2022 Season Kick-Off Endurance Race

SetUpSixRR

EMRA Executive Member
So we are having an endurance race off into the sunset from 4pm-8pm on May 22nd after a Motorheads half track day (11pm-3pm if you want the practice). Here are the rules from the 2021 race, for those who missed it this was a very exciting and dramatic race to the end with the top 3 teams only separated by a small margin. This will be a great way to start your season and shake off the rust to get prepared for a jam packed 2022 EMRA race season. The point of this thread specifically, is to remind people of the rules we had last year and to open the floor up for suggestions on ways we can tweak the rules to make it closer, safer, more fun or attract more riders. If you have questions feel free to post them in here, but please read all the rules first to make sure it has not been answered already. The executive has appointed a committee to review the rules over the next month or so and see what we can change to make it better but we wanted to hear from our members as well... aaaaaaand go.



General Rules

It is not possible to anticipate every circumstance and cover it in this rule section; therefore, common sense and a regard for fairness are the fundamental principles in interpretation and enforcement of the rules by EMRA officials. This information is provided as guidance to competitors, but does not restrict the EMRA from imposing penalties for other actions detrimental to the sport, that is not specifically mentioned herein. Unless otherwise specifically provided for in these rules, the EMRA may impose penalties to any rider or crew.


· Registrants must indicate team format during registration process.

· Registration closes at midnight September 8th.

· Each team entry fee is $400.

· Each team regardless of format will require at least 2 racers.

· Each team is allowed 1 crew member – Entry fee is an additional $50 and must be preregistered in advance.

· At any time, only registered racers and their team’s one pit crew member are allowed in the hot pits.

· Le Mans style start, positions on the grid will be based on morning qualifying times.

· Cash prize payouts will be distributed to the top 3 teams based on lap count and if needed time. 60/30/10% split.

· Intermediate and Expert mixed teams are accepted.

· Pit Lane Marshals will be on duty to enforce rules. Endurance pit stop rules are enforceable by Pit Marshals and violations must be observed by Pit Marshals; pit stop violations cannot be protested by riders or teams. Penalties will be determined by the race director.

· Bikes entering and exiting the hot pits must come to a complete stop at the entry and exit cone and/or lines clearly marked in hot pits

· Hot pits speed limit is 30km/h and will be strictly enforced by EPS radar gun. Violations will incur a 5-lap penalty.

· Crew member and racers participants will be allowed to go to the main paddock area during the race.

· A race bike must be able to pass technical inspection at any time during the race.

· At no point in time can anyone who is not a part of the registered team of racers and 1 single crew member can be in the hot pits. Infraction will incur a 5-lap penalty.

· Fire extinguisher must be visible in the hot pits at all times. Failure to produce one upon request will result in immediate disqualification.


· Tire changes and refueling must be done in the hot pits during a pit stop.

· A designated tech referee must be in place when your team is performing a pit stop. Each team will be allocated a tech referee.

· Refueling must be done by ONE crew member while a second crew member holds a fire extinguisher ready.

· Refueling must be done ONLY in the teams hot pit area. Refueling outside of your hot pit area will incur a 5-lap penalty.

· No one else can be touching the motorcycle during refueling process and no rider on the motorcycle. Engine must be OFF. Violation of this incurs a 5-lap penalty.

· After tire changes the motorcycle must meet tech requirements and be approved by a tech inspector (safety wire must be replaced). Violation of this incurs a 5-lap penalty.

· Tire change work can be performed by anyone on the team.

· Spare Parts Bikes are NOT allowed in the hot pit area.

· The entire Hot Pit Lane is a NO SMOKING, NO ALCOHOL AREA.

· Until the race has finished, the registered participants and crew members are under a zero-tolerance policy for alcohol and/or cannabis products.

· Right of way during pit stops is to the rider entering the pits from the track. A racer leaving their assigned pit area must yield to incoming riders. A racer leaving the pits must yield to racers on the track. Riders entering and exiting the pits must do so at a REASONABLE and SAFE speed. Failure to heed this rule is grounds for disqualification.

· Bike substitutions are NOT allowed, you must finish the race with the same registered bike(s) you started on.

· Race ends and is at 3pm sharp + 1 lap then the checkered flag is waved.

· The winning team is whoever completed the most amount of laps.



Motorcycle specifications:


· Superbike rules apply - Unlimited modifications

· Open to any motorcycle type

· Tires – DOT or slicks

· Riding gear and Tech requirements are the same as for regular EMRA races.

· Transponders must be securely mounted on whichever motorcycle is on the track at the time





Endurance Race Formats:

· Team Endurance – 1 Motorcycle shared by 2-4 racers. Tire changes and refueling must be done during the race, in the hot pits.

· Team Relay – Between 2-4 motorcycles shared by 2-4 racers, tire changes and refueling must be done in the paddock while a teammate is racing. Transponder needs to be switched during motorcycle changes.

· Lightweight Relay (Optional) – Same rules as Relay style but no time penalty for teams consisting entirely of “lightweight” class motorcycles. Lightweight relay must involve only motorcycles that qualify for Lightweight Superbike rules (i.e.: no mixing LWs with 600/1000cc entrants).







Team Relay Format-Specific Rules
· Minimum 2 racers per team.

