Rules and Regulations

The SCCA Solo Rules have everything you need to know about safety, car classifications, and SCCA autocross. The Supplementals include NER-specific rules or regulations, applicable to NER events. The SCCA website also has a number of documents to help figure out how to classify cars quickly.

New England Region 2011 Supplemental Rules

Overview

The series will operate under the SCCA Solo Rules as required for regional events.
Announcements on site are made in the grid area, and are broadcast on 95.1 FM. Please tune your radio to the designated frequency when on site.
No tire warm ups (burn outs, driving in circles, brake tests, etc.) on or off the event site, including the grid area.
Speed limit on the event site outside of the designated course area is 5 MPH.
Karts may not be driven in the pits or grid other than to enter or exit the course.
No drugs or alcohol on the event site.
Please take your trash home or place it in the dumpster provided so that your fellow competitors are not forced to clean up after you.

Running and Working

Order of running: The assignment of classes to heats and the order of running will be announced at the mandatory driver meeting and will be posted on the truck.
Class bumping will be in effect only for the Team Challenge.
When you finish your run - remember that the time ends at the lights, but pylons after the light will count for penalties.
Multiple driver cars:

There is a two-driver limit per car per class. If you intend to enter a third driver, he/she must run in a different class, and the registrar will make every attempt to place that class in a different heat. If a different heat is not possible, the third driver may run in the same heat, but in the different class. You must e-mail the registrar before the event registration closes if you intend to run more than two drivers in a car in a single event.
Drivers are responsible for changing numbers on their cars. Number for drivers in the same car must follow the convention: 1st driver will be in the range 0-99, 2nd driver, add 100. For example, 1st driver is 47, 2nd driver is 147.
A minimum of 5 minutes must separate the runs of a multi-driver car as timed by a grid official.

Worker assignments:

Everyone must work a heat for every heat they run. Failure to work your assignment without prior approval of the Chief of Workers will result in disqualification and may impact your participation in future NER solo events. If you are unable to stay for the entire day, you must notify the Chief of Workers as early as possible.
Report to worker check-in before the heat begins. The event will not be stopped for worker changes. You are responsible for keeping track of the progress of the event. You may trade assignments, but will be held responsible for covering your own shift. If you wish to trade work assignments, you and the person you are trading with must receive the approval of the Worker Chief before switching. If the Chief of Workers is unavailable you may report the change to the Operating Steward or Solo Chair.

Course Safety:

If you are a Solo Safety Steward, please see the Chief Safety Steward for the event. Safety Steward assignments will be treated as a regular work assignment.
Red Flag Condition:

Course Workers:
If you are advised of, or observe an unsafe condition on course, wave the flag vigorously where the driver can see it. Do not step in front of the car. Instruct the driver to exit the course as soon as the red flag condition is cleared.
Drivers: If you see a red flag while you are on course, stop immediately in a safe and controlled manner. When instructed by a course worker, proceed through the course to the finish at non-competition speed. You will be granted a rerun if your run is stopped for a red flag.

Problem with the course observed by driver: If the course is not properly set up during your run, stop and point out the problem to the course workers and then proceed back to the grid at non-competition speed. Keep in mind that there may be another car on course behind you. You will be given a rerun if you stop and the course is improperly set up. If you do not stop, you will not be given a rerun. If the course is found to be properly set up, there will be no rerun.
If it is determined that an “off course” occurred before an incident on course that would normally cause a rerun, the “off course” call stands and no rerun will be granted.
Rerun interval: If granted a rerun, you must wait a minimum of 5 minutes as timed by a grid official.

Regional Championship Points

To be eligible for a year end class championship you must compete in more than half of the series events in the same class.
Points will be scored for all events run up to the total number of series events minus one event.
Any NER hosted National or Divisional Solo event will be scored as one event.
Points will be awarded in Regional competition classes of the driver provided s/he is competing in an appropriate car.
Points for all classes: 1st - 9, 2nd - 6, 3rd - 4, 4th - 3, 5th - 2, 6th through end of the class - 1 point.

Ladies Class

The series will not run a separate ladies class. All competitors will run in the appropriate Open or Novice class.
Series competitors that run Ladies class in Divisional and National Tour events that are included in the regional championship will be scored in the corresponding Open class and points awarded as if the driver ran in Open.

