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2008 Indoor Kart World Championship
Rules, Regulations & General Information:

I - Events

Five (5) total races for each weight class, including:
Two (2) qualifier races of 30 minutes each in length for all drivers.
Two (2) qualifier races of 1 hour each in length for all drivers.
One (1) Final GP race of 1.5 hours in length. (For the top 20 drivers in points after the qualifiers)

A - Practice Sessions - Optional: Drivers may purchase practice sessions at the track, as needed.

B - IKWC Qualifier Rounds: The first qualifier round will be preceded by a 3 lap qualifying session, and all next qualifier rounds' grids will be determined by each drivers' current position in the championship. Grid will be set single file, with a rolling start. Qualifier races are 30 minutes or 1 hour in length, with one pit-stop required.

C - IKWC Final GP: The top 20 drivers in points after the last round of qualifier races will have qualified to be in the IKWC Final Grand Prix. The Final is 1.5 hours in length, an the grid will again be determined by current championship positions. Any ties will be broken by best race finishes, and if needed, best laps. The Final will have a single file grid, with rolling start. One pit-stop required during the Final race.

II - Championships:

A - Driver Championship: Consists of individual "driver" points accumulated by every driver during all Qualifier Rounds and the Grand Prix Final.

Note: Due to kart ballast limitations of the Worldkarts track, in 2008 the IKWC will, for the first time, have 2 weight classes. This means there will be 2 World Champion drivers in 2008.

B - Team Championship: Consists of the total individual points accumulated by the best 3 driver results of each team at all Qualifier Rounds and the Final Grand Prix.

C - 40+ Championship: Consists of individual “driver” points accumulated exclusively by all drivers 40 years old (and older) during all Qualifier Rounds and the Final Grand Prix.

D - Women’s Championship: Consists of individual “driver” points accumulated exclusively by the female drivers during all Qualifier Rounds and the Final Grand Prix.

E - Nations Cup: Separate event in 2008. (place link here to Nations Cup info)

IV - Points:

Each of the team's drivers is competing directly against all other drivers in his/her weight class for the Drivers Championship, including their own team mates. The Driver Championship points are individually assigned to each driver and count independently from the Team points.

A - Driver's Championships: All races count for points. Drivers score points in all races based on the points scale below. An additional 1/2 point will be scored by a driver for fastest lap of his/her race. If 2 drivers in the same race get the same best lap time, tie-breaker criteria is who scored the best lap first in the race.

To minimize the burden of possible bad luck on kart selection, positions 13 through 25 will score the same number of points (12 pts.).

B - Team Championship: All races count for points. The sum of the points of the three Best positioned drivers from a team will count as the team's result in a given round. An additional team point will be scored for best lap in all races. Same point structure as shown above will apply.

V - Teams:

A team may have 1 or more drivers, with no maximum number. However only a maximum of 4 drivers may team up directly together. Ex: If XX team has 10 drivers it will have to be divided into 3 sub-teams, Team XX-A & Team XX-B & Team XX-C. Each sub-team may have between 1 and 4 drivers. Drivers may not switch between sub-teams. Each of the team's drivers is competing directly against all other drivers in his/her weight class for the Driver Championship, including their own team mates.

VI - Weight Classes:

Drivers will be split into 2 separate weight classes, 70kg and 90kg. Each weight class will run separate races on track, and separate points for the Light and Heavy Drivers Championship.

Organizers will be responsible for official weigh-in at the track and determining driver weight category designation.

VII - Racing Equipment:

Race suits and full face helmet are required. Gloves are recommended. Race suits and helmets are available at the Worldkarts track free of charge for anyone who may not have their own.

Racing communication radios are permitted. Radios should be used to relay information such as: lap time, position on track, distance to kart ahead & behind, laps to go, pit strategy, and any item of useful information. Radio communication should NOT be used as a tool to encourage drivers to drive more aggressively towards other drivers. Overaggressive driving may result in a 30sec penalty, so teams using radio communications are urged to use this tool to help their driver keep a level head at all times, especially when defending or attacking a position.

VIII - Race Start and End:

Drivers will be lined up single file on the grid for the start. There will be 1 or 2 pace laps. Race start will be signaled by a waving GREEN flag at the start-finish line. Race will end when the CHECKERED flag is waved at the start-finish line. After a driver receives a checkered flag he must remain at the Kart waiting for ballast check by the track official.

