PA-TSA R/C OFF-ROAD RACING 1:10 Scale Electrical Vehicles Middle School REVISED: October 2015 I. PURPOSE A. The R/C Off-Road Racing competition is designed to promote teamwork and problem solving among students as they acquire the technical skills to build, operate, race and maintain a radio-controlled off-road racing vehicle. Points earned for their portfolio contents, appearance of the vehicle and racing results will determine each team s evaluation. II. TIME LIMITATIONS A. Each chapter must have their vehicle assembled and ready to run prior to the start of the conference. B. Each team is responsible for having its race vehicle and portfolio at check-in as specified in the conference program. (Teams may also need declare the operating channel of their radio at this time.) Each team is responsible for having its team at the track for the race at the scheduled time as specified in the conference program. C. The team must have its vehicle ready to run on the track at their specified time during the Heat Eliminations and Mains. The race will begin with or without the scheduled driver(s) at the time designated by the race director. III. SPECIFIC REGULATIONS A. Each chapter may enter one racing team, comprised of three (3) chapter members, two (2) of which are drivers. B. Teams must enter a vehicle that is a purpose-built off-road racing vehicle that they have assembled from a kit or have disassembled and reassembled from an existing vehicle. Vehicle wheelbase (hub center to hub center) must be no shorter than 12 inches and no longer than 24 inches. C. Teams must provide a portfolio that includes: (1) a cover page; (2) a table of contents; (3) a typed descriptive report, including picture documentation with multisentence captions, detailing the disassembly, assembly and testing of the vehicle; (4) a signed Advisor Verification Statement verifying the assembly of the vehicle and the portfolio, with its contents, were created during the current school year. A portfolio submitted without the signed statement will not be judged. NOTE: A team that does not submit a portfolio, or 37
submits a portfolio scoring less than 15 points of the possible portfolio points, will be disqualified from the race. The written report should be a thorough explanation of the vehicle and its parts, the process of assembly, body painting, testing procedures, problems encountered and solutions to the problems. Teams are strongly encouraged to show true effort in the finishing (paint and decals) and general appearance of their vehicle. Teams scoring less than 3 points of the possible vehicle points will be disqualified from the race. D. Two of the team members must race in an elimination heat. The best score (number of laps) of the two will be sorted for the mains race, and the final round will be determined. In the final round, the driver who achieved the highest score must race to represent his/her team. NOTE: Even though only the best score is used to determine the mains race, the score of both drivers is used to determine team points as indicated in section VII, C E. Final results for the team will be derived from the scores from the judging of the portfolio, vehicle evaluation, and the points earned from the races described in section VII, C and D. F. Each team must have an additional channel (frequency crystal) available if they are not operating their vehicle with 2.4ghz technology. IV. OTHER SPECIFIC RULES A. General Rules 1. If a team member is disqualified, the team is disqualified. 2. Unruly or unsportsmanlike conduct will not be tolerated. Any team member in violation of this will be disqualified. Spectators judged to be in violation of this will be requested to leave the area. 3. Unsportsmanlike driving (intentional hitting of other vehicles, short coursing, etc.) is not permitted. Horseplay with a vehicle before, during or after a race also applies. Anyone doing so may be disqualified at the judgment of the race director. 4. Abusive, inappropriate language by any team member will result in disqualification. B. Inspections 1. Inspections will be held prior to each race. 2. Vehicles will be inspected after each race. Vehicles may not be removed from the track until the inspection is over and/or directed to do so by the race director. 3. A driver who fails to submit the vehicle to inspection, anytime, will be disqualified. C. Driving Rules 1. No vehicle is to be driven in the reverse direction of the track traffic at any time. A one lap penalty will be assessed to the driver doing so. 2. A driver must be careful not to hit the throttle when a turn marshal is handling the vehicle. (Remember, they are helping the driver who caused the need for the turn marshal to help). 38
3. A vehicle must finish the race under its own power. It may not be pushed across the finish line. 4. Vehicles may not be repaired on the track. They must be repaired in the pit area. 5. The driver may not leave the driver s platform at any time during the race. D. Turn Marshals 1. Drivers must be turn marshals for the race immediately following their own race. Failure to do so will result in the loss of one lap in their heat. Another chapter member may substitute, if necessary, but the original driver is responsible for the actions of the substitute. Drivers scheduled for the last heat must be turn marshals for the first heat. 2. Overturned or lodged vehicles are to be set back on the track at the spot of the mishap. Vehicles that accidentally exit the track are to be returned to the track at the spot of the exit. 3. Vehicles in need of repair are to be set outside of the track nearest the spot of the trouble. The pit crew member must pick up the vehicle at that point and return it to the pit area for repairs. Pit crew members must go around the track, not across it, to pick up their vehicle. Once repaired, the vehicle must be returned to the track in front of the pit area. 4. A vehicle on the track has the right of way over a vehicle that has gone off the track, overturned, or otherwise has problems. 