1996 NER Road Rally Regulations

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1996 New England Region
Road Rally Regulations

Editor's Note: This is the version of the 1996 NER/SCCA Road Rally Regulations updated through 04-Feb-1996. They were converted to HTML by hand, as a single file, with these specific changes:

Uses of glossary terms were linked to the Glossary, Article II-3.
Section IV-NER/SCCA Award Winners appears on a separate page
The Index was removed, since browsers tend to have "Find" features
Please note that this is a work-in-progress. The 1996 NER/SCCA Road Rally Regulations are in the process of being revised, and this version represents the latest proposed revisions thorough 04-Feb-1996. Each revision will be voted on by the NER/SCCA Road Rally Board.

Email comments/questions to rally@goss.com

Section I - Pre-Event Administration
- Article I-1 - Entry Requirements
- Article I-2 - Class Limitations
- Article I-3 - Equipment
- Article I-4 - General Instructions
Section II - On-the-Road Requirements
- Article II-1 - Course Following Conventions
- Article II-2 - Route Instructions
- Article II-3 - Glossary
- Article II-4 - Controls
- Article II-5 - Time Allowances
- Article II-6 - Scoring and Awards
Section III - Post-Event Administration
- Article III-1 - Waiver of Time Allowance Penalty
- Article III-2 - Claims
- Article III-3 - Annual Points, New England Rally Championship
- Article III-4 - Special Awards
Section IV - NER/SCCA Award Winners

Effective immediately after its publication, this edition supersedes all previous editions of the NER/SCCA Rally Regulations. These regulations have been developed to establish the standards under which NER rally activities can be conducted on an equitable basis for all participants.

These regulations will govern all NER/SCCA rallies eligible to contribute points toward the Region's Rally Championship. All entrants in an NER/SCCA rally will be bound by the Regulations, provided that a statement to that effect is part of the rally's General Instructions.

Last updated: 04-Feb-96

Section I - Pre-Event Administration

Article I-1 Entry Requirements

Section II - On-the-Road Requirements

Article II-1 Course Following Conventions

Section A - Universal Conventions

The following conventions are recognized as universal enough to be used without mention in the General Instructions:

Roads marked in such a manner as to indicate that they are not public or through (e.g. Private - Keep Out - Dead End, etc.) do not exist.
Roads which are illegal for the rally vehicle to enter do not exist.
Any road which clearly ends in a garage, a plant entrance, a parking lot, etc. does not exist.
`U-turns' are never required without instruction.
Information given in the route instructions in parentheses will be considered as helpful or informative but not essential for the completion of the route instruction.
Unpaved roads will be considered non-existent for any purpose with the following exceptions and clarifications:
1. A route instruction specifically directs the contestant to travel upon an unpaved road. Such a road must be described using the term `unpaved'. (e.g. `Left on unpaved').
2. A route instruction specifically directs the contestant to consider unpaved roads to exist. Such direction must use the term `unpaved'. (e.g. `Consider unpaved roads to exist until NRI XX').
3. A contestant may make a surface change from paved to unpaved without specific mention in the route instructions when forced to do so as the only route of travel.
4. The contestant may continue on unpaved only as long as no opportunity exists to take a paved road, unless otherwise instructed.
If the rally route encounters road construction, contestants will assume the road to be paved, unless otherwise instructed.
In the absence of other course following considerations, contestants should take the road that appears to go straight or as nearly straight as possible through an intersection, e.g. slant T's and multiple intersections. The determination of which road is straight or nearly straight is made at the intersection in question. Roads are judged on their merits as you enter the intersection, not how they look as you approach the intersection.
Emergency signs may be used to replace a sign or landmark or to indicate that some action should be performed. A sample will be posted at registration.

Section B - Main Road Rules

Each main road rule in this Section will be applicable to any rally whose General Instructions include its title. When more than one is used, they will be listed in order of priority.

