NCporsche

It is my hopes, with the power of Rennlist, to write a Driver’s Meeting checklist for our Regional PCA AX events. Hopefully, this form will allow whoever is conducting the meeting will cover all the talking points.

The first order of business needs to be ensuring all participants and spectators have signed the PCA waiver.

Other topics that need covering (in no particular order) should be;

Newcomers – welcome and introduction…?

Penalties – hitting cones, going off course…?

Workers – walkie-talkie protocol, flags, use of fire extinguisher…?

Run divisions – run groups…?

Tech inspections – which should be done by this point.

Walking the course.

Drive thru, if time and course allows.

What am I missing?

racer

safety? Keep low paddock speeds.. prove how fast you are on the course... not where the people/cars/kids/pets are.

Who can people go to for advice? Who might be "instructors"?

Advertise - tell them when the next event is (if known) or where to look for annoucements to the program.


I would have to think that either PCA or other region AX Chairs would be willing to help fill out your list. Also consider finding out what other clubs say (SCCA, BMW etc)

jeeper31

Recommended safety equipment - Seats, harnesses, harness guides, roll bars/cages...

Flagging and communication rules
- No cross communication between stations.
- Safe flagging. Come to safe complete stop when flagged
- If cone down come to stop and alert courseworker for a rerun.

If Police or media show up who to direct them to.

Clean up after yourselves. ..

NCporsche

Thanks for the responses, I've amended the list and as it stands at this point:

Ensure everyone, driver’s and spectators, have signed the PCA waiver.

Newcomers – welcome and introductions
- AX chair, host of the event, instructors.
- If Police or media show up instruct them to see AX chair or host.
- If spectators show up, they must sign waiver.

Safety
– keep your speeds slow in the paddock.
- Driver’s side window should be rolled down. Passenger side window is optional.
- Cabs may drive with roof down.
- Sunroofs may be removed.

Penalties
– Knocking a cone over adds two seconds to time for that run.
- Hitting a cone so that it is moved 100% outside of the marked box adds two seconds.
- Cones before the start do not count but cones after the finish do count as penalty cones.
- Driving off course is a DNF – Did Not Finish. If you are having problems following the course, ask for an instructor to ride with you.

Workers – Flagging and communication rules
- Use walkie-talkies to communicate downed cone(s) and off course to timing desk. Make sure you get a reply back.
- No cross communication between stations.
- If cone down, come to stop and alert course worker for a rerun.
- If red flagged, come to safe complete stop when flagged, stay in your car.
- If red flagged and course worker is running toward your car with a fire extinguisher, get the hell out.

Run divisions -

Tech inspections – which should be done by this point.

Please pick up your trash and help pick up cones after the event.

Trophies will be awarded after today's event. There will be trophies for the fastest driver in each run division and FTD trophies for mens and ladies.

Our next event will be -

Walking the course.

Drive thru, if time and course allows

jeeper31

Another important one is when flagging dont' put yourself in harms way.

and never use yourself as a flag.

Irksome

In a spin, both feet in and STOP THE CAR.

Review stuck throttle (turn off ignition, drive off in a straight line, stop the car).

Not sure it's universal, but 4 wheels off course = mandatory stop the car.

Corner workers priority - their safety, then drivers' safety, and last is cone resets.

On the windows comment, our zone runs with the rule that any seat that has a passenger must have the window rolled down. So, if solo, passenger side is optional, but if the car has an instructor/student pairing, both windows must be rolled down.

Self-reported class identification, be sure to verify that you are in the correct class when the run groups are posted.

I've never run an a/x, but these are topics that we always touch on in addition to the ones you already have.

Leeds Gulick

Rerun policy and procedures - If you caused the problem you don't get a rerun. How the event handles reruns. In my region you just get back in line and the rerun will happen at the end as opposed to Parade or SCCA National Tour or Nationals where they want you to keep on the same schedule as your competitors but no sooner than 5 minutes.

Passenger policy - Are they allowed? If they are allowed must both be entrants, must one be a designated instructor or are two novices in one car not allowed? If passenger braces with arm in window frame (arm sort of out wqindow) will car be red flagged?

Sponsor thanks, committee head thanks (tech, timing, scoring, etc.).

Food availability.

Bathrooms.

After event social.

Trash disposal (already mentioned). Are trash barrels provided?

Site behaviour. Does access to the site depend on participants good behaviour and not upsetting neighbors? Does this include requiring participants to obey traffic laws within a certain distance of the site? Who to report bad behaviour to. What are penalties?

