PPOA Hangtown Destruction Derby Philosophy: The number one rule to remember with this derby is "Do Not Fortify Your Vehicle". The vehicle should remain as stock as possible. It is supposed to be destroyed, that's what our spectators come to see. This event is a show for the spectators first and foremost. You’re not building a tank. Do not add anything to your vehicle that tends to strengthen it. No stuffing of the frames, lifting the body and fortify the welds, exchanging bumpers with a Mack Truck, or any other obviously dishonorable behavior. This event is a show for charity not a ring sport for profit. Let your skills as a driver make you the last one running. Have fun and put on a good show....

All vehicle entered in this event must be year model 1970 or newer.  There are no restrictions on make or model.

Vehicle Dismantling: While dismantling your vehicle you may remove anything from the vehicle so long as it does not make the vehicle unsafe for the driver or specifically violates a rule set out in these regulations.  For example, your vehicle must have a top or roof over the driver’s head.   Your vehicle must have a stock cooling system with the radiator located in its stock location.

There are mandatory items to be removed our replaced.  These items are as follows.

·  1. All glass must be removed. Do this before arrival at the track. Windows rolled down into the doors will not be allowed.  Absolutely no glass allowed inside or outside the vehicle.

·  2. All combustible items must be removed from the car. Take the heat shield material out from under the hood and trunk; remove all upholstery (other than driver’s seat). Floor mats and door panels are also to be removed. Don’t forget the headliner.  Bench seat are allowed but not recommended.  We recommend installing a bucket seat.

·  3. Remove all Fuel Cells from the car and replace it with one in the rear passenger area. It cannot contain any more than five gallons of gas and must be made of metal (jeep cans are excellent). You shall also secure the container to the floorboard with metal or nylon strapping. There shall be a minimum of one 2” hole in all valley area’s within the passenger compartment for fuel drainage incase of spillage. The fuel line must come out the TOP of the can. ABSOLUTELY NO BOTTOM FEED systems!! The fuel lines shall be secured to the floorboard on the inside of the vehicle. You will not be allowed to enter the event if your gas lines are under the car, in the frame, etc. All rulings regarding Fuel tank placements, hardware or integrity is final with inspection crew.

NOTE: FUEL TANKS WILL BE CLOSELY INSPECTED!!!

·  4. The vehicle must have a functional air cleaner, but you must remove the element. Cut a hole above the carburetor in your hood for easier fire suppression. The hole shall be at least eight inches (12”) in diameter.

·  5. RADIATORS: The radiator must be stock and located in the original position in the engine compartment. No auxiliary cooling systems are allowed. Electric radiator fans are not allowed unless stock.

·  6. TRANSMISSION COOLERS: The stock transmission cooler must be removed if located in the front of the car.  You are allowed only one transmission cooling device and it shall be placed in the back seat area only. It must be safely secured to the floor and away from the sides of the vehicle. We recommend the device be placed in the middle of the rear seat area, safe from side collisions. If the judges feel the cooler is not secured sufficiently to ensure against spillage or breakage, the cooler will not be allowed until safety concerns are satisfactorily address.  Inspection crew decisions are final.

·  7. BATTERIES: The battery must be move to the inside of the passenger compartment.  Batteries must be contained in a metal battery box and covered prevent spillage. The battery box and battery must be securely attached to the floorboard. Steal milk crates are acceptable so long as if it is not secured by any plastic component and the battery is covered to prevent spillage.  

·  7.a. You may a dual battery system.   The dual battery system shall only be made up of two standard size car batteries.   One large truck battery (Logging truck type) may be used also.   You may also choose to just use a single standard car battery.

·  8. All exterior trim decorative body metal must be removed.  All grill material, headlamps, tail lamps, and mounting systems must be removed.  This included license plate brackets and any towing system that may be mounted on the vehicle other than the bumper itself.  Trailer hitches and spare tires must be removed or cut out.

Building Your Car:  When building your car please remember to keep in mind our philosophy and keep it stock.   This is always an area of complaint by inspector’s judges and most of all your fellow drivers.  Spectators also know when you have built a vehicle that is suspiciously stout.   They want to see reasonable damage occur that is consistent with the hit delivered.  No convertibles, trucks, vans, or four-wheel drive vehicles allowed.

·  9. Doors and trunk lids must be welded and chained closed. Be careful to not fortify your welds with heavy steel. Re-bar no larger than #3 is acceptable to span the gap.   Your doors and trunk lids may not contain continuous welds.  

