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ABC Committee Requirements of Participating Manufacturers

This is a re-release of the original ABC Committee requirements document signed in 2004.

REQUIREMENTS OF PARTICIPATING MANUFACTURERS

1. The purpose and intent of the program is to ensure that all participating body manufacturers produce bodies that are similar aerodynamically and close enough in appearance to easily identify the model of the car regardless of the manufacturer. With this intent of the program in mind, it should be the responsibility and obligation of the body manufacturers to work at trying to close up as many loopholes as possible in the rules and not look at ways to create them. Honesty and integrity should be expected from all body manufacturers participating in the program.

2. Any body manufacturer participating in the ABC Body Program must be capable of producing bodies that meet the design and construction parameters established by the ABC Program. The lack of technology or resources to produce the bodies that meet these requirements must not be an acceptable excuse to allow a manufacturer to participate in the program.

3. It is equally important that a body manufacturer NOT design their panels to be interchangeable with other manufacturer’s panels. Doing this will eliminate copying and “mix and match” body installations.

4. APPROVAL PROCESS

A. All ABC body panels must be approved by the ABC Committee before they can be produced and sold. The ABC approval committee will consist of 2 representatives from each participating body manufacturer and a representative from at least 2 participating racing associations.

B. Body manufacturers must provide a pre-production full-scale model of every body style for approval prior to building production tools and patterns. In addition, the body manufacturers must provide a fully mounted race ready production body of every body style for approval prior to actual manufacture and sale of panels. All models must pass the Referee inspection as well as the templates and measurements found in the Design and Manufacturing Requirements and the ABC Rule Book. The track tech inspection tolerances do not apply to the models presented to the ABC Committee for approval. Bodies presented for approval must show an exact template fit. Each manufacturer must have a level indoor approval area large enough for measuring purposes and Referee usage. A duplicate set of production body panels, excluding windows, must be submitted to the ABC committee to retain for future reference. The travel, lodging & meal expenses of the approval committee are the responsibility of the manufacturer seeking approval.

C. Manufacturers cannot make design changes to any approved body panel unless the desired changes receive approval from the ABC committee, A request for changes to any approved body panel must be submitted in writing to the ABC committee for approval before any changes can be made. Any performance enhancing changes to any body panel outside of the templated areas of the body will not be tolerated.

5. All approved body panels must have an ABC Program approved sticker stating that the manufacturers name permanently marked on each panel in a designated location which cannot be covered by paint or altered in any way.

6. It is to be assumed that because of the design templates, dimensions and controls, the ABC Program is requiring participating body manufacturers to use when building bodies, all bodies regardless of the manufacturer will be aerodynamically similar. Therefore, participating manufacturers must agree not to advise aerodynamic advantages as a means of implying that their bodies are superior to the other manufacturers bodies.

7. Manufacturers that participate in the ABC program must agree to build all current body styles with the Chevrolet body produced last. All models must be produced and approved from production within one year.

8. Participating manufacturers can purchase a complete set of builders templates and a fiberglass roof center section. Altering of builders templates in any way is prohibited.

Matt Weaver is the owner and founder of Short Track Scene. Weaver grew up in the sport, having raced himself before becoming a reporter in college at the University of South Alabama. He also has extensive experience covering NASCAR, IndyCar and Dirt Sprint Cars.

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