Put on a Road by Name or Number

When directed onto a named, numbered, or lettered road by use of the term(s) `ON' or `ONTO', and the name, number or letter of the road in a route instruction, stay on that road until a subsequent course-following instruction can be executed. If an unmarked intersection is encountered or the route designation ends, continue on course as if instructed onto a road without indication of name, number, or letter. If the name, number, or letter is re-encountered prior to executing the next course-following instruction, stay on the road as described in this paragraph.

Black on Yellow Curve Arrows

Stay on the prescribed rally route as determined by official highway single-headed black-on-yellow curve arrow signs or official highway single-headed black-on-yellow directional arrow signs. Signs referred to in this main road rule are to be used with the same intent as that of the erecting agency.

Protection By Stop or Yield Signs

Stay on the main road as determined by Stop and Yield signs causing traffic on lesser roads to give right of way to the main road. The rally route leaves the intersection by the road that does not have a Stop or Yield sign, if it is the only such road. The existence of a Stop or Yield sign on the road on which you enter the intersection is immaterial. Contestants are required to recognize Stop or Yield signs from their standard octagonal and triangular shapes respectively to apply this priority.

Article II-2 Route Instructions

Section A - Format

Information issued to contestants regarding route directions and the execution of various phases of the event will be in printed (non-oral) form. This rule will not prohibit oral directions given for the sake of safety or to control traffic during the event.
Rallies which provide route instructions in a format other than written shall clearly describe, in the General Instructions, the actions to be taken by contestants to complete the course correctly (for example, where the course is illustrated in diagram form, as with tulip diagrams).
Quoted Material
1. Words, numbers, or letters appearing within quotation marks (<169> <170>) refer to written material encountered along the rally route. Spelling is precise, but capitalization and punctuation are to be ignored. The portion of a sign quoted should be readable under rally conditions, and must be used with the same intent as that of the erecting agency. Individual words and numbers are always quoted fully and in the order in which they appear with spaces as appropriate.
2. An omission of words, numbers, or letters from the middle of a quote will be designated by the use of an ellipsis (...).
3. Quotations in route instructions will never refer to written material or symbols on vehicles; painted on the road surface; on or directly attached to mailboxes; on marker stones in cemeteries; utility pole numbers; or numbers on buildings (even when such numbers are used in conjunction with words, letters, or symbols).
4. Road configuration symbols or other illustrations appearing within quotation marks refer to graphic material encountered along the rally route. Such quoted representations in route instructions shall be reasonable depictions of the actual graphic material.
5. Quoted material may or may not apply to the road you are upon. You will not have to look backward to read any quoted material; however, you may have to look everywhere else.
6. Multiple signs on a common support are considered to be the same sign. For this purpose, the planet Earth is not considered to be a sign support. Furthermore, this rule is not to be used to alter the shape of stop or yield signs.
Road Designations
1. When a route instruction references the name of a road without the use of quotation marks, the complete proper name of the road including any prefixes (e.g. North, Old, W., etc.), if applicable, will be used. When suffixes are included, they can be used interchangeably with their appropriate corresponding abbreviations (e.g. Road/Rd, Drive/Dr, Boulevard/Blvd, etc.). The rules outlined by paragraph (3)(a) of this section pertaining to written material encountered along the rally route also apply to named road designations.
2. If the `Put on a Road by Name or Number' main road rule is in effect, the following applies: After having been placed upon a named road by the use of the term `ON' or `ONTO', any subsequent road with a designation containing the exact complete proper name as was specified in that route instruction qualifies as your `ONTO' road. The complete proper name of a road is as defined in paragraph (a).
3. A sign indicating the name of a road applies to the road to which it is most nearly parallel and to the continuation (if any) of that road beyond the intersection, unless the road on the opposite side of the intersection is marked with one or more signs identifying it as a different named road.
4. When an instruction identifies a numbered route by number and/or letter, it will not necessarily specify State, County, U.S., or Interstate. Route designating sign(s) can be either parallel or perpendicular to the road which they identify, and must be used with the same intent as that of the erecting agency.

