ARCA Midwest Tour
Dixieland Special Event Procedures
Tuesday August 4, 2015
QUALIFICATIONS for ARCAMT
• The order in which the cars will qualify will be determined by a number selection prior to event.
• Cars must come through tech, AND qualify in the order of the draw. Out of order qualifiers will be subject to other fines and penalties. (Car # 4 is the posted number, then it goes, 4, 5, 6, and so on)
• Cars not qualifying in proper order may be allowed one or two laps at a designated time according to circumstances and the decision of the tech director. Any problems must be reported BEFORE Qualifying Tech begins
• Time trials will consist of two (consecutive) laps with the faster of the two laps counting as the official time. In the event of ties, the driver turning their time first gets the “faster” position.
• All cars will report to the infield until released by an official. Top 16 will go through tech.
• In the event of a major oil down during time trials, the race director may allow an extra warm up lap to those cars which remain to qualify.
• A maximum of a three-minute break will be allowed at the end of qualifications for approved only late qualifiers before closing time trials.
• Drivers must run the tires qualified on for start of feature and ALL other races raced in that event.
• In the event of rain or any other weather that takes place while qualifying is in action, cars that have taken a “green flag” to start their qualifying efforts will have assumed those qualifying times. The driver has the right to waive off his attempt “if” it’s currently raining and track is not under ‘safe’ conditions. If not, laps will count. If Qualifying is delayed while weather passes, next cars in line are next to qualify no exceptions.
• Drivers attempting to wave off qualifying laps will have to stop at track entrance and relay message to ARCAMT official for such request.
FEATURE LINE-UP
• The top 16 qualifiers will transfer directly into feature event with an invert of roll plus 7 (8-13) The remainder of cars will be split into one or two last chance races (straight up from qualifying) with a total of ten (10) cars transferring into feature to fill positions 17-26
• In order to be eligible for provisional starting position, car must be deemed to make every attempt to transfer by traditional means. Position 27-28 highest in 2015 ARCAMT Points, Position 29 highest in 2015 Fox River Racing Club Points, Position 30 highest driver in top ten of any regional touring points. When no eligible cars are available for a Provisional prior to Last Chance event, additional transfer(s) will be awarded from Last Chance event to fill field at tail of field. If no eligible cars are available for a Provisional following Last Chance event, fastest non-transferring car from qualifying will fill Provisional at tail of field.
• ARCAMT Officials reserve the right to adjust the amount of laps needed for ANY event based on the amount of cars eligible at any time.
• Officials reserve the right to start any car in the rear of any race for any reason.
• If cars are added to ANY event outside of what the entry form reads, they will NOT receive main event points nor will their position effect another competitors finishing position for points.
• Once an alternate is placed in an event, the original starter may not join that event.
CAUTIONS
• This is a 250 lap race with yellow flags counting until the final ten laps.
• No car will lose laps under caution periods.
• If green flag run goes 50 laps without caution, a ‘Competition Caution’ will be utilized in next 15 laps. For example, if there is a caution at lap 22 and the green is displayed again on lap 30, if no caution falls prior to lap 80, a ‘Competition Caution’ will be displayed prior to lap 95.
• If the relative position of the cars cannot be determined at the time the caution is first displayed, their position the last time they crossed the start/finish line will be used. Cars involved in yellow or red flag incidents generally will NOT be scored as losing a lap, even if the leaders pass them while they are delayed at the incident.
• In the case of cars finishing in less total laps than the winner, the car finishing the most laps first is awarded the higher position, regardless of whether the car is running at the finish or not. The scoreboards, lap counters and announcers are unofficial unless otherwise announced.
• ARCAMT has the “Lucky Dog” for the first competitor that is considered a lap down and has NOT pitted under a caution period.. All lapped cars will drop to the bottom and fall to the tail of the lead lap line in their running order on track (not scoring order). Scoring will notify the recipient of the “Lucky Dog” that they have been given their lap back and are on the lead lap.
• The ARCA Midwest Tour will utilize DOUBLE FILE RESTARTS. The Choose Rule for restarts will be in effect at all times, for ALL laps for all last chance races. The choose rule will also be in effect during the course of the feature regardless of the amount of cautions, including ‘Competition Cautions’ until the race is within 10 laps to go. If a caution is presented inside of 10 laps to go, all restarts will be SINGLE FILE ONLY.
• Choose Rule: On restarts, the lead car remains out front while all others line up single file behind the leader. Drivers will be notified by the flag man and race director that the orange traffic cone is about to be placed in the center of the track OUT OF TURN 4. Leaders have the option to choose either lane (high or low) and stay in that position. The front row in will be double file with the leader making the initial selection and any following driver moving into position next to the leader. All cars behind the leader must choose the high (outside) or low (inside) lane for their restart. Drivers must select a lane upon reaching the cone and must stay in that lane until the green flag is displayed. Cars may gain positions by selecting the shortest lane.
• Cars involved in a current caution, lapped cars, and Lucky Dog recipient for current caution are not eligible for the cone and will restart at the tail of longest lead lap line. Lead lap cars that pitted WILL be eligible for the Choose Rule, as long as they are on track when ‘Choose’ occurs. If a lead lap car exits the track to pit, and comes back out anytime after the lane choice “choose” has been given, they will be required to start at the tail end of the longest line with NO lane choice allowed. Cars changing lanes after the cone will be given the consultation flag to report to the pits. They may rejoin the field at the tail end of the longest line. Lapped cars will ALWAYS drop to the bottom during cautions and fall to the end of the longest line of lead lap cars, in single file order. The “lucky dog” is still in effect so that lap down cars can have the opportunity to receive their lap back. The “lucky dog” is not eligible for
the cone and must lineup at the end of the longest line of lead lap cars. Passing is permitted after the green is displayed. Cars not up to racing speed or laps down will be sent to the tail end of the longest line on restarts.
