STAR Projects "Day of the RAT"

TRACK DAY DRIVERS:

• Attendance at the driver’s meeting is required for all drivers
• Must be at least 18 years of age
• Possess a valid driver’s license
• Have a proper helmet (in good condition)
• Those drivers without prior track experience are required to attend the classroom session following the driver’s meeting. (Attendance is free and is approximately 45 minutes in length)
• New drivers are STRONGLY encouraged  to hire a STAR School instructor
• Be advised you will may be on course with drivers and vehicles of very dissimilar performance potential.
• Dangerous, discourteous driving or unsportsman-like conduct will not be tolerated.

TRACK DAY CARS: 

• All cars must pass a tech inspection before being allowed on track.
• Must be in good mechanical condition.
• Must have seatbelts (stock OK) for both driver and instructor (no other passengers are allowed). 
• Cars with removable tops will have rollover structures adequate to protect the occupants of the car in case the car turns over at speed. The broom stick test applies (automatically deploying bars are NOT considered adequate protection).
• Functioning brake lights are required.

RAT RACE TEAMS:

• In addition to the applicable items above, see The Rules for additional requirements for car prep and driving gear.
• You will need a transponder that can be read by Thunderhill's track loop.

RAT Tire Rules Supplementals: January 29, 2013

I’ve been getting a lot of questions from teams that have old 200 tread wear tires that want to use them up and don’t want to spend the money to buy 300 rated tires, and are some worried how heavy a lap assessment they will have if they “run what they brung”.

If your tires test out above 60 durometer at 60 degrees (as per our equipment) you are good for this race with no penalty. Tires that don’t have a visible tread wear marking must be tested at tech inspection and are subject to retesting at anytime.

Tires clearly marked with a tread wear rating of 300 or higher are exempt from testing. Please paint a circle around the marking on all your tires, so it is easy to find at tech.

I tested a set of 3-race old Star Specs for a local team this evening, and got repeat readings in the 67 – 68 durometer range @ 61 degrees. That makes it  a “no lap assessment tire”.  A new Star Spec is probably softer.

So how much to I get dinged if my tires are to soft?: For this race it will be one lap per hour for every durometer point below 61.

l have attached the tire rules below from our website (RAT Race tab under Rules and Such).

Some FAQ’s on tires and car eligibility:

So can I run my race car and what’s-up with this 300 tread wear?

If you don’t have a RAT you can still run most SCCA / Conference / NASA prepared production

based cars in the RAT RACE Series. You can run any tire you want, however “good tires” will

probably be relegate you to the “Overqualified Class” and / or incur the assessment of laps.

Why have standard RAT RACE tire rules?

The 300 and harder tread wear rating is intended to reduce costs, lower speeds, reduce the

advantage of really expensive brakes, and allow a tactical racing advantage to a driver that

possesses excellent car control skills. For 2012 we allow drivers to run any tire they want and

assign laps to negate the advantage. We still allow those with softer tires to run in the over

qualified class.

Why 300?

‘Cuz it can be hard to find 600 rated tires in all sizes.

How do “laps” get assigned?

Amongst other criteria used to integrate vehicles that fall outside the spirit of a true RAT CAR,

the Lab Rats are fine tuning a “proprietary, thermally compensated, durometer equivalence

matrix” to calculate lap assessments and augment the ”Sniveling Rat” appeal process we now

have for those that feel their assessment is inequitably high. Again, this is about trying to

reduce costs and level the playing field.

Are you serious?

Somewhat. We at STAR Projects are “seriously serious” about providing real racing competition

at very low cost and welcome your suggestions (but not relating to grammar, syntax or

punctuational propriety).

So all my tires are 200 tread wear?

When you wear out the tires you have, replace them with a 300 rated tire. They will cost you

about $260.00 for four, mounted and balanced. Barring poor alignment or off course damage,

you can probably pass them on to your grand children!

TENTITIVE SCHEDULE

 ALL PARTICIPANTS ARE RESPONSIBLE TO HAVE READ AND UNDERSTAND THE RAT RACE EVENT RULES , EVENT SUPPLEMENTALS AND THE THUNDERHILL REGULATIONS (ABRIDGED).
(The Rules and Such)

SUPPLEMENTALS

THUNDERHILL REGULATIONS (ABRIDGED)

Call with any questions.

Bill Murray
Event Coordinator
503-358-2617
starprojectsevents@gmail.com
(10 am – midnight)