Weld Compacts

Weld Compacts (Cradle OR Kickers)

1 and Done 

Payouts:

1st – $2,500

2nd – $1,500

3rd – $750

4th – $400

5th – $250

30 Max | Entry: $200

We will use these rules for the 2026 Showdown Pending 2025 Thanksgiving Demo. 

 Weld Compact Fresh and Pre Runs
NO black cars, dark cars must have contrasting letters/numbers. DO NOT paint anywhere on suspension or frame; we will not even inspect your car. 

SECTION 1:  GENERAL BUILD RULE

1.1-  Fresh and Pre Run cars.  Fresh Sedagons are NOT allowed.

1.2-  Front wheel drive and rwd.  No four-wheel drive vehicles.

1.3-  Wheelbase must be 112” or less. NO EXCEPTIONS!  NO moving/bending a stock or aftermarket component to shorten wheelbase.

1.4-  Must be powered by six cylinder engine max

1.5-  Strip/Remove all materials down to metal shells, which include all glass, plastics, carpets, fabrics, moldings and such. Remove all decking in wagons

SECTION 2:  DRIVER SAFETY

2.1-  No rust repair besides mounting seat, batteries, fuel tank, and pedals.  Bolt or weld OEM thickness material WITHIN REASON to mount them safely.  NOT UP FOR DEBATE!!!! If you want a clean car, buy one.

2.2-  All lines under the car must be steel lines or if running rubber lines they must be inside of the car and high pressure-rated for anything over 5 psi.

2.3-  All sunroofs must be covered with a thin sheet of metal, welded, bolted (with bolt head inside the car), or riveted. No #9 wire or chains to accomplish this will be allowed. 

2.4-  (2) batteries max, with battery mount/box bolted to the floor or welded to the cage, must be covered. Battery boxes may not contain a full floor plate.  Battery boxes welded to the cage cannot strengthen the car in any manner.

2.5-  Front Windshield area must have a chain, wire or bar. (2) spots of wire or chain or (2) Flat bars 2” X 1/4” max. No more than 6” of wire, chain, or bar may overlap onto the body or windshield cowling. Bars may connect together in (1) spot only. Must not interfere with the drivetrain or anything mounted to the drive train at any moment before, during, or after the show.

2.6-  Rear window opening on sedans may use a 2”x2” bar 1/4” thick window bar with 6” of bar on roof and 6” on top of trunk lid no further than 2” behind front drip edge. Wagons may use a 4” wide 1/4” thick strap from roof to tailgate, no more than 6” of strap on roof or 6” on tailgate.  These can be attached by welding or bolting.  If bolting, (1) 5/8” diameter 8” long max bolt with (1) 5”x 1/4” thick washer max and (1) store bought nut and (1) store bought washer.

2.7-  Front Driver's Door ONLY can be welded solid and may have an 1/8” thick door plate on the outside no further than 6” past door seams.  Must not connect to the frame in any form.

2.8-  May have a door plate on the inside of BOTH front doors. Cannot connect to the frame.  This can be welded to the cage down tube, sidebar, and floor pan.  Can only go from 2” in front of the inside front seam and 2” behind the rear inside seam of the front doors OR may sit inside the door opening and welded to the weather strip molding lip.  This plate cannot be any higher than the cage door sidebar.

SECTION 3:  BODY

3.1-  No welding, bolting, wiring, taping or chaining of the body unless stated.  No adding metal or any other material to strengthen the body unless stated.  No body seams may be welded.  You will cut more than you welded or added.  No doubling of body panels or any other components.

3.2-  Body creasing is limited to front, rear quarter panels and trunk only.  Refer to rule #5.4.

3.3-  Outer fenders/fender well lips may be bolted together. Max of (10) 3/8” bolts with 2” OD store bought washers, ABOVE THE FENDER WELL, no further than a hand width from outside wheel well opening.  

3.4-  Doors may be welded, wired, or chained shut.  Any open door during the event will result in disqualification.  See methods below:

A-  If welding, 6” on 6” off all the way around using a 3”x1/8” strap or ½” filler rod. The only exception is front driver’s door as stated in rule #2.7, 

B-  If using wire, it may be double stranded, sheet metal to sheet metal only, 4 spots per seam.  

