LAIRD INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY

GENERAL RULES

ALL DIVISIONS

LAIRD INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY

General Track Rules

2002 Season

GENERAL REGULATIONS

• All drivers must be 16 years of age or older.
• Refer to all rules as set out in each division’s rule book
• Absolutely no person 13 years of age or younger will be admitted to the pit area.  Management from time to time may make special exceptions, ie. Special out of town competitors. A birth certificate could be required as proof of age and if unable to provide it, admittance will be denied.
• No intoxicating liquors or controlled substances are to be consumed before or during a race event by anyone entering the pit area.
• Before entering the race area, a release, registration and/or entry forms must be signed by drivers, owners, crewmembers and spectators.
• The driver assumes responsibility for actions of his pit crew.
• Drivers/owners and or mechanics shall have no claims against or cause of action for damages, expenses or otherwise, against Laird International Raceway or its officials or promoter by reason of disqualification or damage to car, driver or both.
• A Laird International Raceway official may technically inspect any car at any time.
• Abuse of any Laird International Raceway official and use of improper language at any time is strictly prohibited and could result in removal from the property.
• Laird Raceway Officials reserve the right to reject or allow the entry of any driver or car.
• No owners, mechanics or crewmembers are allowed on the racing surface during red or caution flag conditions or at any time while a race is being run.
• No riders, in or on, racecars.
• All parts found illegal may be confiscated by the track official and may become property of Laird International Raceway.
• It is forbidden to carry in or consume any alcoholic beverage or controlled substance in the pit area before or during any event.  Violation of this may mean disqualification, suspension, loss of track privileges, or all three.  Any substances found will immediately become the property of Laird International Raceway and will not be returned at any time.  Laird International Raceway retains the right to search all vehicles, bags, tool chests etc. going into the pit area.
• All drivers and participants may be subject to a random drug test.
• Two-way radios and receivers are NOT allowed.
• Cars cannot race out of their division.
• If it is not in the rulebook consider it illegal.  It is at track’s discretion to rectify the problem.
• Please do not call Lakeway Truck Centre with any problems.  The same people manage Lakeway and Laird; however, they are separate businesses and should be handled as such.  Your cooperation is appreciated in this matter.

SAFETY REGULATIONS

• It is required that drivers’ helmets meet Snell 1985 or 1990 standards and that drivers wear driving suits or fire resistant material that effectively covers the body from neck to ankles and wrists.  It is also recommended that drivers wear fire resistant gloves and shoes.  Should a governing sanctioning body have a higher standard of safety equipment regulations, that governing body’s rules shall override the local track rules. 
• The head and arm of any driver shall not extend outside the door of a closed body racecar while driven in any event or on the track.
• Official starter must be at his post before any racecars are allowed on the track for warm up. 
• Only one person shall occupy a car at any time.
• At no time will non-competing members, crewmembers or general public be allowed on, or across the track, or infield, unless approved by a Laird Raceway official.  Failure to comply with this rule could result in your immediate removal from the property and the driver you are associated with could lose his points for that particular event.
• No driver will be allowed to race injured (regardless of cause).  Track officials can request a doctor’s release.
• After an accident, all persons involved must immediately drop their window net so track officials know they are not injured.

DEFINITION OF BEHAVIOR

Anyone who, by word or deed, disrupts, impedes, jeopardizes or in any manner hinders the smooth and orderly presentation of the racing program, or anyone who commits, or causes to be committed, any action detrimental to stock car racing, may/will be considered to have abused privileges.  Entry and/or admission granted by Laird Raceway may be subject to the revoking of those privileges and/or disqualification as deemed proper by management or designated official.  Drivers are responsible for the sportsmanlike conduct of anyone in their crew and penalties incurred by a crewmember may affect driver. 

DEFINITION OF DISQUALIFICATION

To make a driver or a car ineligible from participating in an event or from further participating in an event or from receiving credit for an official position, with the resulting loss of prize monies and points for that event and possible suspension of driver, owner and crew.

