Updated Last 3.27.2024
EVENT CAPTAINS - Endurance: Laura Klauser & Matt Kalmus & Corry Johnson
EVENT CAPTAINS - Fuel Efficiency: Alba Colon, Mark Scott & Mile Thodoroffi
VENUE: Michigan International Speedway, Brooklyn, MI, USA
ON-SITE LOCATIONS: Infield & Back Straight (see map for staging)
Purpose:
The goals of the endurance and fuel efficiency event are to test the durability and fuel efficiency of the vehicles. The dual nature of the event can lead to compromises in designing for its 22 km length. Note: No repairs or work may be performed on the vehicle during the event (with the exception of tire changes due to weather conditions and seat or pedal position adjustments to accommodate the second driver).
Description:
The event is approximately 22 km, with two drivers completing 11 km segments each. A completely filled Fuel Tank is required to be eligible to run this event. No refueling is allowed during the event. Each team is given three minutes to complete the driver change.
The run order for the event will be based primarily on the Autocross event. The run order will be slowest to fastest autocross times. If a team did NOT score in the Autocross event, the vehicle will run at the beginning of the Endurance event, with the order based first on the finishing order of the Acceleration event, and then on the finishing order of the Skid Pad event. Teams without a score in any event used to determine the run order will run in the order established by the event captains. Teams must run within the 20 cars after them in the run order. For example, the team with run order position 10 must run before the run order position 30 is called to start. The Endurance Starting Penalty will be applied to teams that are not able to run in their designated run order position. The last 20 teams scheduled must run before the last car is called. All teams will be provided a minimum 15-minute window to enter the track. If the last scheduled team of the heat is not able to run when called, they will receive the Endurance Starting Penalty and will be given 15 minutes to enter the track before they are disqualified. Any team that does not comply with the run order rules as listed here will be disqualified.
The event captains reserve the right to adjust the run order as necessary during the event to maintain safe operations and the flow of the event.
If the weather conditions of the prior dynamic events have been variable, a team's Skid Pad or Acceleration result may be used as a substitute or supplement to the team's finish order in the Autocross event.
Endurance Procedures:
To compete in the Endurance event, teams must have their four-part tech sticker by 5:30 PM on Friday. Teams who have not successfully passed all parts of tech by 5:30 PM Friday will not be eligible to participate in Endurance on Saturday. Teams who have a sticker pulled can re-visit technical inspection on Saturday morning to regain the sticker; however, cars are only eligible to run Endurance within 20 cars or 15 minutes of their scheduled slot in the run order.
The team must have their fully fueled (see Fuel Efficiency Procedures) vehicle in the staging/prep area at the appointed time. Only two crew members and the two drivers assigned to the endurance event are allowed in the staging area for the vehicles. When the car is called to the staging line, the team must push the “race ready” car with driver completely belted into the staging line. Once the car is pushed to the staging line it cannot be touched by any team member except the driver in the car. The only tools allowed in the possession of the team members at the staging line are those needed for driver seating adjustment during driver change. No laptops, pressure gauges, baffles, tire wraps, etc. will be allowed at the staging line. Nothing can be brought to the starting line that is not intended to stay on the car.
When there is a space for the vehicle on the course and the timing/scoring system is set, the first driver will be motioned to the starting line. The person staging the vehicles is not obligated to give teams any advance notice prior to entering the track. An official will perform a safety check of the vehicle and the driver restraint system. The starter will stage the vehicle’s front tires at the beginning of the entrance to the track. When there is an opening on the track, the course marshal (starter) will wave the green flag, signaling the go-ahead for the driver to start. If the vehicle stalls, the driver must wait for another green flag before being allowed on the course. Note: If the vehicle cannot be restarted, the team members must move the car away from the staging area. The team will then have until 20 cars after them in the run order have been called or 15 minutes to attempt to start endurance again (an Endurance Starting Penalty will be incurred). If a team running out of order has a vehicle that stalls after entering the track and cannot be restarted, the car will be deemed disabled and will be disqualified from the event.
On the last lap of the first driver, a checkered flag will be displayed directing the vehicle to exit to the driver change area. It is the Driver’s responsibility to correctly exit the track; any person directing the car off the course is an additional aid only. Only three team members (including drivers) are allowed in the driver change area at once. After the vehicle arrives in the driver change area, the team has three minutes to get the second driver belted in and then an additional two minutes to start the car. Only adjustments to fit the second driver (or weather related tire changes) may be performed on the vehicle. No other work is allowed.
