use of the replacement chain tensioner.
L. Replacement of the standard connecting rod fasteners with alternate fasteners is permitted as long as there are no modifications to the production connecting rods Replacement of other nuts, bolts, fasteners, and washers with common hardware items performing only the same fastening/fitting functions also is permitted as long as there are no modifications to the production parts being assembled or to the production assembly.
M. The engine head gasket must be the thickness of the OEM gasket for the year and model of the engine.
N. Camshafts and camshaft drive mechanisms may not be modified or adjusted in any way unless specifically authorized in
these rules.
O. Self-starter: Cars shall be equipped with an on-board self-starter and an on-board power supply controlled by the driver while in a normal driving position.

K.15. Chain Guards
Protective guards made from 1/8” aluminum or 3/32” steel are required where chain breakage could result in injury to the driver
or damage to items necessary for the safe operation of the vehicle. This includes, but is not limited to, fuel lines, fuel tanks, brake
lines, radiator, and water hoses.

Thanks to all the guys who wrote letters to the CRB.
_________________
Thanks ... Jay Novak
SCCA member for 44 years

[Stan Clayton]

Congrats to Jay and all the other folks who supported this effort. I hope and trust this will give a new lease on life to the class!

[Daryl DeArman]

Sweet!

[lancer360]

Time to go racing. Hopefully this will knock the people who were sitting on the fence off in the right direction to start building/buying cars.

[Daryl DeArman]

Time to go racing. Hopefully this will knock the people who were sitting on the fence off in the right direction to start building/buying cars.

Catch 22....I'm waiting until I have a handful locally to race against. No interest in racing around by myself. Thankfully not everyone feels like I do.

[butch deer]

Catch 22....I'm waiting until I have a handful locally to race against. No interest in racing around by myself. Thankfully not everyone feels like I do.

"That's some catch that catch22" I've been fooling with FST for 10 years now and getting a new class to the point of growth is tough these days. When I bought my first FV in 1963 there were only a few cars but within a year or so we had 30 car fields almost every weekend. FF caught on quickly also. In the same time period someone tried Formula Saab and 3 or 4 cars appeared and then quickly faded away. In the last 20 years or so the only classes that seem to come on strong are ones were some large some of money gets tossed at it. (usually from a car company such as pro Formula Mazda, Shelby Can-Am when Chrysler was tossing money at a pro series. Money gone -Class gone.
Good Luck- Hope growth is not as slow as I think.

[Jnovak]

Right now there are over 20 cars being built. Hopefully none of these guys will give up on their efforts.

Now that the class has been approved NovaKar will be building a new F600/F500 car very soon. In fact the photos of a new "250 hp" NovaKar (based on the F600 chassis) will be posted very soon.

Thanks ... Jay Novak

[ASRF1000]

Catch 22....I'm waiting until I have a handful locally to race against. No interest in racing around by myself. Thankfully not everyone feels like I do.

What happened to the American pioneer spirit? If you like the class and all that it represents, then go for it and set an example. If everyone waited until others produced them first, there would never be a class.

[lancer360]

Two years ago I did a race in my F600 against F500's for the first time. I also let them drive my car around the paddock to get a feel for the new drive train. By the end of the year both F500 drivers turned their cars over to Clint McMahan to have the 600 conversion done. If you build it and race it, others will come. The overall package is just too attractive to not generate interest.

[Brett Lane]

Congratulations Jay,

When I was looking into parting out a few 600's I was surprised to find out how incredibly inexpensive engines can go for.

Converting an F500 over should be a no brainer.

[jim murphy]

Congratulations Jay,

When I was looking into parting out a few 600's I was surprised to find out how incredibly inexpensive engines can go for.

Converting an F500 over should be a no brainer.

Dan and Clint McMahan have done several F600 conversions for about $5,500 plus MC motor with upgrades extra. Unfortunately, the opposing extremists say that they are fibbing.

Jim

[John Formon]

Its going to be a great class..... count me in.

[Daryl DeArman]

What happened to the American pioneer spirit? If you like the class and all that it represents, then go for it and set an example. If everyone waited until others produced them first, there would never be a class.

It's alive and well. Those pioneers are usually those with some financial gain potential (and rightfully so) for the risk they're assuming by being said pioneer.

I have zero interest racing in a class with 2-3 entrants. Which is mainly why I have chosen the classes I have over the years. I certainly didn't choose to race a vintage FV out here because of the speed or technology!

I really hope this F600 takes off. With decent size fields it would be the best bang for the buck, hands down! If I just wanted to go fast on the cheap I'd buy an old FA and putz around by myself.

