Bill Howell
01-08-2014, 11:33 AM
Preface:We at ASCS, in an attempt to bring all our events and segments of those event in line with our Company aim, which is "Deliver unique safe, enjoyable and profitable motorsport events that consistantly creates and enlarges the participant community."
This will be a two part process, first the Tech Sheet that will for all cars that drive on any road course that we involve at any event we promote. The second and more involved part of this new safety program for road courses is now we will have 4 classes of cars. This will be based on both added safety equipment on your car in some cases, but always on our opinion of your driving skills, previous training, and seat time. Very few people will automatically advance to the top class. Read our aim again, and for us to accomplish our aim, we must put safety first, before fun or profit.
We are providing this information now, so those planning to attend any of our events in 2014 will have plenty of time to review this information, decide what your goals or preferred class is, and prepare your car accordingly. Your skill set, and previous experience will be the major deciding factor on which run group you are in. All 2014 event registrations will ask some basic questions, about your previous instruction, and previous event attendance. Also there will be a section to rate yourself on your abilities. Please be as candid as you possibly can about that information to help us preplan run groups. However, please understand that the final decision on your placement in any class will be with the Race Director at that particular event. As the schedule unfolds and the Race Director is listed at the events you plan to attend, please email or call that person if you have concerns. We absolutely don't want to blindside anyone after they have spent the money to attend an event, however, our policy will be that if you are not happy with ultimate placement in the class we put you in, we will happily refund your registration money for that event, on the spot. All 2014 event registrations will ask some basic questions, about your previous instruction, and previous event attendance. Please be as candid as you possibly can about that information to help us preplan run groups.
Tech requirements all cars will abide by, regardless of which class you fall into. This is a very minimum list and we certainly encourage everyone to do more as it suits your needs.
All cars need this minimum safety tech sheet filled out, and signed by participant.
Secure battery and any other under hood issues
No drips, leaks or excessive smoking thru exhaust system
No floor mats, loose items or unsecured items allowed in interior passenger compartment or trunk
All lug nuts in place and torked by participant
Approved helmet (SA 2005 or newer)
Fire extinguisher
Seat belts
Long sleeve cotton shirt and long legged cotton pants
Approved TW tires that are in race ready condition and determined to appear in safe condition (no excessive wear patterns, chunks missing etc)
Other things we want to be very clear on are
1. No use of A/C while on track. This, by nature produces water as a by product and we refuse to allow dumping of water on the track that we know we can control. If we find you have done this, you will be asked to exit the track and not return for the remainder of that event.
2. The ONLY passengers allowed on a road course will be instructors except for Fun Run group. Please don't ask for an exception here.
3. No rear seat passengers will be allowed on track, again don't ask for an exception.
Class groups for ASCS 2014 Road Course segments
(Please note that the use of these groups will vary from event to event and some may even be eliminated at certain events, based on track, safety concerns or other factors.)
1. Fun Run Group. This group will be for all cars that don't fall into the other three groups either because of added safety equipment or driver qualifications or your registration and participation in the event.
This group will always be parade laps, lead by a pace car and speeds will always be under 60mph. All cars will be expected to do lead follow laps, closely grouped and no one will be allowed to lag behind then speed to catch back up to the group. We already know people will test this rule, but know that we will be watching and when you do, you will be asked to leave the event. No exceptions.
2. Instruction Group. This group will be where most of our participants will find themselves at least in the early events of the year. We at ASCS know that most people need some instruction. We are committed this year to provide that instruction, both in the classroom and with ride along instructors. This will get people accustomed to correct lines, proper track behavior and being aware of flag meaning, safety workers, corner workers and their roles in track safety.
There will be a system for graduating this system and certification that we feel you should have before moving on to the next class.