Section B - Execution

Numbered Route Instructions (NRIs) are listed and executed in ascending numerical order. An NRI is to be executed at the first opportunity and must be fully executed before consideration may be given to the next listed NRI unless overlap is specifically indicated within that instruction. The specified distance or time of a tire warm-up, odometer check, or transit zone may overlap subsequent NRIs without mention.
Lettered Route Instructions (LRIs) will be executed at every opportunity while active. The LRI or LRIs become active upon completion of the NRI immediately preceding in the Route Instructions. The LRI or LRIs may also be activated at other times by other instructions. The execution of an LRI may overlap NRIs, other LRIs and subsequent executions of the same LRI except that an action or condition which is referenced to a landmark or to quoted material may be executed only once for each encounter of the referenced landmark or quoted material along the rally route. LRIs take precedence over NRIs: if both a course-following NRI and a course-following LRI are applicable at the same point, execute the LRI and hold the NRI for later execution; if one or both of the NRI and LRI are not course-following, both may be executed at the same point.
Control Instructions (CIs) are route instructions which may be issued at a control. CIs become active at the timing line of the control at which they are issued. CIs have overriding priority and must be executed at the first opportunity. Unless otherwise specified, CIs are executed a maximum of once while active and are canceled at the timing line of the next open control or DIY control.
When a route instruction contains more than one part (or action), the parts (actions) will be executed fully in the order in which they are presented, with the exception of OR and AND/OR instructions as defined in the Glossary.

Section C - Mileages and Official Calculations

An approximate mileage is the distance from the start of a section to a point along the rally route truncated to 1/10 mile.
An official mileage is the distance from the start of a section to a point along the rally route truncated to 1/100 mile.
A delta mileage is the distance along the rally route between the first action point of an NRI and the first action point of the previously listed NRI. Delta mileages will be trunctated to 1/10 mile or 1/100 mile.
Mileage given in the left margin of a multiple part route instruction refers to the first part of that instruction. Margin mileages will not be given in the case of OR and AND/OR instructions.
A mileage given in the text of a route instruction is an interval mileage unless official mileage (OM) or approximate mileage is indicated.
When an active NRI is accompanied by an official mileage, approximate mileage, or delta mileage, it must be executed at that mileage. When an active LRI or CI is accompanied by either an official mileage, approximate mileage, or delta mileage, it may be executed only at that mileage.
Whenever a route instruction is referenced to a mileage (or equivalent elapsed time), the course will be constructed so that a contestant who reads mileage to within plus or minus 0.05 mile of official mileage may travel the course correctly.
Official time is to be presented to two (2) decimal places, rounded from calculations made to at least four (4) decimal places.

Section D - Speeds and Units of Measure

Unless otherwise specified, a speed change at an intersection occurs at the beginning of the intersection. If the route instruction (or part thereof) is not executed at an intersection, the speed change occurs at the near edge of the quoted sign or landmark unless another reference is specified.
In the case of inclement weather, poor road conditions, etc., it may be necessary to assign emergency speeds to slow contestants down to an appropriate pace. They will consist of a number of mph to decrease each assigned CAS. An emergency speed will be assigned on an emergency sign or in official information available at a break or at a control. Emergency speeds are in effect until cancelled by the rally committee. can be invoked at the start of a section or at and they will increase the elapsed time of the following leg(s) by either 10% or 20%. The method of invocation will be to have one crew member from each rally team read and initial a statement to the effect that either a 10% or 20% emergency speed is to be applied. In either case, contestants should adjust their speeds, gains, pauses, transit zones, etc. accordingly. Emergency speeds are automatically canceled upon crossing the timing line of the following open control unless reinstated as indicated above.
Units of measure, unless otherwise specified, are as follows:
1. Time will be expressed in hundredths of a minute. (e.g. Pause 50 = 1/2 minute = 30 seconds)
2. Speeds will be given in miles per hour.
3. Distances will be given in miles.