[formulasuper]

Congrats to Jay and all the other folks who supported this effort. I hope and trust this will give a new lease on life to the class!

Ya, and if this motorcycle engine in a F440/500 chassis idea would have taken off back in the mid 90's like a few of us in the class at that time proposed, FB would just be an after thought. ..........

[protoform]

I do have a friend that is trying to get his daughter into a formula vee from a Kart and she just doesn't want to shift. she wants a big kart for her the 494 engine is the way to go and those will go cheep now I figure. Not sure why scca is restricing them let them be the 112 hp they are and let em go just have a dyno and at the end of the race if it excedes the hp your out

[John Formon]

Even if there arent many cars in the class to begin with.... you will still be challenged. You want to constantly improve lap times and driving technique (fast , smooth and dont scrub speed), stay out of trouble, use your head in traffic.... and you will usually find someone in another class with similar lap times that you can race with.

Then there is the whole engineering, fabrication and development aspect without btreaking the bank. And you dont need a crew of 4.

And that beautiful sound.....

What's not to like :>)

John

[jim murphy]

I do have a friend that is trying to get his daughter into a formula vee from a Kart and she just doesn't want to shift. she wants a big kart for her the 494 engine is the way to go and those will go cheep now I figure. Not sure why scca is restricing them let them be the 112 hp they are and let em go just have a dyno and at the end of the race if it excedes the hp your out

The Rotax 494 and 493 are unrestricted and we saw numbers north of 112hp when we ran the 493 (we just could not duplicate it from day to day). The newly approved 593 (100cc bigger) does have IIR's and it was approved mainly because the other two have been discontinued and the 593 has been in production for a lot longer than the other two. You can choose either drivetrain so I don't expect the prices to change.

Jim
Been messing with this class since 1982

[jim murphy]

Even if there arent many cars in the class to begin with.... you will still be challenged. You want to constantly improve lap times and driving technique (fast , smooth and dont scrub speed), stay out of trouble, use your head in traffic.... and you will usually find someone in another class with similar lap times that you can race with.

Then there is the whole engineering, fabrication and development aspect without btreaking the bank. And you dont need a crew of 4.

And that beautiful sound.....

What's not to like :>)

John

The 15K rpm exhaust scream gets people's attention everywhere we take our F600's.
This is one of the many reasons that we believe that the class will grow like crazy.
We have videos for your enjoyment on www.formula600racing.com enter and then select the media tab.

Jim

[Daryl DeArman]

Yes, if I had any desire to return to Solo 1 I'd buy one of these in a heartbeat.

Given the race grouping out here and their relative participation numbers I am confident that a well driven and moderately prepared F600 will not have anybody to race with unless there is another F600. At the last Regional there were 17 cars in the group....the only FF lapped the field.

[gbmetcalf]

This is a example of how hard work and doing your homework can work in everyone's favor. Love the sounds of these cars.

Good work Jay and everyone involved.

G.

[Marshall Mauney]

Yes, if I had any desire to return to Solo 1 I'd buy one of these in a heartbeat.

Given the race grouping out here and their relative participation numbers I am confident that a well driven and moderately prepared F600 will not have anybody to race with unless there is another F600. At the last Regional there were 17 cars in the group....the only FF lapped the field.

Daryl - Unless that FF is driven by somebody REALLY fast, the F600 will probably hang right with it. Depending on the track, front-running F500s have been very, very close to FF times; I ran in a SEDiv national a few years back where 4 of the top 6 cars in the FF/F500/FV field were 500s - and there were quite a few FFs behind us. A FF (Robinson) was on pole, to be fair - but the field was pretty well mixed.

Honestly, I think that if the 600s were unrestricted they could well be faster than FF.

[Daryl DeArman]

Daryl - Unless that FF is driven by somebody REALLY fast, the F600 will probably hang right with it. Depending on the track, front-running F500s have been very, very close to FF times; I ran in a SEDiv national a few years back where 4 of the top 6 cars in the FF/F500/FV field were 500s - and there were quite a few FFs behind us. A FF (Robinson) was on pole, to be fair - but the field was pretty well mixed.

Honestly, I think that if the 600s were unrestricted they could well be faster than FF.

I agree with everything you said. That FF's fast lap was about half way between the FF track record and a good VINTAGE FF time....and still 7+ seconds faster than each of the other 16 cars on track.

I am fairly certain I would be faster than his lap times in a decent F600, the bigger question is was he just out cruising because he didn't have anybody to race with? At best I'd have one car to race against and it isn't even class....not exactly "fun"....

A move out of SoCal is probably a couple years out---maybe I'll find myself in a region where F600 is bigger!