As a follow-up to the late to grid thread after Nationals, I have come
up with some proposed ideas to address the "real" issue -- having an
unfair competitive advantage by having warm tires.
One of the main issues people had against the 30 minute rule for grid
was the potential issue of accidently coming to grid late and losing
runs. I do not want to see anyone lose runs over something like that.
I just don't think anyone should gain an unfair competitive advantage by
having warm tires before first runs. I've written up what I think would
be a fair process to cover this issue (see #1 below).
The other two proposed rules below I wrote up are to provide some more
fairness to single driver cars and the low numbered driver of two driver
cars. While most people can probably agree that having two driver cars
is unfair for those cars with only one driver, it is an integral part of
Solo II to allow two drivers in the same car/class (cost sharing, fun
for driver teams, spread work load). But at least we can do something
to help single drivers to be less disadvantaged over two driver cars.
I plan to send something similar to the SEB after gathering feedback
from Team.Net folks. Here is what I've come up with, in two sections,
one for Solo II events and a repeated list for ProSolo...
Solo II rules wording:
1. Tire warming before reporting to grid is explicitly prohibited. When
two grids are used for a course, competitors shall place their car in
grid 30 minutes prior to running (first heat, scheduled event start
time), before the prior heat starts their last runs (later heats), or
in the case of a scheduled course walk before the heat, prior to the
last run of the previous heat. All tires must be in grid at the same
time as the car, except if it starts raining or tires are corded
(must check in with Grid official), then people may retrieve their
alternate tires outside of the grid area. At approximately 5 minutes
after the time cars are to be in grid, the Chief of Grid will take
attendance. Any cars reporting to grid after attendance is taken
will be required to get approval of the Chief Steward before being
allowed to run. Anyone warming tires should be reported to a event
official or chief before runs are taken.
2. All tire warming devices (active and passive blankets, wind blockers,
car wraps, etc.) are explicitly prohibited. Anyone caught using
them, will be required to talk with the Chief Steward before taking
any further runs.
*** A possible alternative to this would be to allow passive tire
blankets only (no full car wraps) for single driver cars.
3. Each driver of a two driver car is required to run first one day of
two-day events. On the first day, drivers with the lower car number
will run first. On the second day, drivers with the higher car
number will run first.
ProSolo rules wording:
1. Tire warming before reporting to pre-grid is explicitly prohibited.
Anyone warming tires should be reported to a event official or chief
before runs are taken.
2. All tire warming devices (active and passive blankets, wind blockers,
car wraps, etc.) are explicitly prohibited.
The rules above do not cover the penalty aspect of not following the
rules (like most of the Solo rule book). This is because the Solo rules
have provisions for a range of penalties. As such, it would be up to
the Chiefs and Protest committee to come up with an appropriate penalty.
Further comments and questions on the rules written above...
For #1 above: In the case of coming to grid late, the penalty could be a
warning (for someone that was accidently late) or when the official
checks the tires of a late car and they are warm, they lose runs. For
people who are accidently late to grid, just make sure you have stone
cold tires and you shouldn't have to worry about losing runs, just try
to be to grid early in the future. The wording about explicitly not
being able to warm tires should prevent people from the quick run to
the gas station for "air" (covers the potential line up in and out of
the site). For Solo II events, the 30 minutes should mostly cover
those who choose to ignore the rules and warm tires anyway (basically,
the approximate 30 minutes helps avoid the need for going out of the
way to police cars trying to warm tires). For ProSolo, I skipped the
grid procedure since it is already covered in the ProSolo series
supplemental regulations.
For #2 above: Do single drivers think they would be at more of a
disadvantage if no one was allowed to have tire blankets compared to
the current rules where everyone is allowed to? Of course, I know it
would be better for single drivers to be allowed tire blankets and
two-driver cars to not be allowed -- just it would be easier to police
when no cars are allowed instead of some cars being allowed while
others are not allowed. At ProSolo events, no one would be allowed to
use tire blankets at all since Pros already have a procedure where the
leading driver runs first, so single drivers are usually running
against the faster of the two driver cars after the first heat.
For #3 above: I don't think any second drivers are going to like this
rule, but hopefully those people will agree it is more fair for
everyone else (first drivers and single drivers). Also, those people
who normally do not have a co-driver, won't feel they HAVE TO get one
at every event just to be competitive. This does not apply to ProSolo
events, because of the current procedure for handling two driver cars.
Thoughtful feedback welcome...
Matthew.
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