Truck Rules & Regulations

Fernie Lions Demolition Derby 2025

IMPORTANT: NOTHING OTHER THAN WHAT IS LISTED BELOW WILL BE ALLOWED

TRUCK

OFFICIAL & ONLY TRUCK RULES & REGULATIONS

• 1. NO ALCOHOL OR DRUGS: No driver or pit person is allowed on the track or in the pit area under the influence of alcohol or drugs. If caught, you will be disqualified from all races and must leave the derby grounds.
• 2. Age Requirement: All drivers must be 16 years of age or older. Participants under the age of 19 require parent/guardian approval, signature, and attendance.
• 3. No Co-Pilots: ABSOLUTELY NO CO-PILOTS IN VEHICLES.
• 4. Clothing: Long-sleeved shirts, jackets or coveralls, long-legged pants, and gloves are mandatory. Fire suits are strongly recommended.
• 5. Helmets and Eye Protection: Helmets and eye protection are mandatory.
• 6. Driver Safety: The driver must keep arms and head inside the vehicle during the event.
• 7. Pit Area: Only the driver and 3 pit persons will be allowed in the pit area per vehicle.
• 8. Race Start: The referee will wave the flag and sound the horn.
• 9. Race End: The race is over when the horn sounds and the flag is waved vigorously.
• 10. Field Marshals: Field marshals will be stationed on four corners of the track with fire extinguishers and flags. In the event of a fire or injury, all participants must remain in their vehicles until the horn sounds and all vehicles are stationary.
• 11. Flags: Each vehicle must be equipped with a flag. When the flag is displayed, the vehicle can be hit. If the flag is not displayed, the vehicle cannot be hit.
• 12. Active Participation: A vehicle must hit another vehicle every 90 seconds or will be disqualified by the referee.
• 13. Driver Door Hits: Intentional hits on the driver door will result in disqualification at the discretion of the referee.
• 14. Overturned Vehicles: In the event a vehicle is overturned, the derby will be stopped until it is righted. Whether or not the vehicle remains in the heat is at the discretion of the judge.
• 15. Intentional Dogging: Any vehicle intentionally dogging will be disqualified.
• 16. No Sandbagging: No warnings will be given. This will result in immediate disqualification.
• 17. Disabled Vehicles: When a vehicle becomes disabled or timed out, the driver must remove their flag, signaling the vehicle is out for the remainder of the heat. Hitting a vehicle with a flag down may result in disqualification at the judge’s discretion. Failure to remove the flag after timing out will lead to disqualification from further heats. In the final heat, if the flag is not removed, the driver will be removed from the vehicle, and it will be open to hits by remaining vehicles.
• 18. Battery Use: A vehicle cannot run on its battery to keep moving. The vehicle will be disqualified.
• 19. Referee Decisions: In the event of a disagreement between the referees, the head referee will be brought in, and their decision is final.
• 20. Disqualification: In case of disqualification, a referee will point to the vehicle with a red flag. The driver must immediately break their flag, which eliminates them from that heat.
• 21. Post-Heat Procedure: After the heat, vehicles must be moved from the pit immediately. Tow trucks will be standing by to assist.
• 22. Vehicle Removal: Drivers are responsible for removing their vehicle after the race. Drivers will be billed $100.00 and will not be invited back if this rule is not adhered to.