5. Turn marshals must treat all vehicles equally. 6. Drivers, or their substitutes, are responsible for knowing the requirements of a turn marshal and to follow them appropriately. E. Technical Rules 1. The vehicle must be a standard commercial model built from a kit, or a vehicle built from cannibalized parts from other vehicles. Factory assembled/built vehicles are not permitted. 2. All ROAR-legal stock motors of 17.5 and above (number of winds, i.e 21.5, 25.5, etc.) are permitted, as well as any stock brushless motor that does not exceed 3000KV in rating. RTR-based systems, such as Traxxas, with a limit of no more than 15 Turn Factory sealed endbell motors are also permitted. 3. All Electronic Speed Controls must be set to Blinky Mode or be STOCK SPEC by manufacture. 4. Batteries may be of EITHER NiMH, NiCad, LiPO or LiFE variety. ALL lithium batteries must be hard-cased and may NOT exceed 7.4 volts (2S or 2 cell) in factory rating. NiCad or NiMH battery packs may NOT exceed 8.4 volts (7 cell) in factory rating. All batteries must be charged in an approved charging bag/pouch OR a military ammo container NO EXCEPTIONS. Puffed or swelling battery packs will be removed immediately from the facility (7 Springs structures) and must remain outside the structures for the duration of the TSA conference. Appropriate disposal techniques will be implemented to assure safe material recycling of the batteries before vacation of the TSA conference. 5. Chargers must be set to the battery type being charged. If an 39
inappropriate charger is used for charging the wrong battery type, then immediate disqualification of the team will result. Any damages to facility property or other teams' gear as a result of misuse or neglect of equipment will be the sole financial responsibility of the team/advisor cited. 6. Tires must be any R/C commercially produced product no larger than 4.75 inches in diameter. Any tire traction compound must be approved by the race director 7. Team pit areas will be provided at the location and have 110v electrical hookup capabilities for charging or soldering. 8. The vehicle must have a body and it must run the entire event. All vehicles will have closed (full) bodies. The body may be factory made, or made by the team. However, the body may not be factory painted and must be painted by the team. Bodies from previous years competitions are not permitted. The body must be finished with paint no clear bodies will be permitted for competition. The body must have windows. Windows may be clear or painted, but if painted, they must be a different color than the main body. Bonus points will be considered for student made bodies that also contain clear and thorough documentation in the portfolio. 9. Bodies must be removable, but properly secured. Rubber bands, tape and wire ties are not permitted to hold the body in place. Velcro securing is permissible. If the body falls off during the race, the vehicle must be taken to the pit area and refastened to resume the race. Bodies constructed of multiple pieces that come apart during the race, must be reconnected to resume the race. 10. The front most and the rear most part of the vehicle must contain a shockabsorbing bumper. Non-existent or non shock-absorbing bumpers are not permitted. Sharp, protruding objects are not permitted on the vehicle. 11. The vehicle must be off-road and capable of maneuvering over jumps and other obstacles. The vehicle may be either two-wheel or four-wheel drive. 12. Any part of the vehicle may be customized as long as it does not violate any of the rules previously mentioned. V. PROCEDURES A. Track and Staging 1. The track surface may be asphalt, concrete, carpet, wood, or any combination thereof. 2. The track will be a continuous loop that may contain jumps, throw rugs, slippery and rough surfaces, and other obstacles that produce an offroad experience. The configuration of the track will be determined by the race director. The race director may change aspects of the track between qualifying heats and the mains. 3. Teams will have no more than two (2) minutes to stage their vehicle once the heat or race has been called. 4. No part of the vehicle may extend ahead of the starting line when staged. 40
B. Competition 1. The race director will generate and post a list of teams and sequence of the elimination heats. 2. All team members must be present at an orientation meeting held prior to the start of the first race. The race director may make revisions in certain procedures a she/she may deem necessary for certain conditions. Any revisions will be announced at the orientation meeting. 3. Just prior to each race, transponders will be issued to each driver in that race. Transponders must be returned immediately following the end of their race 4. Each of the two (2) designated drivers of each team will drive in one elimination heat of four minutes duration. After the elimination heats, lap sorting of each team's best qualifier/driver will take place and the top drivers in each level will be qualified for the mains. The qualifying driver must drive in the mains event. The mains event will be six (6) to eight (8) minutes in length that MAY include a battery change. At the conference, the race director will determine the length of the mains based on the race director s inclinations. As per section II, C, all teams must be ready at the start of their assigned heat or main. Teams or drivers not staged within two minutes of their scheduled race time will be cut from the race and their lap time will be zero (0). 