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Drivers Briefing

FULBECK KART CLUB SPRINT SERIES DRIVER’S BRIEFING OCTOBER 2020

Due to the current Covid 19 situation, here is useful information ahead of the October meeting. Please read the whole briefing as there is some important & NEW information in there; ignorance is no defence!

Firstly, I can extend our congratulations on some really good racing at the September meeting. Particularly as it was a very busy with some extra visiting classes running. There was some outstanding, close racing with positions chopping and changing cleanly. Bambino saw probably some of the best racing! We want to see more of the same this month.

A couple of points to note from the last meeting. 

Tramlines

Starts within the tramlines were generally poor in most classes. The rule is you must remain in the tramlines until the lights go out. The current rule is a warning for the first offence then 5 second penalty if it happens again in a later race. FOR THIS MONTH WE ARE CHANGING THIS; if you are out of tramlines you will receive a penalty. Don’t start a race with minus 5 seconds! The starter will be watching.

First corner

In some races first corner incidences were disappointing. You can’t win a race on the first corner but you can certainly loose it! Give your fellow racer racing room. Why enter a lottery locking wheels; just get round the first corner and have a race. 

I’ll be watching closely on the first corner, you’ll see me in that area on the rolling lap.

Face Masks

Face mask wearing last month was poor at times. Without face masks rules we all can’t go racing. Should the club or a visiting local authority official deem the event not safe through not all people following the Covid precautions rules, the meeting could be shut down immediately? 

 

COVID 19 RESTRICTIONS & PROCEDURES

Face masks/coverings are mandatory in all areas of the circuit including your awning space the only exception is in your own motor home or caravan.

Face shields are not acceptable as a face mask or covering. NOTE we gave people the benefit of the doubt last meeting for those wearing face shields. But for this month they will not be accepted; they are not recognised by the sporting authorities.

If you are medically exempt from wearing a mask please do not come to the meeting for your safety and the safety of others.

Any one not wearing a mask will be asked to leave the circuit and their driver will be excluded with no refund.

Please observe the 2 metre rule and only watch the race that your driver is in.

Pets are allowed, but we ask they are kept on a lead and within your pit bay or accommodation and any extended walks are taken away from the main paddock area.

The MSUK policy is driver + 2 and we will be adhering to it this weekend and other recent MSUK guidance relating to Covid19 and face masks.

STRICTLY NO SPECTATORS.

Please respect these guidelines and let’s keep Fulbeck racing.

Entry is only via the Alpha Timing entries system. No entry by any other means. 

All entries for both Saturday and Sunday close at 5PM FRIDAY

From approx. 5 pm Friday an on line signing on procedure will be open. You will be sent an email to your alpha timing registered email address to explain and give you access to the process. Keep an eye of your email account including your spam box! You do not need to follow or wait for the email, the process is the same as before.

This on line signing on process will include the usual information required at scrutineering; engine, tyre, chassis numbers etc. It will also include this driver’s briefing and an acknowledgement that you have read it. 

Attendees’ details will be taken for your +2 in addition to your driver, vehicle registration etc. You MUST complete this process online before you arrive at the gate. The system is live and the officials can challenge you unless you have completed the process.

Wrist bands will be provided for each of the pre-registered drivers and +2 from race control. Anyone not wearing a wrist band whilst on site will be asked to leave. If your wrist band becomes damaged, bring it to the gate official or race control and a new one will be issued. No new wrist bands will be issued without the return of the old one, hence don’t lose them!

Part of the ‘remote’ signing on & scrutineering process, is for you to sign your kart and race wear is compliant and safe. Physical post-race checks will be made for safety and compliance.

The above process is likely to generate a queue at race control. Please avoid queuing inside race control, please queue outside race control. We ask you all be patient and allow the race control to do their job; it is for the safety of all including you. If for any reason you arrive and there is no race control to book you in. Please go to race control at the earliest opportunity, to book yourself and your +2 in and get your wrist bands.

On approach to the circuit and whilst leaving at the end of the day, please drive sensibly and be considerate to the local residents, we all have to share the same space.

Following entry through the gate, please set up your pit area, being considerate for the available space, the number of entries we expect and the distancing between pit bays / areas – 2M min.

Should you develop Covid 19 or symptoms during the meeting or within 14 days after the meeting, please notify the competition secretary.

Timings & Format

Gate open from 7.30am for 8

First Saturday practice session is on track at 9.30am.

First Sunday practice session is on track at 9.00am. Please ensure your transponders are in place for the Sunday practice session. 

Running order will be displayed next to the entry of the dummy grid.

Please note, running order may not be as you expect; you could be first session on!

We aim to run 5 or 6 practice sessions on practice days.  

Heats and finals format and timings will be determined by the time keeper and be published late Saturday or early Sunday.

 Meeting status DRY, WET or OPEN will be displayed at race control.

Noise from the circuit is a delicate subject at present. This includes access to and from the circuit and noise from the circuit. X30 classes are asked to run the second euro / kf silencer if they have one (we understand these are in short supply). TKM, F100 and other similar formula must position their exhaust end can holes to the ground not rear facing; this will be checked on the dummy grid. All classes are required to be below 105dB. Noise readings will be taken from the gantry during the day and logged. 

