CHANGES MADE ON 02/20/07 ARE COLORED RED

Drift Buffet Competition Series 2007

OVERVIEW

The 2007 Drift Buffet Competition series is composed of seven individual competition events. All of the 2007 events will be run at the Orange Show Speedway at the NOS Event Center in San Bernardino, CA. The Orange Show Speedway is easily accessible from virtually all of Southern California, including San Diego. The track itself is a fully-paved ¼ mile banked oval, and the competition courses will use both the banked turns, and the paved infield in order to showcase the drivers’ abilities. The venue features ample parking, full concession and restroom facilities, a vendor booth area, car show display area, competitor pits, and two 5000 seat grandstands.

These are amateur drifting competitions, and in order to accommodate the wide range of skill and vehicle preparations, we have created a unique competition format that features two competition classes, bracket knockout competition, and motocross style Last Chance Qualifying.

CHANGES AND UPDATES

All rules, classification parameters, competition format, and licensing requirements are subject to change. It is the driver’s responsibility to know the rules and be aware of any changes or updates that affect him or her. If you have questions, please contact Brian@driftbuffet.com .

Drift Buffet Competitions are intended to be as enjoyable for the driver and for the fans as possible without compromising safety or fairness. As such, this rule package is as simple as it can be made. Rules, however, can be as detailed as required. If the simplicity of these rules creates conflict, then more detailed and complicated rules will be put into place. We hope not to have to do this, but ultimately it is up to the sportsmanship and spirit of the participants to handle themselves.

GENERAL PARTICIPANT RULES

The safety and success of the events depends heavily on the attitude and behavior of the participants. Everyone who is involved with these events, from drivers and crew to vendors and sponsors will be held to the highest standard of sportsmanship and safety. Those who cannot follow this requirement will be disqualified and removed from the facility with no rights or privileges, and without refund.

· Only one driver is allowed to compete per car

· Each driver may only compete in one class

· The car that the driver qualifies in shall be the only car that driver is allowed to use during that event.

· Drivers’ meetings are mandatory. Failure to attend a driver’s meeting may result in disqualification without refund.

· Technical inspection is mandatory. No car or driver will be allowed on track until the vehicle and driver’s equipment as passed the technical and safety inspection.

· Behavior that is determined by the stewards to be unsafe, offensive, unsportsmanlike, or otherwise disruptive to the general enjoyment of the event is not allowed, and may result in disqualification and removal without refund or privileges.

· Pit areas are to be kept clean and shall not pose unnecessary danger to other participants

· Drivers are responsible for picking up their trash during the event, and before they leave. Those who leave trash behind may be penalized by monetary fee before they may register for another event.

· The speed limit for all vehicles inside the facility is 5mph

· Drivers are responsible for their crew members and crew member violations may result in driver disqualification.

· All participants must sign a liability waiver before they are allowed into the facility.

· All participants may be asked to show their wristbands at any time. Altered or damaged wristbands may result in removal from the facility without refund.

· Only drivers, media, and Drift Buffet staff will be allowed on the race course.

· Minors shall not be allowed to participate without proper consent from their parents or legal guardian.

· Drift Buffet LLC retains all rights to video, audio, or photographic recordings of these events.

· In some cases, a participant may be asked to provide access to their vehicle or their person for the benefit of media. All participants must make themselves available to the media.

GENERAL TECHNICAL REQUIRMENTS

All vehicles and drivers must conform to a general set of safety and technical requirements before they will be allowed to participate. These technical and safety inspections do not guarantee or imply the legality of the vehicles for on-road use, nor are they meant to indicate any degree of performance, safety, or reliability of the vehicle. It is the driver’s responsibility to ensure that the vehicle and driver’s safety equipment meet these guidelines. Failure to meet the general technical and safety guidelines before the start of qualifying (or the start of licensing, for unlicensed drivers) will result in a disqualification without refund.

· Battery must properly secured and positive terminal covered

· Batteries that have been relocated may not be in the passenger compartment, and must be enclosed in a securely-mounted box.

