Proposing a Subclass- Iron Man Class

So, most challenge subclasses limit the car, the tires, the budget- basically they limit what you can compete with.  What if we had a class that instead limits how you compete.  My pitch here is an Iron Man class.

Rules:

-From the moment the car leaves the driveway to the moment it returns, only the competitor can drive it or work on it (pro driver runs and unplanned assistance from other competitors is allowed). 

-All spares, tools, and parts must be carried in/on the competition vehicle to and from the event.  Purchases en-route are allowed but must be installed by the competitor.

-No crew, no trailer, no support vehicles, no tire shops, no AAA.  If you use any of these, for example in an emergency, you are still competing at the GRM Challenge but are no longer in Iron Man class.

-No other vehicle limitations.  Want to figure out how to bring 6 extra wheels and tires, a nitrous bottle, and remove a bunch of creature comforts in the parking lot the night before?  Have at it!

That's really all I've got for proposed rules.  Somebody poke holes in them.  Many Gastropod competitors effectively followed these rules this year, as well as some really fast cars (Ed Malle comes to mind).

Ed showing up with the turbo mustang and a u-haul trailer was so awesome 

Yeah, Ed would have a lock on this one. He is a machine!

In reply to ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ :

No trailer? No way going through Atlanta downtown traffic... That's even with being a pickup truck...

How about just use whatever ruleset they have for hot rod drag week? Small trailer, street legal, etc.

I found out on Saturday that Ed and I went to the same little high school. Is he active on the forums?

I like this isea. Honestly, was having similar thoughts at the town hall.

I would never be able to win, due to the fact that i CANNOT complete a single event anywhere without breakage....

As far as tire shops: at all, or in an emergency?

What does the first rule accomplish? Keeps you from co-driving to make the road trip easier?

With a number of entries already doing all of this, and one of them being at the pointy end of things, what does this accomplish besides adding another trophy? I can't help but feel like we're already approaching critical mass for special awards.

If you're including driving to and from the event, it would have to be some kind of points basis. I live 2 hours from Gainesville. Lots of competitors come from much, much farther away.

In reply to maschinenbau :

I should clarify I guess, you could switch with a passenger- but no trading with someone in a "chase vehicle" or driving partway, handing it off, then flying or something.

I drove to and from, but I did it in the utmost of challenge priced comfort. There is a bit of personal pride in having done the event with a minimum of support, but that and the kudos from other competitors was enough for me. I agree that yet another officially sanctioned award is superfluous, but I think that more unofficial awards should be encouraged.

One set of tire, must be driver to and from the event and compete on the same tires...

This is what I did this year, not sure I'd do it again but I felt like it was an accomplishment.

Obviously would favor locals, with drag week and one lap they are doing multiple events and hundreds of miles between. 

evildky said:

One set of tire, must be driver to and from the event and compete on the same tires...

This is what I did this year, not sure I'd do it again but I felt like it was an accomplishment.

Obviously would favor locals, with drag week and one lap they are doing multiple events and hundreds of miles between. 

It's true. I'm dumb enough to drive from orlando to gainesville on a7s

Technically this is what I already did this year. The wife didn't drive at all on the way down, I drove it to/from the track, on track, but she did drive 3 hours going home. Everything packed inside, including 4 EXTRA tires I picked up down there. 

Back in the day(I'm either getting old or I've been going to the event too long) there was an award for a one man team. 

In reply to bobzilla :

I can beat that, I drove the whole way myself from PA to FL, picked up SIX extra tires (four with wheels), stayed in a different hotel every night so had to load and unload the car multiple times, did the event on one set of tires not using the other ones I picked up, and drove all the way home by myself, uphill both ways in the snow and sleet! 

Mndsm said:

evildky said:

One set of tire, must be driver to and from the event and compete on the same tires...

This is what I did this year, not sure I'd do it again but I felt like it was an accomplishment.

Obviously would favor locals, with drag week and one lap they are doing multiple events and hundreds of miles between. 

It's true. I'm dumb enough to drive from orlando to gainesville on a7s

My 2 year old Rivals were fun in the rain heading north sunday morning.  A7's would be threadbare after a 750 mile trip.

evildky said:

Obviously would favor locals, with drag week and one lap they are doing multiple events and hundreds of miles between. 

So have a "miles from home" multiplier. Doesn't affect the scores for the event, just for this award. The guy who runs 14s on tires he drove 2500 miles to the event gets more points than the guy who runs 13s 500 miles from home.

I've driven my challenge cars 1500 miles each way everytime. No co driver, just a passenger. Competed on the same tires ( and lost). Beyond longest drive award, ( which I never won) I don't see much that one man teams havent already been doing for years.

JohnInKansas said:

evildky said:

Obviously would favor locals, with drag week and one lap they are doing multiple events and hundreds of miles between. 

So have a "miles from home" multiplier. Doesn't affect the scores for the event, just for this award. The guy who runs 14s on tires he drove 2500 miles to the event gets more points than the guy who runs 13s 500 miles from home.

I think this is on the right track, along with using similar rules to Hot Rod drag week. There will (eventually) be a member who lives in the same city as the race competing with people coming from 1,000+ miles away- I think it should partially be on a case-by-case basis encorporating distance and such.