DEFINITION OF SUSPENSION

Loss of racing privileges at Laird Raceway indefinitely or for a definite period of time.

PRE-RACE PROCEDURE

1. Any car is subject to inspection as a result of an official’s decision or a valid protest.  The original inspection and resulting decisions shall be superseded by such a further inspection and resulting decision.

2. The correct procedure must be followed in order for a driver change to be considered legal.  Only properly registered relief drivers are considered eligible to drive for the registered driver.  Relief drivers must meet criteria as set out herein and they must sign the driver’s sign in sheet prior to any posted event.  Failure to do so will result in disqualification of that event and points will not be awarded accordingly.  The driver who signs in and starts the race event is the only driver who may finish the event.  A substitute driver cannot be used at any time, under any circumstance. 

3. A car number may not be assigned to another car in order for a driver to complete a race.  The vehicle that starts the event finishes the event.

4. When a pre-race driver’s meeting is called it is MANDATORY for all drivers to attend.  Failure to acknowledge presence at roll call may result in a scratch starting position/fine or both in the feature event and no protest privileges will be granted. 

5. Any driver using a previously qualified car must register his own number at sign in. 

LINE UP PROCEDURE

1. The first heat will be lined up as a result of time trial results.

2. The line-up for the feature will be determined by the points standing i.e. the point’s leader and the previous weeks feature winner will begin at the rear.  The confirmed top 3 cars from the feature will start at the back of the next feature, not the heat races.  It should be understood that any new drivers will follow the pack after the above line up has taken place.  A rookie driver’s status will change at the decision of the track officials.  If a driver missed the previous week’s race event, including absenteeism due to a track imposed suspension, that driver will start all heats and the feature at the rear of the field.  NOTE:  If a driver misses 2 weeks he will start at the rear for 2 weeks up to a MAX of 3 weeks. 

3. If it is a driver’s first time to race at Laird International Raceway, the new driver will start all the races at the rear of the field. 

RACE PROCEDURE

1. Race may be started at the discretion of the starter/official, once drivers have been signaled to be ready.  Disposition of car(s) not in position shall be at the discretion of Laird Raceway officials. 

2. Whenever it becomes dangerous or unsafe to continue a race within the discretion of the starter or officials, a race may be stopped. 

3. When a race is stopped, cars shall line up in the order in which they were running at the completion of the last full lap, except that those involved in the accident, shall start in the rear of those not involved and in their positions according to distance traveled.  Regardless of the number of laps covered, this rule shall apply at all times, and in event that enough laps have not to be covered for the race to be called complete, the drivers will be scored on the positions they held in a restart.

4. At least the leader shall cover the advertised laps of all races if possible. 

5. When official discretion of winning position is made by representative in charge, all races shall be considered finished. 

6. Caution flag laps may count as completed laps as designated.  Race will be ended on green flag whenever possible.  Procedure regarding caution laps and ending race on green to be brought to drivers’ attention before the race.

7. While on the racetrack, all drivers/cars are under the jurisdiction and control of the starter who will communicate his decision and/or instructions by means of flags and corresponding signal lights.  Starter’s decisions shall be final.

8. Once the field has been set on the track, a car that leaves the racing surface at any time for any reason will restart at the rear of the field.

9. In order for a car to be scored on the lead lap, they must cross the start/finish line and take the initial green flag with the lead cars.  If they re-enter the race once the lead cars have passed the pit re-entry gate, they are considered a lap down to the leader.  THERE ARE NO EXCEPTIONS TO THIS RULE!

PROTEST

1. A legal protest may be filed only by an officially entered driver according to protest procedure. 

2. Protests cannot be lodged against a driver/car in another class.

3. Protests must be accompanied by a cash bond and within the time period specified. 

4. Any competitor against whom protest has been lodged shall have the right to file answer to said charges.

5. Track technical committee, driver and a maximum of 2 pit crew members required to complete teardown procedure will be present at protest.

