The MARS DIRT CAR Series will utilize the UMP DIRTcar Super Late Model rules with the following additions:
Disclaimer
The rules and/or regulations set forth herein are designed to facilitate the orderly conduct of racing events and to establish minimum acceptable requirements for such events. These rules shall govern the condition for all events, and by participating in these events, all participants agree to comply with these rules and regulations. NO EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTY OF SAFETY SHALL RESULT FROM PUBLICATION OF, OR COMPLIANCE WITH, THESE RULES AND REGULATIONS. They are intended solely as a guide for the conduct of the sport, and are in no way a guarantee against injury or death to participants, spectators, officials, or others. The Race Director shall be empowered to permit any reasonable and appropriate deviation from any of the specifications and procedures herein, or impose any further restrictions that in his/her opinion does not alter the minimum acceptable requirements. NO EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTY OF SAFETY SHALL RESULT FROM ANY SUCH DEVIATION OR RESTRICTION OF THESE SPECIFICTIONS, RULES OR PROCEEDURES. Any interpretation of, or deviation from, these rules is left to the discretion of race officials. THEIR DECISION IS FINAL. Weight is at all time 2350 LBS UNLESS Stated in Driver Meeting..
GENERAL RULES OF COMPETITION
SIGN IN
It will be the responsibility of all Drivers/Teams to sign in, and pay the entry fee of $100 per sanctioned MARS event.($20.00 For Transponders) making it $120.00 Per Car . The sign in will be conducted at the MARS trailer at the location designated in the pit area. NO driver/team shall be allowed to be signed in by a third party. ONLY a driver, or crew representative shall be allowed to sign in the car that is at the track prior to cut off. MARS officials can draw for drivers/teams not at the track under exceptional circumstances beyond the control of MARS officials or the drivers/teams being signed in. Some races may require a larger entry fee at the discretion of the MARS Race Director.
DRAW
Drivers/Teams will draw for starting position in their heat event at the time they sign in. The lottery will consist of pills numbered 1 through 100, if 29 cars or less will be straight up qualifying if 30 or more cars it will be divided up by an A and B group. Group A will be Heat 1 and 2, B will be 3 and 4. Driver will be in that group the whole night( hot laps, qualifying heats until feature. B Features will Be Group A and Group B. Drivers arriving late shall not be permitted to draw, and shall be assigned to the rear of a group. Drivers arriving after the start of the drivers meeting will be considered late. Drivers arriving late, or for any other reason not drawing prior to the cut-off of the draw will be added to the end of qualifying group or heat race. After Heat races are done the winner of each heat will have to redraw for starting spot in feature race.
TECHNICAL INSPECTION
Technical Inspection shall be conducted by MARS or (UMP)Technical Inspectors at the location designated. MARS or (UMP) Technical Inspectors may designate a central location for Inspection. It shall be the responsibility of ALL drivers/teams to see to it that their cars have passed Inspection PRIOR to the drivers meeting. Cars being brought to inspection must have the hoods removed. Any car failing any part of technical inspection must make changes and have the car re-inspected while technical inspection is in progress. Any car that fails to meet all technical requirements shall be disqualified from the event. Entry fee money will be reimbursed to any car that cannot meet technical requirements. All cars will be subject to re-inspection following heat or feature events. The number of cars to be inspected following a qualifying heat or feature event shall be announced prior to the event at the drivers meeting. All cars are subject to spot checks by MARS Technical Inspectors at any time.
DRIVERS MEETING
It shall be the responsibility of ALL drivers to attend the drivers meeting. In most circumstances, the drivers meeting will be held prior to hot laps. Any rule, format, or schedule change will be discussed at the drivers meeting. ALL drivers will be responsible for information discussed at the drivers meeting.
POSTED INFORMATION
All pertinent information such as race line-ups, point standings, provisional availability shall be posted at the MARS trailer.
Packing the Race Track
If race track need help packing we must help. If you do not help Must in back of heat race.( No Qualifying)
HOT LAPS
Cars will be allowed ONE hot lap session prior to qualifying . Drivers will hot lap in the group driver draw in, unless notified otherwise by MARS officials. Any driver that misses his hot lap session will NOT be allowed with out Mars Dirt Car Officials Approval.