When the second driver is ready, the vehicle should be slowly driven to the starting line queue. An official will perform a safety check of the vehicle and the driver restraint system. The course marshal will stage the vehicle’s front tires at the beginning of the entrance to the track. When there is an opening on the track the course marshal will wave a green flag signaling the go-ahead for the driver to start. If the vehicle stalls, the driver must wait for another green flag before being allowed on the course.
Note: If the vehicle cannot be restarted without external assistance, the car will be deemed disabled and will be disqualified from the event.
Upon completing the last lap with the second driver, the checkered flag will be displayed and the vehicle will exit the course and will be directed to the fueling station. It is the Driver’s responsibility to exit the track, any person directing the car off the course is an additional aid only. The vehicle must go directly to the fuel station after completing endurance in order to receive a fuel score..
If either first or second driver is shown a red flag during their driving session, they must come to a controlled stop within viewing distance of the nearest flagging station and turn off their vehicle. (If they see the red flag just before the driver change exit, they may coast into the driver change area and turn off their vehicle.) All cars on track during a red flag event will be towed to the driver change area where they will wait, with driver belted in vehicle, until the track is clear. The lap in which the red flag was shown will not count in time or fuel economy calculations. When the track is clear, the drivers will be told to start their vehicle and will be released on track to finish their laps. Teams involved with a red flagged track will not be permitted to add any fuel to their vehicle.
Weather Conditions:
Teams must fit rain tires to their vehicle if the course is declared Wet.
Teams have the option of dry or rain tires if the course is declared Damp.
Teams may change tires at any time while their car is in the staging area inside the "hot" area.
All tire changes after a car has received the green flag to start the event will take place in the driver change area.
Teams may not perform any work on the vehicle other than the tire change in the driver change area.
Teams are allowed 10 minutes to change their tires in the driver change area if a Dry track is declared Damp, or if a Dry or Damp track is declared Wet. If the tire change is happening at the same time as a scheduled driver change, the 10 minutes are in addition to the three minutes allowed for the driver change.
If a track is damp, teams are allowed to pit to change their tires from dry tires to rain tires at any time (following notification of track marshal) and will be allotted 10 minutes to complete. If the team chooses to come in for a tire change mid-run, the car must be turned off for the change and restarted per driver change restart rules.
Teams are allowed to change their rain tires to dry tires at any time if the course is Dry or Damp. However, this change is not permitted during the driver change, and the time taken to change the tires is included in the team's total time for the event.
The following chart summarizes the possible track condition changes, the team's options, and the time allotted for changes:
Example: The track is Dry, and the team is competing on dry tires. If the track is declared Damp, a tire change is optional to the team, 10 minutes is allowed to make the change, and it can be done during the driver change.
General Notes:
The vehicle will be expected to be ready for competition with the first driver at the team’s run order position. Due to the nature of the event, there is no set time schedule for starting and the team must listen for announcements calling them to stagging to ensure they will be on time for their start. If the vehicle is not ready when the official starter motions the vehicle to the starting line a two minute Endurance Starting Penalty will be assessed, and the team will lose their time slot to run the event. Teams are only allowed to run within the 20 cars after them in the run order in their heat. For example, the team with run order position 10 must run before the team with run order position 30 is called to start. The last 20 teams scheduled must run before the last car is called. All teams will be provided a minimum 15 minute window. If the last scheduled team of the heat is not able to run when called, they will receive the Endurance Starting Penalty and will be given 15 minutes to enter the track before they are disqualified. Teams cannot run earlier than their scheduled run order.
The driver change will be scored as an extra-long lap. It will be assumed by scoring that the change was completed in the required time (less than three minutes) unless notified otherwise. An official will be in the driver change area timing each vehicle and monitoring that no work is done to the vehicle other than the driver change. The official will keep track of each team’s time and will notify scoring if a team has exceeded the three minute limit (from time vehicle arrives in driver change area to time vehicle leaves area). There is no competitive advantage to changing drivers in less than three minutes.