Section E - Distance between Numbered Route Instructions

The minimum distance between consecutive parts (or actions) of an NRI is one inch. The minimum distance between the point of completion of an NRI and the first action (or reference point) of the next listed NRI is one inch. The minimum distance is measured horizontally along the route of travel.
The maximum distance between points of action required by parts of an NRI is 3.00 miles. The maximum distance between the first action point of an NRI and the first action point of the next listed NRI is 3.00 miles with the exception of the use of an asterisk as noted below.
An asterisk (*) in the left margin of an NRI indicates that the distance between the first action point of that NRI and the first action point of the previously listed NRI is greater than 3.00 miles, but no greater than 5.00 miles.

Section F - Landmarks

Any landmark referenced in a route instruction must be identified by a sign, referenced to an official mileage (OM), delta mileage, or defined in the glossary.
Any term in the glossary used to define a landmark shall be used only in the sense defined.
A sign used to identify a landmark may or may not be attached to the landmark, but the identification will be obvious.
Landmarks may be referred to in the plural form or by ordinary modifiers, such as <169>first<170>, <169>second<170>, etc. without such identification on the sign or within the definition.

Article II-3 Glossary

The following terms are frequently used in rallying and are to be used in any route instruction in the context defined below. However, those terms which would otherwise be used as course-directing actions or to specify a course, when used in a different context such as `on your right', `turn in your scorecard', etc., and which cannot be construed to be course directing in nature, should be accepted as contextually presented and used accordingly.

acute: Turn more than 90 degrees at an intersection where there exists more than one opportunity to turn in the direction indicated.
AND/OR: A route instruction may be separated into two parts by the term AND/OR. If the second part can be begun first, execute it only, and the instruction is completed; if not, execute both parts, in order.
at: `Even with' for speed changes, mileages, pauses, etc.; `in the vicinity of' for course-following instructions.
bear: Turn less than 90 degrees at an intersection where there exists more than one opportunity to turn in the direction indicated.
before: Any navigational aid identified by the use of the term `before' must be visible from the execution point of the instruction. The instruction must be executed at the last opportunity prior to the navigational aid.
BFZ: Begin free zone. (see free zone)
BTZ: Begin transit zone. (see transit zone)
CAS: Change, commence, or continue average speed of the indicated miles per hour.
checkpoint: See control.
control: The timing line of an open control as identified by a checkpoint sign, or the location of a do-it-yourself control.
course-following instruction: An instruction or portion of an instruction which specifies explicitly the direction in which the contestant is to proceed.
cross: To go completely across.
crossroad: An intersection of exactly four existing roads from which a road goes to the left, a road goes to the right, and a road goes generally ahead.
DIY: Do-It-Yourself. (see Article II-4, Section C)
EFZ: End free zone.
ETZ: End transit zone.
free zone: A specified part of the timed rally route in which there are no open or closed controls.
gain: To make up a specified time during the passage of a specified interval. The gain time is subtracted from the time required at the given average speed(s) to traverse the specified interval. The specified interval in which a gain is operative will contain no timing controls.
intersection: Any meeting of existent roads from which the rally vehicle could proceed in more than one direction without making a U-turn.
island: An untraveled area visibly surrounded by existent roads. (i.e. The rally vehicle must be able to proceed legally to the left and to the right of the island.) No two consecutive Numbered Route Instructions may be executed at the same island. This definition applies whether or not the term `island' appears in the route instruction.
keep: To proceed in the direction indicated or to proceed so as to position a navigational aid in the indicated location. Keep may or may not take you in the direction that appears straight as possible.
key time: The perfect time for passage or departure of car #0 from a point. Add your car number in minutes to the key time to get your perfect passage or departure time from that point.
left (or L): A turn to the left of from 10 degrees to 170 degrees.
leg: A part of the rally extending from an assigned starting time to the next timing control or from one timing control to the next.
MTS: Mileage to sign.
odometer check (or odo check): A specified part of the rally route in which official mileages are provided so that the contestants may calibrate odometers (or speedometers for Class C). A part of the rally route specified as an odometer check is a free zone.
OM: Official Mileage.
OR: A route instruction may be separated into two parts by the term OR. Execute only that part which can be begun first, and consider the entire instruction complete.
pause: To delay a specified time at a point or during passage of a specified interval. The pause time is added to the time required at the given average speed(s) to traverse the specified interval. The specified interval in which a pause is operative will contain no timing controls.
paved: A road having an artificial hard surface such as concrete, brick, macadam, etc.
right (or R): A turn to the right of from 10 degrees to 170 degrees.
rotary: A traffic circle where all traffic is required to move in a counterclockwise direction.
SAP: To go straight as possible through an intersection.
section: Any part of the rally route at the beginning of which the official mileage is zero and at the end of which the official mileage ends or reverts to zero.
signalized intersection (or SI): An intersection controlled by one or more traffic regulating lights which need not be operating.
SOL: Sign on Left.
stop: An official octagonal stop sign which requires the rally vehicle to stop.
T: An intersection of approximately 90 degrees having the general shape of a T as you approach it from the bottom.
timing line: At a control, the imaginary line perpendicular to the route of travel, extending fully across the road.
transit zone: A part of the timed rally route in which there are no timing controls and in which no specific speed need be maintained. Either an exact time for passage, or a restart time from the end of the transit zone must be given. An approximate distance for the length of the transit zone is desirable.
turn: Make a change of course or direction at an intersection which would not have been made in the absence of any course-following instruction. If an instruction directing a turn is accompanied by an official mileage, the course following portion of that instruction must be executed redundantly.
unpaved: A road having a natural surface such as broken stone, gravel, dirt, etc.
Y: An intersection having the general shape of Y as approached from the bottom. It may not be readily discernible which direction is straight as possible at a Y.
yield: An official triangular yield sign which requires the rally vehicle to yield.

