2021 Mid-Ohio Post Race Impound Protest Results

2021 Mid-Ohio Post Race Impound Protest Results 

Event Director - Dana Morrison
Tech Inspector - Ray Franck
Venue - Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course - Club Circuit, Saturday 8-Hour Enduro

Protest Details: During the impound period following the Saturday race, a team filed a protest alleging car 983 had improperly claimed the swapped engine components on their tech inspection form. Specifically, that 983 is running a 2002 (or newer) VVT style block and lower unit along with a 1999 head and intake assembly.


Tech Inspector / Event Director Final Findings:

1.     Car 983 is listed as a 1991 NA Miata.

2.     Car 983 has an engine swap listing their new engine as a complete 1999 NB motor.

3.     Car 983 finished 3rd overall and 1st A-class

 

The protest alleged car 983 had a 2002 (or newer) VVT type block and lower assembly to gain a compression advantage, and a 1999 head and intake to gain solid lifters and the reduced point value of the 1999 in the swap calculator.

 

ChampCar officials consulted with three independent Miata resources (both at the track and remotely by phone), and looked at 5 other Miata engines available at the track.

1.     NB Miata blocks, both non-VVT (1999) and VVT (2002-and newer) appear visually the same. No consensus could be reached on determining the year of the block assembly.

2.     There is a difference between the pistons in the non-VVT (1999) and VVT (2002-and newer). However, multiple attempts to look at the 983’s pistons were inconclusive. The shape of the piston top could not be clearly seen.

3.     The Oil Pan on VVT motors (2002-and newer) are different from the non-VVT (1999). A VVT motor has a larger motor mount that attaches to both the block and the Oil Pan. The Oil Pan has a threaded mounting boss on each side at the rear of the Oil Pan. The 983 car did have a VVT Oil Pan. Team Captain for car 983 stated it was the only pan he had available and he used it on the 1999 motor. There was no consensus between the independent references regarding whether a VVT Oil Pan could or could not bolt directly onto a non-VVT 1999 motor.


 1.     ChampCar officials were unable to conclusively determine that Car 983 had an improper combination of a VVT Short Block and a non-VVT Head assembly. ChampCar determined this portion of the protest to be invalid.

2.     The VVT Oil Pan on the 983 is not the correct original part for the claimed 1999 motor swap. Since the VVT Oil Pan was specifically named as an item in the protest, ChampCar determined this portion of the protest to be valid. ChampCar assessed the correct 25-points for an Oil Pan taking Car 983 from 494 points to 519 points. Timing and Scoring applied the corrected laps to the finishing order, taking the 983 car to 4th overall and 2nd in class.

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