·  10. Welding: Welds will be closely monitored. Welds by not be longer than 12 inches in continuous length.  There must be at least 4 inches of un-welded space between continuous welds.   Doors or trunk lids may not be welded to the frame or bumpers.  Do not over due the welds to add more weight or reinforcement. If you do the judges will disqualify you, even after you have won your heat.  Bumpers or bumper brackets may not be welded.  No welding except on the doors, trunks and roll bars. Decision by the inspector will be final.  And "No you can't weld it back on" if it broke off during the event.

·  11. Hood and trunk chains, chains will be restricted to no larger than two inch links (2”). Your hood and trunk lids may have one or two chains.  The chains must go through the hood or trunk lid and around the bumpers. You may bolt or weld the chain to the bumper but the chain may not be bolted or welded to any other part of the vehicle. This amendment to the rule is to help keep bumpers attached to the vehicle and not debris in the field. Safety is always foremost and should your vehicle become unsafe during the event you will be black flagged for safety reasons.  We have seen bumper come off and become cartwheels. 

·  12.  Roll bars and or driver area protection cages. This is a touchy area and usually sparks a great deal of controversy. You can connect lateral bracing to the doorposts, while the upright supports can be connected to the floor plates, but NOT THE FRAME!! No part of the bracing can extend to the rear of the driver seat more than 14” or forward of the firewall. You can stuff the driver’s door only, with concrete, plywood, etc., but not the passenger doors. Remember you are protecting the driver not reinforcing your car.
 
·  13. The roll bar or driver reinforcement materials are your choice, however; be reasonable. If in the inspectors opinion your roll bar or driver protection system is reinforcing the vehicle and creating a structural advantage to the vehicle beyond the driver’s compartment it will be disqualified. This rule will be strictly enforced. The inspector’s decision is final.

·  13.a. The driver’s door shall be reinforced on the inside to help prevent any object impalement through the door and into the driver. (Hint: remove your window mechanism and cranks. Once the door is gutted, insert several pieces of plywood into the door. We have tried this method for several years and have not had a puncture when two or three layers of plywood are used). Concrete or steal plates in the drivers door is also acceptable.
 
·  14. Remove the exhaust system just past the header pipes. Exhaust pipes through the hood are acceptable.

·  14. Motor mounts may be chained, wired, bolted, or welded to prevent breakage.
 
·  15. Mud and snow tires are OK. No double tires or reinforced rims. Only air is allowed inside the tire…. no cement, water, oil, solid rubber, sewage, etc.

·  16. The "Emery Rule": Your vehicle shall have the stock engine and transmission; however, if that is not possible you may replace it with a similar engine and transmission for your vehicle year, make, and model. The engine and transmission must remain in the original stock location!!!  Do not move it back!!!  Your firewall must remain in tacked. You will be disqualified.

·  17. Suspensions Systems:  Must be stock, however, you will be allowed to stiffen or raise your suspension.  No welding will be allowed on the suspension.   You may sleeve your shocks or struts with piping or similar type of lift.  Air shocks are OK.  Maximum bumper height limit is 20” measured from the ground to the bottom of the main body of the bumper.  If the bumper has a license plate feature built into the bumper that extends below the main body of the bumper the inspector will not measure to the bottom of this feature.  All vehicles are subject to re-inspection prior to track entry if it appears the bumpers are to high.   All vehicles must meet this requirement prior to inclusion into this event.   Pre-derbied vehicles must meet the bumper height requirement also.  

·  17a. Vehicles damaged during the event that sustain damage causing the bumper height to exceed the 20” maximum rule will be evaluated by judges and inspectors for safety.  A determination will be made whether or not the increase height can be fixed.   If the increased height cannot be fixed, the judges and inspectors will rule on whether or not the increased height posses a significant threat to safety.  If in the judges and inspectors judgment the increased height does pose a significant threat to safety the vehicle will be disqualified.   This decision may be made during the event even if it is in progress.  Like it or not, safety first.

·  18. Helmets and crossover seat belts are mandatory. A dry chemical fire extinguisher with a minimum of an (ABC) rating accessible to the driver is mandatory. A buck knife or similar folding knife capable of cutting a seat belt is required. Fire resistant material driver suits are recommended but not required. Approximately $250.00 may be worth your life.  You might check with you local fire department for a set of wild land gear you may be able to borrow.

·  19. Your vehicle number must appear in 2-foot size numbers on the roof. You must also have the number visible on both sides in 1-foot size. No letters will be part of the vehicle’s number.  No shark fin number will be allowed.  This only supports teaming and this is an individual event. 

·  19a. Teaming is not allowed and will be closely monitored.   If you are caught teaming you may be disqualified.  Your placement in the event will also be subject to this ruling.   This will be a judges ruling and it will be final.

·  20. No entries will be accepted after 1:30pm on 08/16/09. There is some discretion here and late entries will be considered only if cause is reasonable and not an attempt to circumvent the inspection process.