Tire changes from dry to rain tires will be scored as an extra-long lap. It will be assumed by scoring that the change was completed in the required time (less than 10 minutes) unless notified otherwise. An official will be in the driver change area timing each vehicle and monitoring that no work is done to the vehicle other than the tire change. The official will keep track of each team’s time and will notify scoring if a team has exceeded the ten minute limit (from time vehicle arrives in driver change area to time vehicle leaves area). There is no competitive advantage to changing tires in less than ten minutes.
Tire changes from rain to dry tires will have the time required to change tires added to the team's total time. The time taken to get to, and out of, the driver change area will NOT be added. An official will be in the driver change area timing each vehicle and monitoring that no work is done to the vehicle other than the tire change. The official will keep track of each team’s time and will notify scoring of the time required to change tires (from time vehicle arrives in driver change area to time vehicle leaves area).
No toolboxes will be allowed in the staging lanes or driver change area. (It is assumed only hand tools would be required to adjust the vehicle for the second driver.) In the event of tire changes due to weather conditions, tire changing equipment will also be allowed in the driver change area. Toolboxes will be allowed in the dynamic parking area (located inside the dynamic gate). Teams may work on the car in this area only. Any work done on the vehicle must be approved by a tech inspector before the team will be allowed on the endurance course.
If the vehicle leaves the course because of a mechanical/electrical problem of any type, the event is considered over for that vehicle and scoring will be notified and record the team as DNF. The vehicle will NOT be allowed to return to the track.
If the vehicle contacts a barrier on the course, the event is considered over for that vehicle and scoring will be notified and record the team as DNF. The vehicle will NOT be allowed to return to the track.
The vehicle may be restarted if it stalls on the track, but external assistance is not allowed. Stalled vehicles on track have 1 minute to restart. If they cannot restart in 1 minute, the event is considered over for that vehicle and scoring will be notified and record the team as DNF. The vehicle will NOT be allowed to return to the track.
The driver may pull in the driver change area to have belts re-tightened, if necessary, though the additional time for this procedure will be counted.
The driver may also pull the vehicle off course to remove any cones that may become trapped, though the additional time will count against the team. Please note the driver will not be allowed to get out of the car.
The lap times for the vehicle will be monitored. If the vehicle is not running within 145% of the fastest lap time run on the course the vehicle may be black-flagged and removed from the event. If this occurs with the first driver, the second driver will NOT be allowed to run, as the event will be considered over.
If a vehicle is towed off the course, the vehicle will be dropped off at the Fuel area. If the cause of tow was an impact on course, the driver will be examined by medical. If the cause was not due to impact, the driver will be shuttled to either the fuel area or driver change area. In some instances, the tow trucks may wait until a pause in the event to safely move a team’s vehicle from the track depending on where the vehicle was stranded (e.g., lunch break or end of day). The driver will be notified of the towing plan when picked up. .
Course Preparation:
Course walking times (weather permitting) for the teams will be listed on the schedule.
NO MOTORIZED VEHICLES ARE ALLOWED ON THE COURSE WALK. VIOLATORS OF THIS POLICY MAY BE DISQUALIFIED FROM THE EVENT.
Fuel Efficiency Procedures:
Calculation of fuel consumption will be made by the fueling officials and will be based upon the weight of the fuel consumed. Consumption calculation is determined by the following procedure:
- The vehicle visits the fuel station prior to the endurance event to have the fuel system filled to the ‘full’ mark.
- The vehicle returns to the fuel station immediately upon the completion of the endurance event and is refueled by this cadence:
- The full fuel can to refuel the vehicle is first measured for weight.
- The vehicle is refilled to the ‘full’ mark.
- The vehicle is then tilted to 20 degrees lifting from the fill side, if the fuel level drops it is filled to the line and lifted again until full.
- The fuel can is then measured a 2nd time for weight.
- The fuel used for the endurance event is then identified by the differences of the two weight values.
- The driver will be required to observe the entire fuel scoring process and initial the results, identifying consent.
The ‘full’ mark is a clearly defined scribe line in the filler neck or sight tube as defined by Rule IC2.6.6. The vehicle will be filled to this mark before starting the heat and again upon completion of the endurance event heat.
At the fueling station it is critical that visibility of the scribe line in the fuel filler neck is very clear.
Also, no shaking of the vehicle will be permitted at any time.
Note: All Vehicles must return for re-fueling to enable the calculation of the efficiency score.