Article II-4 Controls

Section A - Basic Types of Controls

The basic types of controls (checkpoints) are the open control, the closed control, and the do-it-yourself control. The location of controls may or may not be known to contestants in advance of their reaching them. Other types of controls may be used, but only if their function is clearly stated in the General Instructions.

Section B - Open and Closed Controls

A control marks the end of one leg of a rally and the beginning of the next leg. Penalties for arriving early or late at controls will under no circumstances be cumulative; that is, controls will be scored so as not to require nor permit contestants to compensate, in succeeding legs, for any penalty they may have incurred through arriving early or late at a previous control.
Contestants will be required to stop after crossing the timing line at each open control. Contestants may not, however, stop in such a manner as to block the timing line or to obstruct traffic. Control personnel will record arrival time of contestants and assign start times for the next leg, if applicable.
Contestants may not stop at a closed control.
Contestants who are visibly delayed (e.g. by another vehicle) while approaching a control may be allowed an adjustment of their time of arrival by the amount of the delay, without penalty. Contestants should advise the control personnel at an open control of the amount of lateness caused by the delay, but the control personnel make the final determination as to the allowable time adjustment. Delays encountered at closed controls must be reported to a rally official at the first opportunity. The contestant must exercise the option of receiving an adjusted arrival time prior to receiving information as to the leg's official time.
If a contestant feels that he has been mistimed, he should immediately bring this to the attention of the control personnel or a rally official at the first opportunity. Allegations of timing discrepancies of less than 0.03 minute will not be considered.
The following minimum information must be made available to each vehicle at open controls or at designated places where closed controls are used: official mileage, the number of the next NRI to be executed (when an NRI is in the process of being executed this must be stated explicitly), any LRIs which are active (if an LRI is deactivated at a control, this must be explicitly stated), the correct speed at which to begin the next leg, and the official correct time for the leg just completed. This information will be presented to contestants by means of a written `control slip'; if the rally committee elects to use `out markers', it must describe their use in the General Instructions for the event.
Additional route instructions, as described in Article II-2, Section B-3, may be issued at a control.
Evasive Action:
1. At the discretion of the control personnel, a penalty will be assessed for stopping, slowing to less than one-half of the rally speed or for making a `U-turn' prior to crossing the timing line within the control personnel's view. Whether or not the contestant can recognize the control from the evasive action point is immaterial.
2. The penalty will not be assessed if the action was made in the interest of safety, while in a free zone, to investigate an intersection, when required by law, or when permitted to do so by a route instruction.
3. The penalty will not be assessed if a vehicle turns away from a control at an intersection in order to follow the rally course.
4. When an evasive action penalty is to be assessed, the offending vehicle will be `timed in' at the point of the infraction as well as the vehicle's actual crossing of the timing line.
5. The control personnel will assess the penalty in writing on the scorecard of the offending vehicle and will enter the time of infraction as its arrival time.
Controls will be located on the right-hand side of the route and so positioned as not to create a traffic hazard. The timing line will be properly identified with a visible checkpoint sign. No control at which the contestant is required to be on time will be positioned so soon after a congested area, a heavily traveled road, a lengthy no passing zone, immediately following an intersection at which the contestant is required to stop or turn, or any other condition likely to delay rally vehicles, as to deny contestants adequate opportunity to recover all time lost as a result of such conditions.
Closing of Controls - After the start or time-of-day restart, the first control will close no earlier than twenty minutes, the second control no earlier than thirty minutes, and the third and subsequent controls no earlier than forty minutes after the perfect arrival time of the last vehicle from the start or prior time-of-day restart unless all vehicles are known to have cleared the control.