5. A designated pull-off area (pit area) will be provided on the racecourse for pit stops. A vehicle may be repaired at any time during the qualifier or mains if it is necessary. The repairs must be made in the designated pit area and the vehicle may not leave this area except to be replaced back on the track. Once the vehicle is repaired, it must be returned to the track in front of the pit area. Only the other two team members of the driver are permitted in the pit area. 6. Drivers from both middle school and high school may be mixed together for the elimination heats, but each driver s results are recorded for their specific level. The mains will be sorted by level so that drivers from the same level will compete against each other. VI. REQUIRED EVENT PERSONNEL AND EQUIPMENT A. Personnel 1. Event coordinator and race director 2. Judges/race officials (3) to evaluate the notebook, vehicle, and display of team spirit theme; as well as to assist in the race competition. B. Materials and Equipment 1. Check-in and evaluation forms 2. Race scoring system with transponders 3. Track and track partitioning accessories 41
VII. EVALUATION A. Up to 25 points will be awarded for quality and thoroughness of the submitted work in the portfolio. B. Up to 10 points will be awarded for the painting and the overall appearance of the vehicle. C. Up to 20 points will be awarded for points earned for the elimination heat results. After the elimination heats, the number of laps of each team member will be added together. Each team s total number of laps will be divided by the highest number of laps scored in the elimination heats, then multiplied by 20. D. Up to 15 points will be awarded for the mains. After the mains, the number of laps for each team will be divided by the highest number of laps scored in the mains, then multiplied by 15. E. Any ties in final points will be broken by the teams score on the portfolio and/ or the vehicle points. F. Disqualification will result from the following: 1. Any previously mentioned reason for disqualification. 2. Failure to meet time limitations, procedures, regulations or rules. 3. Having a vehicle deemed to be unsafe by the race director. 42
PA-TSA R/C OFF-ROAD RACING ADVISOR VERIFICATION STATEMENT Middle School ( This Form Must Be Included In The Notebook ) By my signature, I am verifying the PA-TSA R/C Off-Road Racing team of our school s TSA chapter: (a) has assembled our vehicle and prepared a body during the current school year; and (b) has completed the portfolio and picture documentation during the current school year; and (c) has been instructed in safety precautions, especially in the use of soldering guns/pencils, when working on this vehicle. Advisor s Signature 43
PA-TSA R/C OFF-ROAD RACING Official Rating Form Middle School Evaluators: Using minimal (0 to 2 points), adequate (3 to 4 points) or exemplary (5 points) performance levels as a guideline, record scores earned for event criteria. The (X1), (X2) or (X3) notation in the Criteria column is a multiplier factor for determining the points earned. Example: (X2) would mean that if the points earned from the rubric was 4, it would be times two for an 8 in the score box. Documentation (25 points) Criteria Minimal Performance 0 to 2 points Adequate Performance 3 to 4 points Exemplary Performance 5 points Portfolio Components (x1) The portfolio is unorganized or two or more sections or components are missing. The portfolio is generally well organized and is only missing one section or component. The portfolio is exceptionally well organized and contains all sections and components. Descriptive Report (x2) The report has few details of construction, body work and testing of the vehicle and/or has more than three spelling or grammatical errors. The report lacks some details of construction, body work and testing of the vehicle and/ or has no more than three spelling or grammatical errors. The report fully details construction, body work and testing of the vehicle with no spelling or grammatical errors. Picture Documentation (x2) The work of the team is not clearly documented or has fewer than two pictures or more than one caption is not multi-sentence or there are more than three spelling or grammatical errors. The work of the team is somewhat documented or has fewer than four organized pictures included or one caption is not multi-sentence or there are no more than three spelling or grammatical errors. The work of the team is clearly documented with four or more neatly organized pictures each containing multi-sentence descriptions with no spelling or grammatical errors. Vehicle Evaluation (10 points) Appearance (x2) Paint job does not meet regulations or is poorly done. Overall appearance of vehicle shows little appeal to the viewer. Paint job meets regulations, but it and/or creativity have some room for improvement. Vehicle appearance is average with no outstanding features that grab the eye of the viewer. Paint job is well done and shows evidence of creativity. Total vehicle appearance is neat and clean and shows evidence of attention to detail in its overall construction. Bonus (10 points) Student-Made Body (x2) Creativity and/or craftsmanship needs significant improvement, or clear or thorough documentation is inadequate or missing. Creativity and/or craftsmanship has some room for improvement, and/or needs additional documentation in the portfolio. The student made body is creative, shows excellent craftsmanship, and is thoroughly and clearly documented in the portfolio. Elimination Heats Results (20 points maximum) See Section VII, C for Computation Method Mains Results (15 points maximum) See Section VII, D for Computation Method 44