SFKA 2011 Rules
(printable version)
I. Membership
All racers must be members of the South Florida Karting Association. Membership may be purchased for the season or for a single race day. Racers who purchase the full season membership will be eligible for free or reduced admission to the end of year banquet.
-Membership Fees:
- $50 for a single racer for the year.
- $10 for each additional immediate family member spouses and children under the age of 18)
- Daily membership is available for $5 per race day.
II. Race Day Format
1. Gates will open at 10:00 am.
- Controlled practice will be from 11:00 am to 12:30 pm.
- Drivers meeting will be at 1:00.
- Racing will start at 1:30.
- Race day must be completed by 6:00pm
2. Each class will get one or two practice session, depending on the weather, two 10 lap heat races and a 20 lap feature race. Novice will run 15 laps for the feature.
3. All drivers and karts must be registered and paid prior to entering the track for practice.
4. Relief Driver:
- If and when a relief driver is necessary for a driver of record, the use of a relief driver must be reported to SFKA officials at registration.
- A driver of record may not use a relief driver for more than three events.
- A relief driver must meet all class rule requirements, be recorded on the entry sheet, and pay the required registration fee.
- Relief drivers do not receive points or race credit.
- All point earned by the relief driver will inure to the driver of record.
- If a driver is unable to continue driving their normal kart in their normal class for the remainder of the season due to disability the points and 75% rule will remain with the kart for trophy in that class. The original racer may not at anytime that year drive that race kart or another race kart at Martin County Kartway.
- Drivers may not be switched in the middle of the race day. The driver who drives the heat races must also drive the feature. The penalty for violating this rule will be 0 points for the race day.
5. Starting positions for the first & second heat races will be determined by draw of the pill. The second heat will be inverted from the first heat.
6. Starting position for the feature will be determined by the finish of the heat races. In the event of a tie, the lowest number pill drawn for that class will have the advantage.
7. In case of rain, every effort will be made to complete the race on the race day.
In case of rain out:
- Registered drivers will be given a ticket for registration for the next rain date. Lost tickets will not be replaced.
- There will be no refunds given.
- If practice or heats are run on a rained out day, participants will not be given a gate ticket for admission since insurance will be paid for that day.
- The race will be made up on the next rain make up day on the schedule.
- On the rain make up day, the race will start from the beginning.
- If both heat races have been completed and the race is rained out, the race day is over. Points will be awarded by the starting order of the feature had it been run.
8. All feature race winners will be allowed a victory lap with the checkered flag.
9. Electronic scoring will be used for every race. Scoring officials will use the electronic scoring system to determine race results. All results will be published using My Laps and available on the SFKA web page shortly after the conclusion of the race day.
10. Race results will be final at the conclusion of the race day. Any concerns or protests must be addressed by the end of the race day.
III. Kart Requirements
1. All karts must be safety teched prior to entering the racing surface by a track safety tech.
2. All karts must use a transponder for scoring purposes. Transponders must be placed on the front left nerf bar. (Transponders may be rented for the day)
3. Brakes must be in working condition. No scrub type brakes allowed.
4. Wolf plates MUST be installed and safety wired above the brake rotor.
5. WKA Mufflers are required and must be securely attached.
6. FKA carburetors are permitted.
7. All lead must be painted white with the kart’s number marked on each weight.
- Lead must be securely bolted to the kart frame or the seat using aircraft nuts or double nutted.
- Lead may not be bolted to the kart bodywork.
8. All kart numbers must be at least 6 inches. Numbers must be in a contrasting color from the kart body and must be displayed on both sides and front of the kart.
9. Martin County Kartway has an open tire rule for all classes except:
-Box Stock Program (BSP) classes – Maxxis/Vega –any compound.
- Maximum wheel size is 6”
- Maximum tire width is 10 3/8”.
10. Gear Rule(s)
- All novice classes (red and silver plates) must run a 16 tooth driver and a 63 tooth rear gear.
- All other classes have no gear restrictions.
11. No over head spoilers permitted.
12. All appropriate bolts must be safety clipped or safety wired.
13. All Kart must have front and rear bumpers. Open youth (15 years and under) karts must have a full bumper (tire to tire) for the rear bumper.
14. All Karts must have left and right nerf bars installed and pinned or side bumpers.
15. All karts with driver must meet minimum class weight and kart requirements after each heat race and the feature race.
16. All karts are subject to tech inspection after the feature race. Any area of the kart is subject to post-race inspection. All clone classes will use AKRA / WKA published rules. All flathead engines will use FKA published rules. It is the driver’s responsibility to stay current with posted engine specs.
