MINISTOCK CLASS PROPOSED TECHNICAL RULE CHANGES - 18th March 2021 - Speedway NZ
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MINISTOCK CLASS
PROPOSED TECHNICAL
RULE CHANGES
18th March 2021PROPOSED MINISTOCK CLASS RULE CHANGES
OVERVIEW
• Submissions that impact Safety in the sport can be made at any time.
• Submissions that impact Performance, Cost or Other may only be made between 1st Feb – 29th
Feb each year.
• Outcomes of Technical Submissions will be announced by 31st May 2021 following the
consultation process. This will enable stakeholders to prepare for the upcoming season with a set
of rules that, except in the instance of safety, won’t change.
Submissions must include the following:
• The current rule highlighting the changes you wish to make.
• Supporting Evidence for the change.
• All submissions require written support of five SNZ members. This must include two SNZ Member
Tracks that contract the class to demonstrate support from Stakeholders.
WHO RECEIVES THIS INFORMATION?
The distribution of this information is as follows:-
• Available on the Speedway NZ Website
• All competitors who supply an email address are contacted by email
A decision around the adoption of any rule changes will be made once the Board have evaluated the
technical committee feedback and progressed to and reviewed stakeholder feedback. Any outcomes
will be distributed to competitors and tracks using the distribution channels mentioned above by 31st
May 2021.
HOW TO OFFER YOUR FEEDBACK?
To submit your feedback, please complete the form for the respective proposed change available on the
Speedway NZ website. www.speedway.co.nz
THE FINAL DATE FOR FEEDBACK – 8th April 2021PROPOSED MINISTOCK CLASS RULE CHANGES
Ministock Change #1
Current Rule
T15-1-24 Engine
(m) Engine - Things you can do
(iv) Engine can be fitted with secondary securing device:
(a) Flexible steel wire cable (strops) can be fitted.
(b) Two steel flat bars, size 25mm x 3mm x 50mm, with a maximum of four 10mm
lightening holes, mounted to existing engine mount holes.
See drawing below.
Proposed Rule
T15-1-24 Engine
(m) Engine - Things you can do
(iv) Engine can be fitted with secondary securing device:
(a) Flexible steel wire cable (strops) can be fitted.
(b) Two steel flat bars, size 25mm x 3mm x 50mm 25mm x 5mm, with a maximum of
four 10mm lightening holes, and two right angle brackets maximum 5mm thick,
mounted to existing engine mount holes.
See drawing below.Rationale
The 2015 Ministock engine placement rule simply said “strop may be fitted to help hold engine”.
Many cars in fact had two strops one facing to the rear and one facing the front – non compliant!
Others used a rubber snubber engine mounting bracket fitted behind the engine to take the place
of one of the strops, also non-compliant, but everyone used one or the other.
When Shane Warner originally submitted the alternative rollcage package, so were the images
found in today’s version of the rule. What never happened was the detail about the rear snubber
bracket, that was needed to stop the 3mm flat bars from bending, the bars were supposed to
operate in tension just like strops do. Being in tension the 3mm bars would cope with hitting the
wall, but not from going backwards into the wall. All the engine bars bent making it necessary to
make the bars out of 5mm to stop the bending. If the lost detail in the Warner submission had
been correctly installed in the rules we use today, all this would have not been necessary.Ministock Change #2
Current Rule
T15-1-8 Rear Vision Mirrors
One or two steel or plastic backed mirrors of not more than 0.023m2 (35sq ins) each may
be fitted. The mirror head must be in the interior of the car and be no closer than 450mm
from the driver.
Proposed Rule
T15-1-8 Rear Vision Mirrors
One or two steel or plastic backed mirrors of not more than 0.023m2 (35sq ins) each may
be fitted. The mirror head must be in the interior of the car and be no closer than 450mm
from the driver
Mirrors are not permitted
Rationale
I believe this rule should be changed because ever since the class moved to saloon rules, mirrors
have caused more harm than good. Saloons can’t run mirrors, and if Ministocks are to race to
their racing rules, why should mirrors be allowed?
Competitors use their mirrors to see when there is a faster car approaching and erratically change
their line to defend. Saloon drivers are able to defend their positions without the use of mirrors so
Ministocks can too. When a driver erratically changes their line or changes their line more than
once in a straight or corner, this causes harm to other drivers because it can be extremely hard to
avoid contact when attempting to pass a car exploiting the use of mirrors to defend at all costs.
The contact is then usually blamed on the passing car and this is extremely frustrating when your
racing is being negatively affected by something that shouldn’t be a part of this class.
Even worse than this, crashes can be caused. Ministocks are non-contact, so there is no reason as
to why someone should need to use a mirror because they aren’t subject to being attacked like in
a contact class. This leads to another reason why mirrors shouldn’t be allowed in ministocks,
competitors use them to intentionally block others. In a class where ‘talking smack’, especially on
social media is and has been an issue, the use of mirrors allow drivers to target drivers because
they want to impress their mates or anyone watching the racing can lead to big issues because
drivers can use their mirrors to help them find and intentionally hit others. Mirrors can also
distract drivers, especially those who are new to racing which can be extremely dangerous.
Mirrors shouldn’t be a part of this class as they cause a lot more harm due to reasons stated
above and provide no benefit to the quality of racing in a non-contact class due to competitors
being able to exploit the use of them to unjustly defend their position or target other drivers.Ministock Change #3
Current Rule
T15-1-10 Weight
(a) Minimum weight excluding driver = 650kg
(b) Maximum weight excluding driver = 730kg
(c) These weights apply when presented for technical inspections and on the dummy grid
prior to a race. Penalty = 30 day suspension, starting from the day of the offence.
Proposed Rule
T15-1-10 Weight
(a) Minimum weight excluding driver = 650kg
(b) Maximum weight excluding driver = 730kg
(c) These weights apply at any time when presented for technical inspections and on the
dummy grid prior to a race. Penalty = 30 day suspension, starting from the day of the
offence.
Rationale
Tidy up of the rules to align with other classes and removal of the penalty to align with the weight
breach rules.Ministock Change #4
Current Rule
T15-1-22 Tyres
Standard road tyres only permitted. (No winter type treads, Town and Country, off road,
Sherpas, racing type or slick retread tyres.) Re-grooving of tyres is not permitted,
maximum tyre width 190mm measured from the top of the bumper
A standard road tyre is defined as a non-studded tyre that is legal for highway use in
New Zealand.
.
Proposed Rule
T15-1-22 Tyres
Standard road tyres only permitted. (No winter type treads, Town and Country, off road,
Sherpas, racing type or slick retread tyres.) Re-grooving of tyres is not permitted,
maximum tyre width 190mm 160mm measured from the top of the bumper
A standard road tyre is defined as a non-studded tyre that is legal for highway use in
New Zealand.
Intended Implementation date of 2022/23 season.
Rationale
The attempt to reduce the speed of these cars via restrictor plate doesn’t seem to have worked so
I think its time to reduce the tyre. This rule change will be self policing rather then require
expensive technical checking and brings the tyre back to the size of the donor vehicles.
This has an intended implementation date of 2022/23 season to give drivers time to prepare.You can also read
