Tarheel Cup Rules
Tarheel Cup (TCE & TCS)
Standard Operating Procedures
2024 (March 2024)
- PURPOSE
1.1 The purpose of Tarheel Cup is to provide and organize regional endurance races for drivers at North Carolina Region SCCA events.
1.2 The Tarheel Cup supersedes and replaces the previous ECR and Tarheel Cup Series events at NC Region events.
- THE TARHEEL CUP COMMITTEE
2.1 The TC Committee is responsible for the development of rules, standards, and procedures for TC events. The Committee shall consist of 3 members: the NC Region RE, NC Region Asst. RE and Comp Board Director, and a TC Administrator appointed by the RE of the Region whose job description is listed in Section 10.
2.2 The purpose of the TC Committee is to develop and enforce TC rules and to provide for continuity and consistency within the program. The TC Committee does not govern car class rules, race groups, or anything else that does not pertain to the perpetuation and continuity of the events.
- POLICY STATEMENTS
3.1 Corrections, additions, deletions, changes, updates, etc. to these guidelines may be made only by a majority vote of the TC Committee on an item-by-item vote. Latest revision is parenthetically noted in Title box. (April 2023)
- RACES
4.1 There may be one or more Tarheel Cup races per one, two or three day events.
4.2 All TC events are to be sanctioned by SCCA and will be held under the provisions of the current GCR of the SCCA. Current SEDiv Regional class rules are published on www.sedivracing.com and are a part of the rules. All Tarheel Cup s will be held in the Southeast Division and will be listed on the SEDivision schedule as TC regional races. A Tarheel Cup may be held in conjunction with a Majors, Regional, Drivers School, SARRC, Time Trial or other endurance series.
- PRE AND POST RACE REGULATIONS
5.1 A copy of each TC race supplementary regulations and entry form will be sent to the TC Administrator. NC region may add appropriate classes to fill the field.
5.2 The Region will be responsible for the T&S of their TC races. All pit stop auditing will be verified by the TC Operating Steward or designate and penalties may be applied. GCR time frames for posting of Official Results shall be followed. At all TC races, when a driver/car is disqualified, all others below him/her in class will move up one finishing position and any penalties will be noted in the results.
5.3 A list of qualifiers, race results and the Orbits trophy distribution list will be sent to the TC Administrator within seven (7) days. Electronic transmission is preferred. Official Results shall include OA time, membership number and region.
- RACE OPERATION AND PIT STOPS
6.1 Race grids shall be filled according to GCR 6.4.2.
6.2 The TC Operating Steward shall be the operating steward or backup steward for all TC Races, but not necessarily practice or qualifying.
6.3 TC run groups may include shorter length regional sprint segments (TC Short) not to exceed 45 minutes without a required pit stop. Such 45 minute segments shall not permit a driver change and therefore shall not be considered an for sanctioning purposes. The 45-minute segment will end with a black flag at start/finish accompanied by a prominent sign stating “End of 45” or equivalent. It is suggested that the flag and sign remain out for a second lap. 45-minute competitors will have a one lap grace period to retire before being disqualified. This procedure must be explained thoroughly in supps and driver meetings.
There shall be at least one (1) mandatory minimum five (5) minute pit stop every two hours for each race that exceeds 45 minutes in length and which also allows optional driver changes (TC Long) and no less than once every two hours. Additionally, any other fuel stops shall be five (5) minutes in duration. Pit stops may be conducted under green flag conditions or continue under full course yellow conditions if commenced under green flag conditions, but not under red flag or black flag all conditions (see 6.6 and 6.7 below).
The mandatory 5-minute pit stop shall not commence until at least 1 lap after all cars have taken the green flag and must be completed prior to the display of the checkered flag. Any race segment that is scheduled for forty-five (45) minutes or less shall be exempt of any mandatory pit stop and no refueling is permitted.
6.4 For those entries for which a pit stop is required (TC Long), the minimum penalty for a short pit stop will be accessed in this order: 1 to 5 seconds – 1 lap, 6-30 seconds – 2 laps, over 30 seconds or no pit stop, minimum penalty moved to last place in class.
6.5 There will be impound after the TC race as per the GCR. The top three (3) cars in each class must report to impound and be weighed. Failure to report to impound may result in disqualification.
6.6 The TC Operating Steward may shorten a TC race in accordance with track conditions and event situations. In that circumstance, once the entire field has taken the green flag, it is considered an official TC points race regardless of length. If not in a red flag or black flag all situation and time reduction is considered necessary, reduction should happen to all sessions/races remaining in the event for that day. For cars taking their five-minute pit stop when the red flag or black flag is thrown their pit stop timing stops until the course goes green and then their pit stop timing resumes. No work to the cars shall be performed during a red flag or black flag situation.
