Northern Illinois Thunderjet Racing Orginization

Preamble:

Last year NITRO adopted the Fray rules and said no to the ambiguity and vagueness in the rules as there was a huge difference in what the written rules allowed and what was “legal”. It worked. First the QCQ adopted the NITRO rules, with minor modifications, the Fray has now done the same and other regional and national organizations are looking at the NITRO rule set as well. It’s clear that NITRO is doing something right. NITRO is a multi race series and not a once a year event. NITRO also runs multiple classes. This impacts the rulemaking process and, therefore, the rules will be different than if they were written for a once a year event such as the Fray or QCQ.

The intent of the NITRO rules is to establish clear, easy to understand, well defined limits for the cars. These limits are intended to reduce the cost of building and maintaining the cars, make the cars easier to build and tech and result in a more level playing field. These limits are also designed to prevent an entrant from exploiting an advantage that may be gained from parts selection etc. This practice continues with the 2004-05 rules. This years rule changes provide more practice sessions, more race time and reduce the cost and complexity of the cars while placing more emphasis on the driver. This year’s changes also close the gap between the NITRO class rules and the current HOPRA rules and will allow HOPRA cars to race in the NITRO class with only minor modifications.

The limits of the rules and procedures as written are absolute. It is our expectation that racers will read, understand and abide by the rules while preparing their entries. If you have questions please ask in advance. Please, do not assume. We will be more than happy to clarify any rule and why it is written as it is. If a rule is unclear or vague please bring it to our attention and we will revise it as necessary.

Event Rules:

Practice & Technical Inspection:

Events shall have 2.0 hours (120 Minutes) of practice immediately preceding the event. Practice shall begin at 8:00AM local time and be run in a series of 2.5 minute heats with a maximum of 30 seconds between heats including countdowns. Note: The above can be programmed in Trakmate for Windows by entering 40 racers into a round robin race and selecting auto-rotate with up to a maximum of 25 seconds total of auto view and rotate time.
Drivers are encouraged to marshal while waiting to practice. This signifies to the drivers practicing that others wish to practice.
At the end of each practice segment drivers practicing shall remove their cars and controllers from the track and allow those drivers who marshaled the segment before to practice.
Tech will be open the last 20 minutes of practice and will close no later than 10 minutes following the end of practice. All cars shall pass Technical Inspection prior to entry. Technical inspection involves the following:

a. Checking the car's width using a block or gauge. The same block or gauge shall be used for all cars.

b. Checking that the car does not drag on the track and that all four wheels touch and roll on a known flat surface or track section having either low or no rails.

c. Checking the front axle for excessive lateral play.

d. Inspection of the car for visible rule violations.

Removal of the body and internal inspections are not performed at this time. The driver is solely responsible for the legality of his car. The technical inspector cannot make adjustments required to bring a car into compliance. Cars will be returned to the driver following inspection for any repairs or modifications.

Impound:

Following inspection cars shall be impounded. Cars shall not be worked on while in impound. Cars may be removed from impound when the driver is “on-deck”. Cars must be returned to impound no later than the start of the next race or one segment after the driver has rotated-off the track. Drivers with cars illegally out of impound shall be assigned a 5-lap penalty per incident.

Races:

Each event should follow this schedule:

o 2.0 hours for practice

o 0.5 hours maximum for tech and setup

o Stock Class - Qualifying - 2 to 3 minute round robin (random lane choice)

o Stock Class - Main Event - All racers, divided into groups of four - 4 to 5 minutes per lane

o Lunch

o NITRO Class - Qualifying - 2 to 3 minute round robin (random lane choice)

o NITRO Class - Main Event - All racers, divided into groups of four - 4 to 5 minutes per lane

o JL Class - Main Event - 3 to 4 minutes round robin (random lane choice)

Note: The JL Support Class may be dropped if necessary and shall be dropped if twenty (20) or more individual racers (as opposed to entrants) are in attendance.

The lower mains may have more or less than four racers as necessary.
Time between segments of each race shall be no shorter than 45-seconds and no longer than 1/2 of the segment duration.
The heat begins when power comes on. Power on starts (i.e. Trakmate Formula 1) are unacceptable.
The lap counter is considered correct unless the driver and an independent witness or two independent witnesses indicate otherwise.
Track may be called for the following reasons only:

a. Deslots resulting in a car beyond the reach of the marshals.

b. Damage to a car as a result of a marshalling incident or by a bystander.

c. Failure of the track, power supply or lap counter.

d. An unfair or dangerous situation.

