New Format for Frederick

[BugBomb]

We're trying a new format at Frederick this weekend. This new format should allow us to use more of the lot for course design and improve safety, but the operation of it is more complex. Here is how the new format will work. You can refer to the attached site map to help visualize the new format.

-With this new format, the pavement of the lower lot will be off-limits to spectators. The entirety of the lot is now part of the course. Spectators should stay at the top of the hill, only course workers will be down on the pavement. The grill area will be on the hill as well. We would like all participants and spectators to use the grass when walking between the upper and lower lots, since the access road will now be a grid lane, and it's not quite wide enough for cars and pedestrians.

-Everyone will be assigned not only a heat number, but also A/B group will be assigned at Registration. You need to remember whether you are A or B within your particular heat, as well as your driver number. If you think you'll have any trouble remembering, type it somewhere in your phone.

-Have your car ready to race before the start of your heat, preferably before the driver's meeting at 9am.

-There will be no A/B grid before sending cars to the start line. When we call for the next heat to start, A group drivers will get their cars from paddock and pull into the hot grid lane (the access road between the upper and lower lots - see map). B group drivers will stop at the worker check-in and write their driver number before going to a worker station. Once A group is done, they return to paddock, and quickly make their way down to worker check-in while B group goes up to get their cars from paddock and pull into the grid lane.

-We will have two ways of getting back to the start line. The long loop goes out onto the public street. This route is for street-legal cars only. The driver will be stopped before exiting the lower lot, where they must remove their helmet and "cool down." A stop worker will release them and then the driver must treat the drive just like any other trip on public roads - Look for other cars, follow speed limits, etc. New Design Road is a 35MPH limit, Stadium Drive is 25MPH, and we want our participants to stay under 10MPH on the grid lane.

-The 2nd way back to the start line is the short loop. This is for non-street-legal cars or morning-only participants that are about to start their last run. These participants will wait near the lot exit until the stop worker tells them to proceed back to the start line. Then they will drive along the edge of the grass to get back to start.

-At the completion of each session, we will send non-street-legal cars back up the grid lane before bringing down the next group. We'll be sending a grid worker to the upper lot at each changeover to help coordinate this.