Wheatland Community Church

Grand Prix

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Event Rules and Procedures
Table of Contents

  1. GENERAL RULES: (Applies to all Race Events)
    1. Qualification
    2. Essential Materials
    3. Competition Groups
    4. Competition Events
    5. Attendance
    6. “New Work”
    7. Single Entry per Person
    8. Pre-Race Inspection and Registration
    9. Race Day Inspection and Registration
    10. Failure to Pass Inspection
    11. Car Numbers
    12. Impound
  2. GRAND PRIX RACE CAR DESIGN STAND
    1. Material
    2. Weight
    3. Wheels and Axles
    4. Wheel Treatment
    5. Unacceptable Wheel/Axle Construction
    6. Size
    7. Weights and Attachments
    8. Gravity Powered
    9. Lubricants
  3. CONDUCT OF THE RACES
    1. Inspection Gages
    2. Race Day Lubrication
    3. Car Handling Responsibility (not applicable)
    4. Lane Assignment
    5. Car Interference
    6. Car Leaves Lane
    7. Care Leaves Track (not applicable)
    8. Track Fault
    9. Car Repair
    10. Call to Race (not applicable)
    11. Final Round
    12. The Race Area
    13. Awards and Recognition

1 GENERAL RULES: (Applies to all Race Events)

1.1 Qualification: All registered Awana: Cubbies, Sparks, Truth & Training, clubbers may design, build and enter cars that are eligible to participate in the annual Grand Prix event.

1.2 Essential Materials: All cars entered shall be constructed from the kit provided to the clubber (referred to below as the kit).

1.3 Competition Groups: There will be one competition group and one participating group. The completing group will be the Sparks and Truth & Training. The participating group will consist Cubbies leaders.

1.4 Competition Events: There will be two competition events, “Speed” and “Design”. Speed Event – This will consist of a preliminary and a final round. Each club (Cubbies, Sparks, and T&T) will compete in their own preliminary round.  The top 3 finishers from the preliminary rounds for the Sparks and T&T will race in the final round. Design Event – All cars will be evaluated for how well the car resembles what it is meant to be, originality, creativity, and the effort that the clubber made in building the car.

1.5 Attendance: Each clubber MUST enter his/her own car. This means that the clubber must be present at registration to enter his/her car into competition. However, if a clubber is ill and unable to attend the race, the car may still be entered into the design competition, but not the speed competition.

1.6 “New Work”: Construction of ALL entries MUST have begun AFTER the start of the current Club year.

1.7 Single Entry per Person: Only one car may be registered per clubber participating in the Grand Prix.

1.8 Pre-Race Inspection and Registration: Each car must pass a technical inspection before it may compete. There will be a pre-race day registration period and all clubbers are encouraged to check their cars during that time. Cars that fail inspection may be taken home for modifications and brought back on race day. (However, see 1.10.)

1.9 Race Day Inspection and Registration: will be prior to race start time. If a clubber is unable to register his/her car before race time, they will only be able to compete for design and not race. (However, see 1.10.)

1.10 Failure to Pass Inspection: The Inspection Judges shall disqualify cars that do not meet the rules as described herein. If a car does not pass inspection, the owner will be informed of the reason his/her car did not pass. Cars that fail inspection will only have until the end of the registration period to make any necessary modifications; otherwise the car will not be allowed to compete.

1.11 Car Numbers: Clubbers will be assigned a number for their car. This number will be used for race scheduling and scoring and will be written on the underside of the car during registration.

1.12 Impound: No car may be altered in any way after it has been registered. After a car passes inspection, the Grand Prix Race Committee will store it until race day.

2 GRAND PRIX RACE CAR DESIGN STANDARDS

2.1 Material: Race cars shall Material: Race cars shall be constructed for this event from the parts found in the provided kit. Materials from the kit (main body, axels, and wheels) may not be replaced, but cosmetic “Add-On’s” may be used.

2.2 Weight: Race cars may weigh no more than five (5.0) ounces (total weight) as determined on the official scale during the inspection and registration periods. The official scale will be available at the workshops, pre-race registration and during race day registration. Refer to Club Calendar for these dates.

2.3 Wheels and Axles: The car shall roll on the wheels from the kit. The wheels shall turn about the axles from the kit. The axles shall be firmly affixed to the wood of the car body, but use of the pre-made ‘axle grooves’ is not required. It must be obvious to the judges that the wheels and the axles from the kit are being used.

2.4 Wheel Treatment: Wheel treatment (hub and tread smoothing and polishing) may not result in substantial removal of mass or in reducing the wheel width from the original kit wheels. Wheel shape may not be altered from the original condition (i.e. rounded, beveled, cupped, etc.).

