Are "race numbers" not "street legal"?

Dealing with a new insurance agent on my classic car policy... she turned me down for classic insurance on my newly purchased SCCA SP Fiesta... giving four reasons.

1. That I admitted that I intedned to use it for autocross which as a timed event my carrier now considered the same as racing.

2. That my car had advertising stickers decals on it, not allowed.

3. That no Fiesta had a high enough value to meet minimum "collectibility status" (that one really stung!)

4. That the car had race numbers on it and while that was not specifically disallowed by my carrier, the car would not be street legal in many states because of them.

Now I'm shopping for a new insurance carrier, but this was the first time I've heard #4 in any sort of "official" capacity (though I've commonly heard it at shows, etc... along with "Corvairs roll over and catch on fires", "Audi covered up their unintended acceleration problems", etc... you get my point).

But it got me thinking... ARE there state laws that prohibit the display of racing numbers on street driven cars? I'm in MD (and couldn't find anything in some quick research), but would be curious if anyone knew specifics on laws like this anywhere?

Bill

I highly doubt that displaying numbers is illegal. I have no proof of this of course, but i just can't see it.

I don't by it either. If that was the case any type of fleet vehicle would be in violation including police cars. Also defining what "race" numbers are could be a real gray area.

Maybe your insurance agent is just jealous that you get to drive a Fiesta while she probably drives a Camry.

If so, there are a lot of highly illegal "NASCAR edition" monte carlos and full size trucks out there...

It's certainly not illegal here in NASCAR loving North Carolina. All sorts of transportation are stickered up as "tributes" to their favourite drivers and teams.

I believe both Ford and GM have sold "NASCAR Edition" vehicles that came stickered and numbered from the factory. I'm not sure that would fly if it were illegal.

I can't find any pictures online, but there are at least 2 Ford F-150s painted yellow with a giant "05" on each side with equally giant Nextel Cup logos.

Chrysler was even doing it in the 70s

Many of the Collector Insurance Companies have policies for competition cars. Their policy will cover a car for anything other than competition, basically to and from the track and shows and storage but not on the track itself. And most of those policies is for agreed to value. Hagerty, Heacock and Grundy are the first to come to mind. I use Hagerty on my classic. I know Hagerty has a type of policy for "pleasure" vehicles that don't meet antique/classic description. There are other limitations like mileage per year and no dd use but I find the restrictions fit my use of the car anyway so no problem.

I've never heard about any laws against numbers on cars. I do know of cars that are sold as replicas or patterned after a famous race car that will have the number on it.

When looking into classic insurance, pretty much all of them will deny you if you plan on entering so much as a gymkanna. (sp?) The way around that is simply to not tell them you are going to be participating in such events, and consider yourself "self-insured" if you do enter one. In other words, don't go filing a claim because you flipped your Fiesta in an autocross.

I'd drive this:

I would think that the difference is that the "tribute" cars are not actual race cars.....or used as such for any motorsports type competition.

In reply to ZOO:

I wonder how many secretaries were surprised by that tail pipe.

Load of crap on the numbers, I used to drive around with the cobra with gumballs, sponsoring, and track stickers all the time in California.

If you can do it here, the most rule oriented place in the country, then you can do it there.

JFX001 wrote: I would think that the difference is that the "tribute" cars are not actual race cars.....or used as such for any motorsports type competition.

In the OP's situation, what percentage of insurance companies or general public for that matter would consider a Fiesta a race car? I think it could be pretty easy to convince someone it's just a tribute in America.

"How can it be a race car? It only has 4 cylinders, 1600cc, only 100hp and it's front wheel drive."

Online coverage - no pictures required.

http://auto-insurance.libertymutual.com/auto-products/car-insurance

Hey, thanks much for the responses! Looks like I was right to be skeptical... it just really took me by surprise.

The car in question: http://fnader.com/Fiesta.htm

My current insurance is extremely inexpensive... would likely be cheaper for me to self-insure than change policies.. but I am going to at least change agents...

Thanks again! Bill

In reply to wcelliot:

COOL!! I read about you on BaT. I didn't realize you were on GRM. I remeber the fnader most of all, haha.,

Thanks for the kind words! I'm not a very active poster here (and not nearly a skilled or active enough driver to consider myself "GRM"), but I am an avid reader...

I do miss the ice racing in WI http://fnader.com/Ice_Racing.htm

and I'm not much at autocross, but I do try to take in a few track days a year. As such, I've gravitated away from track-only cars (had a sweet GT3 Yenko Stinger) and back into the dual purpose realm (like with this Fiesta and a DP Stinger that I'm restoring...)

Since NASCAR was mentioned... check out this FIAT500 Ginnani that I bought with a full NASCAR wrap on it... had to go of course, but it certainly got a lot of attention.

http://fnader.com/FIAT.htm (Last pictures show the NASCAR wrap... few people can believe the car was white and not red underneath)

Bill

Did you mention to your insurance agent that Fiestas are totally badass?

I'd get a quote elsewhere and not mention that you'll be racing with it, and just don't claim anything if you stuff it into a wall on a track or flip at an autocross.

I was in a car as a teen that got multipule tickets. One was for having "racing numbers" We were on are way home from grudge night at the drags... Speeding, failure to keep right, failure to stop, driving as to endanger, and exposed dangers (no hood no fan shroud) were the other tickets.... Thankfully i was in the back seat.

It's not like I volunteered the information up front... as soon as they saw pictures (required for most collector insurance) the topic immediately came up... and as my grandma used to tell me: "You don't always have to tell the whole truth, but don't lie"... believe me I used as many generalized statements as possible on my intended use and very specific statements to indicate that the car was not prepared for and would not be used in any actual racing events... that's when the "any timed event disqualifies" came up...

There is no Maryland law prohibiting the display of racing numbers on the side of the car. Though numbers on the windshield are illegal.

Either Grundy or Hagarty tore up my application at Carlisle because I was going to autocross there.

Race numbers aren't illegal in Mass. AFAIK, but you might as well paint a giant bull's-eye on your car for the cops to follow you everywhere/pull you over.

The great thing about low power cars is that you can be driving at 9/10ths and having the time of your life... and a cop not even notice.

I think short of obscenities in big bold fonts you can have what ever paint scheme you want on your car.

RedS13Coupe wrote: I think short of obscenities in big bold fonts you can have what ever paint scheme you want on your car.

I have a large bumper sticker across the back of my car that says:

"It's not my blow off valve, it's your girlfriend exhaling!"