Ithaca Dirt Devils

The purpose of the Dirt Devils is for lawnmower racers to race and put on a show for lawnmower racing fans. We will promote our sport by being sportsmen/women at all times, both on the track and in the pits. The dirt devils staff reserves the right to accept, deny, suspend, place on probation or revoke the membership of any member for actions deemed detrimental to the sport of lawnmower racing or its fans. These rules are designed to promote safety, but in no way can insure racers, officials, or other participants safety from injury. There is no substitute for due care by the participants at all times. We reserve the right to change any rules as needed.

Ferris Hipolite - President/Head of Tech                              Contact fhipp59@yahoo.com

Sam Snyder - Co-Vice President, Webmaster, Secretary     Contact samuel-snyder@hotmail.com

Jeremy Bird - Co-Vice President

Lori Hipolite - Scoring/Assistant to President

Art Clark - Treasurer/Assistant to President

Chris Ryan - Flagman/Track Surface Technician

USLMRA President

Bruce Kaufman Phone (847) 272-2120 letsmow@aol.com

USLMRA Vice President of Administration & Chief Timing and Scoring

Kerry Evans Phone (251) 645-2942 evansop@bellsouth.net

National Race / Technical Director

Manny Torres Phone (410) 808-5641 csm.torres@netzero.com

Engine - All Classes

• Eligible engines must be piston/pushrod style and have been originally manufactured for use in a lawnmower.  No overhead cam engines.
• No cut or modified flywheels, must be 100% stock or billet and must be approved by tech.
• All ungoverned engines with stock flywheels and stock cams must run a scatter shield approved by the tech staff. See "Scatter shield Specs" below.
• Any engine with an aftermarket cam must have a billet flywheel.
• Any engine with any internal modifications must have a billet flywheel.
• Governors may be removed in all classes except Junior Class.
• Can run any design exhaust system but it must point down or away from other drivers, exhaust under 12" may point out side or sides.
• Adjustable main jet may be added to carburetor.
• All engines must be naturally aspirated.
• Throttle must have good working double return springs and must be approved by tech staff.
• No injections of any kind.
• Fuel must be gasoline based fuel, 90% or more. Additives are fine up to 10% max.

• Must have lawnmower style hood and fenders.
• All sharp objects must be removed, no glass.
• All exposed chains and belts must be guarded.
• Lawnmower blades must be removed.
• Handlebars allowed but must have 6" closed loops.
• Must have lawnmower seat with 4" back. Kart seats ok in Super/Stock and Super/Modified class.
• Front bumpers optional, must be closed loop design (two bar), 4"-6" off ground, max width 14".
• Rear bumpers optional, must be closed loop design (two bar), 4"-6" off ground, 2" narrower than wheels.
• 44" maximum width, no minimum frame height, maximum frame height 8".
• Up to a 6" offset allowed, may stagger tire height.
• Must run turf tires unless other type allowed by class. May be cut or grooved.
• Must have lawnmower type transmission or trans axle with neutral position unless other type is allowed by class.
• Must have lawnmower style clutch. No CV (belt)(snowmobile type), centrifugal, or electric clutches unless allowed by class.
• May lock trans axle or run kart type live axle setup.
• Nerf bars (optional) must be 1" inside of tires max width.
• Must have functional factory made tether switch.
• Front axle (steel only) must be welded or bolted securely to the frame.
• Front axle design open (no L spindle rule) but must be of sturdy design and approved by tech staff.
• Brakes must be of good design and capable of stopping tractor at speed. Hydraulic disc type recommended in all classes. *Note- We may do a rolling drag test after any race, and if failed you will lose points for the day and wont be allowed to run until you pass.
• All nuts and bolts attaching the steering assembly (tie rods, drag links, spindles) must be secured with lock nuts, castle nuts with cotter pins, or close pins.
• No suspension allowed.
• Shaft locks, center drilled axle with locking bolts, and castle nuts with cotter pins are acceptable for securing front wheels. Rear axle should use shaft locks, center bolts, or through bolts to secure the rear wheels. *Cotter pins, C-rings, E-clips, bent nails, hitch pins, over-center pins, and quick release pins are not sufficient for wheel retention, and are not approved.
• Batteries and fuel tanks must be held in place with straps or other sturdy retaining devices (no plastic or rubber straps) and positioned where they are protected.
• Positive electrical ends must be covered.
• All gas lines must be clamped securely.
• Engine placement may be changed, but must be centered in the frame.
• Must have metal engine mount plate, at least the size of the engine foot print.
• No aluminum frames
• Frames may be home built, but must be of lawnmower style (rail frame or pan type) unless other allowed by class. You may strengthen or modify frame as needed.
• No single wheel drives.
• Aluminum or carbon fiber cart axles allowed.