• The race leader must be the first car across the line on the restart
PIT STOPS
• Controlled pit stops will be utilized at this event, no car may lose a lap under caution while pitting, no car will lose positions in regards to other cars that pitted under same caution period.
• Minimum pit open will be four laps under each caution.
• Pit assignments will occur following qualifying based on qualifying results, top 16 teams can begin to set-up their pit area at this time. Additional assignments will occur as field is filled.
• A maximum of two additional new or used tires ‘spares’ will be permitted (new must be bought day of, all must be scanned and impounded at time of purchase (new) pre-qualifying tech (used), until race time) in quarter mile pit and will be allowed to be changed with four qualifying/race tires at any time without penalty.
• Additionally two used ‘emergency’ tires will be scanned and allowed in quarter mile pit area. Approved ‘emergency’ tires may ONLY be changed with tires which come in flat on rim. If the suspect car is on the lead lap, that car must start at the rear of the lead lap cars. If the car is a lap down, the car must start at the rear of the field. All ‘emergency’ tire changes MUST be approved by the tech official. Once a race or spare tire is replaced with an ‘emergency’ tire, that tire may not be used in competition again for any reason.
• Total tires in pit area at any time is four (4) and must consist of qualifying/race tires, ‘spares’ and ‘emergency’ tires.
• Pit crews are not allowed on the track and drivers may use no tools while on the track to repair or adjust their cars. Under red flag conditions they may clean their windshields and check and lower tire pressure if allowed to do so by the race director.
• Pitting under yellow: Must form-up single file behind pace car before pitting. Those pitting early will have to start dead last.
• Once the pace car picks up the leader, those wishing to pit may pull to the designated lane (inside) beginning at designated point (announced at driver/crew chief meeting) and then should pull up to the rear of the pace car.
• A flagman will control the “pit closed” and “pit open” situation. Those signals must be obeyed.
• To reduce congestion in the pits, cars on the lead lap should pit on the first lap the pits are opened. Lapped cars may pit on the next lap.
• There will be a penalty for entering the pits other than through designated entrance off Turn 4. Competitors that do so will lose at least one lap.
• Stop ‘n’ Go Sign at the end of the pit lanes must be observed, those disobeying will be placed at tail of longest line.
• CARS ENTERING HAULER PARKING AREA WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO REJOIN RACE. If you need to work on your car, it needs to happen on pit road.
• Cars leaving infield pit areas under green flag conditions must stay below the yellow merge line until up to racing speeds.
• Cars joining or rejoining the field AT THE REAR, after the leader takes the green flag and passes the car exiting the pits, that lap will count in scoring.
TWO LANE RACING
• In all ARCA MIDWEST TOUR events, there will be at least two lanes for racing. The front car has the right to pick their lane, but he must allow challengers another clear lane to attempt to pass. Consult the Race Director for additional clarification, if needed.
• All cars that are deemed to be involved in an accident by race officials, that causes a caution will be sent to the rear. Any cars that spin to avoid an accident will be given their original spot back in line.
• Cars using two lanes to block other challengers will be warned. Cars will be given two warnings and stated as such so all spotters can hear the warning. The car being challenged must immediately pick a lane. After the second warning from the race director, Rules No. 2 and 3 (above) do not apply, except any cars that spin to avoid an accident will be given their original spot back in line.
• Cars being lapped must hold to the inside lane.
• After three laps under black flag, the scoring card will be pulled and/or scoring ceased permanently.
CHECKERED FLAG
• The checkered flag ends the race for all, regardless of the number of laps completed.
• The race will NOT end under yellow. The last two laps will be run under green (not necessarily consecutive) if possible. The event length could be extended 5-or-10 laps or more…plan accordingly with fuel supplies!) (The event could be ended by a red flag and the positions paid according to the order the cars would have been restarted.)
• If necessary, the length of the race will be extended due to yellow flags with two laps remaining so the final two laps are completed under green. a) IMPORTANT NOTE: IN NO SITUATION ARE THE CARS TO RACE BACK TO THE FINISH LINE UNDER YELLOW OR RED CONDITIONS…THIS INCLUDES THE FINAL LAP OF THE RACE.
• Once the leader receives the white flag, the race will be complete. If the yellow were displayed following the leader receiving the white flag, those remaining are to slow and proceed with caution. a) The remaining cars would be scored in the position they held when the yellow was displayed (except for those involved). If that relative position could not be determined, they would be scored in the order those cars in question crossed the finish line on their last completed lap.
SPOTTERS
• Team spotters in uniform and with radios will be mandatory in Spotters’ Area. ALL Spotters will be required to monitor the Race Director via scanner during all hot track activities. The Scanner Frequency for the ARCAMT is 455.30000
• Please have your car number clearly marked on your spotter.
• FOUL or improper language by a spotter to any other spotter and crew member or series official is NOT allowed. Any report of such abuse will have a $250 fine assigned to the associated drivers event pay. Second offense fines will be $500 and the driver will be removed from on track competition.