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The upcoming weekend is looking really good and competitive for OTA at Shannonville on the Pro and Long Tracks
Please read the Supplementary Regulations at Rules - Ontario Time Attack as well as the notes to Competitors
Ontario Time-Attack at Shannonville 2021, Notes from the Organizers
Welcome to events 4 and 5 of the 2021 Ontario Time-Attack season. We hope you enjoy the friendly competition of the weekend and have some of the most fun you can have in a car. That being said, we thought that now is a good time to get you up to speed on what happens in an OTA event.
BEFORE you come to the track, please have your vehicle inspection check list printed and signed as well as have your car classified on the CCDB or Car Classification Data Base. Also read the supplementary regulations. There is a lot of information there. Make sure to bring closed shoes, long pants and a cotton long sleeve shirt to be used while on the track.
When you arrive at the track, find a spot in the paddock, empty your car, go to registration, sign in, pick up a transponder, purchase a meal ticket for Saturday if you had requested one previously and get your car scrutineered. Drivers’ meeting is at 8:35 so you will want to be at the track early so as not to miss your practice sessions.
Both days will start with practice sessions for 2 hours in total. On Saturday on the Pro Track, entrants will be divided into 4 groups for one 15-minute session each per hour during which time we hope to get some lap times on you to use during gridding for the afternoon competition. On Sunday there with be 3 groups with 20 minute sessions. Again, you will get 2 sessions to practice and set some reasonable times. Passing is allowed by point by in the morning practice sessions but it is important to spread yourselves out to make sure to get some clear laps. Also, if you have more than 1 car immediately behind you, they are faster and you need to signal them to pass at the next passing zone. All passing is to be done in such a way that the car being passed stays on the racing line and the passing car takes the inside line to the next corner. Our schedule is very tight and you will want to be in the pit lane and ready to go at least 5 minutes before your session. 15 or 20 minutes can go by very quickly.
Unless you have a car that uses true racing slick tires, all drivers are to exit the track at the entrance to the Fabi pits i.e furthest straight from the start finish. This is different from most lapping days and it is imperative that you familiarize yourself with the Fabi pit entrance which is about 1/3 of the way down the longest straight on the left side. You can return to the paddock area on the access road out of the Fabi pits back to the main paddock. Under no circumstances can you re-enter the track from the Fabi pit.
We all know that mechanical failures can happen at any track event. As mentioned previously we are on a very tight schedule and it is very important that if you have a mechanical event that significantly slows your car, that you pull off the track immediately both in the morning and very importantly in the afternoon competition. Continuing to drive around the track at a much reduced pace is unacceptable unless you are close to a pit entrance and can leave the track very quickly.
In the afternoon sessions, there will be NO passing of a competing car. Each competition run will involve one warm up lap, 3 “hot” timed laps and ½ lap cool down with cars exiting the track at the Fabi pit entrance. We plan to have 3 timed competition sessions. You will be sent out from the start at a given time interval and it is important to try and keep that time interval for the warm up lap. If you cannot go as fast as the driver in front, that is ok as long as you are not dawdling, but do not close the gap to the car in front of you until you pass the start finish line. After that, the race is on. After you have done your 3 timed laps, you will receive a checkered flag and we ask you to keep up some moderate speed to make sure to not hold up the cars behind you. Remember to exit at the Fabi pits. Please note that during the afternoon there is no set time schedule and you must be aware of when you are up for your next run. If you are not on the grid, in your car with your belts and helmet on, you may well miss your run.
If during the timed events you catch the car in front of you, you will be given a white flag which will indicate that that particular lap will not count and you need to back off considerably to make sure that when you get a green flag you do not catch that car again. We may be able to make up that extra lap during the same session but more likely it will have to wait for your next session or the end of the day.
If you spin off the track during competition, do not re-enter the track but continue off track until you are in a safe place. Stay belted and in your car (unless it is on fire) and we will allow you to return to the paddock area after the completion of the timed run. Unfortunately you will be listed as four wheels off and your times will not count. If you spin but manage to stay on the pavement you may continue as quickly as you can. It will not be a good lap but the rest of your session will count.