TYPES OF PROTESTS AND FEES

1. OFFICIAL DECISIONS:  In –progress race decisions or starter and/or head scorer will be considered final and race in progress will be completed accordingly.

2. TECHNICAL INFRACTIONS: Protest of any infraction relating to equipment which requires the use of tools to remove, or make accessible to inspection the protested part and/or equipment.  Work necessary to permit inspection must be performed by protested driver or his designated crew member.   Protest fee ($300.00 in cash) must accompany protest.  Only specified crew member and track officials may be present at the teardown procedure. 

PROTEST PROCEDURE

1. All protests must be filed with the division rep within 15 minutes of the completion of race. 

2. All protests must be filled out on the official protest form (available from division rep or at the pit entry gate, also enclosed in rulebook), and signed by the protesting DRIVER ONLY. 

3. All technical protest involving a teardown must be accompanied with cash bond of $300.00 at time of filing.

PROTEST RESULTS

1. Any car under technical protest found to be legal will be awarded a portion on the protest fee ($200.00).  If a car is protested and found technically illegal the same portion of the protest fee ($200.00) will be returned to the protestor.  Any car under technical protest found illegal will :
• Not receive any prize money or points for that race program;
• Be given a specified period of time by the track officials in which to correct any illegalities. 

2. Interpretation of the technical specifications will be entirely left to the discretion of the official in the area in question.  The track reserves the right to impound non-complying components with no compensation to the owner(s).  Non compliance to the specifications outlined herein may be subject to violating teams to: disqualification-loss of points-loss of money incurred and/or fine.  The local track procedures for protesting will override any sanctioning body rule book in these protest circumstances. 

INSPECTIONS

A pit official may inspect all competing cars before participating in any race.  Pit official has the right to restrict any car participating in the race program for reasons of safety or non-compliance with track and/or sanctioning body rules.  Upon completion of a race, the officials will direct a pre-determined number of cars to designated area for inspection.  This number of cars inspected may vary from week to week.  Failure to comply with any inspection requested by an official will result in disqualification.  Tires will be checked by use of track durometer.

** Please Note:  The top 5 cars from each division feature will report immediately to tech as soon as the feature race is completed.  Failure to do so will result in a loss of points and/or prize money for the feature race, or in other races which require tech. **

PENALTIES

1. Violation of any rule or regulation of Laird International Raceway by licensed member may be penalized by disqualification, suspension and/or fines.

2. Failure to sign releases and registration forms by driver, car owner or mechanics automatically disqualifies them and forfeits all prize money and points in the race. 

3. Any driver, owner, crewmember and/or car may be expelled from pit area and competition while under suspension and/or fine.

4. Any driver, car owner, crew member who takes part in any demonstration or fights on the track, in the pit or surrounding premises before, during or after a race shall be subject to suspension .

5. Until suspension is lifted, the car with which the suspended member is registered may be restricted from competing if suspension is for demonstration or fights. 

6. Any driver, car owner or mechanic who fails to notify Laird International Raceway (as per the rules set out herein) of any change in driver shall be subject to suspension.

7. Actions of Laird International Raceway members considered detrimental to Laird International Raceway shall be subject to suspension.

8. Abuse, verbal or physical, assault or threat to do bodily injury by any driver, car owner(s) or mechanic to any official or persons serving under their orders shall be grounds for suspension.

9. Any vacated position found illegal by disqualifications in any division, entries will not be moved up.  All finishing positions will be retained and any awards for disqualification position(s) will be put into points fund.  If winner is found illegal he will lose the wining amount, and in addition, may be penalized a fine not to exceed the winning amount posted. 

10. In the event a car owner/driver refused to tear down at the request of the Pit Official, the driver will automatically lose all points for the event and will forfeit all monies earned for the event.  The driver AND the car will not be allowed to race at Laird International Raceway until tear down is completed.

APPEALS

1. Right of appeal is given to any Laird Raceway member who has been suspended for any infraction of rules, regulations or specifications of Laird Raceway with exception of a black flag.

