racing and

collecting slot cars

in North and Mid Somerset

GENERAL RULES OF RACING - "OUT OF THE BOX"

Cars

All cars must be in their original "out of the box" configuration, with original magnets where applicable, of any 1/32 scale brand that runs on Scalextric Sport track. No "performance" motors, super neodymium magnets, altered gearing, extra bodywork, weights etc. are allowed, but braid replacement (any available and suitable non magnetic braid) is allowed, and general lubrication is fine. Like-for-like replacement of worn out motors etc. is permitted, but check with the Garagemaster if in doubt. Use of a bit of coloured sticky tape or your own decals to identify similar cars is also okay.

In the unlikely event of your brand of car's guide blade being too deep for Scalextric Sport track, a shallower replacement can be fitted - but please bring it along prior to modifiing for all to see and for the official “Garagemaster OK”. Modern Carrera guides may be fitted to older Carrera models to eliminate time wasted fiddling to align the braids correctly. Also those modern Carrera guides may be trimmed/shaved at the front as we’ve had problems with then in the slots on really hot meetings when the rails have expanded in the heat!

The only internal modification permitted is the installation of an SSD digital chip in a car that was previously analogue, properly done in accordance with the chip fitting guide.  SSD-chipped cars (including Digital Plug Cars) can be used in analogue classes, with the digital plug in or out for analogue, as best suits your driving style. However our experience shows that up against a field of analogue cars on an analogue track, a digital car will usually be a few tenths off the pace.

Tyres

Replacement Ortmann tyres are allowed for the "classic" non-magnet classes and some classic brown magnet classes, but these should be appropriate to the model and its hubs. In many cases a "ribbed" tyre will not be as fast as a slick tyre without grooves. Some Ortmann tyres may need to have manufacturing irregularities trimmed off them. Sanding and truing of tyres is fine and a tyre-buffer is provided for this purpose. Silicon tyres are not permitted

In short , all models (except those classics  allowed Ortmanns) must use exactly the same spec tyre as the model was originally supplied with, or exact fresh “like for like” replacements. Mixing and matching tyres to suit a model is not allowed.

Controllers

To keep it fair to everyone and prevent delays caused by controller-swapping, racers must use the standard Scalextric Sport hand controllers provided at the circuit rather than bring their own.  You can request a controller be replaced during the brief warm up before each race, if it doesn't seem to be working for your car/lane combination. If a controller fails during racing it will be replaced at the start of the next race.

Marshals are expected to put them selves about as much as they hope other would for them. Most racers will attach a lane colour flag to their cars to assist the marshals’. relocate their cars in the correct lanes. But we’re all human and mistakes are still made. Good humour should prevail. It won’t help your cause to wind up a marshal you’re hoping to put you back in the slot.!

It’s the marshal’s duty to instantly, or as quick as possible, remove from the table any car that breaks the 4 wheel rule. If the marshal doesn’t or can’t remove it quickly  it may be “up-righted “ by another  car speeding into it. If this does happen then the car shouldn’t be removed from the track and is re-slotted and allowed to continue the race and score points in the usual way with no penalty or forfeit.

If a Marshal removes your car because you break the 4 wheels rule, you are expected, once you’ve dealt with the shock, to marshal  for the rest of the race, unless your model requires running repairs .

Periodically we also do separate special events such as Tactical Challenges or Endurance Events, outside of the regular championship, with rules separately agreed and published in our web forum.

Race running

Championship races are normally run over 20 laps with the exception of non-magnet classes, "brown magnets" and button magnets, which are 15 laps, unless we have a time restraint which may mean races are shortened. All run with a computerised start and optical timing system. There is a time penalty for a false start before your times begin to be recorded. If there is a failure to start,either through a track, controller or car fault and someone is left at the start, a restart will be arranged. If a track fault develops during racing, racing will continue as best as possible, working around the problem and/or everyone having a chance to suffer the effects of the problem, whatever it is. We do not operate any kind of "track call" system - if there is a car across your lane and the marshal has not yet cleared it when you arrive on the scene, you must either wait or try and carefully nudge or squeeze by.

Etiquette

Respect to other members and to the property of the host. No deliberate crashing into other competitors' cars. No shouting at marshals. No swearing. Honesty and fair play is expected from all participants.

