From www.lotus-central.com, oh my aching sides.
Track days events are intended to be somewhere you can start to explore the performance of your car away from the dangers on the road but in an effort to conform to today's Health, Safety and Environmental guidelines, circuits have to impose a much stricter set of rules.
Some circuits have enforced tougher regulations this year such as enforcing organisers to require MSA approved crash helmets or drivers to complete familiarisation laps before they can carry a passenger. Gone are the days when you can grab your old motorcycle helmet from the dusty garage shelf and turn up mid morning guaranteed to get straight out on track.
It’s not just for Health and Safety that these rules are applied; ever increasingly environmental issues are coming to the forefront. Noise is certainly a major issue and many circuits have had to impose noise limits that have seen drivers having to take their cars home before they even turn a wheel on circuit.
Noise testing is all well and good but can be difficult to measure consistently. A standing test with a variety of cars that have different rev limits can be misleading and ‘drive by’ sound levels are subject to weather conditions and drivers ‘lifting off’ the throttle at the appropriate moment.
In an attempt to improve the chances of staying within imposed noise limits, certain circuits are to introduce a ‘Peek’ type speed trap on main straights to measure maximum speed. Although top speed is not directly related to high engine revs, it is thought that by controlling speed on the fastest part of the circuit it will have an overall ‘calming’ effect on drivers and therefore have an overall effect on noise reduction around the circuit.
‘Peek’ cameras were chosen as they are triggered as cars pass over an induction loop buried in the tarmac which of course all circuits already have for recording lap times during race meetings. This also means costly transducers wont need to be handed out to drivers.
Photos of cars exceeding the limit will be sent directly to screens in race control who can then ask for offending cars to be black flagged as they pass the pit lane.
Paul Golding of Louts-on-Track says, “It may sound harsh but circuit owners need to continue to find ways to stay within limits otherwise we are in danger of losing track days altogether and nobody wants that.”
Summary of recent regulations being enforced on track days by some circuits:
Familiarisation laps - all drivers to complete 3 full familiarisation laps before being allowed to participate.
Original engine type - cars must have orignal factory fitted engine.
Color blind drivers - must carry fully sighted passenger who has agreed to relay safety flags when required.
Helmets - must be of a recognised manufacturer and comply with the current MSA general regulations set out in section Q of those regulations.
Vehicle checks - all cars must meet MoT requirements or MSA safety regulations.
Maximum Speed - will not exceed 180kph (approx. 110mph) at any point around the circuit.
Nigel Goater
1 April 2009