IX - Karts:

A - The Karts: Karts made available by Worldkarts. All karts are Worldkarts JB Honda GX 270cc, 9HP. Only Worldkarts staff may do any work on karts. Spare parts, lubricants, and any type of work on the karts by driver or team members is forbidden, including tire pressure adjustments. No chemical, thermal or mechanical enhancing methods allowed on the tires.

B - Ballast: Drivers will be equalized at a base weight of 70kg or 90kg. Please note however, that there is a maximum of 20kg that can be added to a kart. Weight ballast (supplied by organizers) will be added to kart to meet minimum weight. Ballast must be added to new kart in case of a kart switch during races.

C - Driver Weight-in: The official weight-in will be at the drivers meeting, prior to the event. Driver will need to step on the scale and meet the required minimum weight without their racing equipment. Drivers will need to weigh-in in light clothes, such as shorts & t-shirt. Equipment is not included in the weight-in to avoid the possibility of extra weight being used at the weight-in (cheating). Shorts and T-shirt requirement serves to promote transparency and fair-play.

D - Kart Assignments: will be determined by a random draw. Kart picking will not be allowed. Drivers will be called one by one to pick a kart number just prior to each race.

If a driver completely misses his/her kart-draw for any reason, this driver will have its kart picked by one of his teammates or a Worldkarts staff member after all other drivers have picked. If the driver appears during the draw after his/her name has been called, the driver will pick from the options left after all drivers have picked. There may or may not be more than 1 option left to pick at that point.

X - Kart Changes:

All drivers must be aware that good luck and bad luck are part of racing. All drivers are subject to the luck of the draw as to which karts they will be assigned. A given kart may handle better than another. Mechanical breakdowns during a race are rare, but happen on occasion. If needed, a driver may make a pit-stop to switch karts (based on there being spares available at the time). The race will not stop for a kart switch. The driver will lose the time taken to make the switch. If a switch is made during any qualifying or warm-up laps, the driver will lose his original start position and start at the back of the grid. All kart switches are subject to actual spare kart availability at that given time. It's the driver and his team's responsibility to let race control know that there is a kart switch. Ballast must be added to new kart in case of a switch. If the race starts and the driver is still in the pits, the driver will join the race when ready, but will lose the time spent in the pits.

A - In Qualifying and Warm-up: If a driver determines his kart has a problem in qualifying or warm-up, the driver may switch karts for the race (if there are extra karts available), but will lose the grid position. The driver will quickly draw a new kart number and that will be the kart he/she will drive. Qualifying will not stop. The driver will lose any qualifying lap, and will rejoin the grid at the back, for the start. If the race starts and the driver is still in the pits, the driver will simply rejoin the race whenever he can and will be running behind whatever length of time or number of laps lost.

B - In the Race: If driver determines his kart develops a problem during the race, the driver may pit and switch karts (if there are any spare karts available). The driver will quickly draw a new kart number and that will be the kart he/she will drive. The race will not stop. A pit-stop to change karts during the race will count as a required pit-stop as the driver will have stepped all the way out of the kart, as required in a regular pit-stop. A kart-switch pit stop during a race must take a minimum of 30 seconds (starting from when the drivers stops in the pits). This is to minimize any advantage a heavier driver would gain from having to transfer less (or no) ballast to a new kart.

C - Kart switch when a yellow or red flag happens: A driver may stop for a kart switch from the 2nd lap on, during a race, and before the last lap. If a full course yellow or a red flag situation occurs, the pitlane will be closed and pitting is not allowed. If a driver comes in for a pitstop and a yellow or red flag situation happens when a driver has already entered the pits, the pitstop can be completed and the driver will rejoin the field when instructed to do so by pitlane staff. If cars are still rolling under yellow, the driver will rejoin the rolling field. If the race was stopped, the driver will remain stopped in the pits until all cars start rolling again under a yellow flag for the restart, and will then rejoin the field as he/she would have under a full course yellow condition.

Note: All drivers must be aware that kart switching is always a costly gamble. The new kart's performance may not be any better than the current kart, and a switch will certainly cost in track positions. A kart-switch pit-stop is much slower than a regular pit-stop, as all the weight ballast must be transferred to the new kart. Sometimes it will be best to continue in a problematic kart then to waste even more time with a switch. A driver will be disqualified from a race if he/she fails to transfer the ballast weights to the new kart. A kart switch should always be a last resort, as precious time will certainly be lost. Heavy setbacks for switching karts are to assure no unnecessary switching or kart picking. The points system accounts for possible kart problems by allocating same amount of points from position 13 and on.

XI - Pit-stops:

Minimum 1.
Every driver must perform a minimum of 1 (one) pit-stop during each race. Pit-stop must be made during the race (after lap 1 and before the last lap). Any pit-stops made before the start of a race do not count as required race pit-stop.