Junior Class

• Any 31ci or less single cylinder, governed at 3650 rpm max.
• Adjustable main jet allowed, no other mods or aftermarket parts.
• This is a tare down enforced class, see tear down rules below.
• 8-1 or less final drive ratio in race gear (8 revolutions of engine to 1 revolution of tire max) *may have to use a shifter stop if race gear is not the highest gear in the transmission.
• 16" drive tires with 16.25" being the maximum allowed diameter.
• All Junior tractors will be teched after each race.

Stock Class

• Any 28ci or less flathead single, must be at factory specs. No exceptions.
• Governor may be removed if using scattershield.
• Any air cleaner ok.
• Must have stock flywheel key in place.
• Must have USLMRA approved scattershield, or be governed under 3650.
• This is a tare down enforced class, see tear down rules below.

Pro/Stock Class

• OHV singles and Opposed twins in pure stock form, or any Briggs flathead with the following mods...
• .030 over maximum bore
• Carb can have choke removed, bore must be stock with no mods.
• No valve or seat mods except groove in intake valve for aftermarket springs.
• Any internally modded motor must have a billet flywheel, any advancement ok.
• Cam must be stock duration, no welding or base circle mods.
• No full decking of block.
• ARC dog-bone ok, all other internal rotating parts must be factory Briggs with no mods.
• Any Briggs head with mods ok.
• Any intake/exhaust porting and intake manifold mods, any valve springs ok.
• Different Briggs valves with exhaust style keepers allowed.

Super/Stock Class

• Fully modified singles and opposed flathead twins (billet flywheel mandatory, any carb).
• 30ci Vanguards and 40ci Intek in pure stock form (stock flywheel ok if governed at 3650, billet optional if stock ungoverned)
• Offset flywheel keys ok.
• Drive line open with tech inspectors approval, do direct drives, must have centrifugal clutch or lawnmower style clutch. CV ok.
• Tire type open, 8" maximum rim diameter.

Super/Modified Class

• Open to all Modified V-twin, 54ci max displacement.
• Billet flywheel manditory.
• Must have high quality brake system, hydraulic strongly reccomended, must meet tech inspectors approval.
• Drive line open with tech inspectors approval, do direct drives, must have centrifugal clutch or lawnmower style clutch. CV ok.
• Frame design open (with tech inspectors approval), tube frames allowed, kart style seats ok.
• Open to any size or type tires.
• Must have lawnmower style hood and general appearance of a lawnmower.

Scatter Shield Specifications

Scatter shield specs as required by the USLMRA;

• Scatter shields must be fabricated from 1/8" steel minimum
• The scatter shield must be form fitting and follow all of the contours of the blower housing.
• The scatter shield must be the same height (vertical shaft) or same width (horizontal shaft) as the blower housing and be bolted to the block using original mounting points.
• A 1" by 1/8" minimum steel strap must run across the face of the blower housing to reinforce the scatter shield side to side.
• Notches for starter drives must be reinforced to at least one inch past each end of the notch.
• Any holes drilled into the shield for items such as dipstick holder or fuel pump must be 1/4 inch or less.
• The scatter shield must be painted to match the engine's blower housing.

We hope that all drivers/owners will keep their stock engines at stock OEM specs so the tear down rule never has to be used, but the inspection is available if needed. The tear down inspection will only be in affect on events that we are racing for points, not on test and tune, open races, ect. Any tech official may call for a tear down inspection at anytime. A driver/owner calling for the tear down must meet the following criteria;

• Must be a registered driver/owner from the same class as the tractor in question.
• Must have completed at least one lap in a heat or feature race that day in that class.
• Must call (inform a track official) for a tear down within 5 minutes after a feature race for that class that day has ended, but not before the feature begins.
• Must pay a $40 fee to a tech official before tear down will begin, must be present at tear down, and supply all tools needed for the tear down.

The tear down process will be performed as follows;

• Tear down will be in tech inspection area in pit area, only tech officials and drivers/owners of that class will be allowed in tear down area during the inspection.
• Tear down of engine to be performed by driver/owner of the engine in question.
• Refusing tear down inspection will be considered the same as found illegal
• If engine is found to be out of spec, the mower in question will lose all points already earned for the season, the engine will be marked and will not run in that class again, and the driver calling for the tear down will receive their $40 back. The mower must have another engine before it is allowed to run in that class again.
• If the engine is found to be in spec, the driver owner of that engine will be payed the $40 tear down fee.
• No engine can be tore down more than twice per season.

