We will be following Modern Gladiator 2023 rules (with their permission).   For additional clarification -- Jimmy Cochran (719)440-5345)

2024 Rules

GENERAL RULES

 • Registration and release forms must be completed prior to inspection. Entry must be paid prior to inspection.

 • If the car fails inspection you may be allowed to make corrections. If you are unable to complete corrections or decline to make corrections your car will be disqualified.

 • Entry fees are non-refundable and must be paid before inspection.

• Car numbers are on a first come basis

• Drivers must be 16 years old. ID required.

 • All 16 and 17 year olds planning to drive in any event must have a release form signed by a parent or guardian and notarized prior to being eligible to race.

 • Only one support vehicle per registered car.

 • No alcohol allowed in pits.

 • Drivers meeting is mandatory. Only drivers are allowed in the inspection area, no other spectators allowed. Check in will be an open window before inspection by class. Driver must have inspection paperwork before entering in line inspection

 • Compact cars will race under limited weld, full weld or stock car rules. Unless otherwise specified. • Compact cars may be American or foreign.

• If we have more than 14 entries in any class we will split into heats so please come prepared; this will be decided on the day of the event by the head official.

• A DRIVER'S SAFETY BELT, SAFETY HELMET, LONG SLEEVE SHIRT AND LONG PANTS (NO SHORTS) MUST BE WORN DURING COMPETITION! Fire suits and neck braces are highly recommended. • No passengers allowed • Halo or roll bar mandatory in EVERY class.

 ● Exterior driver’s door protection mandatory for every class. All frame patches must be painted white with a ½” hole drilled in the center to determine thickness. Cars may be re-inspected at any time by the judges. If cars are found with any patch/welding not allowed in that particular class the patch/welding must be completely removed to pass inspection. No hot rodding in the pits. All drivers and pit crew members must attend the drivers meeting. Person that signs as the driver must be the driver for the event. ALL DECISIONS MADE BY JUDGES ARE FINAL!!!

 DRIVING RULES

• Drivers must make a hit every 60 seconds and hit must be aggressive. Sandbagging will not be allowed. Your only warning will be at the drivers meeting.

• A car with 3 wheels out of bounds will be disqualified.

• Hitting the driver's door is not allowed, however with this type of competition we understand it may happen. If the officials feel it was an incidental driver’s door hit you will be warned once. If it happens again you will be disqualified for the heat. • Car fires - we will let you run as long as we pass a safety check and the driver is okay.

 • If the last two cars in the main event become stuck together for a one minute period and are unable to separate on their own, the judges will make every attempt to separate the cars carefully, so as not to inflict damage to either car so that they may continue the first place battle to provide the audience a great show. The race will conclude when one car is no longer able to continue or the driver raises his flag in submission. If a single hit the last one to make a hit they will be declared the winner.

• Cars must remain in the arena until heat is done. Any prize money will be forfeited if the car leaves early. If any individual approaches a derby judge while the derby is in process the derby will be stopped and that individual will be removed along with any car that individual is associated with and all money winnings will be forfeited. Sandbagging is not allowed, you will receive one warning, second warning you will be disqualified. Team driving is not allowed.

STOCK

Any American made car can run with the following exceptions 4x4’s, ambulances, hearses, trucks, limousines, convertibles and 1973 & older Chrysler Imperials …NO SWAPPING OF FRAMES OR SUBFRAMES, MUST BE STOCK (OEM) per vehicle.

CAR PREPARATION

1. No Fresh Paint or Undercoating on the frames at all. No buffing or grinding frames except where welding is specifically allowed in these rules.

2. All cars must be stock, unless modification is stated in the rules.

3. All glass, plastic, chrome, and interior must be removed from the car before arriving at the derby.

4. All trailer hitches and braces must be removed.

5. Batteries must be moved to the passenger front floorboard. They must be properly secured and covered.

6. You must have a number in Bright colors on each front door and must have a 15”x15” sign on the roof of your car with car number on it for judging and recognition of the car. You cannot use the roof sign to strengthen the car.

