All competition vehicles are required to pass a technical inspection prior to competing.  The purpose of tech inspection is to ensure your car meets basic safety requirements.  Please note—passing tech does NOT mean your car complies with the rules for your particular car class.

Here’s your guide for getting through tech inspection quickly and cleanly.  The complete technical requirements are described in the SCCA RallyCross rules, but this checklist will give you an overview of what our tech inspectors are looking for and common problems they encounter when inspecting cars.  It is very important to have all of these issues taken care of and your car ready for inspection as soon as possible when you arrive at an event.  Tech problems and re-inspections cause delays for other drivers waiting for tech and could potentially postpone the start of the event—a very bad result!  Also our volunteer tech inspectors like to finish tech on time so they can walk the course like the rest of us.  If you take time to make sure your vehicle meets the requirements listed below before you arrive at the event, you’ll pass through tech with flying colors and be ready for some seriously fun rallycross action.

INSIDE YOUR CAR:

1. Remove all unsecured items from the passenger compartment of your vehicle. No loose items allowed anywhere in your vehicle’s interior.  Period.  This includes floor mats, maps, loose change, radar detectors, speakers/sub-woofers that are not mounted, beer cans, and anything else that is not bolted to the vehicle.  In-car cameras must be securely mounted before going through tech.  It is a good idea to bring a plastic storage bin to store your stuff while you are racing and working.  Be prepared to leave everything, (including the change in the ashtray) at your paddock parking spot for the entire day.  Not a bad idea to bring a tarp to protect your stuff from dust and the occasional rain or snow shower.

2. No loose items in your trunk.  Sounds silly, but we occasionally have drivers show up to race with junk in their trunk.  Once we even had a competitor with a spare transmission rolling around in his trunk!  We don’t want a transmission, a loose jack or anything else to come shooting out of your trunk and injure someone, so be sure to empty your trunk.  Also, make sure your spare tire is secure.  Rallycross rules allow you to remove the spare tire, jack and tire tools from your vehicle.

4. Helmets are required for drivers and passengers.   Helmets must be rated Snell 95 or later.  Helmets that are DOT-rated-only or earlier than Snell 95 will not pass tech.  If you have a helmet but are not sure of the rating, look first for the Snell rating on the back of the helmet.  If there is no Snell rating on the back (which is common), you can lift up the liner inside the helmet and look for a Snell sticker.  It is most often on the sides of the interior underneath the liner.  Loaner helmets will be available at the event if you need one.

UNDERNEATH THE HOOD:

1. Battery must be tied down securely.  This is the most common problem identified by tech inspectors.  The battery should be securely fasted so it doesn’t go dancing across your engine bay, start a fire and cause your car to burst into flames.  Bungee cords, rope and bailing wire are not approved tie-downs.  If your battery will not tighten down enough to absolutely minimize movement, stop by your local auto parts store and get an inexpensive battery tie-down kit;

2. Positive battery post must be covered.  The factory terminal cover is preferred or you can wrap the positive terminal with black electrical tape;

3.  No excessive leaks.  A bit of a drip is fine, but we don’t want oil pouring out.  Neither should you.

4.  No bare wires in your engine bay.  Replace exposed wires or cover with electrical tape.

OUTSIDE YOUR CAR

1. Make sure nothing is falling off your car.  Be sure bodywork, trim pieces and under-car shields are securely fastened.  And definitely no hanging mufflers.  If you do have a loose piece, secure it in place or remove it from the vehicle;

2. Sunroofs must be closed.  No convertibles allowed unless you have a factory hard-top in place.  Make sure any bicycle/snowboard/ski rack is securely attached;

3. Make sure your hood and trunk latch securely.  If your latching mechanisms are a bit questionable, install a set of hood pins and/or trunk latches available at most auto parts stores for not a lot of coin;

4. Make sure you have your fuel cap.  More than once someone has left their fuel cap at the gas station when they fueled-up before a race.  For obvious reasons, a car without a fuel cap will not be allowed to compete;

5. As stated in the rules, your exhaust pipe must exit the body work.  A broken exhaust that exits under the car will not pass tech;

6. Make sure your wheels are securely mounted.  Tech inspectors check for wheel bearing play, so make sure you don’t need new wheel bearings.  Some play is ok, but excessive movement may be an issue.  Bearings that screech or squeal are definitely not going to pass tech.

And there you have it.  Follow these simple steps and you’ll pass tech in a flash.