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Thanks much to @LuigiVampa for posting this late last year. I installed it myself (very easy to do) over the winter in my Corvette C6Z NASA SU car and it came in handy multiple times during rain races this year. Also served as another brake light and a hazard light when I broke on track at WGI in a very, very bad spot. In fact, a bunch of my buddies installed them as well - all as a result of this post. So thanks much and you helped make us safer up here in the NorthEast!! Few pics of the install. Very straightforward and I wired it to a switch on my dash. Whole process took 2 hours.
Okay. This rule was approved. Here it is in its entirety:
27. All cars are required to have at least one working tail or rain light which the driver can switch on in the rain.
I am not a big fan of utterly ambiguous rules. Either clearly define what you want or don't require it!
As someone that has a car that will probably never race in the rain, at least not without some serious modifications, I want to say thank you for making me have to buy and install a light and switch that will never be used.
Now, I have a question: Where do I mount the damn thing? I have no room for it where the my brake lights are mounted. I don't have a standard 911 rear-engine crossbar so I can't mount it there. Good ideas?
Okay. This rule was approved. Here it is in its entirety:
27. All cars are required to have at least one working tail or rain light which the driver can switch on in the rain.
I am not a big fan of utterly ambiguous rules. Either clearly define what you want or don't require it!
As someone that has a car that will probably never race in the rain, at least not without some serious modifications, I want to say thank you for making me have to buy and install a light and switch that will never be used.
Now, I have a question: Where do I mount the damn thing? I have no room for it where the my brake lights are mounted. I don't have a standard 911 rear-engine crossbar so I can't mount it there. Good ideas?
Agreed, rule needs to be clarified because I think it exempts everyone who has working tail lights that can be switched on in addition to acting as brake lights. This is different from a rain light which is high intensity.
Would you pit if it started to rain during your race and your tires were warm? You may find yourself needing that rain light one day!
Scott, Your car has rear tail light lenses. Why not 'mount' a bulb in the receptacles for the taillights? Even if you currently only have the brake light wiring, it shouldn't be too challenging to run some wire and install a switch on the dash. There may even be a spot for a rear fog light that is higher intensity than the standard taillight bulb. That's what I used to make my SPB tail lights a bit brighter.
No, I don't have normal taillight assemblies. I am using lightweight carbon fiber assemblies with 2.5" round L.E.D. lights...one per side. These assemblies are quite spartan with a place for just one 2.5" light per side. If I have to go modifying my setup, I might as well get a real FIA rain light and mount it properly. But where is it legal to mount for most clubs and what would be a good option for my car? Can it be mounted inside at the top of the rear window on the drivers side?
Okay. This rule was approved. Here it is in its entirety:
27. All cars are required to have at least one working tail or rain light which the driver can switch on in the rain.
.........................
As someone that has a car that will probably never race in the rain, at least not without some serious modifications, I want to say thank you for making me have to buy and install a light and switch that will never be used.
My thoughts exactly. I had to install roll cages in all my race cars and after 25 years of racing, never used them once. What a waste.
I drove the enduro this year at Summit Point and it was raining pretty hard at certain points. I remember bearing down on turn 1 a few times thinking, "God, I hope no one is spun in the middle of the track because I can't see anything." The spray was enormous and totally obscured my vision.
Making matters worse, not everyone had turned their lights on so a few cars were all but invisible until you were right up on them.
I'm thinking a rain light would make racing in the rain far less dangerous. Rain lights cost less than $100 and a little bit more than that to have professionally install.
I really think it is something which would improve safety as well as making it more pleasant to drive since we would have a better idea of where cars were on the road.
Among the people that race in the rain what are the thoughts out there?
Formula cars and sports racing cars, both capable of pulling up as much water in a rooster tail as some monster rear diffuser GT cars, are required to use these.
On the grid, the workers raise boards saying “Rain Lights” to remind people to turn them on in a wet session.
My thoughts exactly. I had to install roll cages in all my race cars and after 25 years of racing, never used them once. What a waste.
Don't be an ***.....
Anytime we are on the race track our cages may save our lives. Requiring a rain light on a car that will never race in rain is entirely different than requiring a roll cage.
Anytime we are on the race track our cages may save our lives. Requiring a rain light on a car that will never race in rain is entirely different than requiring a roll cage.
Here's the BMWCCA ruling on rain lights. Seems PCA didn't really give this much thought.
RAIN LIGHTS A red FIA-certified high-intensity rear LED rain light is mandatory in all classes. The Competition Steward for the race shall determine if the race is to be categorized as a “rain race.” To be allowed to run in a rain race, all cars must have at least two functioning taillights and a FIA-approved rain light. Any car without an operating rain light shall be black flagged. The FIA-approved rain light and taillights must be steady “ON,” not flashing. The FIA-approved rain light must be secured to the exterior of the car on a vertical or near vertical surface in the center of the car (recommended mounting location is the rear plate area). The view of the rain light shall not be obstructed by glass, lenses, or other parts. The FIA-approved rain light is required as part of the car’s annual safety inspection. A list of FIA-approved rain light manufacturers can be found at: https://www.fia.com/sites/default/fi...-feu_pluie.pdf
Winders, could you install the light on your rear decklid? Could you upload a larger picture of the rear of your car?
There are plenty of places to mount a "rain light" which meets PCA requirements on Winders' car. And of course even a $12 light like this will meet requirements in the rules:
I made the rear brake light assemblies lights on Winders' car, and the lighting elements are inexpensive led clusters-- he has a spare. Very easy to mount the spare as a rain light.
Not sure why this even merits discussion. If a person wanted to object to PCA making this requirement, it would seem to me that there are mechanisms for that in the PCA process.
12-16-2019, 08:13 PM