Protests. How are they handled.

Number of runs.

Fun runs. Availability. Number of runs. Cost if any.

Help for novices. Novice walk? Instructors?

Reporting for work assignment.

Access to timing and scoring. What to do if you have a timing question.

Spectator areas. What area is off limits?

Photography. Must photographer have spotter (course worker doesn't count)? Must photographer check with event chair?

Policy on video cameras in car. Fastened securely and not hand held.

NCporsche

Writing this check list would not have been possible without the help from Rennlist. By no means is the list finalized.

It seems the toughest part is trying to remember my first AX meeting and making sure all the minor detail are covered.

Ensure everyone, driver’s and spectators, have signed the PCA waiver.

Newcomers – welcome and introductions.
AX chair, host of the event, tech inspector, instructors, timer(s).
If Police or media show up instruct them to see AX chair or host.
If spectators show up, they must sign waiver.

Safety – keep your speeds slow in the paddock.
Driver’s side window must be rolled down.
Passenger side window must be down if there is a passenger.
Drivers and passengers must keep arms inside the car at all times; helmets on and buckled, and seatbelts on while on the course..
Cabs can drive with roof down.
Sunroofs may be removed.
In case of a spin, both feet in. Stop the car, and then continue on the course.
In case of a stuck throttle, turn the car off; drive in a straight line, stop.

Penalties – Knocking a cone over adds two seconds to time for that run. Hitting a cone so that it is moved 100% outside of the marked box, adds two seconds to the time for that run.
Hitting a cone and it is not moved outside of the box is not a penalty.
Cones before the start do not count but cones after the finish do count as penalty cones.
Driving off course is a DNF – Did Not Finish. If you are having problems following the course, ask for an instructor to ride with you.

Workers –Safety, Flagging, and Communication Rules.
Everybody is expected to work at some time during the event.
Worker safety is first, then driver’s safety, and then resetting cones.
Use walkie-talkies to communicate downed cone(s) and off course/DNF to timing desk. Make sure you get a reply back.
No cross communication between stations.
If red flagged, come to safe complete stop when flagged, stay in your car.
If red flagged and course worker is running toward your car with a fire extinguisher, get the hell out.

Reruns – Reruns are allowed if there is a problem with the course or the timing that is not your fault. If you are allowed a rerun, return to the end of the line and notify the starter, at the start line, that this is a rerun.
If you should notice a cone down on the course that has not been reset, come to a stop, notify the course worker, and continue on the course at a slow speed. You will be allowed a rerun.
If there is a timing error, which permits you to rerun, you will be notified.

Protests – Protests must be brought to the attention of the AX chair, the host, and or the timer. Course workers and participants may be asked for their input. These three will rule on the validity of the protest. A simple majorities decision is final.

Run divisions – Please listen up for your name and verify you are in the correct division. Division 1,2,3, will drive first in group one, division 4,5,6 drivers will work course. We will have three runs for each group prior to lunch and three runs after lunch.
Division 1 – names and car models
Division 2 – “
Division 3 – “
Division 4 – “
Division 5 – “
Division 6 – “


Tech inspections – Has anyone NOT had their car tech inspected? Ask for a show of hands.

Walking the course. - Walking the course allows everyone to familiarize themselves with the layout. If this is one of your first AXs, you may want to walk the course with a more experienced driver, specifically one who drives the same model car you are driving.

Please pick up your trash and help pick up cones after the event. For those interested there will be an after AX social at ____________?

Drive thru - Group one will drive thru and then line up to start the runs. Group two drivers please meet here and receive course assignments. After group one completes their three runs, group two will be allowed a drive thru and group one workers meet here to receive assignments.

Let's have a safe event and have fun.

2002M3Drew

Great stuff, guys. Just did my first drivers meeting as new autox chair yesterday, and there are some good points here that I will incorporate next time. Thanks!

NCporsche

Congrats (?) on the chair, Drew. ^

The revisions continue - April 21, 2008

AX Driver’s Meeting Checklist

Ensure everyone, driver’s and spectators, have signed the PCA waiver.

Newcomers – welcome and introductions.
AX chair, host of the event, tech inspector, instructors, timer.
If Police or media show up instruct them to see AX chair or host.
If spectators show up, they must sign waiver.

