The rules and/or regulations set forth herein are designed to provide fair and orderly conduct and establish minimum requirements for all racing events held at Columbia Motor Speedway (CMS). By participating in any event at CMS, all participants are deemed to having received and will comply to all rules, regulations, safety procedures and all other items listed in these general rules and also in the rules set forth for the specific racing class that you register in. No express or implied warranty of safety shall result from publication of or compliance with these rules and/or regulations. They are intended as a guide for the conduct of the sport and are in no way a guarantee against injury or death to participants, spectators or others. Racing is a dangerous sport. Injury and/or death can and will occur. Columbia Motor Speedway requires minimum safety requirements be followed to reduce these risks but in no way guarantees such injuries or death will not result from racing activities. When registering for a event at CMS you will be required to sign a release waiver to participate. It is your responsibility to read and understand what you are signing. A copy can be provided at your request.
The track officials have the right to permit minor deviation from any of the rules or regulations herein or impose any further restrictions that in the race directors opinion do not alter the minimum acceptable requirements. No express or implied warranty of safety shall result from such deviations allowed. All interpretations or deviation of any rules or regulations is left to the discretion of the officials. Their decision is final.
Columbia Motor Speedway may in the course of the 2010 season require all cars in a local class to run a track sticker package to participate in any race that the class receives points toward the season championship.
The rules and regulations listed in the general rules and the class specific rules are meant to provide competitive racing. Track officials reserve the right to require modifications or impose weight penalties in the interest of keeping the classes competitive. Their decisions are final. The rules and/or regulations herein are provided to set forth what CAN be modified. If it doesn’t say you can, then you can’t. Any equipment officials deem exotic or not in the intent of the rules will be disqualified from competition. Penalties for infractions may include fines, suspension and/or forfeiture of points and/or purse. (please see our grace race policy for a one time exception). Flagrant or repeated infractions may lead to increased severity in penalties to be determined by officials.
General Pit Rules
Every person entering the pits must have a pit pass for that event. Pit pass must be around your wrist and available for inspection from any pit official. To purchase a pit pass. You must read, understand and sign a liability waiver releasing Columbia Motor Speedway from any liability of injury or death to your persons while on speedway property. All persons entering the pits also agrees to abide by all rules, regulations and decisions of officials of Columbia Motor Speedway.
You must be at least 13 years of age to enter the pit area. ALL minors (under 18 years) must have their parents sign a waiver to be issued a pit pass. Pit passes are non refundable and non transferable. (including being asked to leave Columbia Motor Speedway grounds by a official)
Registered drivers are responsible for the actions of themselves AND all of their crew’s actions.. The driver will be the sole spokesman for their team in all matters pertaining to race events and officiating. By entering a event at CMS, The driver is considered to have inspected the racing surface and accepted its condition as acceptable to compete in the racing event on. Track officials will give any driver time to inspect the track before racing begins. Please see the official in charge of the pits to schedule a time to inspect the track surface. If the surface or facilities are not satisfactory to you, then you should not race. The participant further indicated that they are aware that auto racing involves risk and assumes these risks with full awareness and knowledge.
Scoring
All cars participating in a racing event will be required to have scoring tags attached to their car. This will be taken care off when your car gets teched.
Inspection
Inspection and weighing of participant vehicles will be accomplished at the sole discretion of CMS officials. It is the responsibility of the driver to move their car to the inspection area whenever they are directed to by a pit official. CMS officials reserve the right to limit attendance into the inspection area.
No vehicles will be allowed onto the track surface without a safety sticker issued for the current event.
Conduct
No fighting on Columbia Motor Speedway property will be tolerated. Any physical altercation will result in loss of all season points and purse for that event. (drivers are responsible for your crew’s actions) CMS officials will determine who is at fault and what participants are going to be penalized. Their decision is final.
No firearms are allowed on Columbia Motor Speedway property. Any display of any type of weapon or any threat of physical harm may result in permanent suspension. Law enforcement may be called.
Courteous conduct is expected from all persons in attendance at all times. CMS will not tolerate profanity in front of race fans, officials or management. This includes any inappropriate clothing or signs on your race car. We expect you to look and act like a professional to the public.
Absolutely NO drugs or alcohol in the pits. Any person in attendance that officials feel has consumed alcohol or is under the influence of any illegal drugs will be asked to leave CMS property immediately. No refunds will be given.
No glass bottles will be allowed in the pit area.
No barbeques.
No open toed shoes are allowed.
No personal ATVs including scooters, mopeds,4 wheelers and 3 wheelers.
No leaving used tires at the track. If you pack it in, Then pack it out.
No dumping of used oil.
Please use the garbage cans provided for your trash.
Proceed through the pits at a safe and slow speed. Watch for pedestrians. Always be alert.
It is your responsibility to know what dashes, heat and main you will be running. You are required to line your car up in a timely manner. Failure to bring your car to the staging area in a timely manner may forfeit your starting position. Cars will be moved forward with any late car starting at the back.
