| Solo and Sidecar Racing Rules |
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(a) Only ONE person may operate any race vehicle at any one time. NO PASSENGERS ALLOWED. EXCEPTION: Passenger on sidecar. |
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(a) The following flags shall be recognised as the standard colours to be used as signals to competitors during the race: |
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White Last lap for individual competitor |
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Black (board) Individual competitor to retire from race immediately |
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(b) When a red flag or red light is shown competitors must immediately stop. Failure to do so will render a competitor liable to a fine and/or exclusion for any period. |
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(a) Competitors shall always be prepared to start in accordance with the programme and when called on to do so. Any competitor not prepared to start within reasonable time after being called upon shall be excluded from the race. |
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A competitor shall be excluded from the race if he delays the start by more than two (2) minutes in all, in any one race. The two (2) minutes shall be calculated from the times or estimated by the Referee until his vehicle is again running under its own power. |
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In scratch races starting positions will be balloted for in two (2) men match races of three (3) heats. |
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The competitor winning the ballot in the first heat takes outside position in the second heat and the positions are again decided for by ballot for the third heat. |
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In three (3) men match races a ballot shall be taken for the first heat only and the competitors shall take alternate positions thereafter. |
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Only four competitors or sidecar units will be permitted in a scratch race, but subject to approval being given by the Stipendiary Steward during annual track inspections, then up to six competitors or sidecar units may compete in a scratch race and up to eight competitors or sidecar units in a handicap race provided the track in use has adequate width at the startline. |
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T9-3-4 Heats: |
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Starts may be arranged in heats. The arrangement and constitution of heats will be determined by the Promoters and shall be published in the programme, if any. |
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A competitor shall start in the heat which has been allotted to him unless by permission of the Clerk of the Course of the meeting. |
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A competitor may change his vehicle in subsequent heats, semifinals or finals, provided the Clerk of the Course is notified. |
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Only those competitors qualified in their heats shall take part in the semifinals and only those competitors qualified in the semifinals shall take part in the final. |
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Consolidation of Heats: The Clerk of the Course of the meeting shall be empowered to consolidate or otherwise modify the arrangements and constitution of heats if the number of entrants at the start or other conditions warrant his doing so. |
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T9-3-5 Starts: |
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Three (3) lines shall be indicated across the track, namely the starting line, the forward foul line, thirty (30) metres in front of the starting line, and the back foul line, four (4) metres behind the starting line. |
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There shall be two (2) recognised methods of starting: |
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The standing start with engine running. |
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(i) In the case of a flying start the speed preparatory to the start shall be set by the inside competitor and may be limited. |
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(ii) The starting signal may only be given when both wheels of each competing motorcycle are within the four (4) metres space between the starting line and the back foul line. |
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(iii) If two false starts have occurred the starter may, at his own discretion waive this last requirement. |
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Standing Start: |
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(i) In the case of the standing start the starter may allow two (2) pushersoff to assist a competitor whose machine stalls in moving up to the forward foul line. |
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(ii) On the order of the Clerk of the Course, riders must together leave the pit area and proceed by the shortest practical route to the starting tapes where they shall stop under the control of the Starting Marshall with front wheels close to the tapes. |
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(iii) The Referee or Starting Marshall once satisfied that the riders are correctly positioned and stationary, shall switch on the green light indicating to the Starting Marshall that the start is imminent and that he must leave the course. |
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(iv) After a pause sufficient to enable the riders to open up their engines and fix their attention on the tapes, the Referee or Starting Marshall shall release the gate. |
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(v) A rider taking up the wrong position or not complying with the instructions of the Starting Marshall or for any other reason impeding the gate to rise, or the race to start, shall be either fined or excluded. |
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(vi) A rider who breaks one tape or tapes or crosses the starting line with both wheels of his motorcycle, (sidecar wheel excluded) shall be excluded and cannot be replaced by a track reserve in teams or pairs meeting. In individual events he shall be replaced by a track reserve. |
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(vii) A rider who has been excluded for breaking the tapes shall not be entitled to start money. |
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(viii) If, because of faulty operation of the gate or for any other reason, the Referee or Starting Marshall considers the start to be incorrect he shall immediately stop the race with the 'stop' signal and order a restart which the riders shall occupy their original starting position. |
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(ix) After the green light has been switched on, no time allowance can be given and no outside assistance can be rendered to riders except to a rider who has fallen, or, if the engine has stopped after the signal, then, after the gate is up, he may be assisted by two pushers for a distance of thirty metres in the direction of the race. If, at that point, the engine does not start, the rider in question shall be excluded from the race. |
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(x) In the case when the starting gate does not operate, the Referee or the Starting Marshall can use the green light or any other approved starting method to indicate to the riders that they shall come up to their starting positions. The starting being controlled by the dropping of the green flag. |
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T9-3-6 Starting Tapes: |
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The use of a rubber band stretched across the track is not to be used as a starting method for sidecars. |
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For all New Zealand, North and South Island Championships only a starting gate approved by Speedway New Zealand Steward may be used and definitely not to be a rubber band stretched across the track. |