POINTS SYSTEM

Marshalling - general

Those not participating in a race will be marshalling and need to stay alert to what is happening on track, in order to get to the scene of any accidents quickly. Lanes are colour coded for easy re-slotting, and the driver must advise the marshal which slot to use. Pieces that fall off cars during the race should be cleared from the track and placed in the "bit tin" provided for that purpose.

When enough marshals are present they are expected to patrol their areas which are clearly labelled as marshalling positions, however teamwork amongst marshals is expected and we don’t do the “it’s not in my area so I’m not marshalling it “ thing.

BRLM on the home straight

Race Points will be awarded in the following way:

6 pts for a win,4pts for a 2nd, 2pts for a 3rd, 1pt for a 4th, zero pts for non-finishers (even if they completed more laps than someone who did finish).

To finish the race you must still be on track and must complete the lap you are on when the winner crosses the line (as they do at Le Mans), to receive the chequered flag on screen, even if you only do 1 lap. If you crash out - even if it's inches from the finish, and even if it wasn't your fault - you do not receive the chequered flag and you score ZERO race points.

You have I minute from the first car finishing to get your car over the line and get your flagged finish. So if your model breaks down you may try to affect a repair and try to get it over the line before that minute is complete. If you don’t you score zero race points.

DAL approach “The Hole”

When all the races from a class are completed all Race points will be totalled up and Class Points awarded as follows:

· 4 Class Points for the racer with the most Race Points in the class

· 3 Class Points for the racer with the 2nd most Race Points in the class

· 2 Class Points for the racer with the 3rd most Race Points in the class

· 1 Class Point for the racer with the 4th most Race Points in the class

Points for tied position s will be combined and then spilt between racers so that each class will always have 10 p class points up for grabs

The Meeting Winner will be the person who at the end of the event has amassed the most Class Points, gained from race results. This person gets 4 Championship points. Second in the meeting gets 3 Championship points, third 2 and 4th 1. The Championship re-starts twice a year. Class Points scored by each driver are added to, the next time that class is run within the same Championship. At the end of the championship there is a trophy for the overall Championship Winner and website acknowledgement of those who got the highest Class Points totals in each of the classes (the Class Masters).

Clerk of the Course

The host for a meeting is also Clerk of the Course, whose decision, should there be any doubt about the rules, is pretty damn final. But the clerk of the course reserves the right to delegate to a race marshal any contentious decision that he’s involved in and perhaps too close to make a valid judgement

Car maintenance

Racers are asked to check their cars for obvious problems before leaving home and certainly before racing begins. It’s worth bringing a screwdriver and any other tools or parts you think you might need for your cars. A soldering iron is available to fix any broken internal wires resulting from racing accidents on the night.  All large body parts, wings etc. that should be on the car must be attached when the class commences . Any  wings etc broken/lost during a race should be quickly replaced for the next race if possible , but if not, then it’s okay to continue through the rest of the class without them.  Racers may affect simple running repairs to models in the two minute warning period between races, after which time the race can start without them. Again this is to ensure we get the most racing into the time available. You are not allowed to spend your marshalling time during a race to affect repairs to your cars unless all marshalling points are fully covered.

If your car breaks down during a race it must retire from that race, but a replacement car can be fielded for any following races in the same class. There is usually time for a short break between classes and a longer refreshment break at half- time during which there will be more opportunity to fix cars.

RUNNING OUR EVENTS

Class organisation and running order

Classes are run in such a way that everyone marshals at least once, and in the case of analogue races, everyone races on every lane at least once during the class. A draw is made for initial lane order for each class. Lanes and marshals are rotated for each race in a class.

Marshalling

The two marshalling options are either:

· "Crash and burn" (i.e. no marshalling) - if and only if we don’t have marshals to cover the circuit. The slightest de-slot and you are out of the race.

But usually the rule is:

· "4 Wheels On Track".  Your car can perform any stunts or rolls provided it lands with 4 wheels on the circuit (including the track border and run-off areas). NOT 2 wheels. NOT 1 wheel over a barrier. NOT turned turtle on its back. Crossing the barriers is also not allowed. Offending cars are to be removed and ZERO points will be awarded, as the car will not have received the chequered flag. This applies even if the accident was someone else's fault!

If your car tries climbing the hill on the runoff at “Wallfire” and only has 3 wheels on the hill it won’t be removed from the race. However if it on its side or back then normal 4 wheels rule applies.

© GSRC 2008

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