E Superstock rules clarification

The rulebook states the following for E Superstock:

E SUPERSTOCK EXPERT & NOVICE
200-250cc 4-stroke air or water-cooled twins
200-250cc 4-stroke air or water-cooled singles
*No bodywork restrictions.
*No engine modifications allowed
*All bikes may upgrade to 17” wheels so long as they do not weigh less than the stock wheels for that model.
*Kickstand mounts may be cut off of frame, air box snorkels may be removed but no other modifcations to the airbox are allowed.


I had a conversation with a gentleman at the track on Sunday who pointed out that there is nothing in the rules that says that you have to use a base or head gasket. That seems to run counter to what is actually in the rules, but I wanted to pose the question before flat out telling him that he was wrong.

I don't think there's any secret that there are a few E bikes that accelerate, top out, and sound better than others; at a big track like Road Atlanta, it's even more evident. As I'm currently in the novice race, I don't have a dog in the fight, as it were, but I don't really want to see the class devolve into the arms race that happened a few years ago.

 

If the spec calls for a gasket & you omit it... isn't that a modification?

If the spec calls for stock rods/crank & you disassemble 3 bikes to get the lightest rotating assembly thats still legal.

 

That was my interpretation, yes.

 

If you are torn down and there is no gasket, you will be DQd.

 

Subscribing for future answers

 

There were two I couldn't run down on the back straight while riding the 500. It sucks but I won't have that problem when the FZ is healthy.

 

Who in the Southeast builds ex250 engines? My old one blew up...

 

Too bad no one protested them.

 

Why would I protest them? I only raced them once and I still got the points I needed, rest of the time they are in a different class. And besides, I didn't say they were cheating, I only said I couldn't catch them.

 

NOT legal. Mandatory tear downs at the GNF?

 

What I have done is buy them off Ebay and Craigslist, had pretty good luck so far. What year? I picked up the last engine for the '97 for 100 bucks off Craigslist.

<edit> Good seeing you there this weekend, by the way.

 

I've built and tuned a few, one of them won the GNF a couple of years ago. I've been busy since then but things have changed.

All of them had base gaskets.

 

One: It's too bad that the money spent to protest could be better spent on actually improving the rider's skill.

Two: Some people don't have the cash to put up for an official protest and it takes everything they have to get to the races to begin with.

Three: If there is that much disparity in the speeds, shouldn't that be on WERA's shoulders, not those that fall into points one and two?

I too am fed up with "let's see how much money we can spend" on a superstock class. And how your empty pocket is your "secret weapon"! C'mon, really?!

It comes down to what lessons do you want your kid to learn.

My kid is still becoming a better rider and having fun; that is our end game, not buying championships.

I know in my heart of hearts that one day it will come full circle and those that put the effort in will be rewarded.

If anyone is interested in seeing what the top three in the ESS class this past weekend could do in and out of the draft, we have some GREAT video.

Draik's first race school that he ever took was taught by Ed Bargy, in that class he learned that races are won in the corners, well, this season really hasn't turned out that way...but, with that said, I 100% feel that he has improved more than anyone else in that class...so to those that spend big money making your bikes faster...thanks for making my son faster chasing your money!


Just for future reference, asking those that may know... When you have a motor "built", or should I say "tuned"... do you pay per horsepower gained or seconds gained on the track?

 

Dang that's cheap... And the old gen motors mount in the new frames?

 

I hope so!

 

No. Too bad, I like the older engines.

 

Bummer... Especially now that I'm having to price out OEM piston and rings for my Ninjette!

 

I don't know your situation, I didn't say you, I said no one. I think you are pretty quick? So it appeared your statement of not being able to catch them with a bike of 2x the displacement, tied with the no gaskets statement, meant you figured they were cheating?

When I raced karts, protests happened. The last two races of the year both my motors were torn down and found legal and I won the championship. It was actually a compliment, the competing shop protested me.

Anyway, maybe I'm in the minority, it sounded blatant, possibly I misread that, and I think checks should be done in that situation.

 

Didn't WERA tear down the top 5 ESS Experts at the GNF in '13?

Steve

 

I completely agree with you.



1. Any rider who feels that an illegal machine has been entered in their class and wishes to protest, must submit a written statement to that effect to the Chief Technical Inspector within thirty (30) minutes after the results for their class has been posted. The posting time of each event will be listed on the Final Results for that race. The protest must specify the machine protested and the specific area of protest and must be signed and accompanied by the proper protest fee (in cash). The protest fees are as follows:
Visual protest requiring no disassembly - $25
Some disassembly (seat, bodywork and gas tank removal) - $50
Removal of Valve Cover - $150
Removal of Cylinder Head - $300
Disassembly of the Bottom End - $500



So the "questionable offense" from the OP would require the red highlighted amount (I'm assuming that as I am not sure what amount of disassembling would be required to find said offense). That's cash I don't have to put up for it to begin with, regardless of getting it back.

And to my point before, dangling a carrot has worked well in the improvement of Draik's riding. So even if it turned out to be a "legal" machine, at least there was something to make him try harder. This is NINJA 250 RACING, it should be about fun and learning, not an arms race as mentioned in the original post.