2025 Compact Weld Rules

2025 LUCKY 7’S PROMOTIONS COMPACT WELD RULES

Driver Entry

Drivers must be at least 16 years old. Under 18 years old must have a parental release.
Drivers may have one rider if so desired. This rider must be registered as a rider prior to start of events and also pay an additional entry fee. Riders must also abide by all event regulations. If you register as a driver you must remain the driver throughout the event. Only the driver will be eligible for any money awarded.
Drivers are responsible for passengers actions while on the track,
Drivers may use as many pit personals as desired.
Drivers, riders, and crew members must attend pit meetings. Any controversies will be taken up at the drivers meeting.
Drivers and all people entering pit area must sign Entry Form and Release of Liability Form prior to entering pit area. Anyone that will be in the pits will have to pay entry fee (driver, rider, crew and anyone staying in the pits). NO EXCEPTIONS!!!!
Authorized vehicles only will be allowed in the pit area. No personal vehicles are allowed.
A maximum of 5 mph must be obeyed at all times in the pit area. NO hot rodding in the pit area. This is the fastest way to be disqualified.
After entering pit area, all cars are to be inspected in the tech area as soon as possible. ALL cars must be teched and registered 30 minutes before show time.
If you don’t pass inspection you will be allowed to make the necessary repairs and be re-inspected within 30 minutes prior to the start of the first heat.
***IF CAR DOES NOT PASS INSPECTION OR DRIVER IS UNWILLING TO CHANGE CAR TO PASS INSPECTION ABSOLUTELY NO REFUNDS!!******

Participation Regulations

No hitting Driver's door is allowed. DO NOT HIT THE DRIVERS DOOR!!!! Sometimes this happens, but if it looks intentional or careless, you will be disqualified. Don't use your door as a shield as it may cause you to get disqualified.
Team driving not permitted, unless a team event.
NO Sandbagging or holding!! You will be disqualified. You are given 1 minute for aggressive hits. 1 minute for restarts and 1 minute if you are hung up.
Any open door will cause disqualified.
If a fire occurs, the competition will be stopped until fire is out. If 2nd fire occurs in the same vehicle and in the same heat or feature, the vehicle will be disqualified.
All drivers and riders must wear a safety belt, long pants and DOT approved helmet (NO turtle shell or half shell helmets) at all times will under competition. Fire suit and eye protection is recommended.
All drivers and riders must remain in their vehicle until heat or feature is over or until red flag is thrown.
Protests should be directed to judges at earliest possible time. There will be a $150 cash-in-hand protest fee. Only drivers in the feature may protest another car. Driver must have cash in hand directly after feature event in order to protest and must provide specific item being protested.
No consumption of alcohol by driver, rider and pit crew until the event is over.
All decisions of judges are final. If it does not say you can do it, don't do it, call first.
All cars and any debris from your car must be removed from the grounds, immediately following final feature.
The driver or rider will be required to hook and unhook his/her car from the pull off vehicle.

Preparation of Cars

Remove all glass, mirrors, plastic, and make sure the vehicle is swept clean of all debris.
Open to any cars not exceeding 108-inch wheelbase. No shortening of trailing arms or any other suspension components to achieve this.
No painting anywhere on suspension or frame. We will not inspect your car.
4 or 6 cylinder engines only. No trucks or SUVs even if they fall under the wheel base.
Put car number on both front doors and on a MANDATORY upright roof panel (15” X 15” min.) in large readable print. Must be able to read number to be scored correctly.
Battery must be placed in a secured container and be securely covered with a non-conductive material such as a rubber floor mat on passenger side. This can be mounted to floor or frame, in a manner that is not strengthening the car,
All cars must have working brakes. If the car is not able to exhibit the ability to stop then it will not be inspected.
NO welding other than what is mentioned in this set of rules. If your car is found with any weld other than what is allowed and you refuse to fix it to the judge's satisfaction you and your car will not run.