Some or all of the following items will be inspected during a tear down. This includes, but is not limited to...

• Cylinder Bore (.030 over max).
• Carb bore, choke plate, and intake manifold.
• Intake and exhaust ports (may have extended end on exhaust pipe, no pipes screwed in and cut off)
• Ignition timing (must have stock flywheel key in place)
• Cam lift, valves and seats must be at stock specs.
• Head must be 100% stock for that engine (no 25ci heads on 28ci engines)
• Tech may check for other items not stated in this list.

• The most important rule is to keep your lawnmower under control at all times.
• The driver making a pass is responsible for making a safe pass.
• Excessive bumping will not be allowed.
• You may not advance your position on the track by moving/bumping other lawnmowers.
• No on board communication devices allowed.
• Pit speeds should be as slow as possible.
• If a driver leaves the course, he/she must re-enter the course as close as possible to the same point the mower left the marked track, the driver may not simply re-enter farther down the track.
• If a mower stalls on the course, the drivers first responsibility is to move the mower to a safe position at least 10 feet off the track.
• Mower must be completely stopped before dismounting.
• All on track and competition (i.e. non technical) issues must be raised with the appointed track official.
• No smoking in the track area.
• Driver must dismount and engine must be off when when fuel is added.
• A fire extinguisher (liquid fire rated) must be in the hands of a crew member or driver any time fuel is added to a hot machine.
• Crews and drivers are under the direction of the track officials at all times.
• The driver is responsible for the conduct of his or her guests and crew, even while on the track.
• Unauthorized personnel shall not enter the racing course or pits.
• All individuals must sign a release, discharging the Dirt Devils LLC from liability.
• No pets allowed on the racing course. Pets in the pits must remain on a leash at all times, and the owners are responsible for cleaning up after their pets.
• The Dirt Devils reserve the right to limit pit space. Every driver is allowed two pit crew members max. If friends and family, especially children, come to watch you race please have them use the grand stands.
• No vehicles other than racing mowers and official vehicles shall be on or near the track.
• Note: We will mix classes if we do not have at least lawn mowers for any class.

All drivers must understand the flag rules. The following flag signals will be obeyed without question;

• GREEN: The race/practice is underway when the green flag is waved.
• YELLOW: Take care/danger. No passing on the entire course. Drivers form a single file line and close up with the leader and follow the starter's directions. Very slow machines may signal following machines to pass under yellow.
• YELLOW & WHITE: These two flags drawn together by the starter are to indicate that the field is not sufficiently bunched for the restart. If you see this signal, group together closer.
• RED: Stop racing immediately Clear the course as much as possible.
• BLACK: Generally for a driving infraction or equipment violation. Driver must complete lap and pull into the pits. A rolled black flag is a warning meaning the driver must clean up his/her act or receive a full black flag.
• WHITE: One lap to go. Crossed with green means 1/2 way point.
• CHECKERED: End of race or practice session. Driver must complete lap and pull into the pits.

Points System & Lineups

Points System

• All drivers must be members of the DIrt Devils to collect points.
• Heat races are worth points as follows........

          1st          80pts

          2nd         75pts

          3rd          70pts

          4th          65pts

          5th          60pts

          6th          55pts

          7th          50pts

          8th          45pts

          9th          40pts

         10th         35pts

         11th         30pts

         12th         25pts

• Feature races are worth points as follows.....

          1st          200pts

          2nd         175pts

          3rd          155pts

          4th          140pts

          5th          130pts

          6th          120pts

          7th          110pts

          8th          100pts

          9th            90pts

          10th          80pts

          11th          75pts

          12th          70pts

• At each home race there will be a 10 lap australian pursuit worth 10pts if you finish the race.
• There is no longer any throw-away races or double points races.

Lineups

• A driver will now get 1 attempt to do a time trial, the time trial will consist of 3 timed laps, your best lap counting as your time.  If you break during time trials, you can come out and try again with one timed lap, but only while time trials are in session.  If no time trial is completed, you will start at the back of the pack in the second heat race.
• The first heat race lineup is determined by straw-draw.
• The second heat race is determined by time trial results, fastest starting in the front.
• The feature race lineup is determined by the results of the second heat race.
• Race day schedule is as follows;

          11:00          Gates open

          12:00-1:00   Hot Laps

          1:00-1:30     Qualifying

          1:45            Drivers Meeting

          2:00            Racing Begins

Membership and Pit Fees

• Annual Membership $15 for the first tractor, $5 for each additional tractor.
• Membership for non racer or owner $10
• Pit Pass $10
• Must be a Dirt Devils member to collect points.