Safety – keep your speeds slow in the paddock (5 MPH / 1st gear).
No warming up of tires in paddock.
No alcohol permitted until event is finished.
No illegal drugs permitted before, during, or after event.
Driver’s side window must be rolled down.
Passenger side window must be down if there is a passenger.
Drivers and passengers must keep arms inside the car at all times.
Helmets on and buckled, and seatbelts on while on the course.
Cabs can drive with roof down.
Sunroofs may be removed.
In case of a spin, both feet in. Stop the car, and then continue on the course.
In case of a stuck throttle, turn the car off; drive in a straight line, stop.

Penalties – Knocking a cone over adds two seconds to time for that run. Hitting a cone so that it is moved 100% outside of the marked box, adds two seconds to the time for that run.
Hitting a cone and it is not moved outside of the box is not a penalty.
Cones before the start do not count but cones after the finish do count as penalty cones.
Driving off course is a DNF – Did Not Finish. If you are having problems following the course, ask for an instructor to ride with you.

Workers –Safety, Flagging, and Communication Rules.
Everybody is expected to work at some time during the event.
Worker safety is first, then driver’s safety, and then resetting cones.
Use walkie-talkies to communicate downed cone(s) and off course/DNF to timing desk. Make sure you get a reply back.
No cross communication between stations.
If red flagged, come to safe complete stop, stay in your car.
If red flagged and course worker is running toward your car with a fire extinguisher, get the hell out.

Reruns – Reruns are allowed if there is a problem with the course or the timing that is not your fault. If you are allowed a rerun, return to the end of the line and notify the starter, at the start line, that this is a rerun.
If you should notice a cone down on the course that has not been reset, come to a stop, notify the course worker, and continue on the course at a slow speed. You will be allowed a rerun.
If there is a timing error, which permits you to rerun, you will be notified.

Protests – Protests must be brought to the attention of the AX chair, the host, and or the timer. These three will rule on the validity of the protest. A simple majorities decision is final. Course workers and participants may be asked for their input. If the chair, host, or timer is driver logging the protest, the safety supervisor will be the third person to vote on the validity of the protest.

Tech inspections – Has anyone NOT had their car tech inspected? Ask for a show of hands.

Walking the course. Walking the course allows everyone to familiarize themselves with the layout. If this is one of your first AXs, you may want to walk the course with a more experienced driver, specifically one who drives the same model car you are driving.

Please pick up your trash and help pick up cones after the event. For those interested there will be an after AX social at ____________?

Drive thru - group one will drive thru and then line up to start the runs. After group one completes their three runs, group two will be allowed a drive thru and group one workers meet here to receive assignments.

Run divisions – Please listen up for your name and verify you are in the correct division. Division 1,2,3, will drive first, in group one, division 4,5,6 drivers will work course. We will have three runs for each group prior to lunch and three runs after lunch.

Division 1 – names and car models
Division 2 – “
Division 3 – “
Division 4 – “
Division 5 – “
Division 6 – “

Drivers in the first run group, you may walk the course now. After walking the course, please line your cars up at the start for your drive thru.
Drivers in the second run group, please remain to get course assignments. You may then walk the course and man your stations.

Course assignments:

Starter – Position yourself so you can communicate with the driver. Ensure the window(s) down and car has been inspected. The helmet is buckled, and seat belt on.
Have driver position car so front tire is on start line.
Signal driver when they may start their run.

Course workers – two per position, _________ positions needed for course.
One person will reset cones, the other will be the spotter with the red flag.
One walkie-talkie, one red flag, one fire extinguisher per position.
Please observe at least 25 feet from the course.
Notify timer, using walkie-talkies of downed cones and or DNFs.
Make sure you get a reply.
If safety violation communicated by safety supervisor, red flag the car on the course.

End worker - Communicate finish time and penalties to driver.
Reset any downed cones in your area.

Timer and assistant –
Timer – Operate timing system and signal starter when ready for run.
Make sure car to begin run is located on log.
Assistant – Acknowledge all walkie-talkie communication to timing station.
Inform end worker of time for that run.
Other duties as requested by timer.

Safety supervisor – Safety is most important.
You may stop the event at any time for safety violations. Event will only be restarted when safety supervisor is satisfied with corrective actions.
In case of safety violation, use walkie-talkie to stop the run. If a car is on the course, they will be red flagged and allowed a rerun.
Spectators must stay at least 75 feet from course.
No pets or unattended/uncontrolled children in the paddock.
Paddock speeds less than 5 MPH.
New arrivals must sign waiver.
Oil spills have been cleaned up.
If there is a photographer, they must be accompanied by a spotter.

sbyrne

A potential problem with any "youngsters" - no cel phones while working the course!