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The Pit Marshall role at a competition event is critical and at any competition event the Pit Marshall must be fully aware of all requirements.
Below are the KartSport New Zealand rules pertaining to the Out Grid requirements with notes regarding how the Pit Marshall must execute these requirements.
| R3.18 | OUT GRID PIT MARSHAL: In control of the dummy grid and the out gate. Ensuring that karts are on the correct grid, giving the engine starting instruction(s) and then releasing the field on to the track (Ref J2.7). This is one of the roles that can either break or make an event. The Out Grid Pit Marshal should determine any gaps on the grid prior to sending out the field. This information should be relayed to the starter and control tower staff so that they can determine where the gaps should be. |
The Out Grid Pit Marshal PA system must override the Announcer PA system on the speakers in the Pits and Dummy Grid areas.
To become an approved Pit Marshall the candidate must have carried out the role of the Pit Marshall at three club days and have completed the following training modules and questionnaires as noted on the KartSport New Zealand training matrix and as administered by the Race Officials Training Coordinator, ie. Modules 3, 4, 6, 9 and The Role of the Pit Marshall.
The Pit Marshall should always have an event clock to refer to. For a 'timed' event where classes are released at a specific time, as per the timed schedule, the event clock is mandatory. At a timed event the class will not be released before the scheduled time. Provided the Race Director provides the 'track clearance' indicating that the track is clear and safe to release karts, then the class will be released at the scheduled time or at a later time as determined by the Race Director.
The Pit Marshall must also have a stop watch or similar device that can accurately measure the time for starting engines.
The PA system must be set up so that the Out Grid PA microphone overrides all other PA traffic on the speakers in the pits and out grid areas. This ensures that the Pit Marshall has the ability to call up classes as required on the PA at any time.
As Pit Marshall you must be provided with a list of the grids for each class for each race.
You also need to be aware that at times the Technical Officers may be carrying out checks of karts on the Out Grid or may select karts for tyre and/or fuel samples. In these situations the Tech Officers should advise you of what is required and what they will be doing.
| J2.4 | NO GO LINE: A line 50m to 80m from the front of the out grid marked either by a painted line and/or by cones approximately 2 meters from the track edge. |
The Pit Marshall must know exactly where the NO GO line is on the track and be able to identify this position from the Out Grid.
This line is important as part of the Out Grid procedure.
| J2.7 | OUT GRID PROCEDURE: |
| J2.7.1 SPRINT: The field of karts must form on the Out Grid in their allocated grid positions. |
| At all events each competitor is only permitted one person (Exception: Twin-engined direct drive karts which may have two pushers.) with them on the Out Grid and this person must leave the Out Grid area once the last kart has gone out the gate. There will be no spectator access to, or spectating from, the Out Grid. |
| Once a kart is placed on the Out Grid, trolleys and tools (except external starters and tyre pressure gauges) must be immediately removed from the Out Grid area and placed in the area for trolley parking. No kart may be worked on (except for checking/reducing tyre pressures) while on the Out Grid. |
The Pit Marshal may indicate that the field will leave the Out Grid at any time for a wholly push-started field. For other fields the Pit Marshal will advise “Clutches Raise Your Arm - Start Engines”. Single engines have thirty seconds (exception – Clubsport 120 have 60 seconds) and twin engines 60 seconds in which to start. When the engine is started the competitor will lower their arm. The Pit Marshal shall indicate that the field will leave the Out Grid either when all have started or when the time is up.
Competitors failing to start an engine must keep their arm raised and remain static until the field has left the Out Grid. Only if they can leave the Out Grid before the last of the field crosses the ‘No Go’ line on this rolling lap may they do so.
Karts which are not under motive power upon reaching the ‘No Go’ line shall be removed from the track to a safe place. Starting karts may not be moved backwards after crossing the line of the Out Grid exit gate.
J2.7.2 SUPERKART: For each race the two groups of karts must form up on the out grid in their allocated class grid positions leaving a gap of approximately four kart lengths between the two
groups. After engine start the Pit Marshall may indicate that the first group will leave the out grid at any time in accordance with Rule J2.7.1.
Karts which are not under motive power upon reaching the "No Go" line shall not proceed and must be removed immediately from the Pit Exit Lane to a safe place.
No karts are to be pushed backwards in the Pit Exit Lane for a second attempt at restarting.
Once the first group of karts has crossed the "No Go" line the Pit Marshall shall immediately commence the engine start procedure for the second group of karts which will also conform to the
out grid procedure as specified in Rule J2.7.1.
The Pit Marshall shall release the second group of karts at his discretion taking note of the track position of the first group of karts.
Karts from the second group which are not under motive power upon reaching the "No Go" line shall not proceed and must be removed immediately from the Pit Exit Lane to a safe place.
No karts are to be pushed backwards in the Pit Exit Lane for a second attempt at restarting.
The Pit Exit lane and areas around the out grid are to remain open at all times for any authorised vehicles and emergency vehicles to move freely when required.
This is the most important part of the Pit Marshall role and must be executed accurately.
You will have been provided with a grid draw and you must check that each kart is on its allocated grid position.
Wherever the layout of the Out Grid allows it, karts should be 'angle' parked on the Out Grid and not lined up one behind the other.
This is the best way to allow karts to get around karts that do not start and safely leave the Out Grid.
Trolleys and tools (except external starter motors) must be removed immediately from the Out Grid as soon as the kart has been placed on its allocated grid position. No kart may be worked on (except for checking/adjusting tyre pressures) while on the Out Grid.