3. Open Track Group. This will be the group that we feel, following training, most people will be very comfortable in and where people will get the seat time necessary to move to the elite group in our program. At this level in the program, you will need the following additional safety equipment.
a. Five point harness with proper attachment points to reduce unnecessary injury.(read top belts mounted high enough so that broken collar bones are avoided.) Some belts sold are attached to the rear seatbelt system. understand that you know if you use this system you are assuming the risk of collar bone damage should you engage the belt.
b. Disk brakes on all four corners.
c. Full race suit, neck collar, gloves.
4. Timed Group. This will be our elite run group. This will be the only group that we will record lap times. Those times will not be for public consumption, but for driver information only. This group will also require the added safety equipment mentioned in the Open Track group plus the following equipment. Also know that if we do not have enough participants to run this class, everyone will simply revert back to the Open Track group.
a. Prove you can exit the car in a timely fashion should the need arise, based on rollcage, tilt wheel, removable wheel. (Probably will be handled at tech, maybe a time limit to exit car)
b. Hans or similar neck restraint device
c. Master electrical On-Off switch, clearly marked and accessible if needed in case of emergency.
We also STRONGLY recommend but will not require in 2014 the following. We would like to mention that both of the following will probably be in future requirements so if you are currently building or planning to build a car, with the intention of running in this elite class, we strong recommend you incorporate both in your build.
a. Rollcage. We know this is a sticking point and some will decide that they just either do not or will not install a cage in their streetcar. However, rollcage requirements should be based on your particular car. We don't feel one size fits all in this case. We highly recommend that if you are building a car for future track use, regardless of whether it is our event or other track days, you get with a competent builder or engineer to get their input on what you need, based on what you plan to do with your car. As cars get faster, safety has to come into the picture, just as it does in NHRA or other segments of the hobby. At some point each participant has to decide if their car is more street car or more track day car. We understand the arguments on both sides of this debate. However, for us to have fun at events, we feel we must, at some point help people make that decision.
b. Tow hooks, front and rear.(this isn't required but certainly makes it easy for towing your car off track and assures track help doesn't do more damage by hooking their chains, straps somewhere that will not support the strain.)
As you can see from our new rules, we are moving away from the competition focus and more toward the fun aspect. We are not a race series and do not want people over driving their skill set just to gain a spot on a printout. There are a vast array of venues that will let you do that, and we fully understand if that is your objective.
This will be a two part process, first the Tech Sheet that will for all cars that drive on any road course that we involve at any event we promote. The second and more involved part of this new safety program for road courses is now we will have 4 classes of cars. This will be based on both added safety equipment on your car in some cases, but always on our opinion of your driving skills, previous training, and seat time. Very few people will automatically advance to the top class. Read our aim again, and for us to accomplish our aim, we must put safety first, before fun or profit.
We are providing this information now, so those planning to attend any of our events in 2014 will have plenty of time to review this information, decide what your goals or preferred class is, and prepare your car accordingly. Your skill set, and previous experience will be the major deciding factor on which run group you are in. All 2014 event registrations will ask some basic questions, about your previous instruction, and previous event attendance. Also there will be a section to rate yourself on your abilities. Please be as candid as you possibly can about that information to help us preplan run groups. However, please understand that the final decision on your placement in any class will be with the Race Director at that particular event. As the schedule unfolds and the Race Director is listed at the events you plan to attend, please email or call that person if you have concerns. We absolutely don't want to blindside anyone after they have spent the money to attend an event, however, our policy will be that if you are not happy with ultimate placement in the class we put you in, we will happily refund your registration money for that event, on the spot. All 2014 event registrations will ask some basic questions, about your previous instruction, and previous event attendance. Please be as candid as you possibly can about that information to help us preplan run groups.
Tech requirements all cars will abide by, regardless of which class you fall into. This is a very minimum list and we certainly encourage everyone to do more as it suits your needs.
All cars need this minimum safety tech sheet filled out, and signed by participant.