2. Appeal must be made within five (5) days after notification and must be made in writing to Laird International Raceway.

3. Hearing shall be heard by Laird Raceway and decisions made within ten (10) days.

4. Decisions made by Laird International Raceway on appeals shall be final.

FLAGS

Knowledge of the flags and the message they convey is vitally important to a race car driver.  His safety and that of other racers may depend on his recognition and of response to a flag signal from the starter.  Seven basic flag signals are the starter’s sole means of communication with the drivers.  Five of these signals could be categorized as “general information” and are displayed to all cars competing in a given event.  Two of the flags are used by the starter to convey specific instructions to individual drivers.

GREEN FLAG

Indicates race is in progress.  All cars on track may race.  No car, which is not on the track when the green flag is displayed, may re-enter the race while race is progress as indicated by the green flag unless other wise instructed.  A car returning to the race during a stoppage must wait until starter signals that it is safe to do so. 

YELLOW FLAG

The yellow flag signifies caution and this flag will be given to the first car past the starter.   After the yellow flag is displayed, cars must hold position until either the green flag is again displayed or the red flag, which would automatically stop the race.  Cars must slow down on all yellow flags.  In the event a safety car is used, all cars must, under no circumstances, pass the safety car, unless directed to do so by the officials.  Drivers must wait for safety car to pass them to pick up the lead car.  Safety car will lead race until green flag is again displayed.  Drivers failing to abide by yellow, or caution flag rule are subject to immediate disqualification by starter with black flag.  Also, any driver falling out of a position, for any reason, may be required to go to the rear of the field. 

RED FLAG

The red flag means that the race must be stopped immediately regardless of the position of the cars on the track.  The red flag may be used if, in the opinion of the starter, the track in unsafe to continue the race.  No repairs of any nature will be permitted on the pit road or on the track when the race is halted due to a red flag.  Any movement under red flag conditions will constitute a one lap penalty or disqualification at the discretion of the officials. 

CROSSED FLAGS

The furled flags, held in a position resembling the “X” indicate that the leader has passed the halfway point in the race.

BLUE FLAG WITH THE DIAGONAL STRIP

Yield right of way to overtaking car.  A driver receiving this “passing room” signal is thereby informed that he is or shortly will be impeding a faster car (not necessarily the leader) which is about to overtake and pass him.  He is further instructed to move toward the left or inside of the track and yield room on the right or outside of the track to allow faster car to overtake and pass safely.  “Passing room” flag will be used at starter’s discretion.  Lapped or slower moving cars, which in starter’s opinion are moving too slowly and may present an impediment, will be given a black flag.  A driver failing to obey the blue flag may receive the black flag.

BLACK FLAG

Leave the track as quickly and safely as possible to report to the pit area.   A driver receiving this signal is informed that, for some reason or set circumstances, he must cease racing immediately and leave the track without stopping or otherwise impeding traffic in the race in progress.  The black flag may signal a disqualification due to a rule infraction such as unsportsmanlike driving, or failure to obey the starter’s signal.  The black flag may also indicate that the car may be unsafe and/or presenting a race hazard either because of its mechanical condition (i.e. on fire, losing parts, spilling or leaking fuel) or because of the way it is being operated (i.e. being driven erratically or too slowly so as to impede other traffic).  Regardless of the reason, a black flagged car must report immediately to the pit area for consultation with officials who will inform the driver of the reason for the black flag, and of the conditions whereby he may be permitted to re-enter the race according to the rules.  A rolled black flag may indicate unsportsmanlike behaviour or potential race hazard.  If the situation continues, a full black flag will be displayed. 

WHITE FLAG

When displayed while green flag is in effect, white flag indicates that lap in progress is the last lap of the race.  When the white flag is displayed prior to the start of the race or prior to the start of a restart, it is indicating that the green flag will be displayed for the start of the next lap.