C-  If using chain, 5/16” chain sheet metal to sheet metal only with a 3/8” store bought bolt and hardware. 

SECTION 4:  HOOD

4.1-  Hood MUST have a 6"x6" minimum hole cut in the center. Anything can be removed, NOTHING can be added.  This is for safety crews to extinguish fires.

4.2-  Hood must be 100% in stock location and open for inspection.  Bolting hood sheet metal is allowed using (8) 3/8” bolts and 3/8” store bought washers max. No welding bolts, washers, nuts or sheet metal.

4.3-  Hoods may only be secured shut in (8) spots max.  Sheet metal to sheet metal only for any of these methods:

A-  (1) bolt per spot.  See rule #4.4 for allowed connection methods.

B-  (4) strands max of #9 wire per spot.  No welding of wire.  A 1” inside diameter store bought washer may be welded to sheet metal for wire to run through.

C-  (1) strand of 3/8” chain and store bought 3/8” bolt and nut per spot. No welding of chains.

4.4-  If bolting hood shut, you may use 1 method below per spot:

A:  2”x2”x1/4” max angle 6” long back to back welded on the exterior of the car only with (2) store bought 1 ⁄ 2 '' bolts and hardware ran through each set of angles.  If using an aluminum hood, you may use (2) 3/8” store bought bolts and hardware per angle iron to secure to the aluminum hood only in place of welding.

B:   May run a 5/8” bolt with store bought hardware 8” overall length max to a welded on 2”x2”x1/4” angle 6” long OR 4” x 6” x ¼” flat plate.  Angle or plate to be welded to the inside of the engine bay, under the hood.  Must be on a horizontal plane, no part of angle or plate can be more than 2” below factory position of the inside of the hood.  You will be allowed (1) store bought nut/washer and a 5” max outer diameter 1/4” thick hood plate.  The bolt can only be attached to the plate or angle that is welded on.

C: You may have a 18” long piece of 5/8” threaded rod with no more than 12” of weld per rod.  Cannot be welded, wrapped, tied, pinned, or connected in any way to the drivetrain, unibody or K member frame. You will be allowed (1) store bought nut/washer and a 5” max outer diameter 1/4” thick hood plate.

4.5-  If using a core support body bolt to secure the hood, it may be 1” threaded rod and extend 6” above the upper part of core support.  These (2) rods will count toward your (8) hood hold down locations.

SECTION 5:  TRUNK

5.1-  Anything can be removed, NOTHING can be added. (2) 8” inspection holes must be in the trunk lid prior to inspection.  Trunk lid sheet metal may be bolted together using (4) 3/8” bolts and 3/8” store bought washers max per hole. (2) holes max with bolts. No welding bolts, washers, nuts or sheet metal.  If you come up with no inspection holes, you will be sent back without being further inspected and that will count towards your total Inspections.

5.2-  Deck lid must remain on factory hinges.  Do not remove the speaker deck.  Deck lid must be factory for the car you are running.

5.3-  You may weld OR bolt the trunk shut, not both.  Choose one of the following methods:

A-  You can weld trunks and wagon tailgates 6” on 6” off with 4” wide x 1/8” thick flat plate

B-  You may use (14) ½” bolts with store bought washer to secure trunk edge or wagon hatch edge to trunk or hatch drip edge lip.

5.4-  You may crease the trunk and quarter panels. Quarters must be vertical.

5.5-  Allowed (2) 5/8” threaded rod through sedan deck lid or wagon roof to trunk floor.  You can choose one of the following methods, not both:

A-  May pass through frame rail and allow (1) 5” x 1/4” max washer on top side of sedan trunk lid or roof of wagon, (1) 3” washer on underside of body, and (1) 3” washer on top side of body.  (3) store bought nuts and washers per rod.

