NEW Rule for 2016: Penalty Box for Ice Racing

[chkdsk]

Hello everyone,

 

As per many phone calls and conversations regarding the excessive body contact on the race surface there is a new rule being implemented for 2016 known as the Penalty Box.

 

I've had many phone calls with the racers and the opinion is coming up 100% positive. I apologize to the other racers that I was not able to speak to personally.

 

What is the Penalty Box and how does it work; the cool part of this is that it's simple and it comes down to the drivers to make a decision. Two Parts:

 

1) How does one get in to the Penalty Box?

 

If there is contact on the track it will be called in to the Steward's. Drivers that get called in may OR MAY NOT get the triangle black/white flag during the race. If you have contact during the race then when the race is completed then pull up to the Stewards (Black Flag) and wait to explain what happened. If your car gets towed off the track and back to the pits then exit the vehicle and make your way straight to the Stewards (Black Flag station).

 

During your conversation with the Steward and other driver there are only three outcomes that can happen and only three:

a) One of the two (or three) driver’s takes the blame on the incident and that driver will start in the penalty box

b ) Between the two (or more) drivers shall agree 100% that it was a racing incident and has to be 100% and then nobody starts in the Penalty box

c) If none of the offenders accepts responsibility then everyone involved starts in the Penalty box

** You cannot appeal or protest this decision between the drivers as it was a driver-to-driver decision and did not include the officials so there is nobody to protest to.

 

2) What is the Penalty box?

 

a) The Penalty box is going to be plowed as an inside or outside lane parallel to the start line and it may be awkward to get on the track.

b ) You will gridded at the end of the field and lined up as FIFO to penalty box on the gird if there is more than one car.

c) When you proceed on the track you will pull up to the Penalty box while the others are being gridded in their normal spot

d) Pace lap will start with the other drivers while you stand still and wait the worker will come over to the Penalty box to hold you

e) You will not be released from the penalty box until the very last gridded car crosses the start line from a rolling start on a green flag drop.

f) You will then be released from a standing start and make your way on to the track and start racing as normal.  

 

Summary:

 

What I like about this; it puts all the pressure on the drivers to work things out on and off the track.

 

Multiple Infractions:

 

Multiple infractions during one race: If you have more than one contact during a race that you are at-fault then the Penalty box penalty will be issued for more than one race. To be specific: If my #13 hits #28 in the first corner of a race 1 then I hit #35 again then I will be expected to start in the Penalty Box in Race 2 and Race 3.

 

Multiple Infractions during one race weekend:  

 

Please see Excessive Infractions below

 

Excessive infractions:

 

For excessive infractions during a race weekend or a race season you will in in jeopardy of several possible penalties including but not limited to:

- Probation

- Loss of points for a race, or a race day

- Suspension from a race, or race weekend

 

As always; the final say is under the Steward’s control.

 

If you have any questions or different scenarios then email me Jordan (aaaat) SolutionsIt.ca and I’ll go through it with you then we can post the response below after the resolution so it’s archived.

 

Thanks. 

[chkdsk]

Some more clarification about the new Penalty Box Rule.

 

Hello all Ice Racers, we need to clear up some beliefs regarding the new Penalty Box Rule as I had a few phone calls from your fellow racers that believe they were on the wrong end of contact.

 

For the drivers, just to reiterate so this is clear with everyone; If there is contact with you and another car on the track during a session (practice included) you MUST report to the Black Flag Steward after the session is over. It does not matter if you believe this was a racing incident and everything is Rainbows and Unicorns.

Here is a simple how-to for the drivers:

 

If you have contact on the track you:

 

A)     Report to the Black Flag Steward after the race no matter what happened.
 

B )      Tell the Steward that you had contact with number whatever car and that you will go speak number whatever (if they are not with you) and discuss this.
 

C)      After the discussion with Number Whatever car you will then go back to the Black Flag Steward and tell them what the outcome was. The 2^nd driver that was involved should also report back to the Black Flag Steward and report the same.
 

Simple as that…

 

Remember that there are only three outcomes:

1)      Someone takes the blame and they start in the Pee-Box.

2)      Neither takes the blame and both start in the penalty box

3)      Both agree this is a racing incident and both report back to the Steward (both) that they are fine with this 100%.

 

Some points to remember about “Racing Incident”, these are very few and far between, someone is usually at fault. It is very rare when there is a when something is a racing incident and nobody’s fault.

Some examples

- “Foot slipped off the brake” is not a racing incident

- “Wheel whipped out of my hands” is not a racing incident

- “I caught some traction that I didn’t realize was there” is not a racing incident.

- “I’m not sure what he was thinking as I’ve done the same line every time” is not a racing incident

- “It was the heat of the moment and we were both having fun battling” is not a racing incident

- “Something must have gone wrong with my car as it locked up when I came into the corner” is not a racing incident

- “I didn’t see a black flag or the black/white flag so it must be ok” does not mean it’s a racing incident

 

If there is contact, tell Black Flag, chat to the other driver, if both say it’s a racing incident then both must report back to Black Flag. You must do this for each contact during a session.

 

I hope this has cleared some points up? There was a few specific reasons I had to post this. Please contact me if you have some more questions.
 

Some good points; the contact was MUCH better than last year, although still contact. 

 

Thanks everyone.