A - Pit stop: Every driver must perform 1 Pit-stop during each race. The pit-stop may be performed at any time between lap 2 and the penultimate lap. A pit-stop consists of 2 full stops. One speed control stop at pit entry and a second full stop in the pits. The stop must be performed in the appropriate indicated area in the pit-lane. Pit workers with Lollipop style stop signals will let driver know when to go. Drivers may not block the way of other karts or be subject to a 30 sec penalty.
Note: A FULL STOP means FRONT WHEELS must stop turning.

B - Pit stop Procedure: There is no set limit of how many karts can pit at one time. However, if it happens that for any reason pit lane must be closed, the pit entrance will be clearly blocked by an orange cone. A kart that requires an emergency pit-stop when pits are closed will have to go around another lap, or wait stopped at pit entrance until pit-lane re-opens. If waiting, the waiting kart's team/crew may not go to the driver and no work may be done on kart while in waiting to enter the pits, however crew may verbally communicate with the driver from the pit area. Driver's crew or teammates may not help driver perform pit stop or switch karts, as this will result in too many people in pit lane.

An orange cone (or similar) at pit entrance will clearly indicate if pits are currently closed or open.

C - Kart-Switch Pit-stop: Driver must pull over in the specified "Kart Switch Area" and be attentive not block other competitors. Drivers must also remember to carry their weight ballast to the new kart when making a switch, and that it is their responsibility (or the team's) to be sure that race control is aware of the kart switch. Race control must be made aware so they can properly adjust the switch to the scoring system. For safety reasons, team mates may not assist driver during pit stop. Driver must perform pit stop alone. Any assistance can only be provided by track staff.

D - Pit lane speed limit: There is no set speed limit in the pits. However, pit speed will be controlled by a "2-stop" system. Driver may enter the entrance to pit-road at any speed, but will need to come to a complete controlled stop in the "Full Stop Area", and wait to be released by a "Lollipop" man. Driver may then proceed to pit-stop area at any speed, and perform the pit-stop or serve a penalty stop. Coming too quick into the pits and causing a crash at pit entrance may result in a penalty, or even disqualification.

A situation may occur where 2, 3, or more drivers may decide to come into the pits at once, creating a "traffic jam" situation at the "Full Stop Area". If a pit-entry traffic jam causes the drivers behind the ones ahead to have to stop before reaching the designated "Full Stop Area", that stop would already serves as the required speed-control stop. There is no need to come to another complete stop at the cones before entering the pit area for their next stop. In the pits however, each driver will have to stop at the lollipop-man and wait to be released by him.

There is no penalty for not coming to a stop with all 4 wheels inside the "Full Stop Area". The main requirement at this station is that the kart comes to a COMPLETE STOP (and that means the FRONT wheels need to stop turning).

Note: It is wise to make sure that a complete stop is achieved rather than an ultra fast (and questionable) stop & go maneuver. The difference between in time gained would be miniscule, while the risk of a penalty could result in a 30 second loss due to a penalty on an incomplete stop.

E - Passing in the Pits: Passing in the pits is permitted, however drivers must be extra careful as the pit area will suffer even stricter scrutiny from race officials.

Be aware any kart-to-person or kart-to-kart contact in the pits is subject to penalty.
Failure to come to a complete stop in "Full Stop Area": 30 sec penalty.
Failure to stop at the correct pit areas: 30 sec penalty.
Kart-to-person contact: 30 sec penalty or disqualification (light or hard).
Kart-to-kart Contact in pits: 30 sec penalty or disqualification. (light or hard)
Crash in pits: 30 sec penalty or possible disqualification.

XII - Timing System:

If there is a total timing failure during a race, a new race (of half the original time) will be restarted if the race was less than 75% completed. If over 75% was completed, a new race will not be restarted. If results or scoring can not be made available due to a total timing malfunction, qualifying/start order will count as race result.

If a partial timing glitch happens, on-track results will remain unofficial. Organizers will attempt to calculate proper finishing order and announce official results later. If a race's results or scoring can not be unscrambled, qualifying/start order will count as race result. If only a few drivers results are lost or scrambled, organizers will attempt to calculate proper finishing order and announce official results later.

XIII - Flags:

Yellow (local): A "local" yellow flag may be displayed at a specific section of the track. It means there is an incident ahead, people on the track, a stopped kart, something that will require extra attention. Be prepared to slow down. Passing is not allowed. If a driver passes another under yellow by mistake, the passing driver may give the position back and not suffer a penalty.