TRUCK PREPARATION RULES

TECH INSPECTIONS WILL BE PERFORMED BY QUALIFIED MECHANICS

• 1. Truck Type: North American full-size trucks only. Half-ton to one-ton. No foreign trucks. Single axle only (no dually’s). Front drive shafts must be removed in 4x4 vehicles.
• 2. Glass and Loose Objects: Remove all glass, plastic, ornaments, lights, and bulbs. The vehicle must be clean of loose objects and glass before tech inspection.
• 3. Upholstery: Remove all upholstery except the front seat. The seat must be securely anchored. Airbags must be removed.
• 4. Doors and Door Reinforcement:
  • a. ALL DRIVER DOORS MUST BE PAINTED WHITE.
  • b. Both the driver and passenger doors must be reinforced by means of strong metal bars (e.g., grader blade min 5” tall ¾" thick or channel iron min 4” width). Bars should extend no more than 18” into the box and may extend 6” past the door onto the fender.
  • c. Doors can be welded with 6” weld separated by 6” space.
  • d. All vehicles must have an inside cross brace (steel is preferred or 6 x 6 post securely fastened) behind the seat from door bar to door bar. This helps stop the seat from falling back and side-crushing of the vehicle.
  • e. It is recommended to bolt the cab to the front of the box.
  • f. A halo bar or roll-over bar mounted from floor to roof is required. This roll bar cannot be connected to the frame of the vehicle.
• 5. Seat Belt: Seat belt must be securely fastened.
• 6. Hood: The hood must remain in stock location and be bolted or chained shut in a maximum of 6 locations. Maximum of one loop of chain per side.
• 7. Tailgate: The tailgate must either remain in stock location and be bolted or chained shut, be removed entirely, or be used to reinforce the cab behind the driver’s seat.
• 8. Bumpers: Only OEM stock truck or car bumpers may be used. Having no bumpers is acceptable. Bumpers can be bolted or welded to the front of the frame with a 3/8 bead. Excessive welding will not be tolerated. You cannot use car mounts to attach the bumper, and no added metal is allowed except 2”x1/2” bumper straps (max 36” long) that can go from the bumper to the radiator support or hood (counts as a connection to the hood if attached). No bush bumpers or aftermarket bumpers.
• 9. Fuel Tank: The stock fuel tank must be removed and cannot be reused (including behind the seat tank). A metal fuel tank or approved plastic fuel cell must be mounted in the box front and center with a maximum of 5 gallons of fuel. The tank must be secure and shielded with a protective guard.
• 10. Batteries: Batteries must be relocated to the passenger seat area. For example, cut the seat out to the same size as the battery, recess into the seat, and bolt down with straps or on the floor as close to the hump as possible. The battery must be covered. The bucket driver seat may be used.
• 11. Trailer Hitches: No trailer hitches are permitted.
• 12. Box Sides: No wedging or folding down of box sides.
• 13. Reinforcement: No reinforcing or modifying on the body, frame, wheels, bumpers, or radiators. The vehicle must remain stock. Absolutely no frame reinforcement will be tolerated. You may repair a frame on a pre-ran vehicle within reason using 3” x 4” 3/16 plate steel in a maximum of 4 spots. Any frame repair must be painted a bright color for inspectors to notice. The frame must show signs of damage; no plating non-damaged frames. Excessive welding will have to be removed at the tech inspector’s discretion.
• 14. Motor: It is strongly recommended that the motor be chained or bolted down. You may chain the motor in a maximum of two spots.
• 15. Radiators: Radiators may not be moved. For environmental reasons, only water is allowed in the cooling system. No hydraulic oil may be used.
• 16. Exhaust Pipe: The exhaust pipe may be cut off but must remain extended behind the firewall to the back of the driver’s seat. Through-the-hood headers are allowed.
• 17. Repairs: When repairing damaged vehicles, no material stronger than stock parts must be used.
• 18. Rear View Mirror: The stock rear view mirror may be left in the vehicle.
• 19. Wheel Wells and Bumper: Stock wheel wells and bumpers may be used.
• 20. Fuel: No fuel other than pump gas may be used.
• 21. Weighting Down: No weighting down of the vehicle, including no sandbags or calcium in the tires.
• 22. Rim Size: No rim size larger than OEM.
• 23. Tires: No studded tires and no split rims. All wheel weights must be removed.
• 24. Shocks: Original shocks must be used. No steel bars instead of shocks. No crushing of shocks for more height.
• 25. Leaf Springs: Leaf springs may be clamped a maximum of 3 per side.
• 26. Transmission Cooler: A transmission cooler may be used and must be securely mounted in the rear seat area. Cooler lines must be metal or approved hydraulic lines and shielded while routed through the cockpit area.

NO REFUNDS WILL BE GIVEN IF ANY OF THE ABOVE RULES ARE NOT ADHERED TO. RACE WINNERS MAY BE SUBJECT TO A POST-RACE INSPECTION.

REMEMBER: NO DRIVER OR PIT PERSON IS PERMITTED ON THE TRACK OR IN THE PIT AREA UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL OR DRUGS. IF FOUND IN VIOLATION, YOU WILL BE DISQUALIFIED FROM ALL RACES AND MUST LEAVE THE DERBY GROUNDS IMMEDIATELY.