B-  May weld 4” max each rod to one side of the frame rail with no washers or nuts on the underside of the body.  Allowed (1) 5” x 1/4” max washer on top side of trunk lid or roof of wagon, and (1) 3” washer on top side of body.  (2) store bought nuts and washers per rod.  

SECTION 6:  RADIATOR AND CORE SUPPORT

6.1-  Any automotive type radiator can be used but must be in stock position.  Radiator can be full aluminum.  No homemade radiators or radiator supports allowed.  No reserve tanks and no added cooling capacity.

6.2-  Spray foam is allowed after inspection.  If you come to inspection with spray foam you will have to go back to your pit and remove ALL OF IT before we inspect it.  Must be inside the core support area.

6.3-  Two electric fans max.  Must mount to the radiator only

6.4-  Do not relocate the position of the core support.  

6.5-  Can weld (4) 2”x6”x1/8” thick straps to core support, (2) on top and (2) on bottom, with holes to pass (2) total 1/2” threaded rod through vertically for bolting to hold in radiator.  Only (4) store bought nuts and (4) store bought washers per rod.  Instead of straps, you can bend (2) 1/2” threaded rods and weld 6” on the top of the core support and 6” on the bottom of the core support to hold the radiator in.  Cannot attach straps or rod to anything but core support.  

6.6-  You may run only (1) of the following methods in front of the radiator mounted to the core support.  Each method is allowed (8) spots of attachment being 1” of weld, a 3/8” bolt with store bought washer, OR single strand of 9 wire:

A- Factory condenser

B- 32” wide by 1/8" thick mesh/expanded metal

C- 1/8" plate-type with design cut into it.  Design must account for 50% minimum of the plate -+*9material being removed.

6.7-  (2) 1” max threaded rod at core support. Threaded rod must be straight up and down.  Must bolt on with max (5) store bought washers, nuts, and (3) 5” max outer diameter 1/4” thick washers.  These rods can be used as the front (2) body bolts and (2) hood bolts.

6.8-  Core support spacer allowed.  May be welded to the topside of the unibody frame or top horizontal crossbar of core support, not both. Must run vertical.  2”x2”x1/4” tube measuring 8” long max.  This must “sleeve” your core support threaded rod.

SECTION 7:  BODY MOUNTS

7.1-  All body bolts, spacers, and washers must be floating, no welding allowed.

7.2-  You may not add any body bolts, if it did not come from the factory with a bolt, you will lose it.

7.3-  Body bolts can be replaced with 1” diameter 8” long max threaded rod unless otherwise stated.  Washers and nuts must stay inside of the frame, no “pinning”.  5”x 1/4” thick washers max on top side of body, 3”x1/4” max washer on bottom side of the frame.  Two store bought washers and nuts per bolt unless otherwise stated.  

7.4-  Body mount bushings can be replaced with 1” thick x 3” max diameter metal spacers.  You may pull K frame body mount bushings and suck tight to unibody. Cannot weld k frame to unibody.

SECTION 8:  FRAMES

8.1-  Anything from one of the frame rules found done to the frame will result in disqualification. NO FIXING, NO COMPROMISES, NO OPTIONS…YOU WILL BE LOADED!

8.2-  No welding, plating, or reinforcing of the frame.  All factory frame holes must be left open. 

8.3-  Subframe cars cannot have front and rear frames tied together. 

8.4-  CORE SUPPORT MUST REMAIN IN FACTORY LOCATION.  You may shorten the front frame rails to the front of the forward most part of the core support face. 

8.5-  Rear frame rails may not be shortened.

8.6-  No frame shaping, other than you can dimple your rear rails in (2) spots per rail behind the rear strut towers.

8.7-  You may run a store bought 3/8” chain from frame rail to frame rail behind rear strut towers.  (1) loop around each frame rail and bolted to itself with one ½” max bolt.

SECTION 9:  SUSPENSION FRONT AND REAR

9.1-  All suspension and steering must remain stock and match the make/model car you are running unless a modification is stated in the following rules.

9.2-  Aftermarket steering columns and shafts are allowed. These components may not strengthen the car in any way at any time. NO HYDRAULIC STEERING OF ANY KIND! Steering racks and steering boxes must be stock without any reinforcements.