QUALIFYING
One car two laps, two cars two laps, if transponders are available, All Qualifying will be according to race track conditions. (Qualifying can also be during Hot Laps if track conditions make us)
HEAT RACES
The standard length of a heat event will be ten(10) laps, but length of heat event can be altered by MARS officials. The number of heat events, and cars assigned per heat can vary depending on car count and track conditions. It is the position of the MARS DIRT car Series that NO car may alter it’s starting position after the qualifying. Any driver arriving late to the staging area, after all other cars are staged, it will be placed at the rear of the heat. There are no set number of transfer positions in a heat event. The standard number of cars transferring to the Feature Event after the heats is sixteen. but this can also be altered by MARS officials.
LAST CHANCE QUALIFYING EVENTS
Last Chance Qualifiers, or B Features will be used to qualify additional cars after the heat events. In a standard MARS event, four additional cars will be qualified through Last Chance Qualifiers. Number of Last Chance Qualifiers will be based on cars attempting to qualify following heat events. If two Last Chance Qualifiers are required,then the remaining cars will be divided into the two events based on their heat races. The top two cars will transfer from each event. If insufficient cars remain for two Last Chance Qualifying Events, Then the top four cars will transfer from the single event. The standard length of a Last Chance Qualifying Event is twelve (12) laps, but length of the event can be altered by MARS officials for car count and track conditions.
PROVISIONAL STARTING POSITIONS
The final two starting positions in the feature event are reserved for cars choosing to use a provisional start. To qualify for a provisional starting position, a driver must be in the Top 30 in the point’s standings being used to determine eligible drivers for that race. MARS series officials shall use point standings from the previous year to start the new season (Two Races). ANY driver eligible for a provisional starting position,but does NOT display REQUIRED MAJOR SPONSOR decals shall be bypassed in favor of a driver that does have those decals displayed on their car. NOTE…….If there are not two cars eligible (or do not accept provisional starting positions) for provisional starting positions, only 20 cars shall start the A Feature event(21, if one provisional eligible car elects to accept a provisional starting position). Must make an effect to make the B main to get provisional spot for Feature.
Emergency Provisional: Driver’s that begin the season with the MARS Series are eligible for an Emergency Provisional. You are allowed to use 2 emergency provisional each year. You MUST maintain 100% attendance with the MARS Series to be eligible to receive the emergency provisional. Only one emergency provisional per feature is allowed to be used. The highest point driver in the current years series points that has not transferred into the A feature is eligible to use an emergency provisional. Any driver using the emergency provisional will only receive B feature money, but will earn A feature points for their finishing position. Emergency Provisional are at the discretion of the MARS Series Director.
NOTICE TO ALL DRIVERS. ANY driver that arrives late to a staging area either in the pits or on the track shall be REQUIRED to start that event from the rear of the field. Unless Mars Officials note other wise. That shall include DRIVER INTRODUCTIONS prior to a feature event. This rule applies to heat races, last chance qualifiers, as well as the feature event.
PROMOTER’S OPTION
At selected tracks, and at the option of MARS Race Director, the Track Promoter may have the option to start extra drivers at the rear of the field. Those drivers shall be of significance to the track, such as defending champion, past champion or other such criteria.
CHANGING HEAT RACE ASSIGNMENTS
No car will be allowed to change heat race assignments under any circumstances.
BACK UP OR BORROWED CARS
All drivers will enter and race only one car, except when damage or equipment failure prevents the original car from competing. IF a driver experiences damage or failure sufficient enough for his car to be unable to compete, then a driver may go to a back-up car ONLY after gaining permission from MARS series officials. Drivers may also borrow a car from another competitor. Drivers MUST inform MARS series officials that they intend to use a back-up car, and will do so only with MARS series officials permission. Any driver that fails to inform a MARS series official that they intend to use a back up car shall be disqualified from the remainder of the event. Drivers that use a back up, or borrowed car will surrender their assigned starting position, and start the event from the rear of the field. Drivers at any time will be able to change cars up until feature race. AT NO TIME will more than one driver be allowed to use the same car. IF a back up car has been used,drivers may only go back to their original car with MARS series officials permission.
STARTS AND RE-STARTS.
