CVAR SAFETY
Revision 1 January 1, 2008
“Auto Racing in itself is not inherently dangerous, but to even a greater degree than the sea, it is terribly unforgiving of any carelessness, incapacity or neglect.”
Author Unknown.
CVAR was formed to showcase authentic Vintage Race cars and to have FUN while doing it. CVAR’s objective is to allow our members to have FUN while driving authentic vintage race cars at speed and in a spirited manner on a closed circuit. Aggressive driving that damages these authentic Vintage Race cars eliminates the fun.
Wheel-to-wheel racing is not for the timid or the meek. Split second decisions must be made and driver judgment is critical; ill-advised moves, over driving of cars and aggressive racing must be kept in check if we are to maintain the CVAR spirit and enjoy our cars.
OBJECTIVE
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The objective of the CVAR Safety Program is to maintain the safest race environment possible while encouraging active, spirited racing and minimizing (if not eliminating) contact. Vintage Racing does not tolerate deliberate contact or a “win at any cost” attitude. Vintage drivers compete in a spirited but controlled manner giving their fellow drivers room to race. The Safety Committee realizes track conditions change, racing surfaces can instantly become slick and mechanical failures occur. We realize even the safest and most skilled drivers can have an event. These variables must be taken into account should an event occur. The Safety Committee wants to work with the drivers to help them enjoy CVAR and our racing philosophies. At the same time each driver holds the key to his or her ultimate success within CVAR. Each driver’s attitude to the Vintage Spirit and the Spirit of CVAR will be a significant factor in determining your success within CVAR. |
SAFETY PROGRAM
The CVAR Safety Program is a pro-active multi-tiered approach to race safety. It is comprised of the Race safety Steward, a Safety Committee and four individual programs; the Group Awareness Program, the Mentor Program, the Driver Identification Program, and the Driver Discipline Program. The objectives are:
SAFETY COMMITTEE
The Safety Committee will be comprised of a Chairman and a representative from each group who are actively racing during the race weekend. The amount of time the Safety Committee can spend at the track on events is limited.
Their duties are:
The Safety Committee Chairman:
1. Receive written reports from corner workers and all drivers involved in events
2. Investigate and determine the cause of events with concurrence of Safety Steward
3. Advise the Chief Steward of findings and concur with him on corrective action
Group representative duties:
1. Assist the Chairman
2. Identify mentor(s) candidates within their group
3. Assist as necessary any driver within that group that has questions is having difficulties on the track.
SECTION 1 - SAFETY PROGRAMS
A. GROUP AWARENESS PROGRAM – Green Light, Yellow Light, Red Light.
This program’s objective is to inform the Groups as to how many events they are having. Green light is excellent, minimal Pit Lane Penalties and no car-to-car events. Yellow light is good, very few Pit Lane Penalties and no car-to-car events. Red is unacceptable, to many Pit Lane Penalties and/or car-to-car events.
This program’s objective is to pass racing knowledge from experienced drivers to novices. Volunteer experienced CVAR drivers/members will be available for questions involving all aspects of race car driving and if possible, car setup. The Safety Committee Chairman will determine all Safety Committee mentor(s) for each group. The Mentor Program is completely voluntary.
This program’s objective is to identify any driver (experienced or novice) who is experiencing driving (or car) problems before such problems become events. Examples of such problems are (but are not limited to): erratic driving; driving extremely poor lines; repeated spins and/or four-offs (over several race weekends) and aggressive driving. Race officials and the Safety Committee using visual observations and the Driver Discipline Program will identify drivers that will be subject to this program. In addition, race personnel will closely monitor a driver so identified. All drivers suspended or placed on probation will be placed in this program.
D. DRIVER DISCIPLINE PROGRAM - NOTE: No driver will be disciplined for departing the track to avoid another car, even if that attempt results in contact.
This program’s objective is to establish a series of increasing penalties in order to maintain a spirited yet safe and fun racing environment. Any discipline concerning an event not cover herein will be at the sole desecration of the joint decision by the Race Safety Steward, Safety Committee Chairman and the Chief Steward.
1. Administrative Guidelines of the Driver Discipline Program (Note: The Race Safety Steward, Safety Committee Chairman and Chief Steward must agree on all decisions involving discipline.)
a. The Race Safety Steward, Safety Committee Chairman and Chief Steward (together) may discipline drivers as necessary to ensure race safety and their decision is final.
b. The Race Safety Steward, Safety Committee Chairman and Chief Steward (together) may terminate any drivers’ participation in any or all CVAR events (without refund of entry fees) if, in their opinion, the drivers’ attitude could cause a dangerous situation on the track or in the paddock.
c. A driver on Probation involved in a car-to-car contact event and determined to be at fault, will be suspended for two race weekends and placed on VMC 13/13 probation.
d. Penalties are per driver regardless of how many groups that driver races in.
SECTION 2 - PENALTY GUIDELINES:
NOTE: (1) The Race Safety Steward, Safety Committee Chairman and the Chief Steward (together) may modify these guidelines as necessary due to specific individual situations.
(2) Spins and four offs will not be counted in this program on Test and Tune days, so long as no other car is put at risk. All other Test and Tune day situations - aggressive driving, chopping, car-to-car contact, single car contact etc. will be counted.
(3) All Novice “X” identifications must be a minimum 8” in height with a 1” stroke and clearly discernable from all directions while racing;
(4) Chief Steward my require a driver to work corners in addition to or in lieu of an official penalty so driver may see how corners can be safely driven and how the flag signally system works.