9.3-  Tie rods must have factory appearing ends, No heims! You may brace the center tube with angle or pipe. Aftermarket is fine but must have a factory type end!

9.4-  Reinforced/aftermarket front and rear struts allowed, 3” max material specification.  Cannot strengthen frame or body in any manner.  Must attach to the body and control arm/spindle in the factory manner.  Cannot connect or weld to any other component, body, or the frame in any manner.  Must be straight in construction. RWD cars with spindles, Must be a factory OEM automotive spindle, you may brace this spindle. Any rear end. Cannot connect to the body or uniframe in any frame in any shape besides trailing arms, leaf springs or patch plates. You may use a ⅜” max chain to hold in place and keep ride height. 

9.5-  You may use store bought spring spacers or homemade/aftermarket spacers on top of springs.  Cannot strengthen body or frame in any manner.

9.6-  Front a-arms/control arms must remain stock.  Cannot be reinforced, have added brackets, or have added supports in any manner.

9.7-  Ball joints may be screw-in or aftermarket, no bolts or heims. You will be allowed to weld in a screw-in ball joint ring, single pass 1/2” max weld with no added metal. You may “tack” joints in.  Joker style lower ball joints are accepted, do not abuse this rule.

9.8-  Sway bars must be bolted on in factory positions per year of vehicle being run.  Can remove if desired.

9.9-  Trailing and rear lateral arms may be reinforced.  Must start with stock arms or use material resembling factory size.  Must be factory length and similar in shape.  Must have factory rubber bushing at each mounting end and attached with factory size and amount of bolts.  If bushing is not obvious in tech, you must remove a bolt and pivot arm down to prove it has a bushing.  Cannot extend past mounting bolts more than the factory manner.   Cannot be welded to the car in any manner.

SECTION 10:  TIRES

10.1-  Any Tire/wheel combo.  Black, rubber, and round tires. 18” max diameter wheel.

SECTION 11:  BUMPERS

11.1-  Bumpers may be an OEM loaded or an aftermarket replica bumper, must conform to an OEM style bumper, including but not limited to degree of angle, max point from frame mounting point to tip, height of construction, and width.  Do not make us make a determination for you, use your better judgment!!!   Must be a factory-style bumper, no homemade pointies. We all want to go home at night.

11.2-  Bumpers can be no higher than 26” from the ground to the top of the bumper or lower than 14” from the ground to the bottom of the frame and bumper front of the car and back of the car.  This rule will be strictly enforced, no swapping tires after inspection.

11.3-  Bumpers may be hard-nosed or utilize a factory shock in factory position for your make, model, and year specific car.  If your car did not come with a shock, you are not allowed to utilize a shock, follow method B below.  Below are the 2 methods to choose from:

A.-  If utilizing the factory shock, you are allowed a 4” wide 3/8” flat strap butt welded to the back of the shock and to the front of the shock cup or frame. You may collapse and weld your shock tube solid. No welding on frame further back than the furthest factory attachment point on the frame (not the furthest point on the brackets) *NO WELDING Further than 12 and 1/2” BACK FROM BUMPERS* 

B.-  If you hard-nose a bumper, factory shock/bracket must be removed, and you are allowed (1) 4”x3/8” flat plate 12” long max per frame rail on the exterior or interior side of the unibody frame to connect the bumper to the frame with a ½” weld.  *NO WELDING Further than 12 and 1/2” BACK FROM BUMPERS* You will also be able to utilize a 6” long piece of 3”x3” tubing internal in the frame in conjunction with this outer bracket. 9 square inches max diameter!!!

C.-  If you hard-nose a bumper, factory shock/bracket must be removed, and you are allowed (1) 4”x3/8” flat plate 18” long max per frame rail on exterior or interior side of the unibody frame to connect the bumper to the frame with a ½” weld.  *NO WELDING Further than 18 and 1/2” BACK FROM BUMPERS* No Internal bumper shock allowed, External only for this method!!