BUMPER

Bumpers are interchangeable. Any automotive bumper and bumper brackets may be used on any car, but no more than one set of bumper brackets may be used. You can weld bumper brackets or towers to the frame. You can weld bumper brackets and the shocks to the bumper. NO brackets are allowed to extend any further back than the first 16" of the frame.
You will be allowed 2 options to mount your bumper. But you can only use 1 method not both.
- Instead of using bumper brackets, you are allowed to use 1-3" wide X 3/8" thick strap extending from your bumper down on side of the frame and cannot extend further back then the first 16" of the frame. You are also allowed to wrap this strap around the front of the frame 3" to create an "L" shape; this is to give you enough material to weld your bumper to the strap. Plate may be formed to fit the frame but it cannot be doubles up at any point. OR
- You can use 12" of square tubing to be slide in side of the frame to mount your bumper. This will be measured from the back side of the bumper.
You may reinforce of the inside of the bumper. You are allowed to fill the interior of the bumper with metal, but all added metal must remain inside the bumper. You may trim bumper ends or fold them around. Welding the bumper skins, chrome to inner liner is allowed. Weld them solid, we do not want them coming off. No welding bumper to the body in any fashion. Bumper height not to exceed 22" to the bottom of them bumper or frame. Bumpers must be in stock location.
Front and rear bumpers may have 4 loops of wire from radiator/trunk lid or deck to bumper (not frame). These cannot be placed in front of the radiator.
Homemade bumpers will be allowed. Must follow these dimensions: 6X6 max tubing size. If running a point on it, must be a minimum of 32" wide with a maximum of 4" point. No sharp, protruding objects or any points bigger than what is specified will be allowed. NO EXCEPTIONS!!
The bumper must be completely in front of the frame rails. No part of the bumper may extend back past the front most part of the frame rails.
Rear bumper brackets must be OEM for the vehicle you are running.

Frame Shortening

You may shorten the front frame to the factory core support location on a unibody vehicle. You may cut the frame off flush with the front edge of the core support body mount hole. If it is a weld on mount, leave the remaining portion of the body mount in place. If you removed the body mount completely or relocate it, you will not run. No shortening the rear rails or center of the vehicle.

Frame Welding

You are allowed to weld the factory frame seams from the front side of the firewall forward. On a unibody car you want the K frame seams and the unibody seam but do not weld the two together. No welding of inner fenders or anything else other than the one factory seam. You may not beat the lip over and weld it (example fox body mustang).
Coil sprung cars will be allowed 20" hump plates 1/4" thick 3" wide contoured to the frame. They must be centered in the rear axle no cheating to one side or another. Must have 2-1/2" inspection holes drill in them.
Rust repair - CALL before fixing any rust on the frame. The rust can be cut out a piece cut exactly to the hole size may be welded in (same thickness).

Frame Shaping

NO frame shaping is allowed. No tilting or altering of the frame in anyway. DO NOT shape your humps.

Front Suspension

Tie rods and ball joints - tie rods may be reinforced. Do not re-engineer the way the steering components mount to the frame. Aftermarket stock replacement ball joints and tie rod ends are allowed.
A-arms may be welded or bolted down but may not be reinforced. May use 1 3/4" bolt per A-arm if choosing to bolt. If welded, you may use 2-2X4X1/8" straps per A-arm. This strap must be welded to the A-arm and cannot farther forward or backward than 1" past the widest part of the A-arm. A-arms must bolt on in factory manner.
Struts must be factory for the vehicle you are running. Must mount with factory mounting brackets and look stock appearing. May reinforce the inside of the strut. You are allowed 1-2X4X1/8" strap to weld on the strut.
Steering box may be interchanged but must be from a vehicle that is legal for this class. Must bolt on in factory manner.
Pitman arms must remain stock. No reinforcing of boxes or racks.
Idler arms must remain stock or interchanged for an idler arm that is off a car that is legal for this class. Must be bolted on and not welded.
Hubs must remain stock for the spindle you are using. No aftermarket hubs or rotors.
Spindles must be stock for a vehicle that is legal in this class. You may weld 1-6"X3/4" rod to the back side of the spindle.
Sway bar must be mounted in stock location.

Rear Suspension

NO leaf spring conversions
Leaf springs must be of stock spring material with a 1" stagger, front and back. No springs can be as long as the main leaf. You can have a total of 7 leaf springs per side, no thicker than 5/16" thick and 2 3/4" wide. The main leaf must be the top spring in the spring pack and lead spring must go down from longest to shortest. You can re-clamp springs, 4 clamps per side. Homemade clamps cannot exceed 2X4X1/4" while using up to 1/2" bolts. Must have a 2" arch in your springs. Must mount leafs to the factory mounting brackets. Brackets may be welded on. Do not relocate them.
You can change coil springs to a stiffer spring, or put spacer in sagging coil springs. You can wire, or chain coil springs to rear end to prevent springs from falling out.
You can loop chain or wire 1 loop of 3/8" chain or 4 loops #9 wire from rear end to frame in one spot on each side. Must go around frame. Do not bolt chain to the frame. We are going to allow you to weld 1 link of chain per side of frame. If you choose to weld the chain instead of wrapping it around the frame.