Section C - Do-It-Yourself (DIY) Controls

The DIY control ends a portion of the rally route (DIY leg) for which the contestant must calculate (or estimate) the leg time, using the speeds and/or times given in the instructions. A route instruction (possibly control instruction) may specify where to start a DIY leg. An instruction will specify where to end the DIY leg. The interval designated as a DIY leg will contain no open controls. A DIY leg may be within a free zone. A contestant must enter the calculated or actual time of arrival for the DIY leg, in minutes and hundredths of minutes, on his or her scorecard prior to entering the next open control (if applicable). Either the general instructions or route instructions will specify when to start the subsequent leg (if any). Unless otherwise specified, the speed to start the next leg should be the same as the last speed assigned for the DIY leg.

Article II-5 Time Allowances

Section A - Circumstances

Should the contestant find himself or herself delayed for any reason, he or she is urged to take a time allowance for that leg. Delay associated with a time allowance must not be taken within sight of a control; allowed delays are provided for in Article III-1, Section B.

Section B - The Allowance

The time allowance must be requested in writing by the contestant on the scorecard in the appropriate box prior to entering the next open control. In addition, it will be incumbent upon the contestant, immediately upon arrival at the open control for which the allowance is claimed, to ensure that control personnel make note of the allowance claimed.

Time allowance procedures for events with closed controls will be defined in the general instructions.

If you take a time allowance on a DIY leg, increase your start time for the subsequent leg by the amount of the time allowance.

Section C - Increments

If a time allowance is requested at an open control, it must be in the amount of 0.50, 1.50, 2.50, 3.50, ... , 19.50 minutes.

Time allowances in excess of 19.50 minutes may be allowed by the claims committee, but only under the most special of circumstances.

Section D - Warning

Contestants are reminded that there is a penalty for using a time allowance and that controls will be closing at their scheduled time.

Article II-6 Scoring and Awards

Section A - Scoring Penalties

Per leg, each hundredth
of a minute early or late
at a timing control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 point

Each use of a time allowance  . . . . . . . additional points equal
                                            to the leg timing error
                                          to a maximum of 50 points

Use of alternate leg time (when available) . . . . . . .  50 points

Evasive action (time at point of infraction plus)  . . . 100 points

Missing a timing control   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 300 points

MAXIMUM PENALTY AT ANY ONE TIMING CONTROL  . . . . . . . 300 points

Section B - Missed Control

A contestant physically missing one or more consecutive controls will be scored for the leg in which he or she encounters a control based upon his or her elapsed time from his or her prior time out (or start time) and the sum of the calculated elapsed time for the legs. His or her score at each control physically missed will be the missed control penalty.