11.4-  You may bolt (1) chain per side from bumper to frame OR core support 3/8” max chain using 1/2” max hardware or weld (1) piece of strap 2”x ¼” per side from bumper to frame OR core support with 1” length of strap welded on each end. Must not be in front of the radiator at any point.  Cannot attach behind the bumper bracket or shock on frame, do not abuse this rule or you’ll lose it.

SECTION 12:  SAFETY CAGES

12.1-  All cars must have a safety cage consisting of (1) dash bar, (1) seat bar, and (1) door sidebar per side that extend past your dash bar, and a MANDATORY roll over halo.  Roll over halo to consist of (1) upright per side and (1) crossbar to connect the uprights.  You are allowed to run a gas tank protector.  See following rules for proper dimensions.  Cannot stack material to exceed given measurements, cannot subtract width to add to height measurements or vise-versa.  Cage can attach to sheet metal only.

12.2-  (1) 8” tall x 6” wide max door sidebar per side.  Door side bars cannot go farther than 6” in front of the exterior door seam and must be 1” in front of the rear wheel well sheet metal.  Door side bars must be straight, cannot contour or run at an inward angle.  All parts of the door side bar must be minimum 4” away from all floor and rear seat sheet metal.

12.3-  (1) 6”x6” max bar for dash bar.  Must be mounted no more than 6” below the bottom of the front window seal.  Dash bar, all other cage components, and all brackets mounted to cage must be 4” minimum from all parts of the front firewall and trans/exhaust tunnel.  Do not beat factory sheet metal to make this clearance.  This clearance is not required for the front wheel wells.

12.4-  (1) 6”x6” max seat bar behind seat.  Back edge of the seat bar must be within 8” of the front door inner rear seam.  Seat bar must be minimum 4” away from all floor and rear seat sheet metal.

12.5-  (1) 6”x6” max roll over halo upright bar per side and (1) 6”x6” max roll over halo crossbar to connect the uprights. Back edge of any part of the roll over halo cannot be more than 6” behind the seat bar. Uprights can be attached to the top of the door bars, the top of the seat bar, or be run to the floor sheet metal.  If uprights are run to the floor, each upright will be counted as one of your down tubes and must follow the down tube rules per rule #12.6. You may bolt/attach each halo upright in (2) spots to the floor with either a 4” weld or (2) 5/8” max store bought bolts and hardware no more than 6” long and with (2) 3” max diameter washers 1/4” thick.  Roll over bar can be bolted to the roof in (2) locations. 5/8” bolts max, with (1) 5”x1/4” max washer, (2) store bought washers and (1) nut.  There must be a 6” minimum distance (gap) from roll over halo to any part of the rear window bar.  Nothing can be attached to roll over halo.

12.6-  All down bars must be (1) 3” x 3” max tube, run straight up and down, and run off the side door bars.  You can run (4) down bars, (2) per side.  Allowed to weld a single 4”x4” plate 1/4” thick per down bar to floor sheet metal only as a mounting point for down bars, cannot offset plate from down bar, entire down bar must land on plate.  (2) of these down bars must be mounted no further forward than the inner front door seam or rearward of rear seam of the front door.  All down tubes must be behind the dash bar, cannot go to body mount boxes. No kickers to rear humps or strut towers. Nothing out of the rear driver's compartment.

12.7-  Gas tank protectors are allowed and must be attached to the cage by the rear seat bar only.  Construction of the gas tank protector is to be 3” x 3” max bars.  Max width is 32" wide. You may attach the rear of the protector to the rear seat sheet metal with (2) ½" bolts 7” max long, (4) store bought washer, (2) store bought nuts and (2) 5”x1/4” washers.  Only (1) 3” x 3” bar measuring 32” wide may contact the rear seat sheet metal, this is the bar that can be bolted through.  You cannot weld a tank protector to the sheet metal. 

12.8-  Your gas tank protector may have a halo that extends no further than 24” above the tank protector or 6” above the fuel cell and no wider than 52”. May not be bolted or gusseted to anything besides the gas tank protector itself. All parts of the gas tank protector must remain inside the passenger compartment. If any part of the gas tank protector is in any portion of the trunk or attached anywhere else other than listed, you must remove it!