IV. Driver Requirements
1. All drivers must have a completed membership form on file before entering the track. If the driver is a minor, a copy of the birth certificate and a Parent Consent form must also be submitted.
2. All drivers must compete in the class assigned to their age group. Any driver who qualifies for multiple classes may run in the older class provided that they are of the correct age by June 30 th of that year (per WKA and our insurance provider). Once a driver competes in the older class they may not race for points in the younger class.
3. Required driver safety equipment
- All drivers must wear a SNELL (2005) full face helmet.
- All drivers must wear a racing or track approved abrasion jacket or suit, long pants, closed shoes and gloves.
- Racers must wear a neck support or brace on the track at all times.
- Champ karts must use a 5 point restraint system and arm/wrist restraints.
- The use of a halo restraint for the head is highly suggested for champ karts.
V. Racing Procedures
1. Flags and their meanings:
- Red – Stop on the grid and wait for instructions.
- Yellow – slow to pace lap speed. Be aware that there is likely an obstruction on the race track.
- Black – Exit the track at your next opportunity. Use the infield runoff area/victory lane.
- Green – The track is under racing conditions.
- White – One lap of green racing conditions until the finish of the race.
- Checkered (Black and White) – The race has been completed. Proceed to the pit area as soon as possible. (please do a brake check before entering the pits)
- Blue/Yellow stripe – Move to the outside line on the track, you are about to be lapped by faster traffic.
2. Racers are to line up on the starting grid in the order that is posted on the grid board.
- There is to be only one other person on grid with kart.
- All kart wagons must be put in designated area and not left on the grid.
3. No tools allowed on the grid.
- A tire pressure gauge is permitted on the grid.
4. There will be at least one warm up lap before the green flag is displayed. If a kart is unable to enter the track for the warm up lap, the driver will be placed at the end of the field after the first pace lap has been completed.
5. When the flag man gives the one to go signal, karts are to line up double file for the start of the race. The pole sitter has the option of starting between the cones/line entering turn 3 to the cones/line entering turn 4. If the leader does not fire by the second line, the field is free to fire when they reach the line.
6. If there is an accident or other obstruction on the track, a yellow (caution) flag will be displayed. Once the caution is displayed, all drivers must slow down to pace speed.
7. Drivers should line up in single file so the proper order can be confirmed by the scoring tower.
- The re-start order will be determined by the order of the last completed lap.
- The driver (s) who brought out the caution will be moved to the back of the field on the re-start. It is the flag man’s responsibility to decide who caused the caution vs. who was caught up in the caution.
- In a caution caused by a lap kart- the kart on the lead lap does not go to the back of the field on the restart, they regain their position.
- On a restart, if there are lap karts and some of the karts on the lead lap have not lapped theses karts, the karts on the lead lap will start at the back of the pack behind the lap karts.
8. It is the responsibility of the driver in the lead to set a reasonable pace speed for the field.
9. Restart will be single file. No weaving allowed during a single file restart. Anyone caught jumping the start will be sent to the rear of the field. The leader again can fire between the two starting lines.
10. There is to be no restarting of engines after the first green flag lap has been run. Karts that leave the racing surface once the green flag has dropped may not re-enter the race for that session.
- Exception: An engine that stalls while the line-up is being corrected by race officials may be restarted.
11. Any driver who fails to drive in a safe manner, or who is considered by the flagman and/or race director to be driving in an inappropriate manner, will be shown the black flag and must exit the race track for that race.
- The driver will be scored with 0 points for the race.
- The exception to this rule is if any kart / driver is black flagged for equipment problems, then the driver will be scored with last place points for that race.
12. An aggressive drivers who takes out another kart to gain a position will be sent to the rear of the field if caution flag is waved.
13. In the event of an accident, we realize that family and friends are concerned, however, please do not enter the track area until instructed by officials. This will help in preventing an additional accident until we can get the karts stopped. Only immediate family will be permitted on the track once the race director signals that the track is clear.
14. If you need to get off the track during a heat or feature please go to the infield. The gate to the pits will be closed at all times during a race.
15. Upon leaving the track at the end of a heat or feature all drivers must slow down, move to the outside of track and SIGNAL BEFORE ENTERING PITS (Hand Raised!!!!).
16. No Karts will be permitted to drive in the pits. Engines will be started in the grid area. At the end of each race the karts will be pushed to the pit area, engines must be turned off prior to entering scaling area. NO EXCEPTIONS! ANYONE DRIVING IN THE PIT WILL LOOSE POINTS FOR THAT DAY.
