General Rules

IRRA Board of Directors:

Bodies Committee: chair - Joe Neumeister

Motors Committee: chair - Ron Hershman

Chassis Committee: chair - Tony Pryzbilowicz

Components Committee: chair - Mike Swiss

Sergeant-at-Arms: Greg Wells

Though the result of careful consideration by a body of experienced slot racing participants, these rules will undergo revision if required and therefore may evolve over time. However, the intent of this organization is to revise these rules ONLY when doing so is clearly necessary and beneficial for all parties concerned.

Please note that anyone running any of the classes defined in these rules who choose to establish alternative rules are prohibited from communicating that the class is being run under IRRA™ rules unless the rules used are exactly as defined.

Tier Grouping

The various classes within the IRRA have been divided into two tier groups to guide race organizers in selecting the classes to run, especially at large events.

Tier 1 Classes – to be run at all large events (these are the IRRA^TM ‘s premier classes)

•  
  • Can-Am
  • Formula 1
  • GTCoupe-PD

Tier 2 Classes – to be selected by the race organizers as additional classes

•  
  • GT Coupe-FK
  • Flexi GT
  • Retro Stock Car
  • Retro Anglewinder

At big events, a list will be published for the GTC-FK Class that has been developed by the BoD based on previous performance at past premier events that will stipulate that those racers cannot run in this class.

Please refer to the IRRA^TM website for the latest list.

Hand-out Motors

At designated large scheduled races using IRRA^TM  rules, the track owner / race director may elect to utilize a hand-out motor system, using one of the approved motors. This will be announced well in advance and ample time will be allowed on the day of the race for the racer to obtain the motor and install it. If a race for this class is conducted using handout motors then the racer must use the motor(s) assigned to him/her.

Should a racer’s hand-out motor fail during the qualifying run or warm-up, the racer will be given the opportunity to change to another hand-out motor without penalty, if a second hand-out motor purchased by the racer is available.

Entry Fee

The entry fee amount will be determined by the Race Committee in concert with the raceway owner and will be announced in advance of the event.

Every effort will be made to include track time in this fee. If that is not possible, then an announcement will be made as to the cost of track time or “pit pass”.

Tech Inspection

The starting and closing times for tech inspection will be announced by the Tech Director prior to the event.

Any driver whose car is not teched in by the close of tech inspection will not race in that class.

All cars will be impounded after tech inspection and cannot be touched or worked on until the Tech Director distributes them immediately before the beginning of each race.

Any driver found working on his car during the impound period will be disqualified.

The Race Director, at his discretion, may perform a second technical inspection after the race is completed.

Track Condition

Drivers are prohibited from gluing the track before or during any races. The race committee and the track owner will ensure the tracks are properly set-up on race day. Glue boards are not allowed!

Tire Cleaning and other Fluids

·         Tires may be cleaned during the race, in between heats, and during lane changes. Racers and their pit crews may only clean tires using the supplied cleaner (lighter fluid/naphtha) provided by the hosting raceway/race director/series director. The approved cleaner and supplied rag(s) that will be placed in a designated area prior to the race and tires must be cleaned in that designated area only.

·         Any racer transferring tire cleaner to the track surface will be disqualified.

·         Tire treatments such as Zip Grip, Sticky Fingers, or any other tire treatment may only be applied before the car is teched-in. No treatments will be allowed at any time after tech. The rear tires must be dry when the car is presented at tech.

·         Any racer or pit crew found applying tire treatments after tech, or cleaning tires with anything other than the supplied cleaner and rags, will result in racer disqualification.

·         Racers cannot leave any residue on the track from either braid juice or oiling of the car. Braid juice is to be used sparingly on the car's braid and is not allowed to be placed on the track's braid. Racers should not oil their cars over the track's surface or use excess amounts that can leave a residual amount on the track's surface.

Race Format

The following formats are the ones recommended to be followed regionally or for large events.  The race / series director will determine what format will be used and announce it well in advance.

Option A – 11 or Less Entrants

• Applies when there are 11 or less entrants
• Qualifying can be held or not held.
• If qualifying held, lane choices selected in order of fastest qualifier to slowest qualifier with appropriate sit-outs allowed following a Round Robin format.
• All heats will be a minimum of 3 minutes in length
• The length of the break between heats will normally be 2 minutes, although this may be increased by the Race Committee in consideration of the facility layout at the particular event’s raceway.
• All drivers are required to utilize Lane Change Cards to mark the stopping position of their cars at the end of each heat. Drivers who fail to use Lane Change Cards as required will have their cars moved to start the next heat from a position immediately past the lap counter’s dead strip.

