Race Clock

[Eric Parham]

A topic came up in another forum that's piqued my curiosity (see http://itforum.improvedtouring.com/forums/...showtopic=8912) (http://itforum.improvedtouring.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=8912)).

If the race clock continues to run during a black or red flag situation (due to Supps that permit it, for example), is the resumption of racing still a Restart in accordance with the GCR (see GCR 7.7)? If it's not a 7.7 Restart, would assistance to vehicles (e.g., mechanical repairs) then be acceptable even though all cars are stopped?

[charrbq]

Lots of variables determine what goes on. The supps can't cover it all, and I've seen it change from different events. The determining factor goes eventually back to the chief steward. I've never seen any car worked on during a black flag that didn't get penalized. I have, however, seen it okayed by the chief to work on cars during a red flag that will return to green when conditions permit.

The clock normally runs during a black flag all situation, but, depending on the situation, time may be added to a session to compensate for the down time. I've only seen this during practice or qualifying at a National race. I've never seen it during a race, although, at a National race, I can assume it might take place if the contest is stopped early in the laps and the situation takes a long time to correct.

During a red flag, in all but a very few situations, the clock stops for the race.

Many things can sway the decision of the chief steward. Severity of the situation is only one of them. We race during the rain, so that's not a problem. If conditions deteriorate to where there is no visual communication available between corners or there is lightning or there is a multitude of disabled cars off course in dangerous areas (determined normally by corner workers), then things get stopped. If the time duration appears that it will extend until completion of a normal event won't occur until after sunset, then the clock can be allowed to run. In some cases, rental on a track may end at a predetermined time that makes completion of the event critical. Clocks run in such a case.

Simply put, it's a rare time that the clock will stop during a race weekend, but it does happen.
:wacko:

[RSTPerformance]

If you are compeating in an Enduro it is important that you read the supps (not only for that but also for Full course yellow, pit stops, etc.), If nothing is mentioned in the sups or if it is not clear to you then you should ask at the drivers meeting so that everyone understands, remember it is NOT the chief steward who writes the sups.

For all sprint races in the Northeast I generally expect the clocks to continue to run as we are generally under time constraints. However sometimes you may get a gift if time allows, for example at the last RAL regional the SM (or SSM) qualifying session was extended a couple minutes to allow them 3 laps (green/white/checkard) after the black flag all cituation.

As a driver I always plan on the worst case senario... If I am doing well I expect the race to get extended and have to hold of the next guy who just gained all that time I had made on him, and if I needed that black flag to catch the person infornt of me I plan on the race getting cut short. :wacko:

Raymond

[Bill Miller]

Ask anybody that's run at The Glen if the race clock stops during a BFA. :o

[StephF]

During the carnage at the Glen's Fun One in Spec Miata, they were red flagged for probably 40 minutes or so. Afterwards, they went green for another half dozen laps. If I remember correctly, they ended up getting an 8 lap race. The wreck happened prior to the completion of the first lap. I was surprised that they got as many laps as they did.

[CaptainWho]

We ran in a CCPS 45-minute "enduro" last year that got a BFA due to lightning at about the 15-minute mark. The clock continued to run for about ten minutes ... then the stewards saw on the weather radar that we were stuck for another half hour (to the end of our clock) but with clear air after that. Since our race was the last race of the day, and we had plenty of daylight and track rental time left in the day, they then stopped the clock until the rain passed, and we got all but that ten minutes in our race.