2.5 Unacceptable Wheel/Axle Construction: The following may NOT be used in conjunction with the wheels or axles: hubcaps, washers, inserts, sleeves, bearings.

2.6 Size: Race cars may be no longer than 7 inches, nor wider than 2-3/4 (2.75) inches, nor taller than 3 inches in overall height, as determined by the official gages during registration. Underside clearance of at least 3/8 (0.375) inches and inside wheel to wheel clearance of at least 1-3/4 (1.75) inches is required, so that the car will run on the race track.

2.7 Weights and Attachments: Weights and attachments may be added to the car and will be considered part of the car for purposes of all measurements. Weights and attachments are considered to be any material on the car that is not provided in the kit. All weights and attachments must be securely fastened to the car, e.g. by permanent glue, nails or screws, but not by “sticky substances”, e.g. tape, or tack spray. Weights and attachments shall be passive (i.e. non-moveable, non-magnetic, non-sticky, etc.).   Care must be taken if weights are attached to the underside of the car to insure sufficient clearance is maintained.  Consider recessing weights within the block.

2.8 Car Front: The race car rests on a pin at the starting gate.  No portion of the car may extend past the starting pin.  The car must have a ¾ inches flat horizontal edge in the center of the front to rest on the starting pin (the lower front corner of the block must be kept intact when removing material from the block). The race car may not be constructed or treated in such a way that the track’s starting mechanism imparts momentum to the car. (For instance, this provision disqualifies cars with sticky substances on the front of the car and protrusions that may catch on the starting pin.)

2.9 Lubricants: Only dry graphite will be allowed for lubricating the wheels. Lubricants may not foul the track, so all excess lubricant shall be wiped off. There will be a “Lubrication Area” set up at the race for application of all lubricants, as these can be quite messy. Graphite will be applied to all cars as part of the check-in and inspection process.  Once the car passes inspection and is impounded, no further lubrication will be allowed.

3 CONDUCT OF THE RACES

Track officials are responsible for the proper conduct of the races. Decisions of track officials on questions of rules interpretations and procedure may be appealed to the Race Commissioner.

3.1 Inspection Gages: The race-day “Check-In Area” will have the official scale, length box and clearance gauge. Check-in equipment will be the official equipment for the race.  Be prepared to add or remove weight from the car during check-in if you have attempted to maximize the car weight.

3.2 Race Day Lubrication: There will be a “Lubrication Area” setup at the race. Lubrication may be applied before a car passes inspection, and will be applied as part of the inspection process, but once a car is impounded, no further lubrication will be allowed.

3.3 Not Applicable

3.4 Lane Assignment: Lane assignments will assigned using race management software. To increase fairness, each clubber will race on each of the track lanes during the preliminary round. The finalists will also race on each of the track lanes during the final round.

3.5 Car Interference: If, during a race heat, a car leaves its lane and, in doing so, interferes with another racer, then if applicable, 5 (five) minutes will be allowed to make repairs to the car and then the heat will be rerun. If the problem occurs again, the car at fault will be disqualified and the heat will be rerun, without the interfering car. (However, see 3.8.)

3.6 Car Leaves Lane: If, during a race heat, a car leaves its lane but proceeds down the track in a manner that does not interfere with its opponents and crosses the finish line, then the race will be called normally. If the car doesn’t cross the finish line, then if applicable, 5 (five) minutes will be allowed to make repairs and then the heat will be rerun. If the problem occurs again, the car at fault will be disqualified and the heat will be rerun, without the interfering car. (However, see 3.8.)

3.7 Not Applicable

3.8 Track Fault: If a car leaves its lane, the Official Starter will inspect the track and, if a track fault is found which probably caused the violation, the Official Starter will order the race heat to be rerun after the track is repaired.

3.9 Car Repair: If, during the race, a wheel falls off or the car becomes otherwise damaged, then the clubber may, to the best of his/her ability perform repairs with the assistance of his/her adult partner or a Pit Crewmember. If a car is damaged due to a track fault, or damage caused by another car or person, then the Race Commissioner, may allow additional repair assistance to the clubber. All car repairs will be conducted in the “Pit Area” and will be limited to 5 (five) minutes or until the car is scheduled to race in its next heat, whichever is greater.

3.10 Not Applicable

3.11 Final Round: The fastest cars from the preliminary rounds will advance to the finals. There will be no modifications or re-lubrication of cars allowed prior to the start of the final round.

3.12 The Race Area: Only race officials may enter the “Race Area”. This rule will be strictly enforced.

3.13 Awards and Recognition: The most important values in the Awana Grand Prix competition are adult/child participation, good sportsmanship and learning how to follow rules. The Awards Committee is responsible for recognizing and encouraging these qualities in addition to traditional racing awards. Participation ribbons, Design Event, and Speed Event awarded on race day.