Destruction Tech!

Just for fun, we went to Irwindale Speedway’s “Night Of Destruction” This is a really cool event where you can see super cheap Mini Stock racing, Skid Racing, Figure 8, and the highlight of the event, trailer racing! Trailer racing involves racing destruction derby prepped cars and trucks pulling trailers with boats and other things on them.  There are basically no rules and the event is full of mayhem and it keeps you laughing for the half-hour duration of the event.

Here are the Mini Stock cars, these cars are 4-cylinder FWD import cars in two classes.  SOHC cars are in the lower class and DOHC cars are in the higher class. The cars have to run a spec tire and have to be completely stock. The level of prep is pretty decent when it comes to safety.  Think full 6-point cages, window nets, and proper 5 or six-point harnesses and fire systems or extinguishers.  These cars remind me of Lemons or Chump Car’s level of prep.  These cars are also used in Figure 8  and Skid Racing.   Skid racing is where the rear wheels are replaced with steel skids!  What fun!

The trailer racers have some pretty odd and minimalistic safety prep rules.  The first one is the fuel tank must be relocated inside the car.  Apparently, an approved fuel tank is anything that holds fuel!  The tank has to be held down with chains. Heaven forbid that someone uses duct tape or something!  You also don’t need a roll cage.  Just a big piece of square section welded in behind the seats.   The doors, hood, and truck have to be chained shut as well like a cage fight. This car had the deluxe version with door and quarter panel bars but they are not required.  I didn’t see any seatbelts in the car but surely they must be required, maybe?

Here is another approved fuel system with only one chain holding the tank or can in place sort of.  Check out the fuel line tapped to keep it from falling out of the tank! Check out the sturdy tape fire extinguisher mount!   This car had a racing 3″ lap belt but I didn’t see shoulder belts.