Rear Ends

Any Rear End Allowed.
Must Mount to stock mounts.
Must be 10 inches away from Sheetmetal except for trailing arms.

Tires

Tires no bigger than 16", no split rims, no studded tires. Foam filled or doubled tires are okay. Valve stem protectors are okay. Tires may be screwed to the rims. You may run full centers and bead locks on the inside of the wheel only.

Motor and Transmission

Full cradles allowed
Carb Protector – Must be bolted in ONLY. This can only be used to protect the carb and header.
- Must be 1 inch from firewall
- Cannot connect to the frame of K member in any way.
Engine cross member - you are allowed 2-4X6" plates 1/4" thick on the frame to attach your engine mounts to. Mounts may only go to engine saddle, not to the frame. On FWD cars, engines must be mounted in stock manner.
You can use 4 or 6 cylinder engine of your choice, must be mounted in stock location.
Motor mounts can be replaced but must remain factory style. Reinforcing of the mounts is permitted but must still have a bolt as a pivot point. Mounts may be welded solid with 1-4”x6”x1⁄4” thick plate per side. Mounts (other than upper FWD) must go to engine cross member, not to the frame. Top side FWD mounts may be welded on one side but must pivot on the other (do not weld the mounts together).

Transmission and Skid Plate

Transmission cross member - you must run the transmission cross member in stock location for the vehicle you are running. On RWD vehicles, you can weld a single piece of 2" angle iron no thicker than 1/4" no longer than 8" to the side of the frame. You must remove the stock mount if you run the angle iron. If you replace the cross member, it can be no longer than 2X2X1/4" tubing. The transmission cross member is the only method where the transmission may be tied in. Transmission may be bolted to the cross member with 2-5/8" bolts with 1.5" washers or you may wrap a chain around the transmission to the cross member.

Body shaping

Body shaping is allowed to the exterior of the vehicle only. All panels must remain in factory position.

Rust Repair

You can patch rust holes in sheet metal with sheet metal only. Do not cut rust out; weld 2" beyond rust.

#9 Wire Rules

You are allowed 2 strands up to 4 loops per window opening. May go around frame and through the roof sheet metal only. Do not use your cage in any way to support this.
You may run wire from frame rail to frame rail underneath back of vehicle, behind rear end with 4 loops of wire or 1 loop 3/8" chain. This may go around the frame, or it may go through a factory frame hole, or you can weld 1-3/8" chain link to the inside rail of the frame to run wire through. This wire may pass through the trunk floor if you choose.

Radiators

For mounting radiators you may use up to 4-1/2" all thread. This may pass through the bottom of the core support. You may use 2"X6" 1/8" thick flat steel, welded to the core support to run your all thread through.
A Radiator protector allowed, max 1/8’’ thick. Must only secure in 6 spots (1 inch weld max or 3/8 bolts)

Body Mounts

Body mounts can be replaced with up to 1" bolts. Must have a 1" spacer in all mounts besides at the core support. K-frame cars are allowed to bolt the frame solid with no spacer (no welding). May have 1 - 2X3X1/4" washer inside the frame and 1 4X4X1/4" washer on top. Bolts must be up inside the frame. If you choose to use a body mount hole for your trunk all thread, this does not have to be up inside the frame.
Radiator support mount spacers may be removed and you can cinch radiator support down solid. If running a core support spacer must be 2X2X1/4" tubing welded to either the frame or body not both. Absolutely no body mounts may be moved or added. Do not shorten the front of your car and move back past the body mount hole, as your vehicle will not run. The all thread at the core support may be welded to the side of the frame.

Hoods

Hoods must have at least a 12" square hole in case of a fire. You are allowed 16-3/8" bolts with a washer of 1.25" to bolt hood seems. You are allowed 6 spot to hold your hood on. Your core support all thread may go through the hood and will count as 2 of the tie down spots. You may have up to 1" all thread, no longer than 8". All other tie down spots must be sheet metal to sheet metal only with a washer no bigger than 5X5X1/4".
You may cut wheel wells for tire clearance. Fenders may be bolted back together with 6-3/8" bolts or less with a 1.25" diameter washer. No rolling your fenders and welding them. If you wrap or fold your fenders around the front of the core support, do not exceed 4-3/8" bolts with 1.25" washers to bolt together.