As you can see, efficiency in the use of the racetrack is paramount to having a good time and making our events run smoothly. Please do your part to assist us in being the best Time-Attack series in Canada
Dave Barker/ Gerry Carvalho
Please read the Supplementary Regulations at Rules - Ontario Time Attack as well as the notes to Competitors
Ontario Time-Attack at Shannonville 2021, Notes from the Organizers
Welcome to events 4 and 5 of the 2021 Ontario Time-Attack season. We hope you enjoy the friendly competition of the weekend and have some of the most fun you can have in a car. That being said, we thought that now is a good time to get you up to speed on what happens in an OTA event.
BEFORE you come to the track, please have your vehicle inspection check list printed and signed as well as have your car classified on the CCDB or Car Classification Data Base. Also read the supplementary regulations. There is a lot of information there. Make sure to bring closed shoes, long pants and a cotton long sleeve shirt to be used while on the track.
When you arrive at the track, find a spot in the paddock, empty your car, go to registration, sign in, pick up a transponder, purchase a meal ticket for Saturday if you had requested one previously and get your car scrutineered. Drivers’ meeting is at 8:35 so you will want to be at the track early so as not to miss your practice sessions.
Both days will start with practice sessions for 2 hours in total. On Saturday on the Pro Track, entrants will be divided into 4 groups for one 15-minute session each per hour during which time we hope to get some lap times on you to use during gridding for the afternoon competition. On Sunday there with be 3 groups with 20 minute sessions. Again, you will get 2 sessions to practice and set some reasonable times. Passing is allowed by point by in the morning practice sessions but it is important to spread yourselves out to make sure to get some clear laps. Also, if you have more than 1 car immediately behind you, they are faster and you need to signal them to pass at the next passing zone. All passing is to be done in such a way that the car being passed stays on the racing line and the passing car takes the inside line to the next corner. Our schedule is very tight and you will want to be in the pit lane and ready to go at least 5 minutes before your session. 15 or 20 minutes can go by very quickly.
Unless you have a car that uses true racing slick tires, all drivers are to exit the track at the entrance to the Fabi pits i.e furthest straight from the start finish. This is different from most lapping days and it is imperative that you familiarize yourself with the Fabi pit entrance which is about 1/3 of the way down the longest straight on the left side. You can return to the paddock area on the access road out of the Fabi pits back to the main paddock. Under no circumstances can you re-enter the track from the Fabi pit.
We all know that mechanical failures can happen at any track event. As mentioned previously we are on a very tight schedule and it is very important that if you have a mechanical event that significantly slows your car, that you pull off the track immediately both in the morning and very importantly in the afternoon competition. Continuing to drive around the track at a much reduced pace is unacceptable unless you are close to a pit entrance and can leave the track very quickly.
In the afternoon sessions, there will be NO passing of a competing car. Each competition run will involve one warm up lap, 3 “hot” timed laps and ½ lap cool down with cars exiting the track at the Fabi pit entrance. We plan to have 3 timed competition sessions. You will be sent out from the start at a given time interval and it is important to try and keep that time interval for the warm up lap. If you cannot go as fast as the driver in front, that is ok as long as you are not dawdling, but do not close the gap to the car in front of you until you pass the start finish line. After that, the race is on. After you have done your 3 timed laps, you will receive a checkered flag and we ask you to keep up some moderate speed to make sure to not hold up the cars behind you. Remember to exit at the Fabi pits. Please note that during the afternoon there is no set time schedule and you must be aware of when you are up for your next run. If you are not on the grid, in your car with your belts and helmet on, you may well miss your run.
If during the timed events you catch the car in front of you, you will be given a white flag which will indicate that that particular lap will not count and you need to back off considerably to make sure that when you get a green flag you do not catch that car again. We may be able to make up that extra lap during the same session but more likely it will have to wait for your next session or the end of the day.
If you spin off the track during competition, do not re-enter the track but continue off track until you are in a safe place. Stay belted and in your car (unless it is on fire) and we will allow you to return to the paddock area after the completion of the timed run. Unfortunately you will be listed as four wheels off and your times will not count. If you spin but manage to stay on the pavement you may continue as quickly as you can. It will not be a good lap but the rest of your session will count.
As you can see, efficiency in the use of the racetrack is paramount to having a good time and making our events run smoothly. Please do your part to assist us in being the best Time-Attack series in Canada
Dave Barker/ Gerry Carvalho