Track should not be called for multiple deslots in the same corner or area of the track or if the marshal is in the process of retrieving a car that is off of the table.
Only the marshals or the race director are allowed to call track or marshal cars.
Drivers are allowed to marshal or pick up their own car only on the main straight immediately in front of their driving position.
Drivers shall not call track or marshal their own car by reaching across the main straight. A warning shall be issued to the entire field following the first offense. Each subsequent offense shall be subject to a 5-lap penalty per incident.
If a second car is impeded with while a driver is marshalling or picking up their own car “Track” will be called and the driver marshalling their own car shall receive a 5-lap penalty for interfering with a second car.
No tire dope, wintergreen, oil, tire glue or liquid of any kind is allowed on the track surface at any time (including saliva). Liquids that may damage the track may not be used at any time. Tires may be cleaned with tape or acceptable liquids but must not leave a wet mark when placed on the track. Any one caught wiping down the track, leaving liquid or creating a “burn out” area on the track surface will receive a 5-lap penalty per offense. “Track” may be called to clean up the area if fluid is identified on the track during a race.
If a car is damaged during a race as a result of a marshalling incident or by a bystander then track shall be called and the driver given a reasonable period of time (up to the length of a race segment) to perform repairs.
Track segments and/or position of each car should be recorded after the race. Drivers shall leave their cars on the track following the race until their position is recorded. If a car is removed from the track before segments are recorded it will be assumed that the car has completed zero (0) segments.
In the event of a tie then a) track position, b) order of qualifying and c) order of entry shall be used to resolve the tie.
Races and/or segments shall be run over only for track or lap counter malfunctions beyond the control of the driver resulting in an unfair situation.
Drivers are required to marshal the race immediately following theirs. For example if C, B and A Mains were to be run in that order, then the drivers running in the A Main would marshal the C Main. Drivers in the C Main would marshal the B Main and the drivers in the B Main would marshal the A Main.
Drivers behaving in an unsportsmanlike manner shall receive lap penalties. A warning shall be issued to the field following the first offense. Each subsequent offense shall result in a 5-lap penalty. The entrant may be disqualified from a heat, race or excluded from the entire event with forfeit of all entry fees and prizes for multiple offenses or a single severe offense (e.g. threatening another driver or causing damage to the track or race site) or for chronic unsportsmanlike behavior. Drivers excluded from the event for must leave the race site immediately. The Police will be requested to escort the excluded driver from the site if necessary.
Only the race director, track owner and host may impose lap penalties and exclude drivers from an event.
The NITRO organizers reserve the right to exclude individuals from an event or the series for the good of the organization.

Post-race Technical Inspection:

The top finishing Fray and Super Stock cars shall be disassembled following the race for internal inspection. The number of cars to be torn down shall equal the number of lanes on the track. (e.g On a 4-lane track the first, second, third and fourth place cars shall be inspected). The race director may elect to tear down up to two additional cars. The decision to tear down additional cars shall be announced prior to the start of the main events. The race director shall select the additional cars to be torn down.
Post race technical inspection is not required for support classes.
All cars shall pass Post Race Technical Inspection. Post Race Technical inspection involves the following:

a. Checking the car's width using a block or gauge. The same block or gauge shall be used for all cars.

b. Checking tire size.

c. Checking the front axle for excessive lateral play.

d. Inspection of the car for visible rule violations.

e. Visual inspection of armatures and checking of armature pole to pole resistance after a minimum five-minute cool down period.

f. Checking magnet spacing using a jig or gauge.

g. Inspection of motor magnets for excessive sanding and other parameters.

h. Inspection of motor brushes, gears, the normally closed part of the chassis and gearplate and any part that can not be inspected without body removal.

The driver is solely responsible for the legality of his car. Cars failing post race technical inspection will be disqualified and awarded zero points for the class. Drivers may not drop a race in which they were disqualified or ejected for any reason.

Ohmeters/DVM Calibration:

Ohmmeters and Digital Volt-Ohm) Meters used to measure armature resistance will be “calibrated” by first measuring a known standard resistance. A correction factor will then be applied to the meter reading before armature resistances are checked.

Protests:

Drivers may protest an unfair situation or disqualification. Protests must be made prior to the start of the next race or heat. Protests involving the main event and/or the top 4 cars must be made no later than the end of post race technical inspection. The race director may grant the protest or dispute it. Disputed protests or protests involving disqualification will be heard immediately by the technical committee who will rule on the protest. The judgment of the committee is final.

NITRO Technical Committee:

The technical committee shall consist of the rules committee, and up to four at-large elected NITRO members. All technical committee members present must hear the protest. A committee member is excluded from voting in the event that a protest or incident involves themselves, their own car or a car they built for another entrant. A committee member may also elect to exclude themselves from voting for a valid reason that is acceptable to the other members. The at-large committee members shall be elected for the duration of the season by consensus of the other racers at the first race. The numbers of at-large members voting on a protest will be adjusted as necessary to have an odd number of votes and thus eliminate a tie. Decisions of the committee are final and are by consensus and/or simple majority vote.