Windshield bars and Firewall

Do not alter the firewall in any way.
Window bars - for safety, all cars must have 2 bars extending from the roof of the car to the firewall. The straps cannot be any larger than 3/8"X3" flat strap. Do not connect these bars in any manner, no more than 6" of strap material allowed on the roof and no more than 6" of strap material allowed on the firewall. Must be a minimum of 3" frame any cage or #9 wire. No rear window bars, may use #9 wire in the openings.

Doors

You may weld your doors shut with nothing larger than 3X1/8" flat strap (do not overlap). Exterior door seam only may be welded. You may fold the tops of the doors over and weld the inner to outer with no added metal. If you choose to bolt or wire the doors shut, must be done in a minimum of 6 locations. If we do not think the vehicle is safe you will not run.
You are allowed to skin the driver’s door for safety reasons. You may use up to 3/16" flat steel; it may not extend further than 3" past the door seams. No more grader blades.

Cage

All cars must have a cage no exceptions. All cage material must be no larger than 8" OD, unless specified for a specific rule. It must also be a minimum of 4" off the floor everywhere except where the down tubes go straight down. No cage material may be within 6" of the firewall and any part of the engine and protector. Must be a minimum of 4" off the transmission tunnel which cannot be altered.
You may weld a bar behind the seat from door post to door post, it can be an X. Do not connect directly to the frame, and you may also have (with no extensions) across your dash bar and the seat bar inside the front doors only. You may weld two down bars per side from the cage to the frame vertically. Do not angle these or conceal a body mount with them. These down bars must remain behind the inside door seam and may only be welded to the top side of the frame or floor. These bars cannot exceed 2"x3". You must have roll loop behind seat, which must be welded to the floor or frame and may be welded or bolted to the roof. You may also weld a steering column to the steering cage. Back of cage, including roll bar has to be placed a minimum of 5" in front of the center of the rear seat body mount. On cars where this isn't present, must be 10" from driver’s seat.
Gas tank protector- recommends running a gas tank protector. It cannot attach to anything other than to your cage. Cannot exceed 24" wide and must be centered in the vehicle. It can angle in from your rollover protection it must 4" off floor and roof sheet metal and 1" from rear sheet metal.

Fuel tank, oil coolers, transmission coolers, batteries, pedals and shifters

You can run factory fuel cell it must be moved inside to rear seat area and tied down. Fuel line must be secured and fastened properly. If running fuel injected make sure you use Fuel injection hose or you will not be allowed to run. Keep away from exhaust. Place fuel cell behind driver’s seat or in the center of the vehicle.
Engine coolers and transmission coolers are allowed. These coolers cannot be placed to reinforce the car. All bolts mounting these may go through sheet metal, unless mounting on a cage.
Floor mounted pedals are permitted. They must be 2" away from the frame, body mounts, and any cage components or protectors.
Batteries may be mounted to the cage or in the floorboard, if mounting in the floorboard, the battery box may not strengthen the vehicle in any way. Must be a minimum 2" from cage, frame, body mounts, and protectors.
Cable shifters are permitted but may not be mounted in any way to strengthen the vehicle.

Trunks

You are allowed to weld your trunk solid with 3X1/8" flat strap on the exterior seam. No attachment point may come intact with the frame.
You can fold hoods or trunk lids over. Do not slide your hood or trunk lids forward or back. Trunk must remain on hinges. Trunk lids may be shaped but must remain 10" off the floor. Rear quarter panels must remain vertical. Rear tail light valance must remain vertical.
2-1" all thread may go from the trunk lid to the frame. You may pass through a factory body mount hole or weld 3" to the side of the frame. May use up to 5X5 washer on top of the trunk lid.
Do not remove the speaker deck.
Wagons must remove all rear decking and seat components. All other rules must be followed. If you choose not to run a rear bumper on a wagon you may drop the tailgate straight down. May only be welded to the body.

Plates

You will be allowed 10 plates on the car anywhere you want to place them. The plate must start out as a 6X6X1/8" plate. When welding the plates on you are allowed a 1/2" weld around the edges of the plate. There must be a 1" gap between the weld of the plate to the next weld of the next plate. Once you weld the plates on, they cannot be cut off and moved. Can use a 10” piece of 1” all thread in place of a plate, if done, will count as one of your plates.

2025 COMPACT WELD RULES