Option B – A,B,C Main Format with Move-ups

• Qualifying is held.
• Mains are determined by qualifying order with 6 sit-outs spots for each main allowing for two move-up from a lower main with the last main being the remaining racers.
• Lane selection for each main will be determined qualifying order.
• All heats will be a minimum of 3 minutes in length
• The length of the break between heats will normally be 2 minutes, although this may be increased by the Race Committee in consideration of the facility layout at the particular event’s raceway.
• All drivers are required to utilize Lane Change Cards to mark the stopping position of their cars at the end of each heat. Drivers who fail to use Lane Change Cards as required will have their cars moved to start the next heat from a position immediately past the lap counter’s dead strip.

Option C – Main Seeding with a Final A and B Main

• Qualifying is held.
• Mains are determined by qualifying order with 8 sit-outs spots for each main with the last main being the remaining racers.
• All heats run with the top 8 in lap totals going to a final A Main and the next going to a final B Main. Separate awards for the A and B Mains.
• Lane selection for each main will be determined qualifying order.
• All heats will be a minimum of 3 minutes in length
• The length of the break between heats will normally be 2 minutes, although this may be increased by the Race Committee in consideration of the facility layout at the particular event’s raceway.
• All drivers are required to utilize Lane Change Cards to mark the stopping position of their cars at the end of each heat. Drivers who fail to use Lane Change Cards as required will have their cars moved to start the next heat from a position immediately past the lap counter’s dead strip.

Option D – Equally Distributed Mains

• Qualifying can be held or not held.
• If qualifying held, the formation of the mains will be done by qualifying order equally dividing the filed of entrants.
• If qualifying held, lane choices selected in order of fastest qualifier to slowest qualifier with appropriate sit-outs allowed following a Round Robin format if more than 8 racers per main.
• If qualifying not held, then the formation of the mains and the lane designations will be done randomly.
• Results will be based overall laps/sections totals.
• All heats will be 3 minutes in length.
• The length of the break between heats will normally be 2 minutes, although this may be increased by the Race Committee in consideration of the facility layout at the particular event’s raceway.
• All drivers are required to utilize Lane Change Cards to mark the stopping position of their cars at the end of each heat. Drivers who fail to use Lane Change Cards as required will have their cars moved to start the next heat from a position immediately past the lap counter’s dead strip.

Black Flag

• Any car suffering damage that makes it a hazard to other drivers, due to constant de-slotting, or that is damaged in a manner making it illegal under IRRA^TM rules (such as a loss of part of the body, loss of interior, or dragging on the track surface) will be black-flagged.
• A car that is black-flagged must be immediately removed from the track until proper repairs are made. Failure to comply with a black flag will result in the driver’s disqualification from the race.

Conduct

• The Race Director, at his sole discretion, will issue a warning to a driver exhibiting unsportsmanlike conduct. A second offense will cause the driver to suffer a ten lap penalty. A third offense will result in the driver’s disqualification from the race.

Marshalling

• All entrants are expected to marshal and/or to assist the Race Director if unable to marshal due to physical or medical reasons.
• Any driver failing or refusing to marshal as directed in a class in which he is competing will receive a five lap penalty for his race in that class.

Track Calls

• Track calls will permitted ONLY under the following conditions:

-          An umarshallable car in the straight in front of the Drivers, or on an inaccessible part of the racing surface.

-          An umarshallable car under a bridge or on the floor in an inaccessible location. A car on the floor is NOT automatically a track call.

-          A car landing in another racer’s lane, i. e. a “rider”.

Note: the situation where a marshal has more than one car to re-slot is NOT a track call.

• When a track call is made, the Race Director may, at his discretion, ask the driver calling “track” his reason for doing so. If the Race Director determines the track call to have been unwarranted and/or in violation of the rules, the driver’s car will be moved to a position immediately past the lap counter’s dead strip before racing is resumed.

Missed Laps

• Mid-race lap total adjustment will be made at the discretion of the Race Director, as each track and lap counting system is different. Race officials will review the missed laps adjustment policy at each event and communicate it to the racers.

Photographs

• Racers entering IRRA events must grant the IRRA the right to photograph all cars (including the chassis), and to publish such photos as the organization sees fit, for the benefit of fellow racers and the betterment of the hobby.