These Rules are designed to provide for the orderly conduct of racing events and to establish standardsfor such events. By entering and participating in an event, participants are deemed to understand and accept these rules. NO EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTY OF SAFETY SHALL RESULT FROM PUBLICATION OF THESE RULES OR COMPLIANCE WITH THESE RULES. They are intended as a guide for conduct of the sport and are in no way a guarantee against injury or death to a participant, spectator or official. These rules may be changed or amended from time to time by the management of the raceway. These are general guidelines for the Bowtie Nationals & the facilities that host their events. Please check your class rules for any class specific amendments. Please refer to the NHRA Rulebook for complete rules listings.

1) TECH INSPECTION
– i) Tech Inspection is located at the white Tech Building located in Staging Lanes
– ii) All vehicles are required to park in the pits.
– iii) Unload your vehicle and report to tech inspection with all safety equipment, clothing and accessories required to race. Please completely fill out your tech card and be prepared to show your NHRA license if your vehicle runs 9.99 or quicker.
– iv) After passing Tech inspection you may enter the lanes if the lanes are open for your class. If not, please return to the pits and wait for your class to be called to the lanes.

2) DOUBLE ENTRY:
– i) Car double entry is permitted at any ET Bracket Series event (double entries are defined as two drivers being alive in eliminations in the same car but NOT in the same class). Separate numbers must be visible & number not in use must be covered or erased.
– ii) Please be aware that no class will wait for driver change or extra cool down.
– iii) One racer is permitted to drive two different cars in two different classes.
– iv) One racer is permitted to drive the same car in two different classes.
– v) One racer may NOT drive two cars in same class.
– vi) Car must conform to ALL rules in each class.

3) BUY BACKS:
– i) A competitor who loses first round and wishes to buy back for second round may do so.
– ii) Immediately proceed to Pay Out Room located in Parks Tower next to Race Control.
– iii) Once racer has bought back, he or she should return to class lanes when called.
– iv) Buy backs run before first round winners.
– v) Buy back round is same format as regular racing.
– vi) A driver not present for first round may buy an entry and a buy back and will run second round with buy backs.

4) STAGING, PAIRINGS, LADDERS, BYE RUNS & BURNOUTS
Call to the Staging Lanes:
– i) All classes will be called to the lanes by the track announcer.
– ii) Listen to the radio station. We will do our best to make sure you can hear the PA system but please also use FM radio.

Bye Runs:
– i) Bye runs are determined by best reaction time from previous round. To determine bye run for the first round of eliminations, best reaction time during final time trial will be used. If bye run is not used, it will carry to next round until used. Driver pulled for Bye will fill in the odd position at end of class.
– ii) Drivers can get only one bye per event unless all cars remaining have had a bye. Bye Run will be selected and pulled aside. If there is an even number of cars, the driver with the bye run will be paired.
– iii) Competition bye runs are awarded in the event that your opponent is unable to race. This occursonly after you have been paired. If it occurs prior to pairing, which is in the lanes, no single will be awarded. Competition byes are still eligible for regular bye runs.
– iv) Any bye run car that elects to just take the tree and back off the starting line may do so.
– v) Bye run cars will be held to end of their round.

Staging Lanes & Pairings:
– i) Never block the entrance of staging with your race car, trailer or pit vehicle.
– ii) Please stay with your car at all times while in the staging lanes. The staging lane & pairing policy applies to all classes RUN ORDER- Pro ET, Super Pro & Sportsman.
– iii) Once you have selected a lane to run in and have come to a complete stop in that lane, you cannot switch lanes or move in front of or behind a racer for any reason. This is to keep cat and mouse games to a minimum.
– iv) Once the bye run is pulled, cars will be paired side-by-side.
– v) If we run out of cars in one lane, then they will be paired front to back with the front car having lane choice.
– vi) Inability to run once paired constitutes a competition bye.
– vii) As you pull under the bridge to the ready line, make sure that you remain paired. It is impossible for the tower to determine who is paired until you are near the ready line. If you reach the ready line and are no longer paired correctly, grab the attention of the Ready Line Operator and tell them you are not paired correctly so that the issue can be resolved. If you pass ready line, it is a race – there will be no re-runs for wrong pairings, even if both drivers agree.

Ladders:
– i) Super Pro, Pro & Sportsman will be laddered at the final eight cars.
– ii) All bye runs will be determined by the ladder, any unused byes from the previous round will be void. The first quickest reaction time from previous round will get the bye in each class.

Burnouts:
– i) Burnouts can be performed by any car. Cars with slicks or drag radials must pull through the water box. Cars with street tires may go around the inside of the water box.
– ii) Crew members are prohibited from holding onto a car while the car is performing a burnout.

Staging:
i) When the first driver has fully staged and the second driver has pre-staged, the second driver has a set amount of time to fully stage or he will be timed out and disqualified in a foul per AutoStart settings. In another situation, if a driver is ready to stage or has already staged and the second driver is having problems (i.e. mechanical failure, etc.), the starter will put that car on a 20-second clock (pushbacks & assistance from crew are permitted if done within the 20-seconds). If the car still cannot stage after that time, the first driver will receive a competition bye.
– ii) By staging your vehicle, you have signaled to track officials that you find all conditions acceptable and you are ready to race. In addition to the situations described in the paragraphs above (pairings, dial-ins, and deep-staging), this includes any problems (i.e., overheating, cold tires,
etc.) resulting from delays on the track. If there is a problem, DO NOT STAGE. Explain your problem to a starting line official and they will assist you.
– iii) If you stage, you have agreed to every condition of the race and there will be no re-run, even if both drivers agree.

