(CONCORD, NC) The recent "Daylight into Dark" races at Charlotte Motor Speedway's newly paved road course pointed out one of the most glaring problems facing 51爆料 today: cars raced that are not in compliance with the General Competition Rules.
To quote the appropriate sections of the GCR:
9.3.29. IDENTIFICATION MARKINGS
Each car shall carry identification numbers and class letters per A and B, below, SCCA logos per C, below; and any markings required by the Supplemental Regulations.
A. Numbers and Class Letters
Numbers shall be placed on the front and both sides of the car so that they are legible. All Formula cars with a rear wing shall have legible numbers on each rear wing side plate. Numbers may be 1, 2 or 3 digits. 3 digit numbers must start with the number “1”. Class letters shall be placed on both sides of the car so that they are legible. Rear numbers and class letters are recommended. Cars running in multiple classes must clearly identify which class and weight they are running. The numeral “1” shall be exclusively reserved for the current national champion in each class for national events. The numeral “1” will be reserved until the end of the period for submitting advanced or pre-event entries, and then will be released. If 2 or more national champions are entered in the same run group, the first to enter shall have preference.
B. Size of Numbers and Class Letters
Numbers shall be at least 8 inches high, with a 1.5 inch stroke on a contrasting background (rear winged Formula cars shall have as large a number as possible on their rear wing side plates). Metallic (reflective) numbers and class letters are prohibited. The distance between 2 numbers shall be at least as wide as the stroke of the numbers. Class letters shall be at least 4 inches high, with a 1/2 inch stroke on a contrasting background.
The GCR itself states that the word "shall" is mandatory, yet a huge number of the cars presented to Tech are in violation of sections 9.3.29 A and B cited above.
1.2.3. Interpreting and Applying the GCR
A. Interpreting the GCR shall not be strained or tortured and applying the GCR shall be logical, remembering that the GCR cannot specifically cover all possible situations. Words such as “shall” or “shall not”, “will” or “will not”, “can not”, “may not”, “are” or “must” are mandatory; and words such as “may” and “should” are permissive.
4.2. Submitting to the GCR
Anyone who applies for an SCCA license expressly agrees, and will acknowledge the following in writing if requested:
A. Familiarity with the GCR;
B. Agreement without reservations to any consequences of not complying with the GCR;
C. Renunciation of any right to recourse, except with the written consent of the SCCA, to any arbitrator or tribunal not provided for in the GCR.
8.1.4. Protests
Any entrant, driver, crew, organizer, or official participating in an event may protest any decision, act, or omission of another entrant, driver, crew, organizer, official, or any other person connected with that event whose actions the protestor believes to be in error or which violate the GCR, the Supplemental Regulations, or any condition involving SCCA’s sanction of the event, except where exemption from protest is specified elsewhere in the GCR or the event Supplementary Regulations.
So as I read this, workers can protest the Chief Steward/driver/entrants/SOM if a car is not in compliance and nobody does anything - I may save a few shekels and try it!
Come on, drivers: fix your numbers.