Secure battery and any other under hood issues
No drips, leaks or excessive smoking thru exhaust system
No floor mats, loose items or unsecured items allowed in interior passenger compartment or trunk
All lug nuts in place and torked by participant
Approved helmet (SA 2005 or newer)
Fire extinguisher
Seat belts
Long sleeve cotton shirt and long legged cotton pants
Approved TW tires that are in race ready condition and determined to appear in safe condition (no excessive wear patterns, chunks missing etc)
Other things we want to be very clear on are
1. No use of A/C while on track. This, by nature produces water as a by product and we refuse to allow dumping of water on the track that we know we can control. If we find you have done this, you will be asked to exit the track and not return for the remainder of that event.
2. The ONLY passengers allowed on a road course will be instructors except for Fun Run group. Please don't ask for an exception here.
3. No rear seat passengers will be allowed on track, again don't ask for an exception.
Class groups for ASCS 2014 Road Course segments
(Please note that the use of these groups will vary from event to event and some may even be eliminated at certain events, based on track, safety concerns or other factors.)
1. Fun Run Group. This group will be for all cars that don't fall into the other three groups either because of added safety equipment or driver qualifications or your registration and participation in the event.
This group will always be parade laps, lead by a pace car and speeds will always be under 60mph. All cars will be expected to do lead follow laps, closely grouped and no one will be allowed to lag behind then speed to catch back up to the group. We already know people will test this rule, but know that we will be watching and when you do, you will be asked to leave the event. No exceptions.
2. Instruction Group. This group will be where most of our participants will find themselves at least in the early events of the year. We at ASCS know that most people need some instruction. We are committed this year to provide that instruction, both in the classroom and with ride along instructors. This will get people accustomed to correct lines, proper track behavior and being aware of flag meaning, safety workers, corner workers and their roles in track safety.
There will be a system for graduating this system and certification that we feel you should have before moving on to the next class.
3. Open Track Group. This will be the group that we feel, following training, most people will be very comfortable in and where people will get the seat time necessary to move to the elite group in our program. At this level in the program, you will need the following additional safety equipment.
a. Five point harness with proper attachment points to reduce unnecessary injury.(read top belts mounted high enough so that broken collar bones are avoided.) Some belts sold are attached to the rear seatbelt system. understand that you know if you use this system you are assuming the risk of collar bone damage should you engage the belt.
b. Disk brakes on all four corners.
c. Full race suit, neck collar, gloves.
4. Timed Group. This will be our elite run group. This will be the only group that we will record lap times. Those times will not be for public consumption, but for driver information only. This group will also require the added safety equipment mentioned in the Open Track group plus the following equipment. Also know that if we do not have enough participants to run this class, everyone will simply revert back to the Open Track group.
a. Prove you can exit the car in a timely fashion should the need arise, based on rollcage, tilt wheel, removable wheel. (Probably will be handled at tech, maybe a time limit to exit car)
b. Hans or similar neck restraint device
c. Master electrical On-Off switch, clearly marked and accessible if needed in case of emergency.
We also STRONGLY recommend but will not require in 2014 the following. We would like to mention that both of the following will probably be in future requirements so if you are currently building or planning to build a car, with the intention of running in this elite class, we strong recommend you incorporate both in your build.
a. Rollcage. We know this is a sticking point and some will decide that they just either do not or will not install a cage in their streetcar. However, rollcage requirements should be based on your particular car. We don't feel one size fits all in this case. We highly recommend that if you are building a car for future track use, regardless of whether it is our event or other track days, you get with a competent builder or engineer to get their input on what you need, based on what you plan to do with your car. As cars get faster, safety has to come into the picture, just as it does in NHRA or other segments of the hobby. At some point each participant has to decide if their car is more street car or more track day car. We understand the arguments on both sides of this debate. However, for us to have fun at events, we feel we must, at some point help people make that decision.
b. Tow hooks, front and rear.(this isn't required but certainly makes it easy for towing your car off track and assures track help doesn't do more damage by hooking their chains, straps somewhere that will not support the strain.)
As you can see from our new rules, we are moving away from the competition focus and more toward the fun aspect. We are not a race series and do not want people over driving their skill set just to gain a spot on a printout. There are a vast array of venues that will let you do that, and we fully understand if that is your objective.