There will be no engine running area. You can run your engines in your pit bay, for 10 seconds only. Warming engines up with the kart on the trolley for more than 10 seconds is not permitted. The engine run is to check the engine starts and runs, not to warm it up pre session. We have noise constraints to consider to keep our neighbours happy.

A polite reminder that bikes/scooters/footballs etc are banned. Please stay off the farmers’ fields/banks. 

Practice sessions are as their title; ‘practice’, ‘testing’ NOT racing, hence no reason for any contact. You don’t learn anything with contact in a practice session, apart from drivers can get hurt and you wreck your kart! 

If you have not raced at Fulbeck since the restart this year, you will notice some major changes around the track regarding new kerbs (announced on a separate Facebook press release), which will make it a different track to drive! Give yourself time to get used to the changes; they have proven to make for great racing.

Kerbs are officially recognised as part of the track. Track limits is the back edge of the kerb. If you continually run beyond this point you will receive a time penalty.

Starts are as before, but for those that haven’t raced at Fulbeck before…. Honda and gearbox will have standing starts – gridded up after one rolling lap, take care when approaching the grid after the rolling lap, officials will be on track. Once gridded green flag will be shown at the rear of the grid, 5 second board will be shown, red lights will go on, when the lights go out we are racing. 

If the start is false the starter will show the false start flag, slow down and follow instructions of the officials. 

Bambino will have standing starts, karts released from the dummy grid, mechanics follow the karts round to the grid, and once gridded they leave the circuit. Bambino take the first chicane on the start. All other classes miss the first chicane on the start. 

For all rolling laps miss the chicanes. For all other classes – rolling starts, you must be in your grid position by post 5; the post just before the complex. If you are not in your grid by that point you must stay where you are until the start. All rolling starts must be within the tram lines until the lights go out. The start is when the red lights go out. All starts including standing starts are to miss the first chicane on the first lap. 

No overtaking after the chequered flag, race will be under yellows until you leave the circuit. Overtaking under yellow after the chequered flag is likely to result in a penalty.

All karts must take the second chicane unless instructed by an official to miss the chicane due to an incident. All chicanes missed will incur a time penalty as per the current rules. Once = 5 seconds, Twice = 10 seconds, Third or more times 1 lap. Consistent chicane missing including in practice sessions may result in an exclusion. THERE IS NO EXCEPTION TO PENALTIES FOR MISSING ANY CHICANE. This removes any grey areas.

Driving standards. Kart racing is a non-contact sport, we expect to see firm but fair racing. Respect each other on and off track. You can’t win the race on the first lap but you can certainly loose it, let’s see all karts round the first bend and through the second chicane on the first lap.

We expect to see defending on the first and last lap but not during the race. Excessive defending and moving position could result in a penalty.

Be aware of your flags, yellow being one of the most important, but also green, if you do not see a green flag after passing what you think is the incident, that means you are still under yellow; there could be another incident under yellow.

Unusual flags; quarter flag or ‘Battenberg’, this means the race is under safety kart conditions, the leader must move at half race pace along with all those following. This is to allow an incident to be safely cleared for all those involved and to allow your race to continue. The time keeper will be monitoring all karts lap times, those that are not traveling at half race pace will receive a time penalty. For more serious speeding under these conditions an exclusion may be applied. The quarter flag is not an excuse to ‘catch up’. The race will go to green when you pass the start finish line under a green flag, NO PASSING BEFORE THIS POINT.

Another misunderstood flag; Blue flag. This is not F1, in karting being shown a blue flag IS NOT an instruction; it is advisory, notifying the back marker driver faster karts are approaching, to maintain lines and be aware karts may overtake. It is the responsibility of the overtaking driver to do so safely and without contact. We expect to see no intimidation of slower drivers either on or off track, they have the same right to be on track as the ‘superstars’ at the front! 

Finally on flags, a white flag may be used… what does it mean? …. No not ‘I surrender’; it means ‘slow moving vehicle on track’. This is most likely to be another slow moving kart, or it could be a recovery / medical vehicle.

There will be no trophy presentation, please collect your trophies from race control after the final result has been declared.

We hope to see no penalties required. However If penalties are awarded there will be no hearing in the clerk’s office due to Covid 19 precautions. Information on the penalty will be given where possible either as drivers come off track or from race control. Please respect decisions made in these difficult operating conditions.

Drink & drugs policy

Fulbeck have a ZERO TOLERANCE of driving under the influence of drink or drugs. This extends to all attendees to the site regarding drugs. 

Hopefully the weather is looking dry for the weekend and we will be able to get back to what we love - karting! But this will only be maintained if we can collectively show the authorities we can act responsibly within the Covid 19 precautions and the noise constraints. All that’s left for me to say is I hope you all have a fun and safe day Karting.

Officials for the meeting

Clerk of the Course: Paul Jaques

Deputy Clerk of the Course: Dan Ashton

Assistant Clerk: Luke Powell

Chief Scrutineer: Murray Day (J of F)

Chief / Series Timekeeper Des Woodcock (J of F)

Race Meeting Competition Secretary: Julie Thornsby

Chief Marshall: Adi Fraser

Grid: Clive Charlesworth

Medics: Mobile Medical Cover LTD

Event officials: Volunteers of the BMMC and Fulbeck Karting.

Paul Jaques 

Sprint Series Clerk of the course

 

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