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Approved starting gates must rise vertically and evenly with no sagging in the middle gates. Tapes are to be divided into four equal parts, or six equal parts where applicable. |
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T9-3-7 Crowding or Foul Riding: The Referee will immediately exclude from that race a competitor who in his opinion, crowds or bores, whether intentionally or not or otherwise indulges in any foul or unfair practise during a race. |
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T9-3-8 Driving in Wrong Direction: Under no circumstances shall a competitor, at any time during a meeting or during a practice, be permitted to ride a vehicle in the wrong direction of the track. |
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T9-3-9 Looking Back: Looking back is forbidden and competitors doing so render themselves liable to a fine or exclusion with exception of sidecar passenger. |
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T9-3-10 Outside Assistance: If during a race any competitor receives assistance whether after accident, spin, or any other reason he shall retire. |
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T9-3-11 Defective Machines: In the event of any defect developing in a machine during a race which may endanger other competitors, the Starter on instructions from the Referee, shall give the competitor the black board and the competitor concerned must immediately retire from the race. |
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T9-3-12 Overtaking: All races excepting sidecars shall be run left hand inwards and the Referee shall exclude immediately a competitor who in his opinion indulges in foul, unfair or dangerous conduct including any competitor who steers or drifts from his course in such a manner as to impede any competitor who may be attempting to pass or in the case of a nonteam event, jeopardising the fair chance of one or more of the other competitors. |
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T9-3-13 Leaving the Course: |
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Any competitor who, through his own action or otherwise, rides off the course with one or more wheels during a race, may thereby be liable to exclusion, reversal of position, or fine. |
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Competitors riding 'out of bounds' of a smaller inside track (5-1-10 e) with one or more wheels during a race, may re-enter the race when the track is clear and at the rear of the field in the same straight or bend as going off the course. |
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T9-3-14 Re-run Races: |
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(a) If an accident has occurred, and in the opinion of the Referee it would be dangerous for the race to continue he shall cause the race to be stopped by giving the "Stop" signal and the race shall then be re-run. |
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The Referee or Steward only are empowered to stop a race and no other official shall initiate the 'stop' signal during the course of a race. |
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Any race so stopped shall be re-run or restarted. The Referee shall permit any competitor who has fallen or spun up as a result of being fouled or in the interests of safety to take part in the re-run or re-start. |
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As a result of a race stoppage, any competitor who is eligible for a re-run but cannot do so due to vehicle damage, may be permitted to change vehicles for that re-run and subsequent events providing the Clerk of the Course is notified and providing the Steward confirms that the vehicle damage sustained was wholly attributable to the incident resulting in the stoppage. |
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Any competitor who fails to start in, has retired from or has been excluded during the course of the race which is ordered to be re-run shall be ineligible to take part in the re-run or re-start. |
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Any competitor who is not proceeding under power at the time of the incident which results in the display of the "Stop" signal shall be deemed to have retired. |
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Any competitor who is primarily the cause of a race being stopped shall be ineligible to take part in the re-run or re-start and shall be excluded and a reserve competitor, if any is not permitted to take the excluded competitor's place in the re-run or re-start. |
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If in the interest of safety the Referee has stopped a race after one or more competitors have crossed the finishing line, the race shall not be re-run or re-started. |
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T9-3-15 Dead Heats: In the case of a dead heat, the entrants tying for a place shall divide amongst themselves any prize or prizes attributable to their placing, provided that upon the request of all entrants tying for a place, the Referee and Steward of the meeting may authorise a fresh start and may, with the consent of the said entrants, impose modified conditions for the re-run. |
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T9-3-16 False Finish: When a race has been stopped by the display of the black and white chequered flag before the required number of laps have been completed by the leading rider, the Referee shall declare the race void and it must be re-run. If however, the Chequered Flag has not been shown after the completion of the requisite number of laps, it shall be considered to have been properly shown. |
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T9-4 ADDITIONAL SIDECAR RACING RULES: |
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T9-4-1 All sidecar races shall be run in a clockwise direction and the chair must be fitted to the lefthand side of the machine. |
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T9-4-2 In order to qualify for a place both Competitor and Passenger must be on board the machine when crossing the finishing line. |
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T9-4-3 A competitor must withdraw from the race as soon as he has lost his passenger. |
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T9-4-4 In Sidecar Scratch Races, no competitor shall alter his course until after the 30m foul line, which shall be clearly defined. |
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T9-4-5 Any competitor who, through his own action or otherwise, rides off the course with one or more wheels during a race, may be liable to exclusion, reversal of position or fine. |
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T9-4-6 For sidecar handicap races, the starters up to 60 metres handicap shall be staggered. i.e. competitor on scratchgrid one competitor on 10 metres grid two, competitor on 20 metres grid three, etc. |
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T9-4-7 In the event of a race stoppage during a sidecar race, red flags shall be displayed at the entrance to each bend in addition to the red lights. |
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T9-4-8 All sidecar races shall be no more than 7 (seven) laps and no less than 4 (four) laps, other than N Z, North and South Island Championships. |
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T9-4-9 Motorcycle and Sidecar Combination: Riders may change up to their driving gear only and then not be permitted to change gear thereafter (i.e change down). |
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T9-4-10 Subject to local conditions these Rules in this Chapter may be amended in part by the unanimous decision of the Stipendiary Steward, if in attendance, or the Steward of the Meeting, Clerk of Course, and a representative of the class of Competitor competing, bearing in mind the following three factors - Safety of Competitors, Safety of Spectators and better promotion of events. |