Newbie Questions for CCS Racing

[MELK-MAN]

please do everyone a favor, and write all your grid positions on a piece of duct tape and stick it on your gas tank.. nothing worse than sitting on the grid watching your engine temp go through the roof as someone back there is confused about the grid spot.

[skiandclimb]

Welcome to the addiction, bro!  Racers are simply the best folks you will ever hang out with.  If you have a positive attitude, you will be folded into the mix with ease!

Here's a few tips you might find helpful.  It's some of the things I do prior to a weekend:

1.) Make a check list BEFORE going to the track. It might sound stupid, but having a checklist not only ensures you are not going to forget anything, but it also helps you get into a good state of mind before you hit the track. Warmers, extra parts, tools, pop up, chairs, h20, etc etc. Also, if you are going alone, make friends with someone at the track and provide them with your emergency contact #'s JUST IN CASE you have an incident and require transport. And ICE (In Case of Emergency card) is a great item for all racers to have on hand.

2.) Load up on water a few days before your weekend.  Yes, you will pee like the proverbial race horse, but a hydrated body is less likely to fatigue than a unhydrated one.

3.) When you get to the track- DON'T RUSH around just to make your first practice session. Take your time and ensure you and your bike are fully ready before putting rubber to tarmac.

4.) Stay on top of your air pressures as the day progresses.  Also keep in mind your suspension settings, and adjust as needed. Get with the track side vendor for your brand or talk to other racers for pressures.

5.) YOUR FIRST RACE! Like Greg said- write down your grid position WAYYYY before gridding up. Put it on tape on your tank. Walk out to the start/finish area and look for lane markers, and get a visual of where you are supposed to be, before gridding up. Watch a few races from S/F.  Make sure your races are, or are not done in a second wave. (This one screws up lots of folks! lol)  Make sure that before the green flag pops, you are calm, cool and collected.  Realize that you are in your first race, and you are there to learn as much (if not more) as you are there to compete.  Know your runoff areas, break markers etc.  Don't be a hero- just grid up, race and most of all- HAVE A BLAST doing it!

The reality is that the unknowns of your first weekend can be scary and overwhelming.  Take your time, ride safe and enjoy it!  You will NEVER forget your first grid!

BTW, the one thing I tend to do over and over during a weekend is pray.  I pray for my safety as well as the other racers and corner workers. I also say thanks for God allowing me the opportunity to be out there in the first place...regardless of position!

Cheers,

Ski

[Burt Munro]

Good points guys!

One other thing I've learned from working a lot of races as a Grid Marshall....

it's ok to start the race from the back of the grid.  It's very common and normal to have a lot of angst about the unknown of starting your first race.  Taking some of the fear of screwing up (or screwing someone else up) out of the equation helps some people.

Your first board countdown, green flag and 1st turn #1 intimidate a lot of people. 

Starting from the back of the grid and being able to let everybody else battle for position into the 1st turn can remove a lot of stress.

If you decide to start from the back it's also helpful to let one of the Grid Marshalls or Pit Out know about your plan as your heading out for the race if you can.  It can save them some aggravation by knowing ahead of time that your assigned grid spot will be empty and to look for for you at the back.  That'll help everybody out. 

[Carnag3]

If you have any questions about the start ask anyone.  Remember the 1 board goes side ways first then flag goes up :)

[Solo]

This is a good chance to ask- What is the CCS starting routine?

What I've learned from racing elsewhere is:
Exit pit for sighting lap. 
Grid with race queen at front.
Race queen holds up 1 minute board, start engine and walks off
Green flag waving starts warm-up lap.
Grid again with red flag worker at front
Red flag worker walks off
Lights go red.  Then extinguish and you're off.

Different here?

[skiandclimb]

Hey Burt- if you are holding the board, does that make you the "Queen"? 

[skiandclimb]

Here it is, from the official 2010 CCS rulebook!

