El Mirage Vintage Drags

 SCTA Vintage Drags is limited to ford Flathead v8 and 4 Cylinder cars. Body Years are limited to  1936 and earlier . All Cars must represent an early 1950s Hot rod style or prior. Things like modern electronics, radials, billet, disc brakes, narrowed rear ends, coil overs, electrical fuel injections, etc... will not be allowed. All racers must apply prior to registration for approval to race. The SCTA will have the final say in all race cars approval. 

There will be 6 classes: 4cyl flathead street cars, v8 flathead street cars, 4cyl street cars with power adder (overhead conversion and/or blower), v8 streetcar with power adder, and two full race classes one for flathead 4cyl and the other flathead v8's anything goes in the full race classes- overhead conversions, blowers, alternative fuels, etc. . Street cars all must represent a car that is or could be registered for the street, removal of windshield, headlights, fenders, etc. is ok. Full race classes will include all non-street cars including dragsters, sprinters, tanks, etc. If we get enough entries in the full race classed to separate into a separate “power adder” class and we will make additional classes. 

Contention of cars is: If we miss something and you feel the car is in the wrong class or doesn’t meet the requirements of the event, it is up to a competitor in said class to protest. We will review and if the car doesn’t meet requirements, it will change classes or run for test & tune only, not in eliminations. The time to contend a car is as early as possible, when in tech or running test & tune, no contention/protest will be allowed once elimination rounds start. If your claim is proven unjust you will be charged $100 that will be awarded to a competitor with the best sportsmanlike conduct at the end of the day. 

All applicants must get their vehicles preapproved. Please call Bill Lattin @ 760-533-1932. Please have some info outlining all major components and photos of the cars front, back, both sides, engine and driver’s compartment. 

Upon approval, racers must pre-enter, obtain SCTA Membership if not already a member and sign a  release form at tech inspection

 SCTA-RPM DIRT DRAGS 

We’re getting ready for some old-school dirt drag racing at El Mirage! Here are the important details before you head out:

LAKEBED ACCESS
Enter using Lake Road (gravel/dirt) just past the BLM/Ranger Station. Continue to the final turnout on the left and follow the dirt road onto the lakebed.

TECH INSPECTION
Tech will be located just south of the regular SCTA Land Speed Racing starting line.

Friday: 5:00–6:00 PM
Saturday: 9:00–11:00 AM

Come early, get through Tech, and enjoy some SCTA Landspeed Racing while you wait!

DIRT DRAG RACING
The Dirt Drag track will be located north of the SCTA starting line along the edge of the lakebed.

Once regular SCTA racing concludes - typically between 12:00 and 3:00 PM - we’ll head over to the Dirt Drag track for a quick course walk and Drivers Meeting.

Racing is expected to begin around 2:00–3:00 PM and will continue until dusk.

FLAG START

This is a flag-start race. You’ll be directed to the line, and the starter will point the flag at each driver for a “ready” head nod.

Once you give that nod, DO NOT MOVE UNTIL THE FLAG DROPS

The starter may hold the flag up for a split second or several seconds. Keep your eyes on the flag - the drop means GO!

AFTER YOUR PASS
Turn right onto the return road and observe the 5 MPH speed limit. From there, you can return to the staging lanes for another pass or continue back to the pits.

If your car cannot or should not use the return road—full race car, no radiator, tow required, etc. - let us know before your pass. You’ll be directed to a waiting area at the end of the track.

DO NOT DRIVE BACK UP THE RACECOURSE UNTIL AN OFFICIAL TELLS YOU IT IS SAFE

ELIMINATIONS

A finish-line judge will determine the winner.

WIN: Return to the staging lanes for your next round.
LOSE: Head back to the pits.

And losing doesn’t necessarily mean you’re done! We usually have some time after eliminations for 

more grudge racing!

TROPHIES • PRIZES • PHOTOS
After eliminations, we’ll bring the winning cars together at the starting line for trophies, prizes and photos!

Come early. Watch some land speed racing. Get through Tech. Then get ready to line ’em up and GO DIRT DRAG RACING!

All cars must maintain a mid-1950’s or earlier styling

All visible components must be mid 50’s or earlier or an exact replica of such parts

Tires: Slicks are allowed in all classes 8” maximum width, must be vintage or vintage style (pie crust), hurst/ towel city are fine, no modern drag style tires. Bias plys if not running slicks, again mid 50’s or earlier style. All tires should represent the build era of the car, i.e. no magnesium wheels with slicks on a car that is built to represent prewar styling. 

Wheels: Mid 50’s or earlier style

Bodies: Original steel or exact reproduction in steel, no fiberglass/aluminum except in the case of homemade “specials” or dragster bodies in full race classes. 

Engines: Original ford blocks only, no aftermarket aluminum blocks or blocks cast with extra main journals allowed.

Suspension: early stock style buggy springs or made up of mid 50’s or earlier components (i.e. early torsion bar, 1/4 elliptical) no modern coil overs. Drum brakes only (exception: early indy/sprint cars with period brakes) 

No narrowed rear ends (must fit stock wheel wells)

Transmissions: Manuals only in Flathead/banger classes, any make/model allowed, if you have a t-5 or similar the shifter needs to be vintage style, no trans brakes allowed.

Electronics: No modern hei /or coil packs. No modern gauges. No shift lights. Any air fuel ratio/ exhaust gauges must be hidden

Fuel: Alcohol/ nitro allowed in full race classes, let us know in your entry or ahead of time if you plan to run fuel. Additional safety measures required of running fuel- full face helmet, SFI drivers’ suit, gloves and boots. Please inform tech where fuel shutoff is. 

Gas only, no alcohol or nitro

Functional radiator (no tow/push backs in street class)

Generator (or an idler replacing it)

Taillights (single ok)

Removal of windshield and headlights is ok

Must have operational front and rear suspension 

Cars must be capable of being street driven and have registration/insurance as such.

Tech/safety Requirements specific to full race class

5-point harness

Modern helmet

Cars running alternative fuels - full race jacket/gloves/support vehicle with crew equipped with tow strap-track cleaner-Fire safety equipment 

FOR ALL OTHER REQUIREMENTS SEE THE TECH INFO SECTION. 

All race vehicles must pass a tech inspection including but not limited to:

· Seat belt

· Safety hubs / Drum retainers on all keyed rear ends

· No excess play in steering

· Brakes in good working condition

· Battery securely held down

· Fire extinguisher within driver’s reach

· Firewall sealed (small holes for linkage/pedals are ok)

· Clamps on all rubber fuel lines

· 2 throttle return springs

· Exhaust angled away from driver and track

· Tires in good shape

· Gas cap securely mounted

· Hubcaps removed or secured

· All lug nuts present

· Cotter pins in steering/axles/spindles

· Radiator catch can

· Water only in cooling system

· No leaks

· Roll bars are required for open cars capable of running 13.49 or faster in a 1/4 mile

· Drivers are required to wear helmets, pants, and closed toe shoes

· Car appearance: to make things fair to our event sponsors, who help to make the race happen, no shop or product names on cars without our preapproval