ORIGINAL STARTS.
Original starts will be made on the front stretch just off of turn four. Two (2) cones (Box) will be placed at the edge of the track in the location where drivers will be allowed to start the race, and accelerate. IN SIDE CAR SETS THE PACE AND STARTS THE RACE. The flagman will display the green flag and turn on the green light at that time. If the MARS officials determine that the start was unfair, or “jumped”, the yellow light will be turned on, and the yellow flag will be displayed. Drivers may be penalized for attempting to gain an unfair advantage on a start by “jumping” or “brake checking”. Penalties may include lost positions, restarts from the rear, or disqualification from the race through a black flag. Any driver involved in a caution, or deemed to have caused a caution on an original start, will restart from the rear of the field. NO EXCEPTIONS.
RE-STARTS
Re-starts will occur in the box. The leader will re-start the race at any time in side the box. The flagman will turn on the green light, and the green flag will be displayed. As in an original start, if MARS series officials determine the start was UN-fair then the same procedures will be followed as in the original start, and the same penalties will apply. Any driver involved in the caution, or deemed to have caused the caution will restart from the rear of the field. NO EXCEPTIONS.
DOUBLE FILE RE-STARTS.
Standard MARS restart procedures will be double-file, with the exception of the leader. The leader will be out front, The 2nd place car then will have the option to choose the in side or out. The remaining lead-lap cars will follow the pattern
Leader Leader
2nd in or out
3rd will have the other
All remaining lead lap cars will be aligned in that order. ALL lapped cars will be aligned behind the lead lap cars.
Last 5 laps will be single file
SINGLE FILE RE-STARTS
MARS series officials in case of extreme track conditions can revert to single file restarts. Once the track is deemed UN-safe for double-file restarts, MARS series officials will signal the drivers to remain in single file. Two attempts will be made to restart in the double file configuration and if MARS series officials at that time deem the track conditions to be not-conducive to safety and fair competition, the call for single file restarts will be made.
CAUTION PROCEDURES
The First lap (Start) Turn 1 and 2 No Fault will reline up per starting lineup. Backstretch and turn 3 and 4 any car the is involved will go to tail ( wheels not rolling ). This is called a not fault call. After the first lap any car the is involved will go to tail ( wheels not rolling ). This is called a not fault call. Any driver directed to the rear of the field by MARS series officials shall do so IMMEDIATELY. Any cars down a lap or more shall be lined up behind all lead-lap cars.
The MARS series does NOT race back to the yellow. In the event of a caution, and the yellow flag is displayed, all drivers will be expected to slow their cars IMMEDIATELY. MARS series officials will do their best to communicate the trouble spot to the drivers. Under yellow flag conditions, drivers will continue to circle the track a pace lap speeds until the damaged cars are removed, and the line-up is determined to be good, and the drivers are directed to move to the double-file restart. If the Red flag is displayed, then the track is blocked, and it is unsafe for the cars to continue to circle the track. MARS officials will direct the cars to the place on the track where the cars will stop until the track goes back to yellow. NO driver will be allowed to get out of his car. NO pit crew member will be allowed on the track at any time. NO EXCEPTIONS. Drivers may exit the track and go to the pits for service during either yellow flag caution periods, but that driver will restart that race at the rear, NO EXCEPTIONS. Any driver that is stopped by a MARS series official on track during a caution period will be allowed to restart the race from the position he was running in prior to the caution. Any driver that would stop on the track in order to cause a caution WITHOUT CAUSE is subject to disqualification from that event. Causing a caution for the avoidance of being lapped, or any other reason not related to a mechanical difficulty would be considered WITH OUT CAUSE. Driver’s exiting the track under red flag conditions will get their spot back as long as they return to the track before the yellow flag has been displayed. Any Driver’s exiting the track under any flag conditions will start at the tale of the field.
ROUGH DRIVING
Drivers that engage in ROUGHDRIVING can be penalized by MARS series officials. Penalized drivers can be forced to restart a race from the rear, be scored laps down by judges, or be black flagged from an event. Any driver that is black flagged from an event MUST leave the track immediately. Drivers that do not follow MARS series official’s instructions may also be black flagged from an event. Drivers may also be black flagged from an event due to equipment problems. Those drivers are expected to leave the track immediately, but may return once the equipment problem has been repaired. If MARS series officials feel that a driver has acted in a BLATANT ACT OF AGGRESSION on the track, or in the pits, that driver is subject to fine, disqualification, or suspension by MARS series officials.