3.4.4 Starting Procedures
A. Three calls will be made prior to the start of the countdown for each
race. All competitors should report to the designated staging area
prior to the final call.
B. The countdown will commence by display of a green flag and a
number board, usually beginning with #5. At that display, all riders
may proceed on one lap of the circuit, returning to their assigned grid
positions. Riders may report to the Pit Steward for direct grid
placement and no rider may begin a preview lap once the original
countdown board has been replaced. Unless otherwise specified, the
#4 display will close the track for preview laps. It is expressly
prohibited for any rider to take a warm up lap for any race in which
he/she is not an entrant.
C. At a time designated by the referee or race director, the grid will be
closed to all competitors. Those who have not reported for direct grid
placement nor begun their preview lap MAY be barred from
competition in that particular race. Unless otherwise specified by the
Race Director or Referee, the display of the #3 board will close the
grid. There is no financial relief or official penalty for failure to make a
race.
D. When the #2 Countdown board is displayed, the grid must be cleared
of all mechanics and team personnel other than the rider. Failure to
clear the grid in a timely fashion will result in a penalty to be
levied at the discretion of the Race Director.
E. When the #2 Countdown board is displayed, no rider may proceed
farther forward in the grid and all riders out of position must line up at
the back of the grid behind the last row of riders. This means the last
row of the entire grid in cases where classes of machines or rider
status are combined.
F. It is the responsibility of the rider to report to the correct grid position.
Should the countdown reach #1, and a rider be found in the wrong
grid position, that rider will be assessed a penalty. Unless otherwise
announced, in races of 6 laps or more, the penalty will be a stop and
go on pit road. In races of 5 laps or less, the rider will be penalized
one-lap.
G. Should circumstances dictate an abort of the countdown, the
assistant starter will lower the display board. The countdown will
resume once the problem is solved. Should the delay be short, the
countdown will be resumed at the #2 mark. Should the delay prove to
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be lengthy, the countdown will be restarted at the #5 mark and the
riders will be dispatched on one more preview lap. Those riders who
may have been previously barred from the grid are still considered
ineligible to compete as long as the field is held on the pit road or
racing surface.
(1.) Should the riders be released and allowed to return to the
paddock area, those riders who have been previously barred from
the grid may join the field for the restart.
H. Should an engine stall once the #1 sign has been displayed, the rider
should wave to get the attention of the starter or a grid marshal.
If possible, the rider will be given time to remove the motorcycle from
the grid, and will then be given an opportunity to join the race once
the field has left the grid.
I. As a final notice of an impending start, the #1 board will be turned
sideways as a prelude to the waving of the green flag. All
machines must be stationary from when the #1 board starts to be
turned sideways until the green flag waves. Any movement will be
considered an incorrect start and the rider will be assessed a penalty.
J. The waving of the green flag by the starter starts the race.
K. A rider is considered to be grided if the front wheel is no more than
18" behind the designated row, or if the front wheel is no more than
18" in front of the designated row. The left to right position is absolute
and may not be changed for any reason.
L.. Riders who are not properly staged at the green flag will be declared
to be improperly grided. See Item F above.
M. When an event is stopped with less than two laps completed, a
complete restart will be performed, using original grid positions.
(1.) In the case of timed events, the clock will continue to run during
the red flag, regardless of the number of laps completed.
N. Should a timed race be stopped with more than two laps completed,
but less than one-half of the posted race time, the field will be
grided for the restart. The official race time will continue to run
during the red flag.
(1.) Riders will be given credit for the laps completed as they cross
the finish line in the lap preceding the lap in which the red flag has
been displayed. The riders will be re-grided as to the running
order of that last complete lap. This means the position on the
track, not the position in the race.
(a.) Any rider(s) deemed to be responsible for the red-flag incident
will be placed on the last row of the new grid.
(2.) The remaining time will be run in an effort to complete the total
time posted. Should the time run out before the event can be
restarted, the race distance will be shortened to the sprint race
distance posted for the weekend and all rules concerning sprint
events will be put into place. Completed laps will count towards
the laps needed to reach sprint distance.
(3.) Should the red flag be displayed in a race that has seen more
than 50% of the total posted time completed, the race may be
considered complete if the restart cannot be made before time
runs out., as long as more than 50% of sprint distance has been
completed.
(4.) Should the red flag be displayed in a race that has seen more
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than 80% of the total posted time completed, the race will be
considered complete and there will be no restart.
(5.) In the case of no restart, any rider(s) deemed to be
responsible for the race-ending incident would be placed on the
results, at the end of their respective laps, using the method
described above for re-gridding.
(6.) There is no restriction regarding repairs or other service
performed on the pit road or grid to entered motorcycles during
any red flag delay, except as outlined by the Race Director or any
supplemental regulations for a particular event.
(7.) Machines may not be replaced during a red flag delay without
permission of the Race Director or Referee.
(a.) Should the Race Director or Referee allow a replacement
machine, all previous laps will be disallowed and the rider
will be required to restart from the rear of the grid.
(8.) Those riders who may have been previously barred from the
grid are still considered ineligible to compete as long as the
field is held on the pit road or racing surface.
(a.) Should the riders be released and allowed to return to the
paddock area, those riders who have been previously
barred from the grid may join the field for the restart.
(b.) Should a rider return to the paddock area without the
entire field being released, that rider will be deemed
ineligible to return and will be placed on the results
based on number of laps complete previous to leaving
the pit road or racing surface.
O. Should a sprint race be stopped with more than two laps completed,
but less than one half of the posted distance, the field will be
re-grided for the restart.
(1.) Riders will be given credit for the laps completed as they cross
the finish line in the lap preceding the lap in which the red flag
has been displayed. The riders will be re-grided as to the
running order of that last complete lap. This means the position
on the track, not the position in the race.
(a.) Any rider(s) deemed to be responsible for the red-flag
incident will be placed on the last row of the new grid.
(2.) The remaining laps will be run, less credit for those
completed, in an effort to complete the total distance posted.
(3.) Should the red flag be displayed in a race that has seen more
than 50% of the total posted laps completed, the race may be
considered complete.
(4.) Should the red flag be displayed in a race that has seen more
than 80% of the total posted laps completed, the race will be
considered complete and there will be no restart.
(5.) In the case of no restart, any rider(s) deemed to be
responsible for the race-ending incident would be placed on the
results, at the end of their respective laps, using the method
described above for re-gridding.
(6.)There is no restriction regarding repairs or other service
performed on the pit road or grid to entered motorcycles during
any red flag delay, except as outlined by the Race Director or
any supplemental regulations for a particular event.