6.7 No car/driver shall begin a 5 min. pit stop after a full course yellow has been shown. Any car/driver in the pits when a full course yellow begins may continue with their pit stop and may re-enter the track at the proper time to count the stop as the required 5 min. stop.
6.8 A car/driver experiencing mechanical problems of an unsafe nature may enter the pits during a full course yellow as a matter of safety. This stop will not be counted as the mandatory 5 min. stop.
6.9 The car engine shall be off and the driver completely out of the car during any refueling (if permitted by event Supplemental Regulations) and no one shall be working on the car during the refueling process. Those personnel involved (either holding funnel or pouring fuel from gas can) with the refueling shall wear fire resistant clothing with face coverings (balaclavas) and eye protection (goggles or face shield), gloves and closed shoes. All other individuals going over the wall must wear sleeved shirts, long pants and closed toe shoes. All pit areas must be equipped with a competitor supplied 10 lb. 60 BC or ABC fire extinguisher to GCR specifications and held by a crew member with the pin REMOVED during fueling operations. The competitor must supply water or speedy dry in case of a fuel or oil spill.
6.10 If permitted, fueling gear shall consist of a gas can with a filler spout or funnel at a minimum. A pan or similar means of catching fuel spills or overflow must be provided during refueling. Overhead fueling rigs not to exceed 80” in height at any point are permitted provided they have a “dead man” spring loaded automatic shutoff valve. A maximum of 20 gallons of gas is allowed in the “hot pit” area per car.
6.11 Air hoses should be removed from the vehicle/hot pit area prior to the car leaving the pit stall. Any car running over an air hose shall be subject to a one-lap penalty. Pits with compressed air cylinders must have a cage covering the valve area per GCR section 6.4.7.
6.12 Any competitor using an electric air compressor in the hot pit area cannot keep fuel near the compressor or its electric connections.
- PIT STOP TIMING
7.1 Pit stops are defined as wheel stop to wheel go. Pits stops will be checked against the time cards for each car as provided by Timing & Scoring. By adding five minutes plus the time required to traverse pit lane at the specified mph to the recorded fastest lap time, a pit stop time shall be determined for each competitor. Time cards will be checked to ascertain that the competitor had a total time equal to or greater than that pit stop time total.
7.2 Alternative Pit Stop timing: Tracks with permanently installed pit road loops, time will be 5 minutes plus traverse time. (This method cannot be used until published traverse time is re-measured for this method). If this method is used, it must be DETAILED in the Supplemental Regulations for the event.
7.3 Listed below are the times to traverse pit lane for the tracks that may possibly run a TC:
Roebling Road 10 seconds at 40 mph
Road Atlanta 14 seconds at 40 mph
CMS 22 seconds at 40 mph
CMP 11 seconds at 40 mph
VIR 12 seconds at 40 mph
- DRIVER ELIGIBILITY and AWARDS DISTRIBUTION
8.1 All SCCA approved drivers and Novice permit holders (with Drivers Schools completed) are eligible.
8.2 TC trophies will be awarded per GCR guidelines.
- CLASS/CAR ELIGIBILITY
9.1 ITA, ITB, ITC, ITR, ITS, IT7, IT7R, SM, SSM, SMX, SMT, SMSE, SMSET, SRF, SRF3, EP, FP, HP, GT3, GTL, B-Spec, C-Spec, T3, T4, STL, STU, and SPU Classes are all eligible. Classes may be added as they are approved by the Comp Board or SEDiv. To enable Team drivers to participate in TC events, Regional-only ERB Classes SE1, SE2, SE3, SE4 are eligible.
- TC ADMINISTRATOR
10.1 The Chair of the TC Committee shall appoint the TC Administrator.
10.2 Shall be responsible to the TC Committee.
10.3 Duties:
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- To coordinate the efforts of the TC Committee and to conduct TC
- Shall be the Official
- To report TC matters to the TC
- To act as a mediator on TC
- Shall assist or act as liaison between the TC Committee and the NC Region for TC
- To check compliance of TC rules by the Region
- To notify the TC Committee members of meetings, prepare the agenda and assist as needed
- TARHEEL CUP OPERATING STEWARD
11.1 A TC Operating Steward or designate will be appointed by the SEDIV Chief Steward and attend every TC race possible.
11.2 Duties:
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- Shall be the Operating Steward for all TC
- May impose fines and penalties as outlined in the GCR and TC
- Is accountable to the TC Committee and the SEDiv Executive Steward
- Verify TC rules are being followed in all specialties
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11.3 The TC Operating Steward shall be reimbursed by the hosting Region for reasonable expense.
- OFFICIALS
Committee members (4/23):
Chair: Anna Crissman, RE North Carolina Region
Asst. Chair: Megan Tyler, Asst. Chair and Comp. Board Director NC Region
TC Administrator: Sam Fouse, NC Region Treasurer