Auto Racing Rules – The Good Old Days

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Now any professional auto racing event has rules, upon rules, upon restrictions, upon more rules.  NASCAR, NHRA, even local Test & Tunes.

But there was a time when race was simple.

Here’s what that should be!!!

1. Limited to vehicles with 3 or more running wheels

2.  Must derive all their motive power from within themselves

3.  No vehicles shall be admitted to competition which depend any way on muscular exertion, except for purpose of guidance.

4.  Each Vehicle must be able to carry ‘comfortably’ at least two persons throughout the race.

5.  Judges will eliminate any vehicle (TECH CHECK) deemed to be unsafe to operate

6.  Judges will bar any entry they felt was not of “practical utility”.

(Rules 4 and 6 would eliminate nearly all of  what we call race cars today.)

Also in consideration was the practical nature of the machine, its cost, its economy, and it’s general appearance and design, in addition to the speed.  They even tested fuel consumption and efficiency of every car.

These were the rules for the 1895 Paris-Rouen and Paris – Bordeaux races.

1895

 

Thanks for reading.

Tim

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