· Engine compartment must be free of loose items (air filter, hoses, wires, etc)

· No fluid leaks or exposed wires are allowed

· Brake lights must function properly (at least two red functioning brake lights)

· Hazard lights must function properly (at least two amber lights on each end of the vehicle)

· Headlights must function properly

· Seats must be properly mounted and secure

· Seatbelts or safety harnesses must be properly mounted and secure

· Brake pads and rotors must be in good condition (min 25% thickness)

· Tires must be road-worthy and safe (min 3/32 tread depth, no sidewall damage)

· R-Compound tires are not allowed

· All tires must have a minimum treadwear of 140 and must be publicly available in the United States

· Wheels and wheel bearings must be tight and road worthy

· Wheels studs or bolts must be tightened to at least 90 lb/ft of torque

· Windshield must be free of cracks and damage

· Helmets must be SNELL 2000 or SNELL 2005 and free of damage

· No loose items are allowed in passenger compartment or trunk

· Convertible vehicles must have an SCCA-legal roll bar for Street Class competition, and must conform to roll-cage standards for Tandem Class competition, but are not required to have a top.

· Front wndows, both driver's side and passenger side, must be rolled down when the car is on the track. Window tint is allowed.

· Vehicles that are damaged or malfunction at any point during the day will have their technical approval revoked and must be re-certified before they are allowed back onto the track.

· All vehicles that qualify for Top-16 competition must have the provided windshield banner, vehicle number, and sponsor panel decals properly displayed. Failure to meet his requirement may result in disqualification without refund.

COMPETITION CLASSES AND ELIGIBILITY

STREET CLASS
The Street Class is designed for drivers who do not have race cars, and who are not yet ready for professional-style competition.

Eligibility

· Drivers in the Street Class may not hold a professional racing license.

· They may not have ever been issued a D1 Grand Prix or Formula D license.

Safety Equipment

· SNELL 2000 or 2005 helmet is required

· If the driver does not have a driver’s suit, he or she must wear closed-toed shoes, long pants, and long sleeves made of cotton fabric.

· If the driver does not have an SFI-approved harness, then the factory seatbelts may be used

Vehicle

· Street Class competition vehicles do not need to be street legal, however they may not be purpose-built race cars. Technical inspection and classification does not indicate or imply that a vehicle is legal to drive on public roads. Check your local laws and restrictions. All approval or denial of technical inspection is at the discretion of the Drift Buffet race stewards, and will be considered final.

· Interior may be removed, however the factory (or factory-style) dash must be retained.

· Body panels must be securely fastened and must resemble the original vehicle appearance. All body panels must be fastened to the car unless damaged in that day’s competition.

· Suspension components are unlimited, as long as all factory suspension pickup points are retained.

· Engine, drivetrain, and chassis modifications are unlimited, except where prohibited below, or when they fall outside the spirit of the class.

· Vehicles to be driven in the Street Class are not to be "race cars."

· Vehicles that have one or more components of a "race car" (for example roll cages) will be classified at the discretion of the Drift Buffet
stewards.

· Tube frames and tube extensions are not allowed.

· Fuel cells are not allowed

TANDEM CLASS
The Tandem Class is designed for drivers who have race-prepared vehicles and can demonstrate safety and competence in close-quarters drifting. These drivers are only a short step below professional racing.

Eligibility

· Drivers in the Tandem Class may not hold a professional racing license other than D1 Grand Prix or Formula D, or where the stewards have determined that the driver is not a professional racing driver.

· They may not have placed in the top-32 in any professional drifting competition (for example: D1 Grand Prix, Formula D) in the current or previous seasons.

Safety Equipment

· SNELL 2000 or 2005 helmet is required

· SFI 3.2a/1(or better) one-piece driving suits are required

· SFI-approved or FIA homologated safety harness is required, and must be properly installed in the vehicle

· SCCA-legal six point rollover cages with side-intrusion bars are required (four point rollover bars with side-intrusion bars added are ok).

Vehicle

· Street Class competition vehicles do not need to be street legal. Technical inspection and classification does not indicate or imply that a vehicle is legal to drive on public roads. Check your local laws and restrictions. All approval or denial of technical inspection is at the discretion of the Drift Buffet race stewards, and will be considered final.

· Interior may be removed, however the factory (or factory-style) dash must be retained.

· Body panels must be securely fastened and must resemble the original vehicle appearance. All body panels must be fastened to the car unless damaged in that day’s competition.

· Suspension components are unlimited, as long as all factory suspension pickup points are retained.

· Engine, drivetrain, and chassis modifications are unlimited, except where prohibited below, or when they fall outside the spirit of the class.

· Tube frames and tube extensions are not allowed

COMPETITION FORMAT

LICENSING
Any license issued by Drift Buffet may be revoked by the race stewards at their discretion.