A. NON-CONTACT PENALTIES: Spins, Four-Off’s, Aggressive Driving, Blocking, Chopping, Ignoring Flags OR any event requiring a driver to be summoned to the pit lane, (except for a Black Flag due to mechanical problems)
1. Weekend Non-Contact Events
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Slide/drift
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No Penalty |
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Non-contact event per race day
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First Occurrence: Pit lane drive through or stop and go Second Occurrence: Driver is sent to the paddock, race is forfeited. Third Occurrence: Drive forfeits all remaining races (all groups) for that day
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2. Continuing Non-Contact Events – NOTE: The objective of this tracking program is to assist drivers in detecting and correcting the reason(s) they are having problems. Drivers who are unable to control their driving will not be allowed to participate in CVAR events.
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Number of Black Flag Events per Tracking Period
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Penalty |
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One through Four
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No action |
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Five
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Warning Letter, Introduction to Group Mentor, Placement in Driver Identification Program
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Eight |
Internal Probation for Three Race weekends, Placement of Novice “X” on car
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Ten |
Internal Suspension for One Race Weekend
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B. CAR-TO-CAR CONTACT PENALTIES:
(3) Drivers who cause an event, even if their car is undamaged will be held accountable and penalized as though their car was the most severely damaged car involved in the event. (Example: A car spins which results in no damage to the car. However two following cars make contact while trying to avoid the car that spun. The driver of the car that spun may be penalized as per the table below based on the severity of the event)
(4) Contact caused by a mechanical failure is considered a Racing Event
(5) A driver on Probation involved in a car-to-car contact event and determined to be at fault, will be suspended for two race weekends and placed on VMC 13-13 probation.
EVENT
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PENALTY Accumulation During the Tracking Period |
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Inadvertent Touching
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First event: Pit lane drive through or stop and go Second event: Driver Sent to Paddock, race is forfeited. Third event: Driver forfeits all races (all groups) for the day. Forth event: Internal Probation for three (3) weekends, Novice “X” placed on car while on probation Forth Event: As determined by Safety Personnel
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Racing Event: No driver at fault
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No Penalty
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Racing Event with one driver clearly at fault
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See Car-to-Car Contact |
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Car-to-Car Contact
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First Event: Drive at fault forfeits all remaining races (all groups) for the current weekend. CVAR Probation for three (3) weekends. Novice “X” placed on car while on Probation. In addition driver may be placed on VMC 13/13 if warranted. Second Event: Driver at fault forfeits all remaining races (all groups) for the weekend; VMC 13/13 Probation; Internal CVAR suspension for one (1) weekend, work corners for one (1) weekend, Novice “X” placed on car while on Probation Third Event: VMC Suspension for a minimum of six (6) months. At the completion of the suspension, driver will be placed on VMC 13/13 probation. Driver must work corners for two (2) weekends. Novice “X” placed on car while on Probation
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Car-to-Car Contact with Major Driver Error
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First Event: Driver at fault forfeits all remaining races (all groups) for the weekend; VMC 13/13 Probation; Internal CVAR suspension for one (1) weekend, work corners for one (1) weekend, Novice “X” placed on car while on Probation Second Event: VMC Suspension as determined by Safety Personnel.
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Single Car Event
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First event: Driver is sent to the paddock, forfeits all remaining races (all groups) for that day Second event: CVAR Probation for three (3) race weekends Novice “X” placed on car while on probation Third event: CVAR Suspension for one (1) weekend, CVAR Probation for four (4) race weekends Novice “X” placed on car while on probation Forth event: VMC 13/13 Probation. Novice “X” placed on car while on probation
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DEFINITIONS:
AGGRESSIVE DRIVING – driving in such a manner as to cause or create a dangerous situation or driving in such a manner that indicates a disregard for other drivers
BLOCKING – moving the car and/or changing driving line(s) more than once with the apparent objective of not allowing a faster car to pass
CONTACT – a race car touching any other object (a track barrier, another race car etc) while on the racetrack, the paddock area or the false grid resulting in damage
CHOPPING – a faster car passing a slower car then immediately turning into the slower car which requires the slower car to abruptly brake
FOUR OFF – any time a race car departs the racetrack resulting in all four tires leaving the paved area
EVENT - any contact resulting in damage (greater than touching) to a car OR contact that results in a car spinning/going off the track
EVENT, RACING – car to car contact that was unavoidable due to track conditions, mechanical failures or unavoidable racing situations
EVENT, CAR-TO-CAR – any contact that results in a car spinning/going off the track OR damage to the car
EVENT, CAR-TO-CAR with Major Driver Error - any blatant driver action or aggressive driving (defined above) that results in a car spinning/going off the track OR damage to a car
EVENT, SINGLE CAR CONTACT– any contact involving only one car
EVENT, NON-CONTACT – anytime a driver is called to the pit lane for driving issues, not involving car-to-car contact
EVENT, WEEKEND NON-CONTACT – any driver infraction that results in a penalty during a race weekend not involving car-to-car contact
EVENT, ON-GOING NON-CONTACT – an accumulation of non-contact penalties during a tracking period
PROBATION – a trail period where drivers are closely monitored by race officials
SLIDE/DRIFT – a maneuver where the race car turns less than 90 degrees to the track, does not stop, and continues to race
SPIN – a sudden and/or abrupt maneuver that results in the race car exceeding 90 degrees to the track or a sudden and/or abrupt maneuver that results in the race car coming to an unplanned stop during a race
TOUCHING – contact between two cars resulting in no or extremely minor damage (scratches, paint marks, etc but no damage to the sheet metal/fiberglass) and does not result in a car spinning or going off the track
TRACKING PERIOD – a twelve month moving window (January thru December, February thru January, etc)