FLAT TIRES
MARS series officials will allow a driver that has a flat tire to draw a caution, and then allow that driver to exit the track, replace the flat tire, and return to the race. MARS officials will give courtesy caution laps for that driver to move to his pit area, and return to the track as quickly as possible. The driver will NOT be given his spot back, and will restart the race from the rear of the field. It will be the driver’s responsibility to make his way to a location as to be seen by a MARS series official to draw the caution. The number of courtesy laps will be determined by MARS series officials due to pit location and track size and will be covered by MARS series officials at the driver’s meeting. Drivers will not be given EXCESSIVE courtesy laps, and MARS series officials will NOT be accountable for laps lost by the driver due to where he stops on the track, or the length of time that driver spends in the pits. Courtesy laps will only be allowed for Flat Tires. MARS series officials will NOT delay the race for any other type of repair.
SPIN RULE
Any driver that is involved in EXCESSIVE spin outs and/or cautions, can be disqualified from the event, and sent to the pits. EXCESSIVE spins and/or cautions shall be determined by the number of laps per event, and shall be covered by MARS series officials at the DRIVERS MEETING.
RACE FORMAT
A standard MARS DIRT car Series single night event will consist of Qualifying and Heat Races, Last Chance Qualifiers (or B Features), and a 35 or 40 Lap Feature event. The standard length of each Heat Race shall be 10 Laps, and the standard length of each Last Chance Qualifier is12 Laps. The number of Heats and Last Chance Qualifiers will be determined by car count and track size. Standard race lengths can be adjusted by MARS series officials for track conditions or extenuating circumstances. Any track that desires to host a “two-night show”, will do so with the standard single night event format used each night. That track will pay the minimum purse required for each night of racing. Any track that would desire to alter the standard MARS event will only do so if a larger than minimum purse is paid, and with agreement of MARS series officials.
ALTERNATES
The standard MARS DIRT car Series Feature Event will start 22 cars. Once that event is set, no other driver shallbe allowed to start. There will be NO ALTERNATE starters in any feature event. Drivers that have qualified for the Feature Event, but are unable to start will receive pay equaling the pay received by drivers that started a Last Chance Qualifier, but did not transfer. HOWEVER, any driver that qualified for the Feature Event, but was unable to start will receive minimum Feature Event points.
PURSE
MARS DIRT car Series events pay a minimum of $2,000 to win and $300 to start (East Side Only Can Be $1500 to Win and 200 to Start with $50 Entry Fee). Exceptions to this purse can be altered by MARS officials due to race co-sanctioning and track promoter agreements. Full point fund payout for each race will be available at the MARS trailer.
CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS.
Championship points will be awarded at all MARS sanctioned events. Purse structure and number of laps of the Feature Event will not alter the points awarded for each event. Points will be awarded to drivers by their finishing positions in the Feature Event as follows.
1) 70
2) 67
3) 65
4) 63
5) 61
6) 59
7) 57
8) 55
9) 53
10) 51
11) 49
12) 47
13) 46
14) 45
15) 44
16) 43
17) 42
18) 41
19) 40
20) 39
21) 38
22-24) 37
Points will also be awarded to cars that do not qualify for the Feature Event. Those points will be awarded as follows.
Cars that start a Last Chance Qualifier, but do not transfer to the Feature……….35 points
Cars that start a Heat Event but do not start a Last Chance Qualifier……………25 points
Cars in attendance, that paid entry fee, but did not participate in any event………15 points
NOTE…Points stay with the driver, not the owner, in case of driver changes.
HEAT RACE POINTS
3 points – Winner
2 points – 2nd Place
1 point – 3rd Place
APPEARANCE POINTS FOR RAINOUTS
In the case of a rain out, the MARS director may award appearance points at his discretion. Factors that would lead to awarding of appearance points for a rain out include, but are not limited to the following. All drivers have paid an entry fee, the line-ups have been posted and/or the driver’s meeting has been held. If the race has been called off after that point, then the competition director would award each driver/team ten (15) appearance points, plus points matching the number of driver’s appearances as described in the APPEARANCE POINTS section.