Passes under yellow flag are subject to a 30sec penalty.

Yellow (full course): During a "full course" yellow flag situation, all corner stations will be displaying the yellow flag. It means that something happened which requires drivers to stop racing and continue to drive at a slow pace behind the leader. Drivers may not pass during the yellow. Any passing that occurred at the moment the full course yellow came out may be reversed with no penalty.

A full course yellow flag is also displayed during the warm-up laps, which precede the start of each race. Passing is not allowed during the warm-up.

Blue: A blue flag means leaders are approaching from behind. Passing is not imminent and giving way is not yet required.

Blue (waved with hand signal): A blue flag together with a hand signal means the leaders are about to lap the driver who is being shown the flag. The flag will be displayed accompanied by a hand signal pointing to the driver that needs to let the leaders by.

The driver being lapped must give way in a maximum of 2 laps or suffer a 30 second Pit-stop penalty in the penalty box.

Red Flag: A Red flag means the race has been stopped due to a serious accident or some other major problem. Drivers must gradually slow down and come to a full stop on the track. Drivers must maintain their positions and be aware not to pass or be passed by any others while coming to a full stop. Race will re-start after a 1 lap (or more) warm-up under yellow flag conditions. Karts will line up single file behind the race leader for the green flag in same order as when the race was stopped.

Orange Glow Flag: Penalty flag. Means the driver committed an infringement of one or more rules. Bring the kart into the pits and come to a full stop in the penalty box. Serve the required time penalty and wait for the "Lollipop" man's release to rejoin the race.

Black Flag: Bring the kart into the pits. Driver is disqualified or there is a kart problem that needs attention.

Rolled Black Flag: Warning. A rolled black flag pointed to a driver indicates to him he is being observed for overaggressive driving, and may receive a penalty next.

XIV - Penalty Box:

The penalty box is clearly marked in the pit area. Drivers who are shown the orange flag have been found to have broken one or more rules and must serve a 30 second time penalty. Proper control of the karts in the pits will be strictly enforced.

There may be the case when more than 1 driver is directed to the penalty box area, creating a traffic jam in the area. Drivers should just line-up behind the kart ahead and serve their penalty on that spot, even if the kart is not necessarily in the exact confines of the penalty area.

A penalty pit-stop does not count as a required pit-stop. However, a driver may serve his penalty at the penalty box, and then proceed to make the required pit stop (or vice-versa depending on direction of track and consequent position of the penalty area).

XV - Driver Conduct:

Kart-to-Kart contact during the IKWC is theoretically not allowed. However, within the tight confines of indoor kart racing, the occasional unintentional bumping and rubbing may be inevitable. However, the best way of looking at what is acceptable is: not to do to others what you would not like done to yourself. Worldkarts staff will be looking out for overaggressive driving behavior. Be respectful of your fellow drivers on and off the track. During a race penalties may happen, karts may experience mechanical trouble, and any number of other upsetting unexpected situations may arise. In any such cases that may come up, participants MUST remain level headed at all times and refrain from any overaggressive behavior on or off the track. Organizers and Worldkarts staff will be there to interpret what is acceptable close racing from actions that may deserve reprimand or penalty, and will enforce penalties accordingly. Bumping resulting from over-aggressive or irate driving (at organizers discretion) may result in first, a rolled black or orange flag warning, which if not acknowledged, will result in a penalty, or even driver disqualification, if necessary. A penalty may also be given with no previous rolled black flag warning. A disqualified driver may be cleared to race the in next event, but will be under observation. Though there is normally no crash damage liability during the championship, participants will be financially responsible for any damage they may cause to karts, equipment or areas of the racetrack facility as result of anger, rage, or irresponsible behavior.

Drivers should also be aware that unforeseen situations and circumstances may arise that will require on-the-spot rule interpretation and decisions. In such cases, Organizers reserve the right to decide on which course of action to take. Drivers may present argument, but must accept organizers decision as final. Decisions will be based on common sense, promoting fairness, and preserving the smooth flow of the racing schedule.

Note: Disqualifications will be deserved, as seen by organizers. Agitated or upset drivers risk further penalties if there is irate behavior in response to a penalty call. (This rule is designed to promote positive communication and goodwill between participants and organizers and as an attempt to keep aggressive behavior at a minimum level. This championship's prime purpose is of being as professionally run as possible, but also a fun competitive racing experience for all involved.). Remember to respect your fellow competitors, race clean, and be civilized at all times!

May the best driver WIN!!

(last update July 8, 2008)