Section C - Computations and Errors

Each contestant is responsible for completely scoring his or her own scorecard before his or her card will be accepted by the scoring committee. Accuracy of scores will be checked by the scoring committee. Any errors will be corrected.
When a contestant has reason to believe that an error has been made in his or her score, he or she may bring the matter to the attention of the scorers. Any request by a contestant for a review of his score must be made to the scoring committee within 15 minutes after the official announcement of the rally results.

Section D - Ties

In the event of a tie for any finishing position(s), the tie will not be broken, and duplicate annual championship points will be awarded. If the position in contention is entitled to a trophy, duplicate trophies will be awarded. The position immediately below the tie position will be considered vacant.

Section E - Disciplinary Penalties

Any of the following offenses will automatically result in disqualification:

Drinking an alcoholic beverage at the start of or during a rally;
Receiving a citation, ticket, or arrest for any in-motion traffic violation;
Careless or reckless driving or flagrant violation of any motor vehicle law;
Conduct detrimental to the sport, or unsportsmanlike conduct as determined by at least two members of the rally committee or the claims committee.

Section F - Awards

Awards will be made in each class according to the following minimum schedule:

 1 -  5 vehicles   1 trophy
 6 - 10 vehicles   2 trophies
11 - 17 vehicles   3 trophies
18 - 26 vehicles   4 trophies
27 - 37 vehicles   5 trophies
     etc.

Section III - Post-Event Administration

Administrative Discard. The decision to discard a leg of a rally shall be the exclusive responsibility of the rally chairperson any time prior to consideration of a claim by the claims committee, and his or her reasons for doing so shall be stated to the Official Observer before announcing his or her decision to the contestants. The decision to discard a leg by the rally chairperson must be posted (with leg number, reason, and time posted) and announced within one hour of the arrival time of the last vehicle at the final control of the rally. The rally chairperson's decision to discard a leg is not subject to claims by contestants.

Article III-1 Waiver of Time Allowance Penalty

Section A - Submission of Request

A request for waiver of penalty must be submitted to the claims committee within one hour after the arrival time at the final control. If the final control is located more than 20 minutes from the finish, an appropriate adjustment will be made by the rally committee.

Section B - Grounds for Request

If the time allowance was necessitated by a genuine emergency unconnected with any act of the contestant such as a closed railroad crossing, funeral procession, roadblock, etc., or an accident in which the contestant was not involved, the condition should be verified in writing by another contestant or a rally official. (Waivers are not allowed for reasons such as flat tires, bathroom stops, off-course excursions, electrical or mechanical failures, traffic delays, etc.)
The request will also be considered if the delay was caused by an alleged error or ambiguity in the rally. The waiver will only be considered if the situation was the ONLY cause of the lateness.
When stopping to assist a competitor or rally official with a disabled vehicle, the first rally vehicles on the scene may stop to lend assistance, if necessary. When verified, no time allowance penalty will be assessed.

Article III-2 Claims

Section A - On-The-Road Claims

A claim concerning a condition existing or occurring on the route of the rally must be submitted to the claims committee within one hour after the arrival time at the final control. If the final control is located more than 20 minutes from the finish, an appropriate adjustment will be made by the rally committee.

Section B - Submission of Claims

Each claim must be submitted in writing on a NER/SCCA Claim Form and must be signed by both the driver and navigator, and identified by the claimant's vehicle number. The claim must cover three points:

The matter under dispute described in detail citing the alleged violation of the General Instructions, the supplement to those instructions, and/or the NER/SCCA Rally Regulations;
Clear indication that the matter under dispute was the direct cause of a penalty to the claimant. Substantiating details may be given, but will not be required. If deemed necessary by the claims committee (and only by the claims committee), the contestant may be requested to give additional information by the use of an oral presentation.
The written claim must request possible forms of relief, such as, but not limited to the following:
1. Waiver of time allowance penalty (if applicable) and/or extension of maximum time allowance permitted,
2. Elimination of other penalties incurred, e.g. for missed controls,
3. A score on the leg affected which is the average of the competitor's score on the other legs of the rally,
4. Rescoring of a leg for only the vehicle affected,
5. Rescoring the leg for all vehicles, i.e., correction of the official leg time,
6. Discard of the leg.