7. You must use a radiator and it must be in stock location.

8. All cars must have working brakes when you cross the ramp. If the car is not able to exhibit the ability to Stop it will not be inspected.

9. You can run shifters through the floor, and you can have a switch panel. If you are running an electric fuel pump, it must be hooked up to your ignition switch, so when your car shuts off, so does the fuel pump.

10. You may cut wheel wells for tire clearance

11. No radiator guards in front of or behind the radiator. No spray foam can be used around the radiator and the supports.

TIRES/WHEELS

Tires no bigger than 16 inch, No split rims, No studded tires. Foam filled or doubled tires are OK– we don’t want any flats!!! Valve stem protectors are OK. Tires may be screwed to rims. Stock automobile wheels with 8” weld in center, no other bracing.

MOTORS & TRANSMISSION

Use motor of choice, the motor must be in stock location. Pick one option for trying your motor in: Chain motor down 1 loop per side Cable motor down 1 loop per side Lower engine cradle with weld in mounts No distributor protectors!

FRAME PLATE

3-4x6x1/4” plates per frame rail on pre-ran cars only. No overlapping of plates. Plates cannot be cut apart and spread out. REAR-ENDS Any stock 5 lug automobile rear end, no full floaters, may have a back brace only and no other bracing. You can tilt the rear end if you wish. Welded or posi-track highly recommended. Suspension must be stock.

FUEL TANK, OIL COOLERS, & TRANSMISSION COOLERS

Original gas tanks must be removed. You must use a boat tank or well made fuel cell (6 gallons maximum and no exotic fuels allowed), and it must be properly secured and covered. Only metal tanks may be used. Fuel line must be secured and fastened properly. Keep away from exhaust. Place the fuel cell behind the driver's seat or in the center of the car where the backseat used to be. No other source of gas inside the car at all. Engine coolers are allowed. These coolers cannot be placed to reinforce the car. You can run one 3” square or round gas tank/transmission cooler protector. It cannot attach to anything other than your backseat bar. It must be centered between frame humps. It cannot exceed 48” in width attached to the seat bar and must angle to 24” in width at the rear and must be a full 3” from rear sheet metal in the second seat area. Maximum length of this protector is 24”. No added bracing.

 WELDING

Driver’s door and door protection can be welded solid, driver’s door protection can go no farther than 6” past driver’s door seams. Outside driver’s door protection mandatory!

CAGE

For driver’s protection, you may weld a bar behind the seat from doorpost to doorpost MAXIMUM 6” INCHES WIDE , ¼” 12” x 12” plate to attach to each side of the door seam behind the seat. Do not connect directly to the frame. You must have a halo bar or rollover bar behind the seat, which must be welded to the SEAT BAR with 2 vertical down bars maximum and may be welded or bolted to the roof halo bar. You are also allowed a maximum of 4”x 4” passenger’s door bar, firewall bar and drivers inside bars for protection. This can only be welded to each other and attached to the seat bar. No down bars are allowed from the 4 corner safety bars.

BUMPERS

Bumpers must be stock (oem) bumper for any automobile or 4”x4”x ” round or square tubing 1 4 with open ends. PICK ONE ONLY. Bumpers can be no wider than the middle of tires. Can weld bumper to stock bumper bracket and bracket to frame. No welding bumper to the body in any fashion. Bumper height not to exceed 24” to the bottom of the bumper to the ground and must be a minimum of 14” from the ground to the bottom of the bumper or frame both front and back. Bumpers must be in stock location. No seam welding.

TRUNK/HOOD/DOOR SEAMS CAN USE 1 LOOP OF 3/8 CHAIN IN 2 LOCATIONS OR 2 WRAPS #9 WIRE IN 2 LOCATIONS.