·  21. ALL ENTRIES MUST BE CHECKED INTO THE PITS BY 1:30PM. The drivers meeting will begin promptly at 2P.M. The event will begin promptly at 3P.M.

·  22. The decision of the pit gate inspectors and or judges on car conditions or rule violations is final. If the inspectors/judges decide that a rule was broken inadvertently, you will be given a choice of making the necessary adjustments gain compliance with the rules, or dropping out of the derby and given a refund prior to any participation. In the event of a questionable situation, the inspectors will contact the derby chairman and a three member P.P.O.A. panel will make the final decision. The panels decision is final. If there is a flagrant violation of the rules, which is obviously intentional, you may be disqualified from the derby and given a refund of your entry fee. Every winner of any heat may be re-inspected at any time, (judges discretion). Anyone whose car does not pass this re-inspection will forfeit the prize money and trophy and entry fee. If the violation is of the flagrant type the driver and car will be disqualified from all remaining heats, plus the loss of money and trophy. Should the judges deem it necessary the top three cars in the main event will be re-inspected and may include an intrusive inspection ie; the cutting into the frame, pulling the rear-end etc. to prove or disprove a flagrant violation of the rules. This decision will be made by the above three-member panel.

·  23. ABSOLUTELY NO ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES WILL BE ALLOWED IN THE PIT AREA!! If any driver or pit crew member is found with an alcoholic beverage, the vehicle they are affiliated with will be disqualified from the derby. Safety is paramount and this will be strictly enforced.  Common sense will tell us that any amount of an alcoholic beverage impairs our ability to perform even simple tasks and you may still be arrest for DUI in a Derby Car.

·  24. ANY PERSON FOUND DRINKING OR UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL IN THE PIT AREA WILL BE EJECTED FROM THE PREMISES.

·  25. At the drivers’ meeting, we will introduce the PIT BOSS. This person makes all decisions regarding the pit area and its rules, so, if you have a problem, see the PIT BOSS. This meeting is mandatory for all drivers and will begin at 2 PM.

·  26. Pit passes are $15

·  26.a. An entry fee of $50 covers the admission of your car, one support vehicle, a driver and three pit persons. Absolutely no motor homes will be allowed in the pit area. Sorry, We just do not have the room.

DURING THE DERBY

·  27. Inactive vehicles SANDBAGGERS: Any driver that partakes in sandbagging (lack of aggression, striking, or attempting to strike another vehicle) for a period of two minutes or more, will be disqualified from that event, whether it is a regular heat or main event. The judges will be watching for sandbaggers and we have spotters timing the inactive cars. Do not restart and take someone else out of the race who still has a chance to win. Restarting your vehicle after you have been disqualified (black flagged) will result in your disqualification from any remaining heats, including the main event.  Heats will be 15-20 minutes each. The Super Main will go until the last car is running. Your placement in the event may also be subject to this rule.  The judge ruling is final.  Put on a good show and don't drive like your driving Miss Daisy.

·  28. The driver door is off limits and will get you disqualified if the judges determine it was intentional or avoidable. This is a serious safety issue and will be watched closely.

·  29. The heats will be basically the same as in years past. Depending on the number of entries, we will have 2 or 3 heats and a qualifying heat. The qualifying heats are for all vehicles not finishing in the top five of the first heats. The Super Main event will consist of only the top five finishers in the heats. To reach the Super Main you must qualify in your heat!! If by chance there are 40 or more entries these numbers may be adjusted to accommodate a 20 car Main event.

·  30. Drivers repeatedly driving outside the tires to avoid maneuvering in the established driving area will be BLACK FLAGGED and disqualified from that heat or main event!! If in the event you have lost the ability to forward or reverse drive you may drive outside the track boundary and may only re-enter after having come to a complete stop at the track boundary for 3 seconds or more.  You should gain the attention or acknowledgement from a track official or safety officer prior to re-entry to ensure compliance with this rule.

·  31. Heats will be assigned by the entry gate officer.

·  32. No persons under the age of “16” are allowed in the pit area!! A violation of this rule could cause a delay of the derby and expulsion of the affiliated driver and car. Children under "16" accompanied by able bodied and responsible family or friends may ride on your car during the parade lap only. Children under 16 will then promptly return to the grandstand area.
·  33. The Placerville Police Officers’ Association claims no responsibility for the removal of your derby car after the event.   It is your responsibility to arrange for salvage and removal of the car upon the completion of the event.
 
·  34. If your vehicle is left behind you will be charged for its removal and any costs incurred by the Placerville Police Officer’s Association.

Still have questions??? If so just direct your questions to Jim Cayafas, 2009 Derby Chair
jcayafas@cityofplacerville.org
Ready to enter??? If so just complete our online entry form
Derby Entry Form