Deep Staging:
– i) Deep staging is at your own risk.
– ii) You must write “DEEP” on the front windshield and both side windows. Both sides of a dragster or altered’ s side window or scoop so opponent is aware.
– iii) You or your crew must also alert the water box that you intend to deep stage so they can radio the message to the starter.
– iv) You should be deep staged before your opponent is staged.
– v) Please keep in mind, there are factors and distractions that can cause a “DEEP” to be easily overlooked. Deep stages are not guaranteed at any event. The driver accepts all responsibility for when deep staging.

Race Track Configuration
– i) Please check to see what side the exit is at the track.
– ii) Please take note of where the shutdown area is.
– iii) Please take not of where mid-shut down area, where fire truck and ambulance are.
– v) Please take note of where the exit is and which side of the track and who has right-of-way.
– vii) It is the driver’s responsibility to know where their opponent is before turning.
– viii) If in trouble, do not try to make turn off at a high rate of speed, take the sand trap.

Round Robin:
– i) For most races, competitors will return to the pits after the first and second round of eliminations and wait to be called back to the lanes.
– ii) It is essential that racers report back to the lanes immediately and cool down there.
– iii) Please listen to the announcer for instructions and/or variations.
– iv) Racers who miss their round will be eliminated.

Time Trials:
– i) See schedule for qualifying & eliminations.
– ii) Track reserves the right to cancel a time trial due to weather or time constraints.
– iii) To run the left lane of the track, use even numbered staging lanes. To run the right lane of the track, use odd numbered staging lanes.
– iv) When we reach the end of a session, should there be more than five (5) cars left in a single lane the second car of each pair will be moved over to the empty lane. If lane choice is important, do not end up at the end of a session.
– v) In an effort to minimize the amount of time spent waiting in the lanes, time runs will be run in “class” sessions.
      (1) Each class will be called to the lanes over the P.A.
      (2) Only one time run is allowed per “class” session.
      (3) The computer has been programmed to flag cars that attempt more than one run per session.
      (4) You will not receive a reaction time or elapsed time if attempting a second run during a single time trial session.
      (5) Late arrivals that miss their time trial session(s) are not guaranteed any time trials.

5) CONDUCT OF DRIVERS & PIT CREW
Restricted Areas:
– i) Due to insurance regulations, access to certain areas of the facility is restricted. These areas include advanced staging, behind the burn-out box, the starting line, the track itself and the return road.
– ii) All drivers and crew are required to sign a waiver in the presence of a track official.
– iii) At that time a wristband will be issued which must be put on the wrist in the presence of that track official.
– iv) If you require a crew member on the starting line, they too must follow this procedure.
– v) No one under the age of 16 years is permitted in any restricted area.
– vi) Absolutely no one will be allowed in restricted areas without a wristband. 

Children:
– i) Parents are cautioned to keep children under supervision in the immediate area of their pit space.
– ii) The pit area is not an appropriate place for children to roam unattended, so please keep them in your sight and out of harm’s way.
      (1) The pit area is teeming with all kinds of motorized and pedestrian traffic and a driver’s ability to see is often restricted. Allowing minors into the pits is a privilege, not a right.
      (2) Parents who let minor children roam the pits unattended will be asked to leave the pit area.
– iii) Remember, you must have a driver’s license to operate anything with wheels – this includes bicycles. Roller skates, skateboards, radio controlled vehicles and similar toys are not permitted whatsoever.

Misconduct:
– i) Drivers are responsible for the behavior of their crew members, families, children, pets, and themselves at all times. Misconduct or recklessness is grounds for immediate disqualification.

Pit Vehicles:
– i) Golf Carts, motorized pit bikes, mini-bikes, and ATV’s are ONLY permitted to be used for racer
needs in the pit area to tow race cars. They may also be used to assist in the mobility of handicapped persons.
– ii) ALL OPERATORS MUST HAVE A VALID DRIVERS LICENSE AS WELL AS THEIR CAR NUMBER PROMINENTLY DISPLAYED ON THE PIT VEHICLE.
– iii) “Joy riding” or unsafe operation anywhere on the premises by you or your crew members is grounds for immediate disqualification.
– iv) Children are not permitted to operate pit vehicles of any kind.
– v) These safety regulations are strongly enforced, as they are not just for the protection of your property and crew but for the protection of others as well.
– vi) Failure to comply with these rules may result in immediate disqualification.
      (1) If minor is caught driving pit vehicle or an adult in a reckless manor:
(a) 1st offense, vehicle will be confiscated.
(b) 2nd offense, points will be forfeited for that weekend with no reimbursement.
(c) 3rd offense, you will be asked to leave the park with no reimbursement.

Speed Limit and/or Reckless Endangerment:
– i) The speed limit for all vehicles on the premises is 10 mph.
– ii) Any vehicle judged to be operated in an unsafe manner by track officials is eligible to have their team disqualified for the day on the first offense with no refund.
– iii) Repeat offenders may result in a permanent ban from the facility.
– iv) Burnouts anywhere but starting line will not be tolerated in any way and any driver caught doing so (even the first offense) is subject to immediate eviction from the property with a permanent ban from the event.

Tow Vehicles:
– i) No tow vehicles are permitted to be on the race track surface. All tow vehicles must travel down the return road.
– ii) All crew members must have restricted area wristbands.
– iii) Absolutely no one is allowed on tail gate of pickup. If passenger is in truck bed, they must sit on bed floor.