HARDSHIP POINTS
Drivers known to be committed to the MARS DIRT car Racing Series Championship can be awarded Hardship points for EXTREME situations. An extreme situation can be, but shall not be limited to, a death or grave illness in the immediate family. A driver known to be traveling to the site of a MARS sanctioned event that has a transporter accident or breakdown that prevented that driver from competing in the event can also apply for hardship points. Hardship points can generally be awarded up to two times a season, and will only be awarded with the consent of the MARS Race Director. Hardship points will be equivalent to points earned by starting a Last Chance Qualifier, but not transferring to the Feature Event. The Race Director shall have final say in the awarding of HARDSHIP POINTS.
MARS DIRT car SERIES ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
Has not races more the 10 Mars races in the past 3 years to qualify. Must run 100% of races to qualify. Application must be in by the 4th Race of 2017.
RAIN-OUTS
All Scheduled events that are rained-out, or otherwise canceled due to circumstances beyond the control of MARS Series Officials and Track Officials will be re-scheduled if at all possible. Drivers and Crew Members MUST retain Armbands, or any other Pit-Admission ticket to be re-admitted to a re-scheduled event. Tracks are NOT required to refund Pit Admission UNLESS there are no other MARS events scheduled for the track, and the race is determined to NOT be made up. Entry Fee’s paid to MARS series officials will be applied to the NEXT scheduled event, and will only be refunded if NO other events remain on the schedule.
RADIOS
NO Radios will be allowed. (At this time). Receiver is MANDATORY
DECALS
ALL drivers competing in a MARS DIRT car Series Event are to display decals of the MAJOR CORPORATE sponsors of the MARS DIRT car Series. ANY driver eligible for a provisional starting position found to NOT be displaying required decals shall be bypassed in favor of drivers that are displaying decals. While the MARS DIRT car Series wishes to cause no conflicts between Individual Sponsors of drivers, Drivers/Teams must realize the contribution made by the MAJOR CORPORATE Sponsors to the MARS DIRT car Series and be willing to display these decals on their cars while competing in MARS sanctioned events. If decals are not on the car diver will not receive any product or money.
OVERALL CONDUCT
While references have been made to conduct of drivers on the track, an overall statement concerning the conduct of ALL participants in MARS DIRT car Series Events is as follows.
ALL participants in MARS DIRT car Series events are expected to conduct themselves in a civil and professional manner. Due to the nature of racing, MARS series officials understand that disputes may arise from time to time. HOWEVER, NO IMPROPER BEHAVIOR will be tolerated by ANY participant in a MARS series event. IMPROPER BEHAVIOR can consist of, but is not limited to FIGHTING, PHYSICAL VIOLENCE of any kind, or THREATS of physical violence. ALL participants in a MARS sanctioned event that would participate in IMPROPER BEHAVIOR are subject to Fines, Suspensions, or Permanent Bans from MARS sanctioned events, at the discretion of the MARS Race Director.
BEHAVIOR
Driver is responsible for all crew and family member….
a) No derogatory or distasteful statements on any race car or hauler are permitted at any U.M.P. racetrack. U.M.P. officials have discretion and the final decision on all lettering on all race cars and haulers. Failure to remove offensive lettering will mean disqualification from all U.M.P. events and a fine of up to $500.00.
b) Any participant who fights in pits, on track or on race premises will be suspended from all U.M.P. events for 1 (one) week and fined $100.00 and is on 1 (one) year probation for the first infraction. A second fight will result in the driver being suspended for 2 (two) weeks and fined $200.00. Any driver in a third fight will be suspended from all U.M.P. races for 1 (one) year and fined $1,000.00. All drivers are responsible for their crew members.
c) No driver or pit crew member shall subject any U.M.P. promoter or official to threats, abusive or improper language at any time. Any driver or pit crew member who assaults or threatens any U.M.P. promoter or official may be fined up to $1,000.00 and suspended indefinitely from all U.M.P. events until fine is paid. Reinstatement and fines are at the discretion of U.M.P. management and non-contestable.
