Incident Fault Guidelines
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SSRL Incident Fault Guidelines
The following guidelines will be used to assign “At-Fault Incidents.” The SSRL understands that not all incidents are black and white, but we believe that many of them can be assigned with guidelines in place to do so. If an incident falls into a “gray area” where the guidelines do not have a clear choice, then the incident will be deemed a “racing incident” and no “At-Fault Incident” will be assigned. In the following guidelines, you will hear the term “predictable line” used often. The SSRL will use your prior 3 laps before contact to establish your “predictable line.” These guidelines will be fluid and may change slightly after a race to make a rule more defined.
Highlights
Any contact to the rear bumper of the car in front of you will result in you receiving an “At-Fault Incident” most of the time. Exceptions to this rule are: bump-drafting at super speedways (Daytona,Talladega and New Atlanta ONLY), the lead car gets loose or has to check up and the trailing car is less than 2 car lengths back, the car behind you pushes you into the car in front of you, when you are slowing to avoid a crash
Single Car Incidents
Any self-inflicted incidents that cause a caution will be assigned as an “At-Fault Incident.” This includes spinning, going off track, missing pit road, spinning on or off pit road, and the like. However, any 1x or 2x incidents that do not bring out a caution will not be counted towards any point penalties, and be considered a racing incident.
2 Car Incidents
Corner Entry Contact
3 Wide Incidents (except Daytona, Talladega, Auto Club, Michigan, Pocono [T1 & T3 only], Atlanta)
3-Wide incidents (Daytona, Talladega, Auto Club, Michigan, Pocono [T1 & T3 only], Atlanta
Multiple Car Accidents
Starts and Restarts
The following guidelines will be used to assign “At-Fault Incidents.” The SSRL understands that not all incidents are black and white, but we believe that many of them can be assigned with guidelines in place to do so. If an incident falls into a “gray area” where the guidelines do not have a clear choice, then the incident will be deemed a “racing incident” and no “At-Fault Incident” will be assigned. In the following guidelines, you will hear the term “predictable line” used often. The SSRL will use your prior 3 laps before contact to establish your “predictable line.” These guidelines will be fluid and may change slightly after a race to make a rule more defined.
Highlights
Any contact to the rear bumper of the car in front of you will result in you receiving an “At-Fault Incident” most of the time. Exceptions to this rule are: bump-drafting at super speedways (Daytona,Talladega and New Atlanta ONLY), the lead car gets loose or has to check up and the trailing car is less than 2 car lengths back, the car behind you pushes you into the car in front of you, when you are slowing to avoid a crash
Single Car Incidents
Any self-inflicted incidents that cause a caution will be assigned as an “At-Fault Incident.” This includes spinning, going off track, missing pit road, spinning on or off pit road, and the like. However, any 1x or 2x incidents that do not bring out a caution will not be counted towards any point penalties, and be considered a racing incident.
- Your incidents will be cleared from penalty if you are avoiding contact with another driver.
2 Car Incidents
Corner Entry Contact
- If the passing car has the nose inside the bumper of the front car when the front car brakes or lifts, then the lead car must yield the inside. If the passing car does not have the nose alongside when the lead car brakes or lifts, then the lead car has position to the inside.
- If the lead car is “arcing” into the corner, then the passing car must respect this line. Any bumper or quarter panel contact from the passing driver will result in an “At-Fault Incident.” However, if there was no late arc in the prior 3 laps, then it will be considered a late block and the lead driver will get the “At-Fault Incident.”
- If there is a scenario that is “too close to call,” then both drivers will be given “At-Fault Incidents.”
- If the passing car makes contact with the lead car anywhere behind the rear tires, they will receive the “At-Fault Incident.”
- If the lead car gets loose and checks up, or checks up for traffic, then the incident will be considered a “racing incident” and neither driver will be at fault. The trailing car has to be within 2 car-lengths for it to be considered a racing incident. If you are farther then 2 car lengths back, then you should have time to react.
- If the lead car leaves the inside open, then the passing car is clear to make a move. It is expected that the lead driver will give room to the inside. As long as the passing car stays on the bottom, if contact is made by the lead car moving down, then the lead driver will receive the “At-Fault Incident.”
- If the passing car moves up off of the bottom lane into the lead car, then the passing car will receive the “At-Fault Incident.”
- If there is a scenario that is “too close to call,” then both drivers will be given “At-Fault Incidents.”
- The lead car has the right-of-way, but is expected to maintain a predictable racing line. If the passing car makes contact with the lead car behind the rear tire, then they will receive the “At-Fault Incident.”
- If the passing car makes contact with the lead car behind the rear tire, but the lead car ran an unpredictable line or got loose, then the contact will be deemed a racing incident and there will be no “At-Fault Incident.”
- If the passing car has their nose to the rear tire or farther up the door on the lead car, and there is contact made, and the lead car maintains their predictable line, then the passing car will receive the “At-Fault Incident.”
- If the passing car has their nose to the rear tire or farther up the door on the lead car, and the lead car exits the corner using an unpredictable line and there is contact, then the lead car will receive the “At-Fault Incident.”
- Any nose-to-bumper contact (Bump Draft) that results in an incident will not count towards penalty if no one loses control.
- Any nose-to-bumper contact (Bump Draft) that results in an incident where the lead car is sent spinning, into the wall or generally out of control, the trailing car will receive the “At-Fault Incident.” There does not have to be a caution for this to take effect.
- At tracks that have a raceable apron (Phoenix, Kansas, Atlanta, etc.), it is the responsibility of the driver that goes onto the apron to come back onto the racing surface safely. The apron is not a part of the racetrack, as such it is not necessary to race on it. It is not the responsibility of the drivers on track to let the driver on the apron get back on the track, the driver on the apron holds the responsibility to re-enter the track safely and without contact.
3 Wide Incidents (except Daytona, Talladega, Auto Club, Michigan, Pocono [T1 & T3 only], Atlanta)
- If two cars in front of you are side by side, and you decide to make it 3-wide and there is contact between any of the cars that are 3-wide, then the “At-Fault Incident” will be assigned to the driver that made it 3-wide. There will be no exceptions to this, as the SSRL frowns upon 3-wide racing at tracks where there is not room. Use PATIENCE!
- If you make it through the corner 3-wide and onto the next straightaway clean, then any incidents from this point will revert to a predictable line.
3-Wide incidents (Daytona, Talladega, Auto Club, Michigan, Pocono [T1 & T3 only], Atlanta
- “At-Fault Incidents” at these tracks will be determined by the predictable line, and who is not following theirs. The driver that is not able to hold a line and who is not running in the predictable line will be awarded the “At-Fault Incident.”
Multiple Car Accidents
- It is expected that when the caution comes out and there is a crash in front of you, that you make a reasonable effort to slow down. “ARCA braking” is defined as not slowing down for an accident and hitting cars that could have been easily avoided if you were paying attention. Any driver that fails to slow down for an accident and then gets involved will receive an “At-Fault Incident.”
- Any driver that is slowing down and trying to avoid contact, or gets incidents from going off track will have their “At-Fault Incident” removed.
Starts and Restarts
- Any incidents due to the “accordion effect” will be determined on the driver that sped up too quickly and had to slow down. If you are pacing properly, then this should never happen. By the middle of turn 3 and 4, everyone should be in position to restart.
- Once the green flag waves, if you run into that back of someone that “didn’t go” or spun their tires, then you will be at fault, as it is your responsibility to not run into the car in front of you. Remember, the green flag may start the race, but you can’t go if the car in front of you doesn’t.