TRUNKS

Stock position of all trunks and hoods. Do not slide your hood or trunk forward or back, trunk and hood must remain on hinges. Trunk and hood lids must have a 12 inch hole cut in the center of trunk for inspection purposes. Can have 2 1 inch all thread from trunk to frame. Maximum washer size 4 inch by quarter inch. HOODS Hood must have at least a 12 inch square hole over the air cleaner cut out in case of fire. Do not slide your hood or trunk forward or back, trunk and hood must remain on hinges. Can have 2 1 inch all thread from hood to frame. Maximum washer size 4 inch by quarter inch.

BODY MOUNTS

Body mount bolts and spacers must be stock size and material. Suspension must be stock height. Bumper height not to exceed 24” to the bottom of the bumper to the ground and must be a minimum of 14” from the ground to the bottom of the bumper or frame both front and back. Bumpers must be in stock location. Leaf springs must be stock and made of stock spring material. Do not raise the suspension in any other way. Do not re-engineer the way the steering components mount to the frame. Only stock car replacement stock ball joints and tie rod ends are allowed; no pickup or van tie rod ends.

FENDER WELLS/BODY

 Fender wells may be cut and rolled for wheel clearance. No body creasing or body shaping.

CAR NUMBERS

A roof top sign shall display your registered car number with letters 12″ tall by 2″ thick. Drivers and passenger doors shall display registered numbers 16″ tall by 2″ wide. Light on dark, dark on light. ONLY NON STOCK PARTS ALLOWED Lower engine cradle with weld in mounts Shifter Headers Transcooler Fuel pump Steering Column Gas/Brake Pedal Slider Driveshaft Transmission brace bolted to the top side of transmission only or aftermarket bell housing, pick only one. 8” wheel center Pinion break

90’s & NEWER FRONT WHEEL DRIVE

1. 1990 and newer front wheel drive cars or minivans only. V-6 and smaller engines only. Can be foreign or American made.

2. Must remove glass, headlights, taillights, chrome, plastic pieces and anything else that can burn or break off.

3. Dash can remain in the car.

4. Stock gas tank can be used if it is located in front of the rear axle. If the gas tank is behind the rear axle it must be moved inside the vehicle and securely bolted to the floor.

5. Battery must be relocated to the inside of the car. A maximum of one battery is permitted, and must be mounted on the passenger front floor board. It is highly recommended for your safety that it be in a minimum 1/8” steel box not to be used to strengthen the door. Plastic battery boxes are allowed, but you must have a dry cell battery that must be fastened to the floor with not less than two metal straps a minimum of 2 inches wide. 

6. The hood must have a 6”x6” hole cut in it in case of fire. Hood and trunk lid must remain on hinges and be opened for inspection. You can fasten the hood and trunk lid shut with 6 pieces of 3/8” chain OR 4 wraps each of # 9 wire. 4 from hood to fender and 2 from hood to bumper.

7. Fresh cars must have the factory bumpers for the car being used. Pre-ran cars that have lost their factory bumper must call ahead to get an okay for replacement bumper.

8. Driver’s door can be welded shut. You can brace the outside of the door 6” in front of and behind the door seams. The outside door brace must not protrude from the side of the car more than 3”. You can do what you want to the driver’s door. Fill with concrete, plate with iron, pad, etc. We want you safe! The driver’s door must be painted a contrasting color from the rest of the car. You may also install a window net or chains or bars on the front driver’s door only. Do not make full length on 2 door cars. If your driver’s door bar comes off, or loose on one end at any point during the derby, you will be black flagged for that heat. Grader blades are not allowed!

9. The rest of the doors can be chained or wired shut with 4 wraps of #9 wire or one loop of 3/8” chain.

10. You must have a bar behind the driver’s seat. You must also have a halo bar.

11. Minimum age for competitors -- 14 years old. Parent or Guardian must provide signed  notarized  Minor Release form, along with a copy of their birth certificate.