17. After the feature race, all karts must go directly to scales. One crew member is allowed in scale area.
VI. Conduct by all Racers and Spectators
It is the goal of South Florida Karting to provide and promote a family atmosphere where all racers, young and old, can benefit from the racing experience in a safe and positive way. It is everyone’s responsibility to exhibit good sportsmanship and promote a safe, fair and open racing environment at the Martin County Kartway.
The Race Director:
- The Race Director is here to help each race day run smoothly and to enforce SFKA rules and procedures.
- The Race Director has final say on all actions taken by SFKA officials on race Day.
- The Race Director has the right to suspend, or eject from the property, any crew member, family member, driver or spectator whose actions are determined by SFKA officials to be detrimental to the sport of racing, or who risks the safety of anyone at the track on race day. If you have a problem, make the race director aware of the problem. Problems cannot be corrected if the director is not made aware if them.
1. No one is allowed to enter the track area unless given permission by the race director.
2. ZERO TOLERANCE
- Using any type of controlled substance; marijuana, cocaine, etc. will result in a
one year suspension from all SFKA events. NO EXCEPTIONS.
- Driving a race under the influence of alcohol will result in a one year suspension from all SFKA events. NO EXCEPTIONS.
- Any one who violates local or state controlled substance laws at the race track will be turned over to local law enforcement by the Race Director.
3. Anyone caught dumping oil on the ground will be permanently banned from the race track. Oil disposal barrels are provided.
4. Any racer whether a minor or an adult is responsible for the conduct of their pit crew and support personnel at all times. Arguing, threatening, or using profanity at one of the track volunteers, another racer, or race officials will result in ejection from the track. This applies to driver and/or pit crew, parents, etc.
5. No racer, family member, or support personnel is allowed in the fenced in area around the scoring tower, including the scoring tower when there is racing activity on the track. Communication with the flagman, scoring officials and corner workers when they are working is not allowed. Any violation of this rule will result in a “DQ” for the driver of relation.
6. Children must be supervised on race days. Families who do not supervise their children may be removed from the premises by the race director.
7. All racers and families are responsible for leaving the pits clean and ready for mowing. Please use the provided trash containers to dispose of all trash. Tires may not be disposed of in the trash cans or the dumpster. Please dispose of tires on your own, or use them in our tire barrier along the fence.
8. The SFKA is committed to providing our young racers with the best and safest possible racing experience. The Martin County Kartway is a family racing venue. It is everyone’s responsibility, racers, spectators and officials to conduct themselves accordingly.
VII. – Protest Procedures
PROTEST:
- MUST BE DELIVERED TO THE RACE DIRECTOR IN WRITING
- A PROTEST FEE OF $75.00 MUST BE GIVEN TO THE RACE DIRECTOR
WITH THE LETTER OF PROTEST.
-The protest letter must outline the specific reasons for protest
- A Driver who is in a race has 15 minutes after the checker flag falls on a race to initiate a protest according to the format listed above.
1. A protest fee of $75.00 will be paid to the SFKA by the person bringing the protest.
2. If the Protested driver and Kart are found to be in compliance with all rules, the money will be distributes as follows: Track receives $45, the protested driver receives $30.
3. If the Protested driver and Kart are found to be in violation of published rules, the money will be distributed as follows: Track receives $45; the protesting driver receives $30.
4. The protesting driver must submit his/her kart for inspection prior to the protested driver being inspected.
5. If a kart is found to be in violation of published rules, the penalty is loss of points for that day. In addition, 20 points will be deducted from the driver’s totals for the year.
6. If a driver refuses to tear down for tech after a points race, the penalty will be loss of points for that race. In addition, 25 points will be deducted from the driver’s total points and the driver will incur a one race suspension.
7. The track reserves the right to tear down any kart at any time.
8. Refusal to tear down will result in the kart being considered illegal as above in #6.
9. All illegal parts will be confiscated onsite and will be returned at the end of the year.
VIII. Championship Points
1. A kart must start the feature race to receive points for that race.
2. Points Breakdown:
-the winning kart will be awarded one point for each kart in the feature. Each position after that will be the number of karts minus their finish position. (ex: 6 karts = 6 points for first, 5 points for second, 4 points for third, ect.) The last place kart will receive 1 point.
3. Drivers must participate in 12 of the 15 races (75%) to be eligible for end of year points championship. Drivers will be scored for their highest 14 races of the season.
4. Tie in the end of year points championship:
- The tie will be broken by the number of feature wins for the season.
- If there is still a tie, the winner will be determined by the finish of the last race that both racers competed in.
IX Banquet
SFKA Members will be eligible for free or reduced admission into the end of the year banquet. The SFKA will provide food, entertainment, and presentation of season’s awards. Exact date, time and details of the banquet will be announced several months before the banquet date.