[Burt Munro]

Hey Burt- if you are holding the board, does that make you the "Queen"? 

Not if it's a race you're in.  

[skiandclimb]

What?!?!?  What with all my wonderful starting skills and whatnot?  I am hurt, Rick.

Maybe you could just dress up like the Burger King, but stuff your shirt to obtain queen status.  LMAO- Can you imagine the amount of riders who would laugh til they peed their leathers?  Then hand them a sandwich on a platter at post race tech.

Ahh, I am bored today!

[Solo]

Thanks for the rulebook qoute.  Certainly throws out what I know:

#

I think I'll do my first start from the back of the grid.

[skiandclimb]

Thanks for the rulebook qoute.  Certainly throws out what I know:

#

I think I'll do my first start from the back of the grid.

Ummm.....until CCS put hot Japanese chicks out on the tarmac, your way will remain better!!!!  lol

Honestly, bro- don't sweat our starts. Our sighting lap begins at pit-out, and ends at the grid.  Not a huge difference.  As for the boards, just walk down to start finish, and watch a group take off.  It's not a convoluted process, really.  The only thing to watch is the split waves, which throws off some folks.  Typically (there have been a few times though) the split waves are clearly marked when grids are posted prior to the race.  2nd wave will usually have hands off the controls as a sign we are aware of the split wave start.  Once wave 1 leaves, our start is obvious, per the boards and green flag.

Hmmm....I just had an idea how CCS can improve grid #'s.....Kevin, Eric, are you reading this?  HOT JAPANESE WOMEN IN DALLAS COWBOY OUTFITS!  Nuff said.

[RollieManollie]

Thanks guys!  Is it typical for CCS to have a 2 wave or even 3 wave starts?