True grass roots auto racing is alive and well, as evidenced by the Chump Car Racing Series. In only its second full season, the popularity of ChumpCar racing continues to grow. These events are not held at only obscure, local tracks, but are hosted by some of the best tracks in the U.S., such as Nashville Super Speedway, Charlotte, Road America, VIR, Iowa Speedway, Sebring, and Laguna.
Almost anyone can participate — you just need to have a love for the sport and a team of fellow gearheads. Why a team? Because besides helping to defray costs and providing support in the pits, a team of relief drivers will increase your chance of successfully finishing the 7-hour Enduros, or the more demanding 24-hour Enduros. In a ChumpCar race, you don’t have to be the fastest car on the track to win. You just need to keep running — at a competitive pace. To do that, you need a reliable car and drivers that can pass the challenging endurance test.
ChumpCar Rules
The rules for ChumpCar Racing are pretty simple. Basically, cars must be worth no more than $500. Unlimited safety upgrades can be made to the cars, and they can be refurbished using stock components, but performance upgrades are not allowed.
At the track, the cars are inspected to ensure they meet the specified requirements. If any of the rules are violated, drivers are penalized by negative laps. The penalty depends on the severity of the violation. Every effort is made to achieve a level playing field, so that everyone has an equal chance to win the race. Owners with ingenuity and the mechanical know-how to turn well-used vehicles into race-ready, dependable machines are well on their way to winning the ChumpCar trophy.
Types of ChumpCars
Since ChumpCars can cost no more than $500, the cars that compete are usually older models. Miatas, Civics, 3 Series BMWs, Fieros, and other small 4 and 6 cylinder cars are some of the more popular models. An assortment of older V-8 Mustangs, Camaros, Cougars, LTDs, and pickups also run. This is truly a Run What You Brung event.
So what do you do if you know your car isn’t very fast, but you want to race anyway? Well, you could enhance the car’s appearance with some tasteless graffiti, or you could add an extra component to the car, so that it stands out in the crowd. Have you always wanted to drive the Batmobile, or take a spin in Griswold’s station wagon, complete with luggage strapped to the roof? Maybe your dream is to have your car’s spoiler mounted on a pair of legs in red heels. Almost anything goes, and it is obvious that ChumpCar racing is about more than just winning. You can bet these ChumpCar racers are going to have fun regardless of where they place in the race.
ChumpCar Competitors
With team names like Kentucky Fried Racing, Rusty Bucket Racing, Clown Shoe Motor Sports, Loose Screw Racing, and Gas Hole Motor Sports, there’s little doubt these ChumpCar teams want to have fun. However, don’t mistake the wackiness of the event for a lack of competitiveness on the track. The drivers and crew enjoy the challenge of building and racing their own creation, and they’re there to win. As you walk through the pit area, the crew is frantically working to keep the car in functioning order. The crew could be changing out broken parts, or they could be replacing the engine.
ChumpCar Racing is Fun and Affordable. All you need to race a chump car is a little money, and a lot of mechanical ability and creativity
Sources:
Some Future Chump Car Events
Cheap Car Racing