Unlicensed Drivers

· All previously unlicensed drivers must submit to provisional license testing. The purpose of this testing is to ensure that a driver will be safe to himself and others on the track. Once a driver demonstrates that he or she can negotiate the course safely, he or she will be issued a Provisional License.

· All provisional licensing decisions and dispute resolutions are at the discretion of the Drift Buffet stewards, and will be considered final.

Provisionally Licensed Drivers

· Drivers who have been issued a Provisional License during the current season may register for and compete in competition qualifying.

· Provisionally licensed drivers who are not issued a Competition License during the season must re-submit to provisional license testing the following season.

Competition Licenses

· Drivers who place in the Top-8 in their class at an Drift Buffet Competition during the season will be awarded a Competition License.

· Competition licenses will carry-over into the following season, however if that driver fails to place in the Top-8 in that season, the license shall be revoked and the driver will be required to submit for re-licensing.

Licensing/Competition Cost and Payment

· Unlicensed drivers who wish to compete will pay $145 and register through the Drift Buffet website.

· Licensed drivers will pay $120 and register through the Drift Buffet website.

· Drivers who pass the license exam and are issued a Provisional License will practice and attempt to qualify that day.

· Drivers who do not pass the licensing exam will not be issued a Provisional License, and they will not practice or attempt to qualify.

· They will, however, be given a credit for a day of practice and instruction at a Drift Buffet practice event in order to help them improve.

QUALIFYING
Drivers who hold either a Competition License or a Provisional License may practice for and compete in competition qualifying. The qualifying formats for the two classes are substantially different, however. While the Tandem Class follows a commonly practiced procedure, the Street Class uses a unique qualifying format similar to Supercross Last Chance Qualifying. This format is intended to get the best performances from the drivers, keep competition close during all stages of the event, and keep the competition fresh from one event to the next. Please read the qualifying procedure carefully.

Street Class Qualifying

· After final qualifying practice, every driver who will be participating in Street Class qualifying will be issued a number at random (by a computer, not a human).

· The group of drivers will then be separated into two qualifying heats. Drivers with even numbers issued will be in Heat 1, and drivers with odd numbers will be in Heat 2.

· Each driver will then be given three consecutive laps, each of which will be judged

· The judges’ scores for each lap will be totaled, and the lowest single-lap total will be dropped. The remaining two laps will also be totaled, and that total will be that driver’s qualifying score.

· For each heat, the seven drivers with the top scores will advance.

· In the case of a tie, the driver with the highest single-lap score will advance.

· If the single lap scores are identical, then a runoff will be held.

· After the top seven from each heat are selected, the remaining drivers in each heat will be allowed on last judged lap to compete for the final position (Last Chance Qualifier, or LCQ)

· The winner of the LCQ will join the seven already selected from his or her heat, for a total of 16 drivers.

· The 16 drivers will then be ranked by qualifying total, and will advance to the competition round.

Tandem Class Qualifying

· Tandem Qualifying will be conducted in single judged laps.

· Each driver will then be given three consecutive laps, each of which will be judged

· The judges’ scores for each lap will be totaled, and the lowest single-lap total will be dropped. The remaining two laps will also be totaled, and that total will be that driver’s qualifying score.

· The top 16 drivers will advance, and will be ranked by qualifying score

· In the case of a tie, the driver with the highest single-lap score will advance.

· If the single lap scores are identical, then a runoff will be held.

COMPETITION ELIMINATION ROUNDS
The top 16 drivers from each class will be ranked according to qualifying score, and will then be paired in head-to-head brackets. The winner of each paired bracket will move on to the next round until a winner is declared for each class.

Street Class

· Each pair of drivers will advance to the starting line, where they will take alternating judged laps.

· Each driver will take two laps

· The driver with the higher Top-16 ranking will take the first lap

· The driver who is judged to have won the heads-up pairing will advance to the next round and face the next driver in the bracket until only one driver remains

· The winner of the final round will be the event winner for his or her class.

Tandem Class

· The Tandem Class will compete in a standard “tsuiso” battle, where the driver who out-drives and outwits his opponent shall advance.

· Passing is not allowed except to avoid collision that might result from lead car driver error or mechanical failure.

· In the case of vehicle contact, the judges will decide if the following vehicle caused the contact, and if the contact was avoidable.

· If the following driver is a fault, he or she will forfeit that lap.

· The winner of each tandem pair will advance to the next round until only one driver remains.

· The winner of the final round will be the event winner for his or her class.

Bracket Pairings

The brackets shall be arranged as follows: