Open Top Cars / Convertibles

To ensure the safety of all participants at our High Performance Driving Schools, open top vehicles (Cabriolet, TT Roadster, S2000, Miata, Boxster, 65 Mustang, etc) are subject to special restrictions. 

Summary from 2.13.2 Convertibles of Audi Club North America, Event Guidelines Performance Driver Education March 1, 2024

2.13.2 Convertibles
Convertibles (e.g. roadsters, cabriolets, spyders) lacking rollover protection are not permitted in ACNA High Performance Driving Schools (HPDE, lapping, or any events held “at speed”). Vehicles with removable hardtops or retractable hardtops are considered to be convertibles and those lacking a rollover protection system are also not permitted at high-speed events.

Convertibles with factory-installed rollover protection (either fixed or deployable) meet the ACNA minimum requirement for high-speed events and are acceptable, subject to approval by chapter leadership and event staff (Event Master, Registrar, Safety Steward and/or Chief Driving Instructor) and provided that vehicles with fixed protection meet the broomstick rule as stated below.

Targas and t-tops are not convertibles and are therefore acceptable; roof panels must be installed.

Convertibles with or without rollover protection are allowed at low-speed events defined in 4.1.1 and track touring laps behind a pace car – helmets not required.

Driving with the soft-top up or the hard top installed is strongly recommended; otherwise, SFI and/or FIA approved arm restraint system(s) must be used and is recommended in any case. Note that this prevents the use of point-by passing signals. Full-face helmets or effective eye protection if wearing an open-face helmet is also strongly recommended.

For convertibles without factory-installed rollover protection to be allowed at ACNA high-speed events, the minimum requirements are:

• A four-point roll cage consisting of a main roll bar behind the front seats with two rear- triangulated braces must be installed.
• Minimum four-point harness with ASM (anti-submarining) technology must be used. Equivalent equipment (harness and seat) is required for driver and passenger – see 2.6.2.5.
• Enforcement of the “broomstick rule” is required for all occupants. Minimum clearance(with helmet on) is two inches below a straight edge, placed from the top of the roll bar to the top of the windshield frame.

For guidance to event organizers, Appendix D identifies some of the vehicles which are acceptable in OEM form, and others which must meet the above-mentioned requirements. Neither list is complete – event organizers may contact the PDEC if further guidance is needed.

Compliance with the above-stated requirements is solely the responsibility of the vehicle owner and must be confirmed during a mandatory examination which can be performed at the event or during the mandatory inspection required in 2.10.1. The designated chapter representative(s) (Event Master, Registrar, Safety Steward and/or Chief Driving Instructor) has final authority to impose more stringent requirements for any event, and also has complete authority to exclude any vehicle for any reason. The list of ACNA- approved vehicles does not mean that a chapter must accept them, nor does it mean that all facilities will accept them.

Appendix D – ACNA Vehicle Participation Exception List (Updated 5/30/2022)

The following convertibles do NOT have rollover protection and therefore are not acceptable at ACNA HPDE’s unless they meet the minimum requirements set out in 2.13.2: 

pre-996 Porsche Cabriolet (air-cooled), Mustang, Corvette, Camaro, Firebird, Miata (all generations), Solstice, GXP, Solaris, first gen Z3’s, most British and Italian sports cars from the 40’s through the 80’s. (T Top versions of these cars are allowed.)

The following convertibles have factory rollover protection and are acceptable subject to chapter approval and provided the track allows them:

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