Tarheel Cup Series Rules

Effective February 1, 2021

1- Series

1.1  The Tarheel Cup Series (hereafter known as TCS) is a Regional racing series conducted by the North Carolina Region (NCR) of the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) and any other region(s) in the Southeast Division (SEDiv) of SCCA that requests the right to include a TCS regional race in their own region’s race schedule, pending the prior approval of the TCS Committee.

1.2  TCS races, by default, are assumed to be single-driver Regional races per GCR 3.1.2, and shall be referred to as such in their sanction documents and supplementary regulations. If a host region would like to allow multiple drivers per GCR 3.1.2.D, it must say so in advance in their sanction documents and supplementary regulations.

1.3  The series will be run under the current General Competition Rules (GCR) of the SCCA and the TCS rules.  All host region’s supplemental race regulations shall apply, not inconsistent with these rules or the GCR.  All TCS races must be insured to the regular SCCA standards by the host region.

1.4  No rule, regulation or implication in these rules is considered to imply an exception to the then current GCR of the SCCA and in any dispute regarding interpretation of these rules, the GCR and the standard operating practices of the SCCA will take precedence.

1.5  The host region of a TCS race may be asked to contribute a fee to NC Region for each entrant, per TCS race.  An entrant is defined according to the GCR.  The maximum fee per entrant, per race, if so charged, shall not exceed $15.00, but all fees are hereby waived for 2021. Any fees collected would be used by the TCS Committee for expenses and year end championship awards/prizes.

2 – Organization

2.1  The TCS Committee will govern the TCS.  The Committee will be comprised of two members of the NCR, plus an Administrator, appointed annually by the RE of the NCR.  The RE of NCR may serve as one of the committee members, but is not required to. Each Committee member plus the Administrator will have one vote.

2.2  Neither the NCR nor any other authorized region is required to host a TCS race.

2.3  The TCS Administrator will maintain the series points records and perform such other functions as may be directed by the TCS Committee.

2.4  The TCS Committee may make changes deemed necessary to the TCS Rules and request the approval of same by the Board of Directors of the NCR.

3 – Eligibility – Cars

3.1 All SCCA classes currently eligible for ECR or APC participation may be eligible for TCS participation, plus such other classes as may be added by the host region, subject to the approval of the TCS Committee.

3.2  All cars must conform to the then current SCCA GCR competition specifications and/or any other sanctioning body specifications as it applies to the eligible class(es).

4 – Eligibility- Driver

4.1 Only drivers who hold an SCCA Full Competition License or an SCCA Pro License are eligible to enter. (see GCR Appendix C, 2.8.B for license equivalencies with other organizations.) All drivers must be SCCA members in good standing

5 – Entry

5.1 TCS is a points only championship series. The series does not provide payouts to drivers.

5.2 Drivers do not need to register prior with TCS to receive points for finishing position. All entries finishing races will receive points.

6 – Races

6.1  Car numbers will be issued by the host region Registrar per their guidelines.

6.2  All races will be at least 45 minutes in length, unless a shorter time period is approved by the Committee and the host region, through the process used by the host region in scheduling and conducting races in its own region.

6.3  There may be a mandatory 2 minute pit stop for all eligible TCS classes, subject to the specification of the host region. If a pitstop is required, refueling is NOT allowed.

6.4  There will be a 40 MPH speed limit on pit road or such speed limit as specified by the host region.

6.5  The top 3 finishers in each class will report to impound.

6.6  Not all eligible TCS classes must be included in each TCS race event; such determination of the selected classes to be included in each TCS race event shall be determined by the Committee and/or the host region.

7 – Timing

7.1  Any pit stop, if mandatory, of 2 minutes in length, shall not commence until at least 1 lap after the green flag nor less than 2 minutes prior to the checkered flag.  If mandatory, failure to make a required 2 minute pit stop shall result in a time or lap penalty or possible disqualification.

7.2  Timing of any optional required pit stop will be determined through these 2 methods:

Method 1

Use the timing charts for the race, as provided by timing and scoring, to determine the fastest lap times for competitors.  By adding 2 minutes plus the time required to traverse pit lane at 40 MPH to their fastest lap time, a total pit stop time lap shall be determined for each entry.  Lap charts shall then be checked to confirm that each competitor did have a total pit stop time lap equal to or greater than the minimum determined lap time for the required pit stop lap.

Method 2

A log will be maintained to show the time and car number of all cars in a class entering and exiting pit lane, during a TCS race event, having a required pit stop.  A study of the log must show that each car (in a class required to make a pit stop) entered and exited pit lane in a total time equal to or greater than 2 minutes plus the time required to traverse the pit lane at 40 MPH.

7.3  Computation of the 40 MPH pit lane speed limit is as follows:

VIR – 12 seconds at 40 MPH
CMP – 11 seconds at 40 MPH
Charlotte – 22 seconds at 40 MPH
Roebling – 19 seconds at 40 MPH

7.4  No required pit stops will be allowed during a full course yellow.  Any car that has entered the pit lane in the process of their mandatory pit stop before a full course yellow is displayed will be allowed to continue with its pit stop and re-enter the track at the proper time.

7.5  No re-fueling will be allowed during required pit stops.

8 – Points

8.1  Finishing points will be awarded according the SCCA SEDIV SARRC points system. Points will be awarded as follows; 1st – 25 pts, 2nd – 21 pts, 3rd– 18 pts, 4th – 17pts, 5th– 16 pts, minus 1 point per finishing position to 20th. In addition, one bonus point will be awarded for each car finished ahead of in class with a maximum of 5 bonus points.

8.2  TCS championship points will be awarded according to the finishing position of all TCS entries that finish a race.

8.3  Upon receiving the final race results, per TCS race event, the Series Administrator will calculate individual points and forward the points standings to the RE’s of the participating regions to be published.

8.4  The current point standings will be available from the Series Administrator at each event.

8.5  In the event of ties for year end points, winners will be determined according to the overall average finishing position of competitors.

8.6  In order to be eligible for the year end points championship, the team must START at least 50% of the scheduled TCS races for their class for the year.

9 – Trophies/Awards

9.1  For each individual points race, the host region or the TCS Committee may award trophies to the top 3 finishers in each class.

9.2  For the end of the season point’s championship an award/prize will be awarded by the TCS Committee, to the winner of each eligible class.

10 – Disqualification

10.1  Any team/driver found to be in violation of these rules may be disqualified.  Disqualification will result in the loss of points for that particular race.

10.2  The Stewards may take away individual race and entry points due to disqualification.

10.3  The TCS Committee may take away accumulated points due to disqualification.