If there are any 'gaps' on the grid - locations where a kart is not present - these must be advised to Race Control and the starter and these will be left as gaps.
You should simply use your radio to indicate "gap on grid 4" or "gaps on grid 3 and 7".
If the event is a "timed" event, the Race Director will indicate when the track is clear and you have clearance to release the class at the scheduled time.
If the event is running behind schedule, the Race Director will indicate to either release the field as soon as possible or at a newly defined time.
For a non timed event, the event Officials briefing will have determined who on the Race Officials team will be responsible for determining track clearance and conveying this information to to the Pit Marshall. This may be the Clerk of Course or someone else designated for this duty. As soon as you have track clearance you can commence the procedure to release the karts to the track.
For a wholly push started field (no clutches) the Pit Marshall will open the gate and call 'ready' and then wave an arm to indicate that the field can proceed out the gate onto the circuit.
As soon as all karts have left the Out Grid or as soon as the last mobile kart has crossed the NO GO line the gate will be closed. At this point no further kart may be released from the Out Grid.
For any field which includes a kart with a clutch (even if it is only one kart in an otherwise push started field) the following procedure is used :-
•The Pit Marshall will open the Out Grid gate.
•The Pit Marshall will advise "Clutches Raise Your Arm."
| At this point all drivers who are starting with a clutch using either an on board or external starter, must raise one arm in the air so that the Pit Marshall can identify the karts to be started. |
•The Pit Marshall will then advise "Start Engines."
At this point the Pit Marshall must start a stop watch or other device to measure seconds elapsed from this instruction.
| Single engines have thirty seconds (exception – Clubsport 120 have 60 seconds) and twin engines 60 seconds in which to start. |
When the engine is started the competitor will lower their arm to indicate that their engine is started.
•The Pit Marshal shall indicate that the field will leave the Out Grid when either....
| - the allowed time has not been reached but all have started and all arms are down, or |
- when the allowed time is up, regardless if some karts have still not started.
•Competitors failing to start an engine must keep their arm raised and remain static until the field has left the Out Grid.
•Only if they can leave the Out Grid before the last of the field crosses the NO GO line on this first rolling lap may they do so.
•As soon as the last of the karts who did start and were released at the required time crosses the NO GO line, the Out Grid gate will be closed and no further kart may be released from the Out Grid.
| P1.3 | TIME TRIAL: One 8-minute session. |
If not previously sealed/marked, competitor’s tyres, chassis and engine(s) will be marked at the end of the Time Trial. Any kart which crosses the line of the Out Grid exit gate to the circuit will be deemed to have started the Time Trial. Karts must enter the Pit Shute from the track end in order to have this marking applied by Officials.
No pitting or outside assistance (except for controlled outside assistance to Cadet and Junior Restricted Age Group class competitors who have spun out) is allowed during the Time Trials. The timing and length of Time Trial will be managed by the Official Timekeeper. The Time Trial period will begin when the first kart is recorded as having commenced its first timed lap. Karts which commence their final lap before the end of the 8-minute period will have their final lap recorded.
Where the number of entries exceeds the track limit the field will be divided into two equal sized groups (Group 1 and Group 2) for the Time Trial sessions. Groups will be established by placing the competitor with the lowest race number on the confirmed numerical order entry list in Group 1, the second lowest in Group 2, the third lowest in Group 1, etc. Competitors using NZ, NI, SI, NS or other authorised lettered plates will be placed at the beginning of the confirmed entry list respectively. Competitors may only qualify in their respective Group Time Trial sessions.
Changing Group is not permitted.
The final Time Trial classification will be drawn up as follows:
• The grid will be arranged based on each competitor's fastest time. If there are groups for qualifying, the times from all the groups will be combined before the grid is drawn.
• 101% Grouping Rule: If a given class is split into two qualifying groups and these groups compete on the racing surface with distinctly different track conditions, resulting in a difference of over 101% in the fastest lap times of each group, the following formula will be implemented:
o 1st place will go to the fastest time in the faster group (fastest overall)
o 2nd place will go to the fastest time of the slower group,
o 3rd place will go to the second fastest time in the faster group,
o 4th place will go to the second fastest time of the slower group,
o 5th place will go to the third fastest time of the faster group,
o and so on for the remainder of the groups.
• The Race Director has the sole authority to decide whether the variation is caused by the track conditions.
• For Ties see P1.13.
Competitors are responsible for the secure attachment of transponders to their karts. Only times recorded using transponders will be permitted. Karts which start a Time Trial but do not complete a timed lap will be permitted to start from the rear of the field. If several karts fail to complete a timed lap their grid positions will be determined by drawing lots.
For an event that has Time Trials there is are additional elements that need to be executed.
In general the Out Grid procedure must be followed however as the karts have not been given grid positions at this stage they are free to take up whatever position they choose on the Out Grid. Many competitors prefer to be at the back however it is essential for ease of management of the out grid procedure that you call all karts to the forward area of the Out Grid.
After going through the Out Grid procedure and opening the gate, "Any kart which crosses the line of the Out Grid exit gate to the circuit will be deemed to have started the Time Trial". It is very important that you monitor this. A kart who pushes out from the Out Grid and crosses the line of the Out Grid gate, regardless of whether or not the engine starts, will be deemed to have started the time trial and therefore will be recorded as such for the drawing up of the grids. In this situation you should note the kart number and relay the information to Race Control.