Novice Program

NER’s Novice Program is intended to provide an opportunity for those new to the sport to “learn the ropes”. Participants in the novice program will be guided through all aspects of participation in solo events and will “graduate” to their regular class once they are proficient in the paddock and on the course – typically within 3 to 5 events. Some may graduate sooner, and others may stay in novice class longer – it will be up to you and your instructor (s). Novice Program results for a given event will be posted based on PAX results and trophies awarded as in other classes but novice Program participants do not accumulate points toward a novice class champion for the season. The Novice Program is not intended for experienced autocrossers who are new to NER. Please contact the relevant chief if you have a specific question about NER, or feel free to contact the Solo Chair with any general questions.
The Rookie of the Year Trophy will be awarded to the novice who has demonstrated the greatest growth in and contribution to the NER solo program during the season as determined by the Solo Board. Novices are advised to read the orientation guide.

Pro Class

In 2011, NER will offer a Pro Class at all points events. The Pro Class is intended for drivers who are focusing on National Level competition and wish to compete head to head with other top drivers in the region. This class is scored on the nationally published PAX/RTP indexing system that balances the performance potential of cars from different classes. To be eligible for the Pro Class championship a driver must compete in over half of the points events in the class. The Pro Class champion shall be eligible to run in the Stirling Moss Championship.

Stirling Moss Championship Rules

The Stirling Moss Championship is conducted at the final points event of the season to determine the NER driver of the year. Eligibility to compete in the Stirling Moss Championship will be determined as follows:

All Class Champions (as designated in the Regional Championship Points section) will be eligible.
Drivers who achieve a “Top 10” ranking on the season-long PAX average list will be eligible. Drivers in this category must fulfill the same minimum participation requirement as regional class champions (must compete in more than half of the season points events).

Example: If there are 26 class champions, 6 of whom are on the Top 10 PAX list, all class champions and the additional 4 drivers on the Top 10 PAX list will be eligible to compete in the Moss Championship.

During the regular runs at the Moss runoff event, all Moss contestants will run in the same heat.
Factored performance will be determined from each driver’s PAX/RTP finishing position among competitors during the regular runs at the runoff event. The competitors with the highest PAX/RTP finishing position will be awarded maximum points for this portion of the scoring; this will count for half the score. The other half of the score will be based on a separate heat. The standard deviation of the runoff runs will be calculated and compared with the driver's best regular run; the driver with the lowest standard deviation will be awarded maximum points for this portion of the scoring.
The trophy must be surrendered at the Moss runoff event.
The Stirling Moss Trophy is a 'one of a kind' trophy. It is the most valuable trophy that our region owns and must be returned in the condition that it was received. Region management reserves the right to give a substitute, representative trophy.

Sound Regulations

All vehicles participating in NER-SCCA Solo events will be required to meet a sound limit of 90dBA measured at 75' at Devens and 94dBA at 50' at NHMS. This may be measured from any side of the vehicle at any time and includes such noise sources as intake noise and tire squeal. Note that these two sound levels are virtually equivalent. Vehicles which meet one limit should be legal for the other.
Vehicles such as those in FM and CM which have a GCR-mandated maximum length may exceed that length for the purposes of installing an alternate muffler or exhaust system. The additional length may serve no other purpose.
After the first violation, the competitor will be required to demonstrate that an effort has been made to reduce sound levels before being allowed to make a second run. This determination will be made by the event chair or a designee. If the second run is still in excess of the allowed sound limit, the competitor will not be allowed to make any additional runs at that event and the competitor will be required to again demonstrate that improvements have been made before being allowed to participate at further events.
Sound violations are PER CAR. If a car is over the limit regardless of the driver, you get one chance to fix it. It it's still too loud, you're done for the day. No exceptions.
Event staff reserves the right to red-flag a car in excess of sound limits and no re-run will be given.
These sound regulations will apply at all NER-SCCA Solo events. Unless otherwise specified, the limit of 90 dBA at 75' will apply.

Adult Kart Class

NER SCCA recognizes all SCCA kart classing, however some sites restrict or prohibit certain karts.
Adult competing in karts will be scored as class K.
SCCA recognized F125 Shifter karts are not allowed at Devens.

Waivers / Annual Waivers

Annual SCCA waivers are accepted at regional events. Holders of annual waivers are not required to sign the waiver sheet, but must show the annual hard card at the gate to gain entrance.
All entrants to the site must wear a wristband on the left wrist as directed at the gate. No exceptions.
Failure to sign the waiver before driving the course will result in expulsion from the site.