· 15 Minute time penalty to leverage tire change delays which this team gets to avoid by changing their tires and refueling in the pits while their teammate is on track.

· Each team can choose when during the race they will take the 15-minute time penalty.

· Time penalty must be served within the 4 hours of the race or your team will be disqualified.

· Time penalty must be served under green flag conditions.

· Each team member can ride multiple times during the race on any given machine.

· Transponder MUST be switched from relay teammate to relay teammate during pit stops or you will lose record of those laps.






Starting procedure

Starting grid will be marked for riders and bikes on side of track.

Riders will start from far side of track; bikes will be positioned on side of track nearest hot pit wall

Only bike stands, tire warmers, extension cords, one crew member and one rider will be on start grid.

Start light procedure is same as normal



· Flag procedures


All Flag procedures will remain the same as outlined for Sprint races except the red flag. If a red flag is shown riders must stop at the next corner station and wait for instructions, if they are directed to go to the hot pit then they should proceed to their pit cautiously, no work or repairs are allowed on a motorcycle under red flag, you may put tire warmers on. Refueling, rider changes, tire changes, and any general work will not be allowed under red flag unless specific permission to do so is granted by race control








Crashing Rules:
· A crash is defined as the motorcycle hitting the ground either pavement, grass or gravel. If the handlebars go down and the bodywork touches the ground it is considered a crash.

· Crashed machines must undergo technical inspection prior to continuing in the event, even if the motorcycle is picked up and can be ridden back to the pits. A rideable crashed motorcycle must be brought into the hot pit to be reteched immediately, failure to do so will result in a 5 lap penalty and all laps from the time of the crash to the time the bike is teched will be lost.

· If a rider must push a motorcycle back to the hot pits, the rider will stay off the race track and race line as much as possible, direction from corner workers and race control must be followed at all times

·

· No crew members are allowed to assist the rider in pushing until the rider enters the hot pits entry cone and/or line clearly marked in hot pits.

· Failure to pass technical inspection may result in lost laps, and/or disqualification from the race.

·

· If a Team does not bring a crashed machine to the Technical Inspector before continuing in the race, the Team will lose all laps subsequent to the crash until the machine is re-inspected and may be disqualified, at the sole discretion of the officials.




Schedule Sunday September 12th:

· Tech Inspection (roaming) 7:30am-10:45am

· Riders meeting 8:00am.

· Morning practice is OPEN from ~9am-10am.

· Set up of start grid 10:15am- 10:55,

· 5 minute warning, 10:55

· 2 minute warning, tire warmers off, 10:58

· Race runs 11am-3pm.

· Lap counts and rule infractions will be reviewed and verified after race completion.

· Podium celebrations, prize handouts, trophy presentations by 4pm.
 

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Matt Stokes

Member
Hi Brian. I'm sorry to bother you. I'm preparing for the endurance race, but I don't fully understand the time penalty. I will be racing a Lightweight bike. What do these statements below mean, specifically the phrase in bold below?

· 15 Minute time penalty to leverage tire change delays, which this team format can avoid.

· Each team can choose when during the race they will take the 15-minute time penalty.


Can you explain in plain wording how the time penalty works for each class in the endurance race? And, are all 3 endurance race formats (Team Endurance, Team Relay and Lightweight Relay) competing for the same prize?

Thank you!


Matt Stokes
 

SetUpSixRR

EMRA Executive Member
Hi Matt, that should have said "can avoid by changing their tires and refueling in the pits while their teammate is on track."

Team relay is each person riding their own bike, which is beneficial because essentially I could go out on fresh slicks and race as fast as I can until my gas tank is empty and then come in, only to switch transponders and have my teammate go out on their bike with fresh slicks and do the same thing. This type of team gets a 15 minute time penalty because of that advantage of being able to change tires and refuel in the pits between sessions on track.

Team Endurance is multiple people on the same bike. They will need to do their tire changes and fuel stops live so this is why they don't face a time penalty.

Lightweight relay teams are like Team Relay teams but they don't have a time penalty to encourage them to join as it gives them an advantage. But that's if the team consists of all lightweights, otherwise it becomes a normal Team Relay format and will get the time penalty.

You can do a Team Endurance group of lightweights but there is not much advantage. With average lap times a bit slower it would make more sense to have at least one lightweight bike on the team so that during refueling or any necessary tire changes you can do it in the pits while your teammate is still out there turning laps. All you need to do is switch transponders.

The time penalty is subject to change though, after seeing the race last year i think 10 minutes is enough to be a considerable hit to a team's race. Changing a rear tire is probably all that is required for most sportbikes and that should be done in less than 10 minutes. Fuel is maybe going to be required twice at about 1 minute as well so i'm going to suggest we change this to 10 minutes at the exec meeting tuesday the 29th.
 
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Matt Stokes

Member
Thanks Brian. If the goal is to entice Lightweight bikes to compete against unlimited displacement superbikes, I would suggest leaving the time penalty at 15 minutes. Has a Lightweight team ever won this event, or even competed in the event? Let's try to get as many bikes out as possible. I'm sure you've worked the math on it. If we consider the delta between a full superbike lap time and a lightweight lap time is reasonably around 7 or 8 seconds, then a 15 minute time penalty makes a lot of sense.


Matt
 
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