ON-ROAD

GENERAL RULES

OFF-ROAD

NAVIGATION

GENERAL RULES

How is racing organized at a national level in the USA?
There are two national sanctioning bodies for off-road racing: ROAR and NORRCA.
 

How races are run.
In the USA, off-road races are four minutes long. In the rest of the world (and in international competitions held in the USA), the standard is five minutes. Even five minutes is not a long time, so bad luck or bad driving early in the race can put you in a seemingly hopeless position. But anything can happen in racing. At the really big races they run the main event (top ten drivers) two or three times and combine the results to determine the overall winner.

Generally there are more entries in a given class than can run together on the track, so there is a qualifying phase followed by the main events. Qualifying is done by dividing the entries into qualifying groups, then having each group run some number (often two or three) of races. A driver gets some score for his performance in each race; drivers are then sorted into main events according to their best qualifying race score. The "A" main contains the ten (or eight, or whatever the track will bear) top qualifiers, the "B" the ten next, etc. Everybody runs a main event.

The most common system is to run each race to the time limit, then it is "finish the lap you're on." The score is a number of laps and an elapsed time. For instance, ten laps in four minutes, four and three-tenths seconds -- written 10/4:04.3. You want the most laps and then the shortest time.

Even when there's only one main, the qualifiers give people a chance to work out their set-ups and generally have fun. And being on the pole can be a big advantage in the main.

Some tracks run the mains on a bump-up system. Rather than filling the mains strictly according to qualifying scores, the race director leaves one or two spots open in each main except the lowest. Then the top one or two finishers in the lowest main start at the back of the next higher main, and so on up through the "A" main. This system is not often used in big races because it takes extra time for the bumped-up cars to get ready.

At some tracks the heats are not packed as tightly as the mains - say 8 per heat and 10 per main. Really small heats are bad because the drivers from one heat are the turn marshals for the next heat. A small heat means poor turn marshalling or delays in trying to scrape up volunteers.

 

Jackson R/C

 

JACKSON R/C CLUB RULES FOR RACING
1. No alcoholic beverages at the track.
2. No smoking at the pit tables.
3. Pick up all garbage and put it in the trash can.
4. All ROAR rules apply on race day events.
5. Any decision made by the race director is final.
6. Maintain good sportsmanship. Remember, we're here to have fun.
7. Check the frequency board before turning on your radio.
8. On race day all tracks will be closed, except for that day's event.
9. On race day there is no driving around in the pit area.
10. Only the race director and marshals will be permitted on the track during a race.
11. No drivers or pit crew will be permitted on the track during a race.
12. No repairs will be made during the qualifying heats.
13. During a main the marshals will bring a disabled car to the nearest outside part of the track. A member of the pit crew may retrieve the car and bring it back to the pit for repairs. At no time will he be permitted on the racetrack to retrieve a car.
14. The primary responsibility of the marshals is to the cars still racing.
15. All tracks will be closed for approx. 20 minutes after the final main so we can pack up the race equipment.

 

WHAT TO EXPECT BEFORE THE START OF A RACE
1. All drivers must sign-in and give their radio frequencies.
2. All drivers will be given a car number for that day's event.
3. There will be 30 min set aside to prep the track.
4. All drivers will be given approx 30 min for last minute car prep.
5. There will be a drivers meeting before the start of the first heat.
6. All radios will be impounded.
7. Drivers must check the print out for their heat standing.
8. It's up to the driver to make sure he knows what heat he's in.
9. The Race Director will call 5 min. prior to the start of each heat.
10. All drivers will have 2 minutes to retrieve their radios and transponder.
11. Drivers running fuel classes will then have 2min & 30 sec to start their cars and warm up prior to the start of the heat.
12. All cars must be ready on the starting line 30 sec before the start of the race.
13. The number of races will determine the time between rounds that day.