Race Procedure
Starts and restarts: Any car that takes the initial green flag is deemed to have started that event whether they complete the first lap or not.
If the race is stopped or a caution occurs before the first lap is complete there will be a complete restart with all cars returning to their original position. Any car that chooses to pit, must fall in at the rear of the field for the restart. Completion of the first lap shall be when the lead car passes the start finish line for the first time after the entire field receives the green flag.
When a caution is displayed at any other time in the race, All cars will maintain their positions until the commitment cone is placed on the track coming into turn 3. Cars involved in bringing out the caution will be sent to rear of the field. If a car is black flagged for causing the caution then it will be up to the flagman’s discretion whether other cars involved are sent to the rear. When the commitment cone is out, drivers must choose whether they want the inside or outside lane as they pass the cone. This will determine your restart position and you must maintain this position until after receiving the green flag. On any start or restart you cannot pass on the inside until your car passes the start finish line. Passes on the outside after the lead car is shown the green flag are acceptable.
Pole sitter is responsible for maintaining a caution speed until the green flag is displayed. All other cars must stay tightly packed in formation until the green flag is shown. Jumping the start will not be tolerated.
The green flag will always be thrown after the flagman gives the one to green signal. The flagman at his discretion will throw the yellow as the cars enter the backstretch to signal a restart is necessary.
The flagman may red flag the track if a caution is expected to take more than 3 laps to clean-up. Any car entering the pits during a red or yellow flag must go to the tail end of the pack before the commitment cone is placed on the track. Windshield cleaning is allowed when the track is red flagged at the officials discretion. Crew must check with official at the track entry and enter the track only when directed by that official.
In the event of a caution in the final laps of a race, All races will end in a green-white-checkered. If the white flag has been shown to the lead car and a situation happens that would bring out a caution, the lead car will receive the checkered flag.
A car that slows, spins or stops on the track resulting in a caution can be placed a lap down at the flagman’s discretion if he believes the action was intentional to draw out the caution.
Absolutely no one is allowed on the track except officials, wrecker crew, ambulance and clean up crew during a yellow flag.
Officials have the right to consult a driver or inspect a race car while under caution with no loss of position for the driver. Driver may stop to consult with a official with no loss of position, however any driver who stops to argue, yell or curse at a official will be subject to being placed at the rear of the field, scored lap/laps down or disqualified from the event and face other penalties.
Any car receiving a rolled up black flag is receiving a warning for their actions. If the flagman shows you a unrolled black flag, you must exit the track and report to the official at the track entry. Speeding will not be tolerated in the pits. The official will inform you why you received the flag and what the penalty is. DO NOT argue with the official. A car issued a black flag for 2 consecutive laps and not leaving the track will not be scored after the second lap. If a caution arises, they will be stopped and told to report to their pit.
GRACE RACE POLICY
CMS has implemented a new grace race policy. The intent of the grace race is to allow cars from other tracks to come and run at CMS to decide if they would like to race here full time. It is not intended to be a run what ya brung policy. CMS will allow these “grace racers” a one time race without modifying their car extensively to meet our specific rules. Their car is still subject to tech approval and if their car is deemed to have a extreme advantage over the existing cars they will not be allowed to run. If tech allows them to enter the event, Any car deemed to be racing under the grace policy will only be racing for ½ of the advertised purse for the position they finish in. All forfeited monies will be distributed through the rest of the field competing in this event.(as CMS official see fit). Points will be awarded to registered CMS drivers as if the “grace racers” were not in the event.
RAIN OUT POLICY FOR RACERS
All rain outs will be ran on the Sunday following the race. Drivers and all pit pass holders will be allowed free entry on Sunday. All drivers and pit pass holders that cannot make Sunday’s race will forfeit the entry and pass fees. If the weather does not allow the race to be made up on Sunday, Drivers will be credited a full entry fee towards the next scheduled race for their class. Pit passes will not be refunded or credited. The race director must declare the rain out before any of the main events take to the track.
LOW CAR COUNT POLICY
If between 3 and 5 cars show for any class at a scheduled race event, Cars will be allowed to run one trophy dash, one heat race and one feature race 15 laps in duration. Drivers will be refunded $15.00 of their entry fee. Pit passes for crew or anyone else associated with the car are not refundable. 1st will receive $50.00 and 2nd will receive $25.00. Less than 3 cars will not be allowed to race and drivers entry fee will be refunded.
SAFETY
Safety is a top priority of CMS. Anything that a CMS official deems to be unsafe must be corrected before the car will be allowed to take to the track. NO EXCEPTIONS.
All cars must carry a fully charged 2 ¾ lb ABC dry chemical fire extinguisher or have a fire suppression system. Extinguisher must be securely mounted within reach of the driver while belted in. No duct tape holding extinguishers in place. All pits also must have a ABC dry chemical fire extinguisher in plain view at all times.
CMS recommends everyone in the pits wears full length pants and long sleeve shirts. Absolutely no open-toed shoes or sandals allowed in pits. CMS recommends light colored highly visible colors for all people in the pits.