In the case of the Rally Board withdrawing the sanction of an event retroactively, that rally will be deleted from the annual championship series. The Rally Board must do so within 60 days following the event for which sanction is being withdrawn.

Section B - Points

Championship points may be earned by an individual in the capacity of driver, navigator or worker.
Championship class as determined by the pointskeeper will be the class in which the competitor has run in the greatest number of events. At year-end, if an equal number of events has been run in each of two classes, the classification will be the class in which the competitor last competed. Points earned in one class are not transferable to another class.
The pointskeeper will determine the classification of driver or navigator by the role in which the competitor has run in the greatest number of events within the determined championship class. At year-end, if an equal number of events has been run in each role, the classification will be determined by the role in which the competitor last competed. After a competitor's role has been determined, up to two rallies in the opposite role will be available in determining the greatest number of placement points.
The placement points accumulated from up to a maximum of seven events comprise the competitor's total placement points. The pointskeeper will use the best finishing positions in determining this point total.
Worker points to a maximum of twenty, and special event points to a maximum of eight, will be added to the competitor's total placement points to determine the competitor's championship points for that competition year.
A cumulative record of each competitor's points will be kept by or at the direction of the Rally Board and the standings will be submitted to Pit Talk at least twice a year.
If no entrant leaves the start of an NER/SCCA event, sanction for the event is withdrawn and no one will receive championship points for the event.

Section C - Awards and Eligibility

The championship points for each competition year will be summarized as soon as possible after the last rally of the competition year, and suitable awards will be presented to the year's champion driver and navigator in Classes A, B, and C. Ties in the New England Rally Championship will not be broken. The awards will be presented at the Region's annual meeting.
Membership in NER/SCCA is required for year-end awards.
All participants in NER rallies, guest entrants as well as members of the Region, will receive championship points. Non-members will not be eligible for championship awards. Any person joining NER/SCCA during the year will be allowed to count only the two immediately previous sanctioned rallies of that competition year toward championship awards.

Section D - Placement Points

Driver/navigator points will be awarded only on the basis of finishing position in Class A, B and C and not on the score of any individual section of a rally or in a supplementary event.
Each competitor in a NER/SCCA rally will be awarded a number of placement points based on the vehicle's finishing position in class according to the schedule set forth as follows:
```
Position Points    Position Points

    1 . . 10           6 . .  3
    2 . .  8           7 . .  2
    3 . .  6           8 . .  1
    4 . .  5           9 . .  1
    5 . .  4          10 . .  1
```
NOTE: Placement points of zero will be awarded for a finishing position lower than tenth place.

Section E - Worker Points

Workers receive worker points for serving in one, and only one, of the following functions:

     Function               Max per event     Points (2)

     Rallymaster (1) . . . . . . . 2 . . . . . . 12
     Chairperson (1) . . . . . . . 1 . . . . . .  8
     Official Checker (1,3)  . . . 2 . . . . . . 10
     Publicity Chair (1) . . . . . 1 . . . . . .  8
     Chief of Controls (1) . . . . 1 . . . . . .  8
     Day-of-event worker (1) . unlimited . . . .  4

Notes:

(1) This function must be approved by the Rally Board prior to the event.

(2) Workers not present at the event or not participating in a major portion of the event receive 4 less points.

(3) Four official checkers may be approved by the Rally Board.

Any entrant leaving the start of a NER/SCCA championship event is not eligible to receive event worker points (e.g. entrants who work a control during a rally will receive only placement points).