CHECKERED FLAG

Indicates that the lap being completed is the last lap of the race for each car receiving the checkered flag as it crosses the start/finish line.  The winner of the race shall be the car, which first crosses the finish line having completed the designated number of laps for the event.  If circumstances cause the race to be ruled a completed race before the originally designated number of laps have been run, the designate number of laps shall then be the number of laps completed when the race has halted and finished positions will be determined by head scorer. 

SCORING

1. START OF RACE

a) Cars will line up in the designated area

b) At the signal from the starter, the field will enter and circle around the track.

c) The two (2) lead cars will keep a side by side formation until they are given the green flag.

2. RE-START (RED OR YELLOW FLAG AND/OR LIGHTS):

a) Before the completion of one lap all (except those cars classified as accident cars or those that made a pit stop) will start in their original positions.  Cars classified as being involved in an accident, and cars that stopped at the pits, will restart behind those cars not involved, in the order that they were running or in the order they return to the field.  See Race Procedures Rule 8.

b) After the completion of the first lap but before the start of the last lap, the cars will line up in the order in which they were running on the previous lap.  All cars classified as accident cars will restart at the rear of the field in the order that they return to the starting lineup.  See Race Procedures Rule 8.

c) If enough laps have been completed – (i.e. one-half (1/2) the advertised distance plus (+) one (1) lap) to consider the race complete, the restart line up will be used as the finish and normal scoring procedures will apply.

During the last lap, the race will be called with classified accident cars assuming scratch positions with the exception of all cars taking the checkered flag before the red or yellow and/or light will be scored accordingly to the order they crossed the finish line using normal scoring procedures.

3.             Any car spinning out and/or lingering long enough to cause a yellow or red flag will be restarted at                 the rear of the field.  If the same car spins out again and/or lingers long enough to cause a 2^nd    caution during the same race, it will be BLACK FLAGGED.

4.             Classification of cars being involved in an accident shall be at the discretion of the scoring team      and/or race director.

5.             Any competitor stopping on the race track to dispute an official’s decision (i.e. scorers, starters,      assistant starter) will be deleted from the score sheets for that event and any further suspension               will be at the discretion of the track officials.

Note: At NO time is a competitor allowed to stop on the track surface to dispute any           decisions.  If this occurs, it will result in an automatic black flag.

6.             All cars scheduled for this event must be on the racetrack ready to go when the pace laps start and                 under no circumstances is any competitor, not in the original starting line-up, to go onto the track     or enter the race after the green flag has been displayed prior to the first actual start of the race          (drop of green flag).  Any car not classified as a “starter” in any event, according to scoring rule           6(a) above, will be deleted from records of said event and will be ineligible for prize money,                points or other posted awards for the event.

7.             No driver is allowed to get out of his car.  No crewmember is allowed to approach the car while it      is on the racetrack (the racetrack is considered to be the area from the outside retaining walls, a   specified distance from the paved surface). Under no circumstances will a car be attended to on                 the track.  In the event a car is attended to on the track, it will be subject to be placed on the rear of the field or lap penalty or both.

8. All decisions by the scorekeeper are final.  At NO time is a competitor or representative to approach the scorekeeper’s or starter’s stand in order to dispute a decision.  Failure to comply with this rule results in immediate disqualification of the driver and suspension of points for that event.  It could lead to seasonal disqualification of driver and team members.

9. No individual, representative or group will be recognized in any discussion or dispute unless they are a registered driver and a signed protest has been submitted to the proper track official (See Protest Procedures)

10. Decisions of the race track officials pertaining to the race procedures and positions will be final. 

NUMBERS

1. Numbers must be neatly (readable from the scoring tower) decaled or painted on both doors (numbers must be placed at the mid-door area), right side of roof (foot of number on the right side) and the number must also be displayed on the rear spoiler.

2. Numbers must contrast to body paint.

3. One (1) or two (2) digit numbers only.  No letters or special characters unless pre-approved by the track to accommodate visiting cars, etc.

4. All numbers must be 20 inches high and have a minimum width of 3 inches.