SECTION 13:  GAS TANKS, FUEL PUMPS, & COOLERS

13.1-  Stock gas tank MUST be removed from the original position and mounted in the rear seat area and secured. All tanks must have a secure cap. A marine tank or fuel cell is strongly recommended. All lines and fittings must be leak proof and meet approval of the track officials. Electric fuel pumps are allowed, must be mounted securely to the cage, and have a shutoff switch.   If any tech smells any gas at all, you will not get a stick.  Gas leaks & poor gas line connections will not be tolerated!

13.2-  Aftermarket engine oil and transmission oil coolers are allowed, as stated in rule #14.7.  Gas tank, transmission and engine coolers, and batteries must remain inside the dimensions of the cage provided. If any of the mounts for the items listed are too large or strengthen the frame or body, you will have to cut it and you may be required to relocate your cooler, battery, or tank.

SECTION 14:  ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION

14.1-  Chose 1

Kicker option, non cradle cars will be allowed 2 kickers off the dash bar to the back side of the core support spacer. These must have a minimum of 3” off the unibody frame rail at the strut tower and can only attach to the dash bar and the back of the core support spacer and no more than 4” rearward of spacer to top of unibody frame.

Cradle option, will be able to utilize full engine and trans cradles with solid mounts. You may only attach 2 patch plates from the dash bar to the engine/trans cradle. If your car has a full cradle/trans brace you may not have the kicker option.

14.2-  Any engine 6 cylinder or less and any OEM transmission may be used in any car, but must be mounted within 6” of the original motor. Engine cannot protrude into the passenger compartment.

14.3-  Blank

14.4-  Header protectors are allowed. 

14.5-  Aftermarket motor mounts and brackets are legal.  Motor mount and bracket construction cannot strengthen the frame or body in any manner, must have a similar footprint to factory style mounts and brackets on engine and frame or body. Must mount in the factory location using factory size hardware and holes.   Lower mounts must have factory style rubber or poly mounts.  A rubber film between a steel constructed mount and the frame/body will not be allowed!  Front upper core support mounts to the engine may be square or round tube without poly or rubber.   Any part of aftermarket mounts or brackets cannot be any further than 1” from the factory mounting locations on the engine, frame, or body.

14.6-  If you use factory mounts, you may weld 1 4”x4”x1/4” plate to the engine mount above and below the rubber section per mount.  1 chains allowed to hold the engine in if you are using any mounts.

14.7-  Transmission oil coolers and engine oil coolers are permitted. They must be secure and contained and covered inside the car, for the driver’s protection.  Mounting of these coolers cannot strengthen the car in any way

14.8-  HOMEMADE Gas Pedals and Shifters Are Allowed, but may not reinforce the car in any way. No full floor plate.

SECTION 15: REPAIR RULES:

15.1-   Patch Plates:

 Cars will be allowed 8- 4"X6"X 1/8" or ¼” patch plates.  Pre runs will be allowed 8- 4"X6"X 1/8" or ¼” patch plates.  You may use as you see fit, but must stay in one piece, if you cut off any part of the plate you lose the part you cut, it cannot be utilized in any way.  You are allowed a 1/2" weld and plates must have 1" gap between them.  Welds may touch but not overlap.  NO EXCESSIVE WELDING.  

9 Wire/Cable:

Cars will be allowed 10 spots, 4 loops per spot sheet metal to sheet metal.  8 spots cage to frame.  NO BUNDLED WIRE.  NO WRAPPED FRAMES.  If using cable, 1 turnbuckle may be utilized with one strand of ⅜” cable and, cannot be “looped”. 4 cable clamps per cable.  Do not abuse this. Do not use this for driveline pressure, cannot attach to engine, transmission or tubing crossmember. 

You will be allowed Welding of frame seams.  kinks, and rips must use a patch plate.   Minimal BODY SEAM WELDING OR PATCHING..   DO NOT ABUSE THIS RULE.